Switchboard server for ACCESS/BRIC-Link Lives!

If you're an active user of our BRIC-TS service for finding and connecting your audio codecs together, you might notice some changes on your account interface today.

We've had a project going for a few months in modernizing how the system works, and it went live today. Most users should notice nothing, but if you log into your account you'll notice the new structure right away.

It's also moved to a new, more reliable hosting company. Our Sales Director Chris Crump has this quotable nugget about the project coming to fruition:

"Yippee!"

Why Opus is Important

Here's a secret: We're currently working on integrating the Opus codec into ACCESS and STAC-VIP. Why?

Not because Opus sounds better or is easier to use, but in fact it sounds almost as good at the AAC family of algorithms, and it's not encumbered by expensive patent licenses.

We're integrating Opus to ACCESS because it's the key to mobile app support. Many new Android and iOS softphones support it, including a particularly new one I'll be blogging about soon.

For STAC-VIP, Opus compatibility opens up huge possibilities in creating phone/web integration. If you're viewing this blog with a Chrome or Firefox browser, you actually have an Opus audio codec embedded in there, and it just takes a few more pieces in the chain to link it all together.

That's pretty exciting stuff and we'll be focusing on it a lot as we run up to our yearly big event, NAB. Watch this space for more as news develops!

When iOS Becomes the Problem Instead of the Solution

Time for some more developer whining today. We've hit quite a number of situations lately where we have a great idea to support customers better, and while gaming the concept out we hit a wall. And that wall is increasingly becoming iOS.

So many of our products have a significant web component to them now, and it's growing fast. User interfaces, support services, cloud-based registration servers etc etc. And we're actively developing apps for mobile devices that make our products easier to use.

You'll see a lot of opinion on the web about which major ecosystem- iOS or Android- is easier for developers. But what's not always mentioned is the annoying tendency for Apple to say "no way" to your idea. Sometimes it's because it crosses a technical boundary that Apple truly has installed to protect their products and users. I can sympathize with that to some extent.

But so many times it's apparent that the decision comes from a desire to control and point the user only to products that are from Apple. That really stinks. It's hard enough trying to keep my Internet provider from deciding which websites get the most bandwidth to me, and my cellular company from deciding which mobile apps I can use. But in that mix is Apple, holding a hatchet over any innovation that threatens their business model.

One example is WebRTC, which I'll blog a lot more about soon. It's about the most exciting technology to come along in our domain (wideband audio transmission) in a long time. Google's leading the drive, but a host of smaller companies are investing and innovating with it. It's a crazy, wild ride right now.

Except with Apple. WebRTC threatens their control over videoconferencing with FaceTime. So no native WebRTC in iOS browsers.

Anyone trying to innovate in the mobile space needs Apple's support to succeed. There's just so many iProducts out there. Designing only for Android leaves half the market unserved. To their credit, Apple led the charge and created the market for mobile apps. But their absolute control over their ecosystem has doomed a lot of innovative ideas, including a few in our lab. It's getting worse and under normal circumstances I would expect a backlash against this behavior. But users and the press are so enamored with the company and the products it's hard to see that happening soon.