Both Barrels Communications Ltd

New architecture delivers improved user experience, simplified management and performance boost

• User experience now slicker and more intuitive than ever before
• Account management outpaces anything else available
• Application faster than ever before – now native on the handset
• Radically improved call quality

Following hot on the heels of the launch of Truphone 3.0 for the Apple® iPhone™, Truphone today launched Truphone 3.0, a major new upgrade to its mobile VoIP application for the Apple® iPod™ touch.

The new version dramatically builds on the success of previous versions of the VoIP application for the iPod, enhancing the instant messaging and account management experience, making Truphone faster than ever before and delivering a new standard for call quality.

Among the many improvements in Truphone 3.0 are increased ease of use, speed of function response, intuitiveness and simplicity – all designed to enhance the user experience. Truphone has also improved voice quality making the app for the iPod better than it’s ever been before.

Using Truphone’s integrated messaging tool that unifies all IM communities in a single place, users can now simply manage all their IM communication from a single page within the application, eliminating the need to constantly jockey between different applications or even different pages within an application. IM services currently supported include Skype, MSN Messenger, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk.

“Following the successful launch of Truphone 3.0 for the iPhone we were keen to follow-up as quickly as possible for all our iPod touch customers. That’s what we’ve done to ensure that they can take advantage of all our new improvements: improved UI, account management and call quality. We believe Truphone 3.0 sets a new benchmark in terms of quality and performance”, said Geraldine Wilson, CEO Truphone.

“With these improvements, we believe Truphone 3.0 is the best application to turn your iPod touch into a Wi-Fi phone and staying in touch with all of your IM communities.”

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Resources

• Additional screenshots: Truphone for iPod touch, v3.0
• Truphone press office
• Truphone web site

Truphone already enables…

Free calls when in Wi-Fi to:

• Other Truphone users
• Skype and Google Talk users

Free Instant Messages when in Wi-Fi to:

• Skype
• MSN Messenger
• Google Talk
• Yahoo! Messenger
• AIM

Incredible savings on calls to:

• Call landlines and mobiles around the world at cheap rates

Great account management:

• See rates for calls before initiating a call
• Display recent call history, showing the Truphone customer exactly how much a call just cost and how long it lasted with the ability to see a summary of calls made month by month
• Top-up from within the application, without the need for web windows to open separately
• Top-up in a variety of ways: credit card or PayPal
• Change calling tariffs within the application

About Truphone
Founded in 2006, Truphone is a global mobile communications provider in the business of innovating how people converse in our globally connected world. As the industry’s first mobile Internet operator, the company makes it easy and affordable for users all over the world to keep in touch with friends, family and business contacts overseas or whilst roaming. Truphone is the trading name of Software Cellular Network (SCN). SCN is privately owned, funded by both venture capital investment and angel investors.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Google and Android are trademarks of Google, Inc. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone today debuted the ability to make and receive Skype™ calls and instant messaging to the entire Skype user base from its iPhone™ and iPod touch™ applications. The service is scheduled to be available to all customers during the week of January 12th.

This represents one more step toward making Truphone the open “all-in-one conversations hub” for iPhone and iPod touch users.

Truphone customers on both Apple devices can now reach their Skype friends via their Skype IDs. This further expands the universe of people with whom Truphone customers can stay in touch.

Separately, Truphone also announced today the availability of well-known instant-messaging services using the Truphone application on the iPod touch™ and the iPhone™.

“The introduction of Skype calling and instant messaging represents yet another breakthrough for Truphone,” said Geraldine Wilson, Truphone CEO. “What this means for Truphone’s customers is that they can now call or message all their Skype friends using their iPhone or iPod touch. This allows iPhone and iPod touch users to have a choice in how they stay in touch with friends and colleagues around the world—all within the one application.”

Truphone-to-Skype communications are free over the internet, and iPhone users can also place and receive Skype calls and messages when not in a Wi-Fi-accessible location for the cost of a local call*, using the Truphone Anywhere feature.

Today’s announcement was made at “ShowStoppers @ Macworld 2009” [San Francisco, USA] and will be showcased on the Truphone stand (#3228) at Macworld for the remainder of the week.

[ends]

*Operator roaming charges will apply if users are abroad.

Additional resources

• Screenshots – iPhone
  
• Screenshots – iPod touch
• Truphone web site
• Current Truphone pricing
• Geraldine Wilson – alternative picture

Notes to editors

1. Skype reports more than 300 million downloads of its software. Typically, upwards of 13 million users may be online at any one time.
2. Both Truphone for iPhone and Truphone for iPod touch are free to download from the App Store. Neither application has any rental, subscription or other hidden charges.
3. Making a Truphone call on an iPhone or iPod touch couldn’t be simpler: Truphone displays a virtual keypad for dialling the number.
4. Wi-Fi hotspots are commonplace in offices, schools, campuses, at home, and even across entire town and city centres. Truphone uses the Wi-Fi connectivity of the iPhone/iPod touch to carry instant messages over the internet to its destination.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Skype is a registered trademark of Skype Limited. In the United States and/or other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. Skype and SkypeIn are trademarks of Skype Limited. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone today introduced full two-way instant messaging over MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk on the iPod touch™ and also announced that availability on the iPhone™ would begin the week of January 12th.

Customers can also make and receive voice calls on Google Talk; calling functionality will be added to MSN Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger in the coming weeks.

Truphone has also integrated Twitter into the TruFriends view so users can see what friends are talking about and post from within the Truphone application.

“We understand that customers increasingly want more integrated communications and like to switch between chat and voice,” said Truphone CEO Geraldine Wilson. “With these new features, Truphone customers can now choose which mode of communications they want to use at any moment—all from within the one application. This represents another step towards making Truphone the open ‘all-in-one conversations hub’ for iPhone and iPod touch users.”

Separately, Truphone also announced today the introduction of Skype calling and instant messaging when using the Truphone application on the iPhone and iPod touch.

Customers of Truphone for both the iPhone and iPod touch can now very simply import all their contacts from these accounts to Truphone and chat with them from the Truphone interface. The Truphone client on both devices shows who is online with its built-in presence functionality.

Instant messages are always free of charge to send and receive when in a Wi-Fi environment. iPhone users can also instant message when out of Wi-Fi range; data charges will be covered in the customers unlimited data package*. Truphone will also add the same functionality to other leading instant messaging services throughout the year.

Today’s announcement was made at “ShowStoppers @ Macworld 2009” and will be showcased on the Truphone booth (#3228) at Macworld for the remainder of the week.

[ends]

*Operator roaming charges will apply when abroad and not using a Wi-Fi network.

Links and resources

• Screenshots – iPod touch
• Screenshots – iPhone
• Truphone press office
• Truphone web site
• Current pricing

Notes to editors

1. Both Truphone for iPhone and Truphone for iPod touch are free to download from the App Store. Neither application has any rental, subscription or other hidden charges.
2. Making a Truphone call on an iPhone or iPod touch couldn’t be simpler: Truphone displays a virtual keypad for dialling the number.
3. Wi-Fi hotspots are commonplace in offices, schools, campuses, at home, and even across entire town and city centres. Truphone uses the Wi-Fi connectivity of the iPhone/iPod touch to carry instant messages over the Internet to their destinations.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Google Talk is a trademark of Google Inc. Google Talk is not a telephony service and cannot be used for emergency dialling. Microsoft and Windows Live are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Yahoo and Yahoo Messenger are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Yahoo Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. Skype and SkypeIn are trademarks of Skype Limited. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Truphone now enables an iPod touch to call any mobile or landline: still no SIM, no contract, and very little money

From today people using Truphone’s free application for the iPod touch can make phone calls to ANY mobile or landline in the world, using Wi-Fi hotspots and the internet.

When in a Wi-Fi hotspot, Truphone enables an iPod touch to behave in the same way as a typical mobile phone. Wi-Fi hotspots are commonplace in offices, schools, campuses, at home, and even across entire town and city centres.

Truphone calls to landlines and mobiles cost from just UK£0.03/US$0.06* per minute [UK to China or USA, for example], and the service is available from more than 200 countries – helping people to significantly reduce the cost of Christmas Day phone calls to friends and family.

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Screenshots: Truphone for iPod touch

Notes to editors

1. Truphone for iPod touch is downloadable, free, from the App Store in the same way as other applications.
2. Once installed, and with the addition of microphone adaptor (Truphone microphone adaptor available soon)*, make free calls from a Wi-Fi hotspot – no matter where you are in the world – from as little as £0.03/$0.06* per minute. See www.truphone.com/pricing for full pricing information.
3. Calls to other iPod touch owners, to another Truphone user and to users of the Google Talk™ instant messaging service are free.
4. The software uses the iPod touch’s Wi-Fi connection to carry calls over the internet to its destination. There is no monthly line rental, no subscription or other hidden charges.
5. Truphone launched an initial version of Truphone for iPod touch on December 4th [announcement].

*Rates correct as of December 15th 2008.

**Microphone adaptor accessory currently available at Apple stores.

Requirements

• A second generation iPod touch (i.e. current model)
• A free download of Truphone for iPod touch
• A headset and microphone like those for the iPhone. These may be bought at high street electronics retailers or from an Apple Store

Making a Truphone call on an iPod touch
This couldn’t be simpler: Truphone displays a virtual keypad for dialling the number.

Links and resources

• Other Truphone pictures
• Truphone videos
• Truphone website

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Google Talk is a trademark of Google Inc. Google Talk is not a telephony service and cannot be used for emergency dialling. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.

Enabling TV fans both to schedule in the programmes that they like and discover new programmes that they might like, Tioti TV+ from Vizimo went live in the App Store today.

On start-up, Tioti TV+ immediately displays ‘now and next’ information for all UK TV channels. Precisely which channels are displayed is completely customisable; choose to display only those channels available to you according to your TV package, or choose channel-by-channel which ones to display or ‘turn off’.

Opening a particular programme causes the typical listings-style programme information to be displayed. But this is the point at which Tioti TV+ starts to shine.

You can choose to ‘mark’ programmes, then, after perhaps marking multiple programmes across multiple channels, you can select ‘My TV’ – which promptly causes Tioti TV+ to display your personal TV channel, showing which channel to be watching, and when, in order to fit in everything you marked.

If you’re not going to be at home or even if you’re on the other side of the world on holiday then, if you have the Sky+ service, you can use Tioti TV+ for the iPhone to remotely set your Sky box to record any programme with just two clicks, ready for viewing when you get home.

If all of this is insufficient assistance, or you’re bored, then try ‘You may also like…’. This function links to a selection of programmes that are about the same topics as the one you are looking at – so you may, indeed, also like them. Having discovered new programmes in this way, you can mark it or set it to record – and on you go again.

If, in following recommendations, you come across some content available via the BBC’s iPlayer catch-up service, Tioti TV+ also enables you to stream it directly to the handset. with no searching and no messing around.

Why is Tioti TV+ a great app? Not just because it helps us to do, better, something that we’re actually going to do at some point each day anyway, but because the dramatic increase in the number of channels available means that people actually miss more programmes of interest than ever before – despite many families now being able to call on the use of a HDD system to record programmes when there are clashes or when they’re out.

In fact there are now more than 400 TV channels available in the UK, and more than 90% of households now have at least one form of multi-channel digital TV service – digital TV receiver, satellite or cable. Consequently, even though many people try to catch up with popular programmes using services like Channel 4’s 4od and BBC’s iPlayer, they will always be fighting a losing battle.

Simon Steward is chief executive of Vizimo, the developer behind Tioti TV+. He said: “There are so many channels and so many sources that it’s virtually impossible to find and remember all the programmes that you might want to watch so you can plan your day or evening in front of the TV. The situation is made even more complex by catch-up content, which means content from the last seven days is available to us if only we knew where to look. How are we supposed to remember, 20 pages of a listings guide or 20 pages of a website later, what we chose some 300 channels ago for 8.30pm? Now, we – iPhone users at least – don’t have to.”

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Links and resources

• Screenshots from Tioti TV+ for iPhone
• Vizimo website
• Vizimo press office

About Vizimo
Vizimo is a leader in developing personalisation and discovery technology to help users navigate the overwhelming universe of content on TV, the web and mobile. It works with TV service providers and platform providers, mobile operators and publishers to create innovative solutions to the discovery problem. For more information, visit the Vizimo press office.

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Apple, iPhone and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries.

Make free calls to other iPod touch owners: no SIM, no contract, no money

Described by Apple itself as the ‘funnest’ iPod ever, the iPod touch may now be the ‘useful-est’ too thanks to FREE software – Truphone for iPod touch – that effectively turns one into a mobile phone.

Not only is the software free, but calls made using Truphone’s application for the iPod Touch are also FREE – just in time to save precious cash when making those Christmas calls to friends and family.

Once installed, and with the addition of microphone adaptor (Truphone microphone adaptor available soon)*, an iPod touch owner can make free calls – no matter where any are in the world – to other iPod touch owners, to customers of Truphone’s Internet telephony service, and to users of the Google Talk™ instant messaging service.

Truphone for iPod touch will become a one-stop-shop social hub with the following features coming soon:

• Making and receiving calls to and from landlines (PSTN) at low cost (simply set yourself up with a Truphone account)
• Instant messaging to Skype and MSN (free)
• Calling to Skype users (free)
• Calling to MSN users (free)
• Check and set facilities for Twitter (free)
• Check and set facilities for Facebook (free)

Truphone for iPod touch is easily downloaded from Apple’s App Store in exactly the same way as any other iPod touch application.

The software uses the iPod touch’s Wi-Fi connection to carry calls over the internet to its destination. There is no monthly line rental, no subscription or other hidden charges.

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*Microphone adaptor accessory currently available at the Apple Store.

Notes to editors

Links and resources

• Truphone for iPod touch: Screenshots
• Other Truphone pictures
• Truphone videos
• Truphone website

Types of FREE call that can be made:

• iPod touch to iPod touch
• iPod touch to Truphone (some Nokia handsets)
• Truphone (same Nokia handsets plus iPhone) to iPod touch
• iPod touch to Google Talk PC user

Requirements:

• A second generation iPod touch (i.e. current model)
• A free download of Truphone for iPod touch
• A headset and microphone like those for the iPhone. These may be bought at high street electronics retailers or from an Apple Store
• Friends also using Truphone!

Making a Truphone call on an iPod touch
This couldn’t be simpler: the Truphone application provides you with a virtual keypad that enables you to make the call.

How it works
Truphone works by routing calls over the Internet through Wi-Fi.

Important information
Truphone is not a replacement for an ordinary telephone service and emergency calls cannot be made using Truphone. Truphone cannot advise on the legality of VoIP [Voice over IP] services in specific territories or jurisdictions. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm that use of the Truphone VoIP software and service is permitted in the location in which they use it.

Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc, registered in the United States and other countries. iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc. Google Talk is a trademark of Google Inc. Google Talk is not a telephony service and cannot be used for emergency dialling. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Truphone is a trademark of Software Cellular Network Ltd. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners.