VDOPhone has a vision for telephony

Net users can now use their PCs to see and talk to each other in real time with a beta version of the VDOPhone for Windows 95 from VDOnet.

Available for free from the company's Web site, VDOPhone sends full-motion video and telephony between two browsers over the Internet.

Unlike Net-based videoconferencing software like White Pine Software's CUseeMe, which can connect multiple users, VDOPhone is aimed at consumers who simply want to communicate one on one. "Instead of cramming multiple windows on one screen, we decided to go for one-to-one quality audio and video," said VDOnet director of marketing Tony Zuccarino.

VDOPhone users can simultaneously send and receive audio for telephone-like conversation with a minimal loss of video frame rate. If your connection speed drops below 28.8 kbps, VDOPhone can still deliver audio-only transmissions over 14.4-kpbs modems.

The final release for Windows 95 should be available in early summer, with Mac, UNIX and Windows NT versions to follow later in the year, according to the company. The company has not yet set pricing.

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