For my business I've built an Incredible PBX, an Asterisk-based PBX which uses VOIP trunks from Sipgate and Google voice.

The main benefits;
* free, including free long distance anywhere in the US
* additional free phone lines as necessary
* the ability to create dialplans which, through IVR, direct callers to the appropriate extension - even remote extensions in other cities.
* if the phone rings twice at my desk, it can then ring twice in the shop, then try my cellphone. Failing that, the caller will be asked to leave a voicemail, which will then be emailed to me.

To make this even better, I'm looking for the cheapest available wi-fi capable cellphone that can run a voip softphone. If I had that, the pbx would ring once; the extension of my cellphone. If I'm at home, or at a location with wifi, it'd deliver calls via voip. If I'm not, the pbx will forward the call to the normal cell network.

Rick, how do you like your Droid incredible?

I'm looking at the Verizon LG ally. Online you can get two phones for $49.00 (I don't know what I'd do with #2 except as insurance against breakage of #1), but the minimum monthly bill is $75/month

Advice?



I really don't care about mobile web access... I just want the ability to connect to hotspots and make regular cellphone calls when I'm not.

Congrats on the business venture. Pretty little boat!

I have no idea if the Ally will work for your purposes but it's an incredible phone, although not the Incredible. I've played with an Incredible and really don't understand what you get for the difference in price, besides a better camera. And I prefer the physical keyboard when writing longer texts, etc. as I can type much quicker and more accurately on it than the virtual keyboard. Using DropBox (free account) makes it very easy to edit and create documents which automatically synch with your computer(s) if DropBox is installed on them.

Watch out for those 2 for 1 deals. I looked into it once thinking the same thing, holding one for a back-up, and was told I couldn't because, to get the price, both phones must be activated.

VoIP has many advantages. The drag is the box should be located in a colocation to increase Internet reliability.

Oh and apple Iphone is very smooth and easy to operate. I have not worked with a better phone from a day to day user standpoint.

Enjoy the boat building and good luck.

Thanks!

The Iphone seems cool, but I dislike being told what to do.

I'm not going to purchase one so long as they tell me that I must buy service for it from AT&T (especially since their coverage is limited here), or that they reserve the right to brick my phone if I do anything to it that they don't approve of.

I have this thing... when I spend $2900 for a phone and its service over a 2 year period, I want to be able to consider it "mine".

"If you can't take it apart, you don't own it".

Colocation; I get the point that if my household dsl is down, so's my phone server... but then again, so's my phone. My upstream service provider will email phone messages to me if the server is offline, so I don't think that's a big issue. And I don't need big bandwidth, I doubt I'll have more than two concurrent voip conversations in the forseeable future.

Sorry so slow to respond to this. Just got back from vacation.

The Incredible is definitely the best phone I've ever used. I'd never go back to a non-android based phone after using it. I never thought I'd become attached to a phone so thoroughly but I'm kind of lost without it now.

I'm using it with a combination of my1voice and google voice for my business to forward calls based on extension to the proper phone.

The Android apps are so cool and free, too! Can't beat that.

Used my flashlight app tonight in "Bic Lighter" effect to help summon Eric Burdon back out for an encore tonight. Fun stuff! And useful stuff, too.

I would advise you not to use that mode at the Rocky Horror Picture Show. The point where they sing "There's a Light..." is right about the same time everyone is using the squirt guns.

Good points

I use my Moto Android with Skype for any call that would normally cost me - the other end needs the client as well but it's simple and free. they DO charge for skype-to-landline calls, but not unless you agree to it. I'm loving google voice, and like the sounds of Lumber's setup with Sipgate

Not to down play any device utilizing Android. That being said the incarnations of droid are great for your uses. I would suggest waiting a few more weeks, unless however you prefer the on screen keyboard. DroidX is out and supasses every droid to date, IMO, and is how I am listing this. Its only disadvantage, which Dave may agree with, is the direction pad. I miss that feature on the tactile keyboard. Which is a great segway to waiting a few more weeks. A second moto droid is scheduled for release with the sexy name of Droid2. The secondary benefit of this wait will be this devices native release of android 2.2 which will have flash capabilities and beafier hardware including the snapdragon processor.

With your technical abilities you may appreciate the next version of the SDK which will make developing personalized apps for your droid easier and less cumbersome so you have time for other things, like building boats.

Since more moto droid users will be looking to this device then any other you may want to stay tuned and order on release date. Rumor has it Android2.2 will not work on moto droid original.

So with what you have revealed, I would recommend either DroidX or Moto Droid2.

Edit: I forgot to include DroidX ability to be become your own hotspot should you be out of internet reception with your laptop.

All in all I think you will appreciate this device.

Great information! Thanks.

Thanks, although my "technical abilities" are execrable, the open source community is good at is fine-tuning and developing their packages until they are dumbed-down to the point that even I get it.

I'll follow your advice and hold off a bit.

I agree with 5th that you might want to wait to see how the release of Froyo (2.2) rolls out. I know there's a lot of chatter about whether my Ally will get it. Personally, for my needs, I'm happy if I'm stuck with 2.1 but, if you want to do more geekie-stuff than I do, you should probably wait to ensure any phone you get will get Froyo.

One big advantage with Froyo is the ability to move apps to your memory card, freeing up the phone's memory.

LJ now would be a great time to invest in an Android enable device. Out of the box Droid2 is your best bet. Launched with AndroidOS 2.2 (AKA Froyo) and a better all around feel to the device you probably find it 99% what you need. Designing personalized apps for your needs can't be easier. Gmail - imap email, a great device with phone capabilities.

For those of you with pre 1ghz processing Froyo is rolling out to you too. My wife's hand-me-down moto droid got Froyo last night.

Incredibles and X's are in line.

Good luck on your endeavor LJ. If you get any Android 2.2 enabled device, do give a review.

My Ally is supposed to get Froyo in September, rumor has it. I'm looking forward to being able to move apps to the memory card, among other things.

I'd long been lusting for a Netbook but, ya know, with an Android, you really don't need one.