On tiny keyboard and computer telephony server<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Here's a tiny little keyboard that I saw at
\nChangi Airport about one month ago, while I was waiting for a
\nflight back to Jakarta. The price was S$59.00.<\/p>\n
When I first saw it, I took a good look at it. I did not see
\nthe plug adapter, so I thought it was for a standard 5-pin
\nkeyboard port. When I was there again two weeks later, I realized
\nthat the keyboard actually came with a PS\/2 plug and an adaptor.
\nNot knowing when I might be coming to Singapore again, I bought
\nit.<\/p>\n
The Chamoxa keyboard is the size of a notebook keyboard. The
\nlayout resembles that of my Toshiba Satellite 100CS notebook, but
\nwith additional Windows 95 keys. There are even two of the same
\nkeys for the Windows 95's Start menu -- one on the left and the
\nother on the right of the spacebar. It's not really a plus,
\nthough, because with a total of 14 keys crammed together, the
\nbottom row is really crowded.<\/p>\n
The keyboard, which is made by Solidtek of China, is truly
\nlightweight. The quality of the touch is surprisingly good, not
\nmuch different from the keyboard found on Toshiba notebooks. It
\nhas the Fn key, too, allowing us to use U, I, O, and P as 4, 5, 6
\nand -. Press Ctrl and Fn and 7, it will be the same as pressing
\nthe Home key. At the top of the keyboard there is also a row of
\nLEDs for Num lock, Caps lock and Scroll lock.<\/p>\n
Why have I repeatedly referred to my Toshiba Satellite 100CS?
\nSimple. The notebook's keyboard died a couple of months ago when
\nits leaking battery damaged the ribbon cable permanently. I was
\ntold that an original Toshiba keyboard would cost me US$150.<\/p>\n
Definitely, this external keyboard, which will not add too
\nmuch to the weight of the notebook, can be a handy replacement.
\nSo, if your notebook has a bad keyboard, you don't really have to
\nbuy the overpriced original one. Just ask a friend who travels to
\nSingapore to buy one for you -- if Challenger still carries the
\nkeyboards, of course.<\/p>\n
The keyboard will also make a good replacement if you have
\nvery little space on your desk. As you can see it in the picture,
\nit is almost half the size of the classic IBM keyboard. The
\nstraight and tubular cable is eight foot long, enough to pull the
\nkeyboard away from the monitor and sit back comfortably.<\/p>\n
The only problem is that you really need to get accustomed to
\nthe very narrow keycaps. My wife, Hanny, used the keyboard for a
\nwhile but soon said that she preferred the full-sized IBM
\nkeyboard. But, as a replacement for your original notebook
\nkeyboard, it is a great choice.<\/p>\n
Intel into Internet<\/p>\n
As you already known by now, another of Intel Indonesia's
\nexecutives has been promoted. This time, it is our friend Werner
\nSutanto himself, who was country manager since Intel started its
\ndirect presence in Indonesia a couple of years ago. He now heads
\nthe Singapore regional headquarters of Dialogic, a company that
\nwas acquired by Intel last July.<\/p>\n
Dialogic has been one of the pioneers in computer telephony
\n(CT) applications. CT will be another tech word that you'll
\nprobably be hearing more and more. As Intel was aggressively
\nexpanding itself into the networking world, it saw CT as one of
\nthe building blocks -- using their own term -- to Internet-based
\ntelecom services. At our farewell lunch, Pak Werner shared with
\ntwo journalists and myself what lies ahead in the integration
\nbetween the computer and telephony.<\/p>\n
One of the technologies that Dialogic has been working on is
\nthe so-called CT server. This server, which undoubtedly will use
\nIntel processors, will work with digital PABXs and will
\neventually replace them.<\/p>\n
The strengths of the server approach lies in its openness as
\nopposed to the proprietary design of most current PABXs. It is
\nbased on established standards such as Microsoft Telephony
\nApplication Programming Interface, the Enterprise Computer
\nTelephony Forum S.100, and the ECMA Computer Supported Telephony
\nApplication.<\/p>\n
Dialogic provides the hardware as well as the application
\nsoftware to Original Equipment Manufacturers, which may build
\ntheir own solutions using its products.<\/p>\n
The CT server, which handles telephony applications in the
\nsame way a database server handles databases, will enable
\ncompanies to tailor their telephony applications to their needs.
\nPotential computer telephony and telecommunications applications
\ninclude voice mail, auto attendant, switching, call routing, call
\ncontrol, fax store-and-forward, fax-on-demand, conferencing, call
\ncenter, messaging, interactive voice response, IP telephony and
\nmany others.<\/p>\n
Just last week, Dialogic also announced its Speech Server
\ninitiative, which would make it easier for developers to build
\nspeech recognition applications. With the new features, we will
\nbe able to speak our commands over the telephone lines and the
\nserver will respond using a voice synthesizer.<\/p>\n
Possible applications include voice-based contact managers,
\npersonal assistants, self-service customer transactions and
\nunified messaging. Unified messaging services, for example, will
\npool all our e-mail messages, voice-mail messages, faxes and
\npaging messages in one location. This will make it possible for
\nus, for example, to have the applications residing on the server
\nread the incoming e-mail messages to us through the phone.<\/p>\n
As Intel Country Manager for Indonesia, Pak Werner was very
\nsuccessful in getting local computer enthusiasts up to date with
\nhis company's technologies.<\/p>\n
Now, when asked what his next target will be, he explained,
\n\"Today, most of the customization is done by companies in the
\nregion, such as Singapore and Australia. I want to see the growth
\nof local companies that offer these customization services for
\ncomputer telephony applications.\"<\/p>\n
In the long run, he wants to see that more and more companies
\nenter the design and production area of new technologies as well,
\nas that's where the bulk of the cash is.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-tiny-keyboard-and-computer-telephony-server-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}