New Intel chipset could awaken the PC as phone

Intel's remote wake-up chip could finally turn PCs into phones.

One of the biggest drawbacks of current PC-based Internet phone services like Skype, which allow people to make phone calls from their computers over the Internet for free or for reduced fees, is that you can't receive calls when the computer is turned off. But that is changing with a new chipset introduced by Intel Thursday that allows computers to wake from "sleep" to accept calls and do other tasks like accept downloaded content.

Intel has teamed up with JaJah, a California-based voice over IP start-up, to allow JaJah users to receive calls on their PCs when their computers are in "sleep mode."

"The Intel technology turns the PC into a PBX for the home," said Trevor Healy, CEO of JaJah. "With the JaJah soft client you can plug in any USB-enabled phone and start receiving inbound calls anytime."

The deal with Intel also means that JaJah technology will come already configured into certain PCs so that users don't have to download any software to make Web calls. This makes it different from other PC-based IP telephony services, like Skype, which require users to download a software client. Jajah provides users with local phone numbers and routes calls over the Internet to allow users to call any fixed or mobile phone anywhere in the world for a fraction of what they would normally pay.

JaJah was the first telecommunications partner that Intel selected to be used with its new Remote Wake technology. JaJah with more than 10 million subscribers is small potatoes compared with the biggest name in PC-based VoIP, Skype, which boasts over 300 million subscribers. But Intel's venture arm is an investor in JaJah, pouring $20 million into the company in May 2007.

That said, Intel said that the Remote Wake technology could work with any VoIP service.

"Intel Capital invested in JaJah, so this extends that relationship," said Joe Van De Water, Intel's director of consumer product marketing. "But the Remote Wake technology is open. There is a software development kit. So there's no reason that other VoIP providers like Skype couldn't use this."

Skype didn't respond to requests for comment.

While Remote Wake could make it easier to use a PC as a phone, it could also help make online video services work more efficiently. Orb Networks and CyberLink, two online content services, are also working with Intel to use the technology to work with their services so that songs, photos, videos, or other content can be downloaded onto PCs during off-peak hours. Intel is also hoping to work with PC services that do remote back-up or security updates so they can use the technology to offer their services during off-hours when there is less congestion on the network.

[ralfthedog]

This is far more reaching than IP phone and video downloads. This could be a revolution in the virus and malware industry. Today we can only infect computers that are turned on. With this new technology we can infect any computer that has power and connection to the internet.

Thank you Intel, the virus world was starting to get a touch boring.

[ja-watson]

Be careful about comparisons in number of users. Your term "boasts" about Skype's claim of 300 million subscribers is quite appropriate - since it is impossible to delete a Skype account, that number includes every account that has been created, regardless of whether they are active or not, have ever been used or not, or anything else. The best public estimates of "real" Skype users are somewhere around 30 million, which makes JaJah not look like such "small potatoes" after all.

[Tech-Guy]

I completely agree with ralfthedog, in that this is a huge way for viruses to get at our computer without us even needing to be there. I frankly think the chip should be used strictly for VOIP, and to sweeten the deal, not need the PC to boot up at all- just have it continue to run "off", and work as a phone device only. If people really want video calls or something, make the mobo boot into a custom linux pre-boot OS, like what ASUS (and now Dell) is doing w/ some of there boards.

Intel should work on making a single chip solution for the Atom so that they can install those on motherboards to run the quick-boot OS, to allow access to web/ VOIP/ IM/ media. That way it would cut back on power, time, and noise. That of course is several years off, at least, and I can see Microsoft opposing anything that keeps users away from their OS more than necessary.

[arsaboo]

Interesting technology, but I am not sure whether it will revolutionize VoIP. Read more on http://truvoip.blogspot.com/2008/08/computers-wake-up-to-receive-calls.html

[gycafesor]

If the PC can use as the phone, it means I can convert dvd for my phone?
http://www.convert-video-dvd.com/dvd-ripper.html#115