Although Lindows.com takes up the vast majority of my time, I do have a couple outside fun interests, and one of them involves a new type of phone. Before I talk about that phone, let me talk about a new phone option available for all Lindows.com customers. Today, we're announcing the immediate availability of Always On-Call. Many business and government organizations are excited about the huge cost savings of Linux, but they also want a safety net when they make the jump to a new operating system. They want someone they can call anytime, day or night, with their issues and talk to a live human. With Always On-Call there is someone to call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Rather than a per-incident or per-minute fee, one flat fee gives you a year of support at a price that is a fraction of other options (see chart below). We're excited to be the first to offer this high level of support to desktop Linux users, because it will spur growth in the corporate adoption of Linux.

	Lindows.com		Apple		Microsoft
24/7 Live phone support	Yes		No		No
Toll-free phone support	Yes		Yes		$35 each
Cost	$59.95 or $79.95 per year		$169-$349 for 3 years		$35 - $245 per incident

Now onto the other phone topic - SIPphone. Some of you might have read about a new company that I started, called SIPphone. We recently started selling a new type of phone which uses a technology called "SIP." These phones plug into a broadband Internet connection instead of the traditional phone system. Because they send the voice signals over the 'Net, you can make calls to any other person with a SIPphone with absolutely no per minute or monthly fee. Right now, extended families are giving a SIPphone to each family member to keep in touch. Global companies are putting a SIPphone in different branches allowing free worldwide calling. SIPphones are going into dorm rooms so college students can talk to Mom or Dad anytime for free.

At SIPphone, we've made it easy for anyone with a broadband connection to use SIP. To get started, they simply purchase a SIPphone from the SIPphone.com web site and plug it into any broadband Internet connection. Every phone is "Plug & Dial," meaning it auto-configures the first time it is plugged in. In fact, the first call you'll receive is from the SIPphone servers, which play a recorded message that lets you know the phone is working. Each SIPphone comes with a SIP number which can be given out to any other user so that they can call you. It's easy to call any of the thousands of SIP numbers in our network since a SIPphone is used exactly like a regular phone. You pick up the handset, hear a dial-tone, then dial an 11 digit number like 1-747-555-1212 and the call is placed. (All SIPphone numbers begin with 747, which spells SIP.) Many people are astounded by the high voice-quality which they say is on par, or superior to, cell phone or landline quality today. SIPphone is currently selling two SIPphones for $129 which means you can keep one and give one to the person you call the most. Because there is no monthly fee or per minute fee, the phones will pay for themselves in a very short time.

I believe SIPphone opens the door to a monumental shift in communication, when voice calls will begin using the Internet as a primary transport, just as Instant Messaging and email already do. Imagine the power and versatility you will have when your email, instant messenger and phone are all interconnected and you have complete control over them. The day is coming when you'll be able to access your phone, IM and email from any computer in the world and seamlessly use any or all of those services included as part of your basic Internet access fees which will drastically lower the cost of communications.

Today SIPphones can only call other SIPphones and not POTS (plain old telephone system) numbers, but they can call 800 numbers. Which means you can use a SIPphone to call the Always On-Call 800 number to get 24 hour support for LindowsOS from anywhere in the world! (Normally those outside the US can't dial toll free 800 numbers.) To order 2 SIPphones for $129, go here. To read more about SIPphone, visit SIPphone.com and read the FAQ section. Any LindowsOS user can sign up for the Always On-Call 24 hour tech support service here.

-- Michael

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