[Tfug] VoIP phones

[TR]

I would think the question to be fundamental to what the target buyer
would be.  A dumb phone for corporate and lock the user into our
system.  A smart phone for openness and independence.

If this question can be answered then the issue resolved.

But I would argue in either case to design to the smart phone chips as
because the firmware can be made to act dumb.  When smart feature are
desired or required they can be added in with out change of the
hardware.   This of course mean the the chip for smart does no
preclude dumb features.  And maybe that the unit cost of chips is not
that dramatic.

TR

On Mon, Oct 27, 2008 at 7:00 PM, Bexley Hall <bexley401 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm working with a group designing a VoIP phone.
> My sole responsibility is the hardware so I've
> been avoiding many of the software related
> arguments/discussions.
>
> But, there is currently a discussion about how
> "stand-alone-ish" the device should be.  And,
> this (apparently) effects the complexity of the
> software enough to have hardware implications.
>
> <frown>
>
> One argument favors a "dumb phone" that relies on
> added functionality in a "VoIP PBX" elsewhere on
> the network to do the actual routing of calls,
> implement fancier features, etc.
>
> Another argument favors a "full featured" phone;
> i.e., something that can plug into the Internet
> *anywhere* and talk directly to other (similar?)
> phones elsewhere on the 'net.
>
> I am *guessing* that many VoIP installations use
> the first approach -- lots of dumb handsets that
> talk *through* a server that provides the higher
> level functionality.  But, that's just a *guess*.
>
> Are there any reasons to *avoid*/*embrace* one
> particular approach over the other?  (i.e., it
> seems like both get you there but via different
> tracks -- and different implementations).
>
> Or, should I just chill out and wait for some
> concensus to develop and then just "defer" to
> their (ahem) "greater wisdom"?  :>  (i.e., the
> "cost" to me is not significant; I can design
> with chip X just as easily as chip Y, etc.)
>
> Thanks!
> --don
>
>
>
>
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