My second Tech at Work column is now online at PC World.com on this page. It considers Skype’s first step, though probably not its last, into the business market for Voice over Internet Protocol phone services.

The small-business Internet phone service features a consolidated billing option–but not much else. Despite its current lack of business level reporting, you may still want to use Skype for Business.

Technorati Tags: Tech at Work, PC World, Skype, Voice over Internet Protocol, Skype for Business

One of the most interesting wireless devices I’ve seen in the past year just received a notable software upgrade. Nokia’s 770 Internet Tablet is a nifty handheld tablet which hasn’t received the recognition I believe it’s due, at least on this side of the Atlantic.

The Internet Tablet OS 2006 edition adds Google Talk for IM (instant messaging) and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) capabilities. The upgraded Linux-based software platform can also support other SIP-based VoIP solutions. Gizmo Project by SIPPhone Inc. will soon be available.

What you have now is a portable handheld Internet terminal that’s great for both surfing Web sites and making and receiving VoIP calls, as long as you’re within reach of WiFi service. It has a high-resolution 800×480 pixel, 4.13″ color display, with full-screen finger keyboard or handwriting recognition. It also comes with Bluetooth wireless for communicating with a wireless handset.

Businesses can use it as a portable communicating IM pager and VoIP phone in-house. And, with a growing number of implementations of city core WiFi coverage, it can be useful outside the office too.

Do I see a great future for the 770? Unfortunately, no. There’s one big problem, distribution channels.

Nokia maintains generally excellent relationships with the wireless carriers which market its mobile phones. That’s a big reason why the company commands a leading market share in mobile handsets.

But why should the wireless carriers sell the 770? They will earn no ongoing revenue stream from it. In fact, they may stand to lose revenue if it can effectively substitute for mobile handset use.

I see the 770 as more of an interesting experiment for Nokia, rather than a home run product. It would have a more interesting future if the company markets it on an OEM basis in partnership with a business that doesn’t have the conflicted economic interests of the big wireless carriers.

How about Google as a distribution partner? The search engine giant is building a free, advertiser-supported, citywide WiFi system in San Francisco as a pilot project. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet could be just the right piece of hardware to put the innovative wireless service on the map. Wouldn’t it make a cool GoogleTablet?   

Technorati Tags: wireless, 770 Internet Tablet, handheld, tablet, Internet Tablet OS 2006, Google Talk, IM, instant messaging, VoIP, Voice over Internet Protocol, Linux, SIP, Gizmo Project, SIPPhone, Internet, WiFi, finger keyboard, handwriting recognition, Bluetooth, Businesses, mobile phones, mobile handset, Nokia, Google, search engine, San Francisco, Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, hardware, wireless service