Gizmo5

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Gizmo5 (formerly known as Gizmo Project and SIPphone) is the name of a Voice over Internet Protocol communications network and of a proprietary freeware soft phone for that network. On November 12, 2009, Google announced that it had acquired Gizmo5 ^[1].

Gizmo Project was founded by Michael Robertson and his company SIPphone.^[2] The Gizmo5 network uses open standards for call management, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP)^[3]. However, the Gizmo5 client application is proprietary software and uses several proprietary codecs, including GIPS, and iSAC, the wideband adaptive codec made popular by Skype.

Gizmo5 is based on the Session Initiation Protocol and can interoperate with other SIP-based networks directly, including the public switched telephone network. The latter requires the Gizmo5 service features CallOut and CallIn, available at a fee, whereas calls to other VoIP users are generally free of cost. Gizmo also uses encryption (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) for network calls and works well with Phil Zimmermann's new Zfone^[4] security features.^{[citation needed]}

Gizmo5 supports the following Codecs:

• GSM — fixed bit rate, not loss tolerant, narrow band (8khz sampling rate)
• PCMA — fixed bit rate (8 kHz sampling rate)
• PCMU — fixed bit rate (8 kHz sampling rate, high band width)
• EG711 (Enhanced G.711) — fixed bit rate, loss tolerant, narrowband
• iSAC — variable bit rate, loss tolerant, narrow and wideband (8 to 16khz)
• iLBC — variable bit rate, loss tolerant, narrow
• iPCMwb — 16 kHz sampling rate
• iPCM — fixed bit rate, loss tolerant, wideband

Version 4.0 of the Gizmo softphone offers video calls. Gizmo5 offers Gizmo on a smartphone platform.

As of July 20, 2009, Gizmo is the only SIP service without PSTN-based US phone numbers that may be used with Google Voice.

The text chat function of Gizmo5 utilizes the XMPP protocol.^[5] Users using Gizmo5 can be reached through the XMPP protocol at username@chat.gizmoproject.com

Gizmo supports outbound caller ID in the United States,^[6] where people commonly reject incoming calls from unknown numbers.

It also provides a free voicemail service^[7].

Gizmo also allows paid members of LiveJournal to make 'voiceposts' if they are unable to use the voicepost telephone lines provided by the website.^[8]

Gizmo5 on mobile phones

The Gizmo5 Mobile client uses mobile phone plan minutes. When such calls are made, the Gizmo5 service calls the phone numbers of both parties and connects the call. With a mobile phone that supports SIP, such as most Nokia E and N-series, calls can be made over WiFi or 3G. In the case of WiFi the calls to Gizmo users are free, and calls to regular phones only cost the Gizmo Call Out credit. On 3G, additional cost may appear depending on the user's data plan.^{[citation needed]}

Controversy

In July 2009, I-P-Tel Gmbh, a provider of various VoIP related products, accused Gizmo5 of violating the GPL with regards to a SIP client for Android phones (Sipdroid) I-P-Tel Gmbh wrote and licensed under the GPL. Shortly afterward, I-P-Tel Gmbh blocked access to Gizmo5 via I-P-Tel Gmbh's pbxes.com service until a link was provided to the source.^[9]

Acquisition

On November 12, 2009, Google announced that it had acquired Gizmo5^[1] for a reported $30 million in cash. Prior to this acquisition, Gizmo5 had a working relationship with GrandCentral (now Google Voice) for years^{[citation needed]}. Upon announcement, Gizmo5 suspended new signups until a Google relaunch.^[10]

See also

• Comparison of VoIP software
• List of XMPP client software
• Ekiga
• QuteCom

References

External links

• Official site