| Videophone does VoIP, Web, DVR, Windows CE |
Dec. 14, 2006
Elanza Technologies has announced a next-generation, Internet-enabled videophone running Windows CE 5.0. The ElanzaWeb-Videophone ETI206 combines PSTN and VoIP phone calling along with a dazzling array of video conferencing, multimedia, email, Web access, thin client terminal, and other advanced features, according to the company.
(Click for larger image of ETI206 videophone)
The device boasts an 8.4-inch color TFT LCD screen with 170-degree viewing angle, and is capable of playing full-VGA, full-motion (30 fps), TV quality video simultaneously with Internet Explorer-based browsing, according to the company. That sort of multimedia performance is made possible by virtue of its embedded processor, an unspecified SoC (system-on-chip) that integrates a 500 MHz ARM 926 core along with dual 533 MHz DSP cores (which sounds suspiciously like a TI Davinci 644x SoC).
In addition to being a full-featured POTS and VoIP telephone, the device offers a range of interesting video-telephony capabilities, including two-way VGA-video communications, three-way video conferencing in CIF format, picture-in-picture, and a camera with 3x zoom that can capture and transmit digital images.
Not content to be merely a phone, the device also provides a rich assortment of audio/video entertainment functions. To facilitate the import/export of multimedia content, the unit can be synced to a PC, handheld computer, or TV, and handles DRM (digital rights management) through its built-in Windows Media Player software, according to a company spokesperson.
Among the device's key functional capabilities, according to the company, are:- MP3 and MPEG playback
- Audio/video answering machine
- Video mail
- PVR (personal video recording) functions
- Support for video-on-demand and IPTV services
- Video recording to external memory cards
- Video and photo albums
- A white-board feature for use in video conferences
- Video output to TVs and external monitors
- Personalized background images and screen savers
- Thin client terminal function, with Microsoft RDP remote terminal access support
- Soft keyboard
- MS Office document viewers
- Remote software update support
Other interesting hardware features include:- 800 x 600 pixel 8.4-inch color LCD with resistive touchscreen
- 64-256MB of system RAM; 64MB of flash memory for program storage
64MB to 2GB of flash storage expansion, via SD/MMC and CF cards
- Three USB ports; two "host," one "device"
- RS232 serial port
- A/V connectors
- Mic and earphone jacks
- Built-in 0.6 Watt stereo speakers
- PCMCIA card slot for other expansion
"Plans are also in the pipeline for compatibility with SMS/MMS [messaging] within the next six months," the spokesperson told WindowsForDevices.com.
The ETI206 videophone appears to be immediately available. Pricing was not disclosed.
The company announced a pair of IP videophones based on Windows CE running on Intel StrongARM processors several years ago.
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