Ezmax EZMP-4200P MP3 Player with VOIP
By Jim Conley |
March 17th, 2005
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Forget about MP3 player cell phones – how about an MP3 player that does double-duty as a VOIP (voice over IP) phone? The recently announced EZMP-4200P from Ezmax does exactly that, combining a flash-based MP3 player with a microphone that can be accessed through Windows via USB for VOIP calls. When the EZMP-4200P is connected to a PC it appears in Windows Explorer as a removable disk. Clicking on the disk icon allows users to connect to a VOIP provider. It sounds like a great idea but we want to see whether the software works with apps like Skype before we pass final judgment. That dialing software icon sounds very proprietary. EZMAX is planning for release in Europe in May and is also working on deals with US VOIP providers to bring the device to North America. 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB versions are available for between $150 and $220 USD.
While the EZMP-4200P may be an example of convergence gone wild, it does prove that VOIP isn’t just for traditional headsets anymore.Not surprisingly, Ezmax is based in Korea, the world’s most wired country where nearly 1 in 5 users are taking advantage of VOIP. A 2002 study by Frost and Sullivan predicts 75% of world voice services will be VOIP-based by 2007. In North America, it’s been a slower start because of comparatively cheap long-distance and more than a few telecom providers blocking VOIP traffic to sustain their traditional telephone service. The FCC recently imposed a $15,000 fine on one of these carriers for the blocking which is great news for VOIP and probably means the beginning of the end for traditional phone services.
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