GlobalStreams is leveraging its expertise in broadcast video to bring a new video communication service to consumers with broadband. Vibe Phone is a point-to-point videoconferencing application that uses proprietary codecs and protocols to connect users in a face-to-face conversation over any 128K bit/sec connection or greater. All the user needs is a Webcam with built-in microphone or a headset/microphone combo. Vibe Phone can be used to share PowerPoint slides and images (both converted to JPEG) and includes a number of TV-like effects such as wipe and fade transitions. For most calls, the communication is point to point. However, where a router-based firewall comes into play, a GlobalStreams-hosted proxy server helps tunnel through the block on either end of a call. More restrictive firewalls used in large corporations can still pose a problem.
A couple of negatives about Vibe Phone: It runs only on Windows, though GlobalStreams is pondering expansion to the Macintosh platform. Also, because it uses proprietary codecs, Vibe Phone users can only talk with other Vibe Phone users and there’s no support for multi-point calling.
Vibe Phone’s monthly fee is similar to a cell phone service plan: $4.95 per month gets you 100 minutes of calling. A $19.95 plan gives you 650 minutes. GlobalStreams does offer a free one-month trial for those that wanted to test the service out.
