Commentary: AMD's Ruiz finally finds his calling

It's going to be a really long goodbye for Hector J. de Ruiz.

When industry executives hand over the reins of power to a successor, they might stay on briefly as chairman of the board of directors before relinquishing even that position to enjoy their retirement. Ruiz, until Thursday (July 18) chairman, president and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. , is taking a different approach.

In a sign that the battle for domination in the microprocessor world has become deeply personal for Ruiz, the long-term industry executive is staying on as executive chairman at AMD with one major goal in mind: dismantling what he described as Intel Corp.'s "illegal monopoly" of the MPU market.

Even the most pro-Intel observer of the microprocessor market must agree that AMD under Ruiz 's leadership has already cracked Intel's armor.

Several regulatory authorities globally from Japan to Korea, the European Union and the United States are either investigating or bringing actions against Intel for allegedly violating anti-trust laws through its marketing practices and contracts with PC manufacturers.

In the latest action, the European Commission this week informed Intel it had expanded its ongoing investigation of the Santa Clara, Calif., company's marketing practices based on new evidence purportedly showing the chip maker induced an OEM to sell only Intel-based PCs. Other actions have been instituted or concluded in Japan and South Korea.

source:http://www.eetimes.com/news/semi/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209101192

How to Make a Conference Call in the United States

Holding conference calls has become pretty routine in our world today. Still, there are people out there who do not know how to make a conference call. Here are some basic tips.

If your need is simply to connect one or two other parties with yourself, you may consider utilizing the conference feature provided with your local phone service. Typically, the charges are rather high, but if you have a one-time need, this quick and easy solution will usually fill the bill. For instructions on how to make a conference call using your local phone service, contact your local service provider.

Some office phone systems also have a limited capability to create a conference call. The typical PBX will allow a combination of in office and outside connections, usually number no more than a six to eight lines. Instructions in how to make a conference call using your office system can usually be found in the instruction booklets supplied by the manufacturer. If they are not, a call to the manufacturer will usually end with an offer to send you instructions on how to make a conference call via an email or a fax.

Long distance providers are also a source of conference services. Your long distance carrier most likely would be happy to tell you how to make a conference call utilizing their services. One word of warning on this option: unless you have a volume agreement in place for telecommunications services, the pricing may be high. You would most help yourself to check around for something less costly.

If circumstances dictate that you go through a conference vendor, you will find quite a few choices these days. Most conference call providers will be happy to help you select the type of conference service you want and issue you specific instructions on how to make a conference call using their service platform. Among the selections they will assist you with are determining what type of conference call you need, help in setting up your account, booking the conference call and then step by step instructions in how to make a conference call.

Once you have determined whether you will conduct the conference through your local phone company, an office phone system or with the aid of a conference call vendor, you can then contact everyone who needs to attend the conference. Included in your notification should be specific instructions, if any, concerning how the party is expected to be connected to the conference call. Do not skip over basic instructions. Many parties do not know how to make a conference call, or at least may be unfamiliar with the style of call you have chosen. Make sure your instructions on how to make a conference call are easy to understand, and always provide some sort of means for each party to get assistance should they become confused.

Just as it is imperative to provide your attendees with specifics on how to connect with the conference, make sure you have a clear understanding of how to make a conference call using the type of service you have selected. Go over the process you will need to follow in connecting with the conference and make sure you understand exactly what to do. This is especially true with dial-in formats that utilize passcodes. If you fail to enter the passcode assigned to the host, the conference will not begin. If you have any doubts about what you are to do, call your provider and go over the process of how to make a conference call with the service you have established.

It is also important that as you learn how to make a conference call with your vendor of choice that you be aware of any service options at your disposal during the actual conference. As an example, many services allow the host to mute all attendees, which is great if you want to deliver a lecture as part of the meeting. If there is a service option available that you think may be helpful, but you are not sure how to utilize it, ask for suggestions from your vendor. Part of their job is to make sure you understand how to make a conference call using any of the service options they make available to their customers.

One last critical feature to investigate when learning how to make a conference call with your vendor of choice is how the call will end. Some vendors set the conference to automatically end when the host hangs up. Others will allow the conference to continue until the last line in the call releases. Make sure you know how your service is set to work.

Knowing how to make a conference call has gone from being a special perk of corporate executives in large companies to being a basic skill that persons in all walks of life should become familiar with. If you do not currently use conference call services, check around with friends and acquaintances. Chances are you know several people who know how to make a conference call; they can put you on the path to mastering this very useful business practice.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/how-to-make-a-conference-call-in-the-united-states-37569.html

Conference Call Services - Meeting Your Communication Needs

With the onset of globalisation, the need for reaching out to every country is a necessity. No business can run successfully without effective communication. For communicating effectively, a business unit needs conference call services. It is the service through which, the business head can control every operations of the business spread all over the globe.

Whether you need to communicate something to your workforce or give a presentation to a multi-million dollar client in some other place, conference call services can deliver you the ease at which you make your presentation. There are scores of business entities, which deliver conference call services around the world. However, to find the one which suits you the best is an uphill task.

For finding the best-suited conference call services, online search is a good option. The online search lets a user take up a conference call service by comparing various deals. Different conference call services have different deals. It could vary by the number of participants, duration of the conference, toll-free dialling facility, and conference recording etc.

Take you pick of conference call services only after knowing in and out of such services. Before you take your pick, get detailed information on what kind of services a particular deal will be having. Some conference call services providers also have the facility of recording your conference so that you are able to take reference of the conference whenever you need.

Power of conference call services provided these days have grown manifold. With such dependence on effective communication for running a business, the usage of conference call services is going to increase more in future. Some conference call services also have the facility of sending emails to the participants of the conference call before hand. This facility lets the conference to be held as per schedule.

However, If you availing any conference call services UK, it is important that a user ask the participants whether they would be able to attend the conference. In addition, password related to the conference callings and other passwords, schedule and topic to be discussed during the conference should be told to the expected participants beforehand.

Get your choice of conference call services today online. The online method of securing this service allows you to find deals that suit you best. Apart from that, you are also enabled to avail a number of discounts and rebates on such deals.

source:http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Conference-Call-Services---Meeting-Your-Communication-Needs&id=610741

conference calling

CONFERENCE CALLS are an annoyance to entrepreneurs whose firms don't have advanced telephone systems that enable them to speak with multiple parties at once.

But with AT&T's new Click2Dial Conferencing , you use the Web to make these calls, entering the names and numbers of the people you want to call and when you want to call them. Click2Dial costs 15 cents per minute, per person.

At the scheduled time, AT&T automatically dials the listed parties. "All you need is one phone line and Internet access," says Janet Stone, a media relations director for AT&T. "The other people on the conference call don't even know you're using the Internet to call them."

Source:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DTI/is_4_27/ai_60036376

Conference Call

An acquaintance of mine is looking for a conference call provider. Now I'm quite interested in the subject of conference calling as it relates to web conferencing, so when the topic came up in conversation, I tuned in immediately.

I was amazed to learn that there is a company that provides free conference calls. You read it right ... free conference calls.

Apparently, they build their own equipment and offer the free conference calling in the hope that folks might upgrade to their paid plan. (With the free service, callers must dial into non-toll-free number.)

While I need to compare Integrated Data Concepts Teleconferencing Services with the other conference call providers, this sounds like a pretty slick idea.

Whole About Conference Calling

conference calling is right for them they will need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each. In this article we will evaluate and compare the three major types of conference calls including audio conference calling, web conference calling, and video conferencing.

The biggest advantage, for many companies, in choosing audio or web conferencing over video conferencing is the cost. Audio conferencing tends to be the cheapest. Virtually the only costs involved when choosing audio conferencing is the cost of a telephone and then the charge of a long distance call. Many companies already have phones with a built-in speakerphone and if not they can be purchased for as little as $100.

However there are disadvantages in choosing audio conferencing as well. The first distinct disadvantage is that businesses lose personal relations when all they hear is a colleague's voice. Jokes and remarks can be taken the wrong way or be offending when those involved can not see a caller's smile of facial expression. Another disadvantage to audio conferencing is that the quality of the call declines as additional locations are added. When several parties are involved the chance of two of them talking at the same time are great and neither of them will have their thoughts heard.

Web conferencing offers its rewards and shortcomings as well. While web conferencing can be free, it is usually in the companies best interest to choose to pay a little more to avoid annoying ads and pop ups. Web conferencing is especially useful for business calls that involve viewing digital files because these files can be sent in an instant via email to all parties involved. Documents can be viewed, analyzed and returned so they can be discussed all at once rather than waiting and communicating through mail or several phone calls. Web conferencing also allows more than one person to talk or type at once without going unheard.

Like any type of conference calling though, web conferencing also has its disadvantages. One of these down sides is that, again, it is difficult to gauge a person's seriousness or humor in a comment. There is no personality in a typed sentence. It is also difficult for those who are uncomfortable with technology to use web conferencing efficiently.

Finally the biggest advantage to video conferencing is that it offers a visual connection with the other attendees. When using video conferencing callers are able to view each other on a TV screen and hear each other through the speaker system. Associates are able to hear each other's voices, put a voice to a face, and understand each other's joke and comments. Financially, the cost of video conferencing is quite a bit higher due to the equipment that is involved. If equipment is not high quality it can also be limiting because the video feed can be jerky or delayed. Whatever type a business chooses, every type of conference call has it ups and downs.

Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/

10 Essential Steps to Organizing a Conference Call

Conferencing calls are a boon to businesses and families. More that two people can talk to one another at the same time. There are today many kinds of conference calls:

• Audio conference calls.
• Video conference calls.
• Webconference calls.

A conference call saves money as well as time and enables people to take decisions on the spot. There are what are known as conference call providers who offer conference calling services and charge their clients on a per hour or per minute basis. Once you subscribe you will be given a toll free pin number. This must be sent to all the people who will participate in the conference call.

The 10 essential steps of organizing a conference call are:

1. Decide on a convenient date and time. Be sure to inform all persons concerned.

2. Contact a conference call service provider and pay the subscription.

3. Send all the participants the toll free number and pin number well in advance.

4. Book a time slot to avoid confusion.

5. On the date of the conference call meeting all the participants must dial the toll free number and enter the pin. Once they have done that the conference call can proceed. All participants will be able to ask questions, provide answers and communicate with one another just as they would in a face to face meeting.

6. The host or person who has paid the subscription will control the conference. And if the host terminates the call the conference call will end unless arrangements are made to continue the call.

7. If you need to share data or illustrations then you would need to make arrangements for a web conference.

8. Always arrange for the conference call to be recorded.

9. Ask about the billing system. Most conference call providers bill by the minute and have a 30 day billing cycle.

10. Before you sign up check up on reliability of service and whether the conference call service provider uses digital lines.

These days, conference calls have become affordable as there is fierce competition in the market. And an account can be activated within the hour of subscribing. And calls can accommodate as many as 200 participants.

On your part you can ensure that you are using a phone with no static. During the call ensure that all other devices like music systems or televisions are switched off. Memorize all the buttons on your phone. Accustom yourself to using a head set. Make notes during the call and assign one person to record the minutes of the conference call. Create an agenda for the conference call and send it out to all participants. Conduct the meeting in an orderly fashion so that no time is wasted. It is a good idea to request all participants to introduce themselves when they speak.

A conference call can ease business meetings and save money on travel.

Always find out what services are offered by the conference call providers. Find out about rates and discounts. It is a competitive field so you will always benefit by comparison shopping. Select a provider who provides good service and is yet affordable.
Source:http://pr-gb.com

FreeConference plan to combine services

The technology behind a browser-based Web conferencing tool called Vyew will be wedded with software from FreeConference, an audio conference call service, according to makers of the two products.

The partnership, to be announced later this month, is designed to deliver the first free, integrated conference calling and Web conferencing service, according a spokesman for Vyew, a start-up of University of California, Berkeley, graduates that was recently called Simulat Inc. Simulat is still listed as the official company name on the Vyew Web site but will be changed, the spokesman said.

Each company plans to embed the other's service into its own, according to the spokesman. Vyew subscriberswho want conference calling while collaborating online will be able to choose "Free conference call" in Vyew for quick access to Free Conference reservationless call service.

There are already some free Web conferencing services from Yahoo Mail and Google Mail, although they offer limited functionality, said Robert Mahowald, an IDC analyst who has seen an early version of the joint product. He said he was impressed by the resulting "good mix of features" similar to those seen in more complex Web conferencing systems from IBM, Cisco Systems Inc. and Citrix Systems Inc.

Even though Vyew is used by some large companies, Mahowald predicted that it will primarily serve small and midsize business users, or even small homebound businesses since larger companies tend to rely on systems administered and installed by their IT departments.

Free Conference will offer users a new service called SharePlus desktop sharing based on Vyew's technology. SharePlus will allow document sharing and application sharing in real time during a teleconference with the activation of a single click.

Source:http://www.computerworld.com/

Five Steps to Clearer Audio Conferences

At San Francisco's Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold, our IT department received constant complaints from our users who tried to conduct audio or video conferences.

Our legal professionals were frustrated by poor audio, low volumes, or static instead of content. How did we resolve these issues?

We established five rules for successful audio conferences, which can apply to the audio portion of video conferences or webinars, as well as the traditional teleconference.

1. Turn off your BlackBerry.

BlackBerrys emit annoying radio frequency interference that is picked up by telephones, microphones and speakers.

They aren't the only guilty party: To some extent cell phones and all wireless devices could be considered co-defendants to this noise complaint.

But BlackBerrys, because they are much more likely to be transmitting information, are most problematic.

Of wireless protocols in use today, Global System for Mobile or GSM -- perhaps the most popular -- is probably the worst offender because of the way it uses the electromagnetic spectrum.

Your conference microphones work by translating sound waves into electromagnetic signals that are then sent to your conferencing system.

Meanwhile, your BlackBerry is sending out pulses of electromagnetism to communicate with its network. These pulses are essentially highjacking the electronics of your microphone and sending those pulses directly through the microphone to your conferencing system. You hear these electromagnetic pulses as that characteristic staccato of buzzes.

If you can't get people to turn off their BlackBerrys, consider investing in shielded microphones and cables.

Audio Technica U.S. Inc. makes a whole line of shielded boundary microphones. We've had great luck with the model U841A. Make sure your cables are also shielded or quad-style.

2. Avoid using a cell phone for audio conferences.

The quality of cell phone calls is poor and often filled with static. One cell phone on the call can create enough noise to ruin a conference for the other callers. If you absolutely have no other choice, please mute your cell phone during the call.

3. Don't use your office speakerphone.

High-end Polycom Inc. speakerphones and built-in conferencing systems offer duplex voice transmission.

This means that two people can talk at the same time without attenuating or diminishing the volume of one another. Although your office phone is capable of duplex voice transmission, your office speakerphone is not.

4. Mute your microphone when not talking.

Microphones will indiscriminately pick up the slightest of movement, breathing, rustling of papers or side conversations. In order for the group to hear the speaker, background noise must be kept to a minimum.

5. Locate the microphone, speak clearly into it and keep everything else away from it.

In order to be heard, you must be within three feet of the microphone and speak directly into it. You must also keep rustling papers, tapping pencils -- as well as noisy laptops and projectors -- as far away from the microphone as possible.

High-end conference rooms often have the microphones built into the table top, which makes their location easy to ignore or cover with papers or lunch.
Source:http://www.law.com/jsp/

Skype's free VoIP conference software brings new possibilities

Conference calling is an easy and effective way to be in contact with your colleagues who are far away and close by. Voice over IP makes this mode of communication even easier -- and it saves money. Skype is one downloadable program that helps you do this and what's more, you can do it at no cost. Free VoIP conference software from Skype can make conference calling so simple.

Skype's free VoIP software allows you to hold conference calls with up to five people. All you need is the free download and a headset, and you can enjoy crisp, clear communication through your Internet connection. Skype is a secure way to make calls, so you can hold a conference with your coworkers with the peace of mind that what you're sharing stays confidential.

As long as the computer you want to reach has Skype installed, the calling service remains free. There are other plans available that allow dialing in and out to telephones for a small price. A PC Magazine review asserts that the Skype calling interface is as easy to use as a standard instant messaging service.

Because Skype's VoIP conference calling is free, you won't need to sign a contract or make a commitment. It's a great way to try using VoIP in your business communication because there isn't a financial risk. All you need is an Internet connection -- a faster connection makes for a better call -- and a headset to make secure, convenient conference calls that can help cut down on face-to-face meetings and improve productivity.
Source:http://www.web-conferencing-zone.com/

Verizon Introduces Three New Fixed-Mobile Convergence Services to Enhance Business Mobility

To make it easier for businesses and government agencies to enhance employee mobility and productivity, Verizon is introducing three new fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) services. The services help on-the-go professionals seamlessly bridge wireline and wireless networks.

The services, unveiled today at the NXTcomm trade show in Chicago, are: Wireless Office, PBX Mobile Extension and Mobile Conference Connection.

Features include: a single phone number that simultaneously rings to an office, home and cell phone; a unified mailbox that consolidates voicemail from multiple devices; and instant conference calls that can be organized and initiated with just a few clicks on any Research in Motion BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone or PDA.

The new services are part of Verizon's overall mobility strategy, which builds on the power of the company's expansive, world-class wireline and wireless networks and advanced collaboration techniques.

The services are also the latest additions to Verizon's comprehensive suite of Mobility offerings, which enable professionals to seamlessly and securely conduct business while away from the office. The offerings include: wireless voice and data, managed wireless LAN, and Secure Gateway, which provides mobile users with access to their company's virtual private network.

In addition, the Mobility services feature Verizon's advanced collaboration tools including conferencing services (audio conference service, Web conference service and video conference service), secure instant messaging and managed e-mail.

"Now, more than ever, busy professionals are demanding new tools to help stay on top of their business, both in and out of the office," said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon. "By bridging its world-class wired and wireless networks, Verizon is helping to enhance mobility and productivity in today's fast-paced, mobile work environment."

According to Forrester Research, 23 percent of large-business professionals are frequent travelers who spend significant time away from their offices and conduct increasing amounts of business on the move. As a result, businesses each year are spending more on mobile devices while also focusing greater attention on asset management and liability.

With Wireless Office and PBX Mobile Extension, Employees' Offices Can Follow Where They Go

Wireless Office and PBX Mobile Extension provide wireless phone users with the same capabilities available on an office phone.

Wireless Office, powered by the Verizon Wireless network, is immediately available for U.S. businesses. It delivers a network-based solution for small and mid-sized businesses to merge their fixed and wireless voice communications by extending common private branch exchange (PBX) calling features - such as abbreviated dialing, closed user groups and call control - to wireless devices.

The features enable small and mid-sized businesses to respond more quickly to their customers and make their communications more cost-efficient. As a result, these businesses can compete more effectively with their larger rivals. The service includes two different pricing options for either "on campus" wireless calling or on-net calling for calls that originate from a wireless handset to corporate office extensions.

PBX Mobile Extension enables a large corporate campus or large numbers of mobile workers - including executives, sales personnel or field service technicians - to answer calls and respond quickly. This service works with a company's existing PBX system to provide a single phone number that simultaneously rings on a user's cell phone, home phone or any pre-selected phone number. If a user can't answer the call, PBX Mobile Extension uses a company's existing voice mail system to provide a unified voice mailbox, eliminating the inefficiencies of multiple voice mail systems.

In addition to making it easier for callers to reach a company's workforce, the service enhances calling for employees. Outbound calls by employees using cell phones show the caller's office phone number via caller ID. Cell phone callers also can use other PBX functions such as call-transfer, park, hold and more.

With PBX Mobile Extension, workers can also move seamlessly between their cell phone and a desk phone to complete a call in progress, conduct quick and secure conference calls, and initiate mass notifications enabling companies to quickly respond to planned or unplanned situations. The service will be available in the United States starting next month, and Verizon plans to roll it out internationally in 2008.

On-the-Go Virtual Meetings Take New Shape With Mobile Conference Connection

Mobile Conference conference calling Connection helps busy workers quickly and easily coordinate spontaneous meetings and boost productivity away from the office. This new offering, targeted for launch this summer, provides road warriors with tools right at their fingertips to initiate or join a conference call with a few clicks on any Research in Motion BlackBerry or Microsoft Windows Mobile smart phone or PDA. For example, Mobile Conference Connection allows Instant Meeting leaders in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America to enter their Instant Meeting Subscription information on their mobile device. This enables the meeting leaders to initiate and schedule spontaneous meetings, send e-mail meeting invitations, start meetings, and add participants to conference calls via a link embedded in an e-mail invitation that participants receive via their mobile registered device. In addition, participants or leaders can join audio calls by having a conference call bridge "dial out'' to contact them.

Users of Verizon's Global BlackBerry 8830 service can use Mobile Conference Connection to initiate or participate in conference calls from 150 countries worldwide. In addition, Global Blackberry users benefit from e-mail and Internet connections in 90 countries.

More Mobility Services Planned

"Today's announcements enhance our existing Mobility portfolio with new, simple and secure ways for workers to stay connected to the office," said Stratton. "We will continue to aggressively roll out products and services that best meet the needs of business customers round the world."

Additional new services Verizon plans to launch this year and next include:

1. Satellite access in Europe and Asia to enable companies without terrestrial access to remain connected to corporate resources.

2.Additional automatic wireless primary and backup access options to help enable companies to remain up and running.

3.Mobile satellite access where users can access their network in hard-to-reach areas such as mountainous regions.

4.Integrated VoIP offerings to support mobile workers.

5.Managed Wireless backup to Private IP.

source:http://news.thomasnet.com/fullstory/803849/3280