International calls are supported too and cost just $0.02 per minute.

The voice and video chat plugin for Gmail has been recently updated to run also on Linux systems, and now it’s clear that it was just the final step before launching Google Voice services on Gmail.

Phone calls from Gmail will be free at least until the end of the year, and in the meantime Google Voice will be promoted with old-style British phone boxes in US airports and universities.

Google Voice’s integration in Gmail will cause headaches to Skype and other VoIP service providers, especially since call quality is being reported as very good.

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The telecommunications giants are all claiming that it is financially unsound to invest in broadband infrastructure because of ROI factors, based on the number of potential customers. The National Broadband Plan, released in March of this year, proposes a private/public funding model to accelerate the technology’s implementation. It appears that the industry giants are wanting the taxpayers to pay for the installation and then let them control access.

All of the cable companies across the country are infamous for demanding non-competitive contracts from county officials in the areas that they provide service and then only establish service in high-density population areas. They then claim the entire county as their territory, regardless of service provision. This ROI claim is the same song and dance that we have heard from the cable industry for years, as they coop instead of compete. This arrangement allows for maximum profit, generally holding the customer hostage unless they purchase a satellite system. They are lobbying the FCC intensely to block an open internet, as they buy as much video content as they can during this process. They clearly see the competition built into the government’s proposal and are once again attempting to hijack the technology.

What this government plan does is open the door for community based broadband operations backed by local investors, as they are also eligible for the federal funding assistance. The question is will anyone step up and grasp what is obviously the communications grid of the future.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about technology and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to laptop computers.

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The top screen is a 16:9 format 3,5 inch Sharp parallax barrier display, the touchscreen below will keep the traditional 4:3 format. A convenient slider will allow players to gradually move from 2D to 3D graphics and choose the preferred 3D depth; another control will let you change the camera angle.

3D Games demoed at E3 look impressive. The GPU powering Nintendo 3DS, DMP Pica200 (not an Nvidia Tegra processor), will provide better graphics than the Wii.

3D movie playback features haven’t been shown at E3, but the two rear facing cameras open a revolutionary scenario in which 3D photos and video clips could be published and shared with a Wi-Fi connected 3DS.

A new business model for a Nintendo e-reader

Nintendo’s President Satoru Iwata announced that the 3DS will connect automatically to Wi-Fi hotspots and download content, like magazines and newspaper articles.

According to Nintendo executives, the iPhone as a gaming platform is taken seriously and this e-reader feature could threaten a wide range of devices like Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad, however the Nintendo 3DS screen doesn’t seem an ideal solution for reading newspapers and eBooks.

What could make a difference is the business model: Nintendo 3DS could be used as a platform to deliver free content to users and serve immersive and interactive localized ads, in form of 3D clips and mini-games. Will Nintendo monetize this opportunity?

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Toshiba Libretto has a traditional netbook form factor, but with an additional 7 inch 1024×600 multi-touch display instead of a keyboard. The design reminds of Microsoft’s Courier, the revolutionary dual tablet and ebook reader that never went in production.

Libretto W100 instead will enjoy a limited edition distribution aimed at technology enthusiasts. Toshiba is exploring the UMPC niche market between tablets and netbooks and it’s interesting to see whether this truly ultra-portable mobile PC could compete with the iPad.

How does Toshiba Libretto compare to the iPad?

At first sight, the advantages of having two screens instead of one are obvious, and Toshiba’s design looks as magical as Apple’s. There can be no competition in terms of ergonomics, because the Libretto can be placed flat on a table, held like an iPad (weight can be between 700 and 819 gr. depending on battery size) or used as a laptop.

Moreover, Libretto’s virtual keyboard can be arranged in different layouts, enabling thumb typing on one or both screens. Touch typing will be faster and easier thanks to the haptic feedback, a tactile response (slight vibration) that makes you know you have pressed a button when you are typing.

iPad’s battery life is longer, but Toshiba Libretto is multitasking and supports Flash: In fact, it’s a fully featured Windows 7 machine with an Intel ULV processor that can replace a desktop PC for most usages.

In terms of user experience, according to the first hands-on reviews, the Libretto can’t reproduce the iPad’s immediacy and responsiveness. Apple designed the iPad from the custom processor to the operative system in order to ensure an unparalleled user experience that Windows 7 tablets can’t match yet.

Probably a mobile OS on a lighter, single screen 7-9” device could provide a cheaper and faster alternative to Apple’s tablet. The first Android tablets are entering the market and Nokia is rumored to be working on an ARM-based tablet that would benefit from Meego, a touch and mobile friendly operative system developed from the fusion of Moblin and Maemo.

Toshiba Libretto W100 photo by Peter Cartwright

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Many music apps already popular on iPhone have been ported to iPad, taking advantage of its superior hardware. The iPad’s larger touch screen is nothing but a blessing in this usage scenario, and there are already a good number of new apps being released: Seeing them in action will help even the fiercest iPad skeptic admit that Apple’s tablet can be used to create media, and sometimes it can be even an ideal solution.

Rana Sobhany made an impression at iPadDevCamp last month and got interviewed by Robert Scoble. Using two iPads as DJ setup is a brilliant solution, but you can also achieve amazing results just by using an iPad as a midi keyboard with custom Touch OSC (Open Sound Protocol) templates, as Ecken shows in the video below.

When MTV Iggy caught Indian maestro A. R. Rahman with eight iPads, I couldn’t help but think of him as an incarnation of Kali, the Hindu goddess of time and change, representing the creative and destructive aspects of nature. Actually Rahman bought the seven extra iPads for his friends, and seems to be very entertained by playing with Bebot and Proremote.

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