| Gizmo5 | |
|---|---|
| Original author | SIPphone |
| Developer | |
| Initial release | July 2005; 20 years ago (2005-07) (as SIPphone) |
| Final release | 4.0.5.400 (Windows) November 12, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-11-12), 4.0.0.269 (Mac) September 23, 2009; 16 years ago (2009-09-23), 3.1.0.79 (Linux) November 29, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-11-29) |
| Operating system | Mac OS X,Linux,Windows,Internet Tablet OS,Symbian |
| Type | Peer-to-peerinternet telephony |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | www |
Gizmo5 (formerly known asGizmo Project andSIPphone) was avoice over IPcommunications network and aproprietaryfreewaresoft phone for that network. On November 12, 2009,Google announced that it had acquired Gizmo5.[1] On March 4, 2011, Google announced that the service would be discontinued as of April 3, 2011.
The Gizmo5 network used open standards for call management,Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) andExtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP).[2] However, the Gizmo5 client application was proprietary software and used several proprietarycodecs, includingGIPS andInternet Speech Audio Codec (iSAC).[citation needed]
Gizmo Project was founded byMichael Robertson and his companySIPphone.[3]
On November 12, 2009,Google announced that it had acquired Gizmo5[1] for a reported $30 million in cash. Prior to this acquisition, Gizmo5 had a working relationship with GrandCentral (nowGoogle Voice) for years.[citation needed] Upon announcement, Gizmo5 suspended new signups until a Google relaunch.[4] Google was alsodogfooding a Google Voice desktop client based on Gizmo5, branded as Gizmo5 by Google.[5]
On April 3, 2011, Google shut down Gizmo5 and recommended users to useGoogle Talk instead.[6]
Gizmo5 was based on the Session Initiation Protocol and could interoperate with other SIP-based networks directly, including thepublic switched telephone network. The latter required the Gizmo5 service featuresCallOut andCallIn. CallOut was available at a fee, whereas CallIn and calls to other VoIP users were generally free of cost. Gizmo5 also used encryption (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) for network calls and worked well withPhil Zimmermann'sZfone[7] security features.[citation needed]
Gizmo5 supported the following Codecs:
Version 4.0 of the Gizmo5 softphone offered video calls. Gizmo5 also offered smartphone version.
As of July 20, 2009, Gizmo5 was the only SIP service that could be used withGoogle Voice directly (without requiring a U.S. based phone number).
The text chat function of Gizmo5 utilized theExtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) protocol.[8] Users were addressed by an identification string in the format ofusername@chat.gizmoproject.com.
An earlier incarnation of the service wasPhoneGaim, afree softwareVoIP system based on thePidgin instant messaging software and theSIP protocol handling of theLinphone VoIP software, but restricted to using (only) the SIPphone service. It is available under theGNU General Public License and sponsored byLinspire.
Gizmo5 supported outboundcaller line identification in the United States.[9]
Gizmo5 provided a free voicemail service.[10]
Gizmo5 allowed paying subscribers ofLiveJournal to placevoiceposts if they are unable to use the voicepost telephone lines provided by the website.[11]
The Gizmo5 mobile phone application used the phone's carrier voice network for all calls. The service called the phone numbers of both parties and bridged the call. On mobile phones that support SIP applications, calls may be placed over WiFi or 3G. In the case of WiFi, calls to Gizmo5 users were free, and calls to the public switched telephone network were charged Gizmo5 Call Out credit. On 3G, additional costs would apply depending on the user's data plan.[citation needed]
On August 26, 2010, Gmail accounts with Google voice were given a function to make and receive calls. Google Voice product manager, Vincent Paquet, confirmed that this function was added through the help of the technology received after the Gizmo5 acquisition.[12]
On Fri, Mar 4, 2011, subscribers received the following message from Gizmo5, indicating that the service would be terminated.
There was no indication made if the service would be revived in another form, or if there would be similar functionality added to any of Google's current telephony offerings. On the morning of April 4, service was finally cut.[vague]