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VoIP & Gadget blog with the latest news in the VoIP and gadget space, wireless, mobile phones, product reviews, opinion & analysis.
 
Fonality, a provider of IP-PBX systems based on Asterisk, has just secured a $12 million financing round led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ) Growth Fund with participation from existing investor Intel Capital. Draper Fisher Jurvetson is a well known venture capital firm backing more than 600 companies including industry-changing companies such as Hotmail, Overture, Four11, Baidu, and fellow VoIP company, Skype.

I spoke with Fonality CFO Dan Rosenthal who explained that Fonality has had  16 successive quarters of growth, and that the main goal of this funding was to grow the distribution channel and accelerate growth. As part of the financing deal, DFJ will become part of Fonality's board. Dan said, "We're growing at a pretty good clip. Growth takes cash. We've got relationships with big partners such as Dell,  PCMall coming down the line. In order to really accelerate our growth we want to make sure we've got the bulk and the balance sheet to support that growth."

Dan also mentioned they are focusing on OEM distribution. He pointed to Dell's deal earlier this year with Fonality and stated that other major co-branded and OEM branded products in lots of different places were forthcoming. PCMall being another example that Dan mentioned.

According to Fonality, they will use this additional capital to continue expanding its share of the $7B domestic telephony market and take a position in the $25B global telephony market, with a special focus on affordability and mobility for businesses with 5 - 500 people per location.

"Fonality's model has always been to free people from the prison of their cubicles, and to do so affordably," said Fonality CEO Chris Lyman. "But, with the rising price of gas and the increased adoption of high quality broadband, our vision of 'your office is the world' is nearly upon us. This investment by DFJ and Intel Capital, two top-tier investment firms, gives us the freedom to further accelerate our growth and acquisition strategy."

Randy Glein, managing director of DFJ Growth Fund, has joined Fonality's board of directors. "Fonality is the right solution at the right time," said Glein. "The company has developed a powerful, affordable communications platform for small and medium-sized businesses, allowing Fonality-enabled businesses to compete more effectively in the global economy. Fonality combines the benefits of open source development, rich proprietary features, and professional support to help its 5,000 customers take advantage of the latest communications innovations very affordably. Fonality supports workers wherever they are and lets them communicate inside and outside their organizations with easy-to-use software available everywhere, on any device."

Earlier this year, the company launched a relationship with Dell to sell Fonality products online at Dell.com and via Dell telephone sales. Fonality currently has 140 employees, offices in three countries, and operates four global data centers.

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The U.S. market for smart phones continues to be a tough nut to crack for the established handset makers.

Top-tier players such as Nokia, Motorola and Samsung control 80% of the market for cell phones but have struggled in the U.S. to sell smart phones -- phones that allow users to surf the Internet, send email and download music, among other advanced functions.

Often caught up satisfying carrier demands, handset makers have been slow to bring out products in this segment, opening the door for the likes of Research in Motion and Apple.  And let's not forget Palm.

(What's in your pocket? Bet it's one of those ...)

Want to find out more about the trials and tribulations of this market? Check out the Wall Street Journal here.

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Samsung_logo.thumbnail.gifTalk about putting the kiss of death on a format that has just ever so barely just arrived, Samsung has said that it sees the Blu-ray format only lasting a further five years before it is replaced by another format or technology.

"I think it [Blu-ray] has five years left, I certainly wouldn't give it 10," said Andy Griffiths, director of consumer electronics at Samsung UK in a Pocket-lint interview.

Hoping to capitalize before it's too late, Griffiths believes that 2008 is the format's year.

Citing online rental sites like LoveFilm's adoption of Blu-ray titles, the move to offer cheaper players and a now clear path to adoption following the Blu-ray HD-DVD battle, Griffith says the format will be a winner, although not for long.

Instead Samsung is putting its faith in its OLED technology. The new technology, which is "ready to rock," is being held back at the moment due to high manufacturing costs.  

Check out more on what OLED may mean to you ...

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hdtv home_callout1.gifEconomy down, oil prices up ... Hey, time to buy a new HDTV!

With the February 2009 digital TV transition looming, HDTV suppliers are expecting a good fourth quarter and hoping for a minimum of price cuts along the way.

That is what executives with LG Electronics, Sharp, Toshiba, Mitsubishi and JVC had to say at a recent meeting reported in TWICE.

Scott Ramirez, Toshiba's TV marketing VP, indicated that his company will be rolling out a major introduction of HDTVs with increased features.

While that will be good for Toshiba, he said that overall demand of HDTVs will be strong in the fourth quarter. And he does not see much in the way of traumatic price cuts. 

Steve McNally, consumer electronics sales VP, LG Electronics, reported that HDTV sales "have been good for us" recently and that LG "is meeting [its] sales goals, which means we are outpacing some with our growth." 

(But I bet he would see a lot more!) 

Read more about it here.

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old tv-300px-Finished-fish-tank.jpgNext Monday, a group of public officials and broadcasters will gather in Wilmington, N.C., with little more to do than wait for the phones to ring.

At noon that day, Wilmington stations will shut off their old television signals and broadcast only in digital, potentially leaving thousands of older televisions unusable.

Wilmington is the first U.S. city to switch to digital-only television broadcasts and is doing it five months early as a test of the strategy the government and broadcasters have adopted for helping people who still rely on over-the-air, analog television move to the digital TV future.

Read more about it at the Wall Street Journal.

And while we are on it: How to Convert an Old TV Into a Fish Tank

Have you discovered a dinosaur of a TV set in your attic or now in your living room?

It sure can't compete with today's flat-panel units, but it doesn't have to head straight for the junk pile -- if you're creative. Here's how to make it do something those plasmas will never pull off: turn it into a fish tank!

DYI here.

 

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The poultrasound_44978878_-3.jpgwer of ultrasonic waves has been harnessed to produce "virtual" objects in mid-air.

The field of haptics -- integrating computing and the sense of touch -- has been around for some time, but has required gloves or mechanical devices to impart a sense of feeling.

Now, a team of Japanese researchers has developed a system that uses focused ultrasound to do the job, and its inventors may soon commercialize the approach.

With the expansion in multimedia on the web, our eyes and ears are flooded with sensory information, but the sense of touch has been largely left behind.
The popularity of vibrating gaming handsets has proven that it is a rich but untapped way to increase interaction. 

Read more about the future of gaming -- and beyond -- at the BBC here.

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Apple has sent out invitations for a music-related event next week, and the smart money is on new iPods.

The invitation, titled "Let's Rock," went out this morning inviting media to the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts in San Francisco next Tuesday at 10 a.m. PDT.

Rumors have been building for weeks that Apple is set to introduce new iPods at what will be its fourth September iPod event in as many years.

Many have been expecting Apple to hold a September iPod-related event since March, when audio chipmaker Wolfson informed its shareholders that it had been shut out of the design of next-generation media players from "a major Tier 1 customer" who planned a third-quarter launch.

Launching in September gives Apple plenty of time to build distribution and marketing for new iPods ahead of the , when the company sells the bulk of its iPods for the year. 

Read a lot more on CNet here.


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Regular readers of the VoIP & Gadgets blog will recall I've written about Flashphone several times. In theory, Flashphone, like Phweet (a Flash-based VoIP app) should work on Aircell's airline Internet service. Until of course, Aircell blocks it of course. (See Andy's post about doing VoIP over Aircell)

The most recent Flashphone news was the addition of flash-SIP/VoIP-to-video calling. Now today, Flashphone has released an Adobe AIR version of Flashphone. Many Flashphone users (about 75000 now) use Flashphone's browser-based SIP softphone since it requires zero installation. However, if you are using flashphone to receive incoming calls, having a browser VoIP app isn't always convenient.

That's why Flashphone created an AIR version of Flashphone. Flashphone writes, "Now you can install it in few click with Adobe AIR runtime (if it's not installed yet) and get real SIP softphone which works in the same way like browser-based one, but you can minimize it to system tray and be sure that you are online and ready to receive calls. Sure there are lot of things to improve in this version, so we are expecting feedback from our users."

Here is the Adobe AIR Install badge:

 




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Garrett Smith from VoIP Supply emailed me this morning expressing his excitement that "A VoIP pure play keeping up with a who's who of America's top retailers." Specifically, the company Garrett works for was named to CRN Magazine's Fastest Growing retailers listing VoIP Supply's retail business amongst the big boys like Best Buy, New Egg and PC Connection.

Out of the 15 companies listed, only one company posted better growth numbers then VoIP Supply.

itexpo-logo.jpgA hearty congrats to VoIP Supply team! I'm sure I'll see some of you at Internet Telephony Expo (ITEXPO) in a couple weeks. I'm sure Garrett, who blogs for SmithonVoIP will be at Andy Abramson's Bloggers' Dinner that Andy puts together each show. I'll have to raise a toast to VoIP Supply's success.

Obviously, VoIP is growing like gangbusters for VoIP Supply to beat out other retailers. Relatedly, Rich 3 days ago pointed out that VoIP jobs salaries grew dramatically in Q2 this year.

Rich writes:
OnForce Inc., is an online jobs mart where employers and workers meet on the Internet and agree on an hourly rate and a recent report from the company shows growth in VoIP rates have increased from 1.5 to 1.95 between Q1 and Q2. This basically means VoIP jobs are now paying twice the average of all IT jobs.

Get this... Jobs in the field of printers and point of sale systems (cash registers, etc) command 1/3 the salary of those in VoIP!

If you are in the VoIP space, your time is now. Sure these salary levels may not be this high forever but it is great to see demand and salaries increase so rapidly in a time where news in other markets is generally not as good.

If you are looking to get into the VoIP market or enhance your skills, the time is now. Don't wait... Don't delay.

There are many certifications you can look into and many are very good but only one is offered by TMC -- the company which publishes the only VoIP-related magazine -- Internet Telephony and puts on the world's only IP Communications event ITEXPO...

And of course that would be TMC University. Frankly, you cannot find a better certification anywhere IMHO and as you may have noticed it is tough to be humble when you think your product is so great.
Well said, Rich. And with ITEXPO just 2 weeks away, it's not too late to sign up for some of the training and certification classes. Rich lists a bunch of the classes you can take at the show to polish your VoIP skills & to get in on this fast-growing & lucrative VoIP action.

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Well if the cat wasn't out of the bag already over the naming convention (OCS 2007 R2 vs. OCS 2009) for the next release of Office Communications Server 2007, we can put that to rest. It will be indeed be called Office Communications Server 2007 R2. In fact, just a few days ago, Microsoft shipped the beta for Office Communications Server 2007 R2, "in record time after shipping OCS 2007 last year."

Kintan Brahmbhatt, a Program Manager at Microsoft writes, "It is a great achievement for the team. Today brings back memories from my earlier days, when Live Communications Server 2005 SP1 had recently shipped and we were all gung ho about Office Communications Server." Kintan goes down memory lane showing a video with Scoble (when he was still with Microsoft) along with some of Microsoft's Real Time Collaboration gang - Dhigha, Mallika, Kyle and Kintan. Check out the video & news about OCS 2007 R2 beta here: http://www.kintya.com/blog/2008/08/office-communic.html

I'm happy to see Kintan involved with OCS since back in the early days of OCS. I wonder if Kintan was with Microsoft when Microsoft launched technologies formerly referred to by the code name "Greenwich", which was part of the Microsoft Real-Time Communications Server (RTC Server) 2003. I was one of the early RTC Server beta testers 5 years ago. It only did SIP/VoIP and IM and not video, and was the precursor to Live Communications Server 2005 -- if I recall correctly. Of course, LCS 2005 later evolved to become OCS 2007.

If memory serves me correctly, RTC Server didn't do well in the market and perhaps didn't even actually launch out of beta. RTC Server was more of an IM/presence platform and didn't have strong PBX integration. I do recall that the ability to enter in SIP credentials was removed from Windows Messenger, which was annoying since I wanted to deploy it at TMC. It appeared Microsoft was giving up on SIP and any sort of open SIP-based communications platform.

It was then in January 2006, that the Exchange and RTC (Real-Time Collaboration) groups were merged together that indicated to me that Microsoft wasn't giving up on unified communications and that they were truly serious this time. Microsoft has had many stops & starts in VoIP - from Netmeeting to Windows Messenger with support with SIP providers (Net2Phone) to RTC Server. It appears with OCS 2007 (which I've reviewed) and now OCS 2007 R2 beta Microsoft finally got it right. I'm looking forward to checking out OCS 2007 R2 in the near future.

Via Kintan's MSDN blog.

Update:
I should mention that this beta release is only available for customers/partners that were accepted for the OCS Technology Adoption Program. There is unfortunately no Public Beta available.

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Comments on this Entry:

(David Yedwab on Sep 2, 2008 11:23 PM) Tom, The link to the blog doesn't link -- is it wrong?

(Tom Keating on Sep 3, 2008 1:26 PM) well I'll be. BOTH links were removed. Maybe Kintan let the cat outta the bag before the higher ups approved it? DOH! Hope I didn't get him in trouble. Here's a cache of the page showing what it said: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.kintya.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F08%2Foffice-communic.html&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS275US275 and a cache of the other page: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fblogs.msdn.com%2Fkintan%2Farchive%2F2008%2F08%2F29%2Foffice-communications-server-2007-r2-beta-shipped-today.aspx&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS275US275

(Gerry Gilmore on Sep 3, 2008 6:15 PM) Everyone please note that - as discussed on this (http://communicationsserverteam.com/archive/2008/05/23/196.aspx#comments) blog from the OCS team - they are adamantly opposed to ever supporting SIP over UDP because, well, Microsoft knows what's best for you. They apparently broke the 1500-byte UDP limit with some of their bloated INVITE messages and now they just can't use UDP. Bogus, IMO, but we all now know what to expect - and not expect - from OCS R2.

fring-make-call-types.JPGfring is offering a limited number of "friends of fring" with exclusive access to news, and features before general release. I like to call fring the "Swiss Army knife of mobile VoIP" supporting SIP, Skype, MSN Messenger, Yahoo, ICQ, Google Talk, Twitter, and AIM. I have it installed on my Windows Mobile 6.1 phone. As a "friend of fring" you can also provide feedback. My first suggestion should I become a FoF would be DTMF support, which I wrote about last week. Anyway, check it out:

With your ongoing support, fring has developed into an award-winning, global leader in mobile internet communications, and we have done so by listening to guys like you telling us what you think, what works and what doesn't, and developing our cool services and features accordingly.  We recognize just how important this has become, and want to take it a step further, by inviting you to join "friends of fring", a small, exclusive group of fringsters which we will share information with, take inputs and insights from and provide products, features and other news of fring's development before general release.

All we ask is that you continue to tell us what you think occasionally! Please note, there will be no obligation on your part to do so, but we will ask you to agree to keep confidential some of the developments we share with you.

As a  FoF (a k a friend of fring), you'll receive a fringing welcome pack  J with some fun fring goodies , and access to a special password protected friends of fring web site where we'll share the exclusive friends of fring info.  We'll also be hosting friends of fring social events every so often (lot's of free drinks and other stuff...), so we can say thank you and get to know each other in person. This will give us a chance to share with you the cool new stuff in the product pipeline, and hear your thoughts and ideas for future development.

Please note friends of fring is totally free of charge to be a part of.  Application is open to any fring user, but to make it manageable and to keep it exclusive, the final selection will be limited to only a few users per country.  So if you are interested in joining please apply now.

To apply, please send an email to friends@fring.com with your:

-          name

-          fring nick

-          fring ID (your mobile no. with its international dial code)

-          and a few short lines explaining why you'd like to join.

Applications are open until Fri 12th Sept and we'll get back to you by Tues Sept 30th.

Hope to hear from you and make friends soon!

Cheers,

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3cx-voip-phone.png
In late July, 3CX launched a new SIP-based VoIP client called 3CX VoIP Phone, with a fully-featured dialpad, and it allows for easy call transfers. It also features history of calls, the ability to put calls on hold, and the ability to accept, reject or ignore calls. Best of all 3CX VoIP phone is completely free and works with most popular IP PBXs and VoIP providers. It even sports multiple SIP profiles support for registering with multiple SIP accounts.

As I wrote back in July, 3CX VoIP Phone features strong Microsoft Outlook integration. Users can launch calls directly from their contacts' list within Outlook by just right-clicking on the name of the person they wish to call.


Other features of 3CX VoIP Phone

  • Supports several SIP profiles
  • Shows personal call log/history - ideal for salespeople
  • Message Waiting Indication (MWI)
  • Supports G.711 (A-Law and u-Law), GSM, iLBC and Speex codecs
  • STUN support for NAT/firewall traversal
  • Installation provided as MSI for easy deployment
The new 3CX VoIP Phone can be downloaded here: http://www.3cx.com/VOIP/voip-phone.html

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"A phone is only as good as the network it's on," said a full-page Verizon Wireless newspaper ad on Thursday, lobbing a shot at AT&T's 3G, or third generation, high-speed network.

(And ain't that the truth -- we know if well where I live!)

Apple sold more than a million iPhone 3G cellphones its first weekend -- with some stores running out -- and two million more since then, analysts say.

But its July debut has been nothing less than a public relations headache for AT&T, with eager buyers complaining about dropped calls and poor network connections.

Some fingers point to Apple, which has tried to deflect the complaints. But many others point to AT&T's cellular network.

Whatever the source of the problems, AT&T's rivals, long irritated by all the attention the iPhone has received, are on the attack and happy to exploit the discontent.

A Verizon executive sent an e-mail to Wall Street analysts last week: "So much for a 'new' way of doing business at the old AT&T -- your father's phone company." 

Get more at the New York Times here.

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cousin brucie images.jpegIt really wasn't all that long ago when you could bring an AM radio to the beach for Labor Day, tune in Cousin Brucie and rock the sand dunes!

(Remember all of those beach party movies? Can anybody name one?

Now, with all of the anti-fun measures that are posted at the beach (no noise, no ball playing, etc.), it's amazing that you can still go in the water and swim (only between the green flags, please!).

Anyway, looks like the 2008 end-of-summer beach look is an iPod or other MP3 player -- but remember keep the sound down so you don't blow out those eardrums! --  so everyone rocks out in silence.

Ah, the living in the modern world ...

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It was just announced on the Office Communications Server Team blog that the next release of OCS 2007 (rumored to be called OCS 2007 R2) will support 64-bit operating systems only. Customers who are using 32-bit hardware systems to run OCS 2007 will have to upgrade to x64 systems to install and run the next release of OCS.

From Microsoft:
As a part of the broad initiative across Microsoft to support 64 bit versions across many of its product lines, the next release of OCS will support 64-bit operating systems only. This decision will help meet customer demand and is a natural progression of the product that aligns with the same approach taken by the Exchange team (with Exchange 2007) and the SharePoint team (with SharePoint 2007) to support 64 bit operating systems only.

For the next release of OCS, Microsoft will support deployments on 64 bit operating systems - Windows Server 2003 x64 (R2) and Windows Server 2008 x64.

They based their decision to go 100% 64-bit in part based on customer feedback, as they explained here:
Based on customer feedback, Microsoft's goal with the next release of OCS is to simplify deployments by reducing the number of servers needed for deployment. Customers are also telling us they are pushing the limits of existing hardware with their "mission critical" communications solutions.

OCS 2007 Video Call

There was a bit of a backlash from customers when Microsoft announced that Exchange Server 2007 would be 64-bit only, but I think that mentality has eased a bit over the last year. More IT departments are deploying 64-bit servers these days, so it's much less of an issue. Plus, OCS 2007 servers are installed by companies that are on the leading-edge of technology. After all, OCS 2007 is only 1-2 years old. Plus like Microsoft says, when you consider that enterprise communications are mission critical, why would stick with 32-bit when 64-bit works much more reliably?

I'm sure there will be those that disagree, but I for one am happy Microsoft is jumping in with both feet into the 64-bit world.

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birthday-cake.jpg
Just want to wish Skype a Happy 5th Birthday. Skype has helped make VoIP a household name and has carried more VoIP minutes than any other VoIP software application out there. Well done Skype.

I hope you continue to innovate, though Andy Abramson writes today Skype is dropping Skypecasts, a nifty feature. Andy poo-poohs the move when he writes:
What's puzzling though is that Skypecasts are one more example of how eBay really missed the mark with their purchase of Skype. For example, SkypeCasts were the perfect way to hold training sessions for new sellers; for sellers to provide how to tips to customers and for eBay buyers to share experience with eBay and eBay sold items.

Skype is the best example of Voice 2.0. Unfortunately, eBay is all about trying to be 1.0 and that's the disconnect.
Well, I just hope Skype gets their innovative mojo back.

Here's to the next 5 years, Skype!

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Thumbnail image for starbucks_escher.jpg A recent study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has found that 25% of people would be willing to buy their gadgets from Starbucks, 30% from Ikea, 40% from Bed, Bath and Beyond and almost 60% from Home Depot.

"Electronics have become so pervasive that consumers are looking to buy these devices wherever they want," said Tim Herbert, CEA research senior director, adding, "No [retailer] is safe. If you don't reinvent yourself, there are retailers looking to capitalize on the vulnerability of CE retailers."

It's easy to see why as lines across the big box retailers blur and they look to capture more dollars from more (or, today, less) shoppers.

And innovative and lower-priced products are also making it easier for these stores to stock them -- a $159 computer keyboard with a built-in scanner from Keyscan, one of the first notebook stands with built-in iPod dock and speakers from Lifeworks and an accessory that adds voice activation to an iPod (with an iPhone version in the works) from Innotek.

And while this is exciting, don't see too many flat-screen TVs moving out of Home Depot, but then again, who would have guessed that Costco could move these big boys in such large numbers?

 

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According to Reuters, Sony's joint venture with cell phone maker Ericsson must do better.

Asked whether Sony is planning to end its Sony Ericsson joint venture, Sony head honcho Howard Stringer said: "It's certainly been a difficult year but buying out a partner is never an easy thing."

Sony lowered its group net profit forecast for the year to March by 17 percent, citing a slump at Sony Ericsson and weakening prospects for its electronics division amid tough price competition.

"We have to work together again as we did two years ago. Or the joint venture will have to find its own solution," Stringer said.

He added that it was hard for a company to be as nimble as possible when it works in a joint venture.

Are the bells starting to toll?  And will that be the last ring tone from Sony Ericsson?

Lots more here.

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Publishing giant Electronic Arts has said that it's currently trying multiple new business models to help battle the critical problem of second-hand videogame sales.

(No problem for me!)

While retailers reap the benefits of selling the same product multiple times, publishers and developers don't see any income once a title hits the second-hand market.

But realizing it's powerless to stop retail from selling second-hand goods, EA is looking to combat the problem by capturing the consumer with online content and services.

"I'd actually make the point that for us second-hand sales is a very critical situation, because people are selling multiple times intellectual property," said Jens Uwe Intat, senior VP and general manager for European publishing at EA, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz. 

Today, it seems like you can buy just about anything two or three times ... and what are auction sites like eBay supposed to do?

Course if all games where like Asteroid (above), would we have this problem?

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