Thursday, July 17, 2008
This blog is also moving
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Response Point Truck Event
We were able to demonstrate both the Syspine Response Point system that is installed on the Truck as well as my Aastra Response Point system that was supplied by Aastra. When I entered the truck the first time to try out the Syspine system I found that there was no communication between the network pc and the Response Point system. Seems they were on different networks. Since Mike, the MS Truck technician, doesn't normally work on this particular truck, he had to contact someone else to find out how to reconfigure the network devices. They got it working by halfway through the morning event. Once they got it working I noted that they were running v1, not SP1. We had my Aastra system working from the get-go.
You can see a few snapshots here.
We set our Aastra system up outside the truck. Earlier in the week we had tried, with NGT's support, to configure an Edgemarc router to work with our Linksys Router/Sprint Aircard. I finally called the exercise off because I was running out of time. NGT has succeeded in using an Aircard with the Edgemarc and said that what we were running into was that we were 'double nat'ing' and that wasn't really suppported. I figured we could just talk about the SIP service and not worry about actually doing it. Since we did have internet access for our laptop, via the aircard/router - I was able to get dial-tone with our MAJICJACK - a pretty cool little device.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Response Point SP1 available (really)
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Response Point Truck Event - FREE
Monday, June 23, 2008
Old Hard Drive
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Response Point SP1 RTM'ed today
When we started RP, our vision was simple: to provide a telephony solution so easy to use that every small business customer can set it up like connecting
When we started RP, our vision was simple: to provide a telephony solution so easy to use that every small business customer can set it up like connecting a printer to the PC. Today, we are moving one step closer to realize our vision by releasing to manufacturing Response Point Service Pack 1. Our OEM partners will bring SP1 to market next month.
SP1 not only improved RP 1.0's performance/quality but also added some very cool features such as VOIP gateway, Click to Call, and Call Presence etc. Never before was PBX this easy to manage.
I'd love to get your feedback as you upgrade to SP1 in the coming weeks. We'd love to incorporate your feedback into RP 2.0, which we have started working on.
Published Friday, June 20, 2008 8:50 PM by Xuedong David Huang
Friday, June 13, 2008
Aastra Response Point - 3rd Party Headset
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
NGT SIP Service w/ Response Point
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Response Point - SP1 - Nashville Road Trip - We made it home
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Talking via Sip w/ Bob D.
Aastra - Response Point Beta System
Sunday, June 1, 2008
CiNPA Tech Fair 2008 - Success
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Response Point - SP1 - Nashville Road Trip
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sonic Wall Event - Indianapolis
Indy |
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Response Point - SIP Trunking config
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Lets Talk Computers - Radio Interview - Richard Sprague on Response Point
Friday, May 16, 2008
More Click to Dial in Response Point
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Response Point - SP1 & SIP!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Response Point - SP1 CTP
I immediately got to the download site and started on my update. The entire update process went very well in my opinion. Now it's just on to tinkering and using the new stuff - and it looks like there is LOTS of new stuff here.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
IT Pro 2008 - New Orleans
And, you can see this picture and more plus some parade videos - Jeff arranged our own New Orleans parade - at here.
Friday, May 9, 2008
IT Pro 2008 - New Orleans
Monday, May 5, 2008
Response Point - Cordless Headsets
Allen,
We are still watching and waiting for the cordless phones. Do you have any further information regarding the release date?
As another option, is there a cordless headset solution that we could use that would work with this phone systems and you could also use for listening to audio on your computer (music, etc) that would switch to the phone when receiving a call? In our office employees listening to music etc use headphones and I thought it would be nice if we had something that would work for this as well as receiving calls as well as solve the wireless dilemma. Might be a long shot but I thought I would ask.
To which I replied -
Ask and ye shall receive. When you asked about the combination telephone/computer headset I thought you were nuts. Then I figured, like you said, you may as well ask – which told me I should check it out.
I found 2 choices from HelloDirect. They have a model 9350 which connects to both the phone and the computer, has a remote lifter/answerer and automatically switches from computer to phone. Price for this is $297. What this does not have is STEREO capability – it is just one earpiece. If you want stereo, you get 2 items – part # 13389 which is the 2 earpiece headset with remote lifter/answerer plus something called the media package for $100. With this combination you have to manually switch between computer and telephone. These sound pretty cool, if you ask me.
Still no cordless phone option built in to a Response Point System. Aastra is supposed to have one when they bring their product out – no firm date yet – but I believe I have heard ‘the summer’. Syspine is supposed to be working on a cordless option and I wouldn’t be surprised if Dlink is too.
Regards,
Allen
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Dayton SBS User Group Meeting
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Another Cool Gadget for Telephones
Cool Gadget for Response Point Presentation
Monday, April 21, 2008
SMB Summit 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
SMB Summit 4/19
Tomorrow afternoon will have the vendor exhibits going on and in the afternoon I will be giving my Response Point presentations.
Oh yes, Zenith Infotech apparently supplied 4,000 bottles of Backup & Disaster Recovery water. That's a lot of water for a group of 400 people drinking mostly coffee, soda and chai tea. I know, picture is rotated. Just can't figure why? and don't feel like fooling with it.
Friday, April 18, 2008
SMB Summit 4/18
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Nice Internet Speed Test
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
My TPAM Helped Me Out
In going through my accounting records while preparing for my accountant to do his job for my Income Taxes I noticed a repeating charge from Microsoft Live Office for $40 per month for about the last 12 to 14 months! These charges have been paid when presented but this was the first time I had actually reviewed the detail and noticed this one. When I called MS Live Office customer service I was told that this was for my premium Live Office Account. I do sign up for free offers, especially when I think I can learn about a service that might be helpful for my clients in my consulting practice. But when I see that the free trial period will change to a paid service I mark my calendar so that I don't forget to cancel the service if I don't want to keep it. Customer Service said they were sorry but all they could do was cancel my service and refund the one month that I was paid ahead. When I asked who else with a higher authority in service I could appeal to the answer I was give was - no one. When I expressed incredulity to this and asked if I could write a letter or email to someone I was advised to address my letter to:
Microsoft
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA xxxxx
I asked if this was the complete address and was told it was. I asked if there was a person's name or department to direct it to and was answered - no, there wasn't.
Now I don't know about you but with the rest of the way I have seen MS operate I was skeptical as to whether addressing a letter to no one could get more results than actually talking to someone on the phone. I was picturing the mail room guy having to read my letter and then react appropriately. Seemed kind of iffy.
A few days later when I had a few minutes to spare and was in the mood to get frustrated I called Live Office customer service again. The guy I spoke with told me that he knew that I was sent an email letting me know that the Live Office service had changed from beta to production and I would start being charged. I asked if you could demonstrate that I had seen this email (even though I don't believe seeing it constitutes agreement). He said he could not. He went on to tell me that I had replied to the email and accepted the terms. THIS really got me. I knew that I had not seen the email and there is NO WAY that I had agreed. I asked him to produce a copy of my acceptance email and he said these were only accessible for 60 days - and at about 1 year we were way past that. I asked him who could retrieve this email and he suggested I call 1-800-microsoft and get to the billing department and they would help me. He added that he could credit my account for 2 months worth of charges. I am a little confused why he did this based on the rest of his story?
THEN, a week or so ago, while driving to Nashville to see one of my daughters, I got a call from Sheila, my TPAM. After we talked she asked if there was anything she could do for me. I thought for a minute and told her it would be great if she could get me in contact with someone in the Live Office customer service area that was a little more enlightened than the front line telephone people that I had been dealing with. I explained what the issue was and she said she couldn't promise anything but that she would try.
TODAY, I got a call from Josh at Live Office and he said he was instructed to get in touch with me and take care of refunding my money. WOW, I got what I was looking for and I didn't even have to knock myself out.
Thanks, Sheila.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Windows HOME? Server
After a while I arrived at the error message in my second screen shot here. This is the product intended for the HOME user. Does this tell you enough about how to proceed? And what's with the OK? I think it's not OK but there is no other choice.
Because I work a lot with this vendor's software I know I can search their database and look for solutions. I did find KB 939218 and it is not pretty, particularly if you try to imagine the home user (mother, father, child) trying to follow it. The problem was that this KB (which was the only one which related to my symptoms) did not fix my problem.
I did find a message forum that discussed similar issues where the KB didn't help but some other steps did. I am reposting from it here -
--
Basically, it is reloading the WHS restore service driver. The tricky part about it is that it only exists while the restore is in progress.
So, you have to have Device Manager opened up with the System Devices section opened up and then do the restore. Early on, at about 3%, you will see the Home Server Restore driver pop up in the DM list. Right click it and uninstall it. Then cancel the ongoing restore process in the connector software. Get out of everything that needs to be closed and restart the system. When it boots again, retry the restore process and it should work - at least mine did and still is...
This forces a reload of the restore driver and is tricky becasue the restore driver is added and deleted as part of the restore process and you cannot find or see it at any other time.
--
This did work. Again - probably not for a happy home user.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Allen will be at SMB Summit in Dallas 4/18-21
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Richard Sprague @ Small Business Summit on Response Point
Kevin Royalty @ Small Business Summit
Great People
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Microsoft Small Business Specialist Nascar Racer
You can read more about it at Eric Ligman's Microsoft Small Business Community Blog
Response Point SP1 Announced 3/24/08
- SIP Trunking/VOIP added - system will now work with analog and VOIP lines
- Simple (Free) Upgrade
- Direct Inbound Dialing (DID) Capability
- Enhanced Call Logging and Reporting
- On-Hook status of telephones visibile within your organization
- Click-to-Call - inside and out
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
AMCC Hosts Small Business Summit 2008 - 3/24 - 27
another Syspine Response Point Award
Previously, Syspine had received the 2007 Internet Telephony Product of the year (previous blog post).
Monday, March 17, 2008
Some Response Point Motivations
One new customer, a money manager, said to me - "Allen, I hate my rolodex - and now with the voice activated dialing I will not have to use the rolodex any more!". This was his main decision point for choosing Response Point.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Is Response Point system down?
After leaving this customer I ran a few errands and then headed back to my office. I never gave it a second thought when I had to wait for a police'person' who was directing traffic at an intersection two blocks from the office. When I unlocked the office door I was greeted by NO POWER! Duh - no wonder Response Point was answering. Nothing electrical was working. We rarely have power outages in this area - an hour later power was restored and Response Point was back on-line.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Response Point - Software Usability Engineering
Friday, February 22, 2008
Response Point - Customer Demonstration
For more information - click here.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Better Business Bureau
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Response Point Deep Dive Webinar 1/31/08 Audio
I made a very amateur audio recording of this session and edited out the first 15 minutes before we got the presenters and the attendees linked together
* it may have been more like 150
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Response Point Customer Feedback
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Response Point Telephone System Dealer
Response Point received the Internet Telephony Product of the Year award for 2007.
If you want a demonstration of what this system sounds like to the caller (you) then give us a call at 513-321-5120. When asked to say the name of the person or group you would like to speak to say "Response Point Information". You will be able to leave a voice message and then call back and retrieve your message from the system.