Interview with Caroline Andreolle from IPEVO

MyMac interview by Nemo, with Caroline Andreolle from IPEVO, a San Jose, CA company specializing in VOIP Internet telephony hardware and software. She and I spent two 45-minute sessions using the IPEVO equipment in live testing chats.

MYMAC: Thanks for sending three product samples, Caroline. What are their names, prices, and pronunciations?

IPEVO: ST4RT is pronounced “Start.” FR-33.2 we nickname “Free2,” but it could be misinterpreted. TR10, is pronounced “T-R-ten.”

Their prices are:

A = ST4RT: $14.99 for a single pack, or $24.99 for a double pack

B = FR-33.2: $39.90

C = TR-10 for ichat: $79.90

MYMAC: What is the history of your company, and the people running it?

IPEVO: We started as the design department of PC Home (Skype in Taiwan) back in 2003. Our current CEO, Royce Hong, was the head designer of the department, and is the creator of form factors which have put IPEVO on the map. He acquired IPEVO out of PC Home in November 2007, so that we could broaden our offering (past Skype) to customers over the world. 2008 is the true first year that IPEVO has developed non Skype-only products (such as the TR10 for iChat or the ST4RT universal handset), but “Design Within Reach” has always been the mantra, and will continue guiding our peripheral design in the future.

MYMAC: Why are you focused on this particular segment of the VOIP marketplace?

IPEVO: Because IPEVO was a division of Skype in Taiwan, it was natural to create devices that were custom fit for Skype. All the parts are made in accordance with Skype – we were as close as it gets to the source! That is how we were able to provide well designed, well working devices for this market. Also, it’s interesting to know that Skype is used by 1 out of 6 people in Taiwan, where the company is headquartered. Who wouldn’t develop products with a proven market?

MYMAC: Are your primary future customers home or business VOIP users?

IPEVO: Both. We offer a variety of peripherals to respond to a wide variety of needs (even the businesses at home).

MYMAC: How do your hardware and software products integrate with one another?

IPEVO: Our new IPEVO Control Center aims at creating an ecosystem. Our main customer base is composed of travelers, business owners, international students, creative people, and road warriors. These people have different needs at different times. Sometimes, you’re at Starbucks and you just need to make that quick call without background noise; that’s when the ST4RT comes in. Sometimes, you need to have a dedicated Skype phone on your desk; that’s when the S0L0 comes in. But if you’re on the road, you have an even wider variety of needs: you may need to call contacts quickly with your FR-33.2 (using the “recently dialed” function for example), or have a small conference with colleagues – and that’s when you need the TR10 Speakerphone. Our current IPEVO Control Center enables you to plug in your FR331, FR332 or TR10 from 1 unique interface. So that when you need to make that call NOW, you can.

MYMAC: How actively are you developing upgrades and updates to the hardware and/or software?

IPEVO: We are constantly improving our hardware. Our FR33-2 (formerly Free2) has gone through 3 generations of hardware, the last of which was modified to enable seamless integration with a new IPEVO Control Center, one which centralizes access to other devices in the line. Our software versions are always being renewed, especially since operating systems change at a rapid pace. The IPEVO Control Center I believe is on version 11 (so it’s been through 10 iterations in the last 3 years), and that encompasses just 3 of the devices in our ecosystem. There’s no getting around it: we use our own devices (and I find it crazy that most companies don’t use their own products) – so we want it to work smoothly too!

MYMAC: What do you hope to accomplish at Macworld Expo 2009?

IPEVO: Exposure. We find that our most avid supporters are Mac users, yet our company has never truly reached out to that market specifically. Our TR-10 for iChat will be available in all Apple stores Oct 14th, and we want to help our retailers with outreach to Mac users. Our outreach to the Mac User Groups and our presence at Macworld are pieces to a bigger puzzle which aims at creating awareness and get more feedback from Mac users (I’m one of them). We will also be launching a new webcam for Macs, that I will be excited to demonstrate at the event.

MYMAC: Do you have plans to adapt your hardware/software for iPhone and/or iPod Touch?

IPEVO: We cannot disclose future projects at this time.

MYMAC: Which products have been most popular to date?

IPEVO: The FR33-2 and the TR10 (and the X1N6 when it was available. It was discontinued 2 months ago and a new version is now available, so we expect it to be a best seller again).

MYMAC: What surprises do you have for the VOIP community coming in 2009?

IPEVO: We may have even more features added to our peripherals, devices that go beyond just voice.

MYMAC: Who else has reviewed IPEVO items, and where can we find those reviews on the Internet?

IPEVO: Please see links at bottom of the interview.

MYMAC: How easy is it to make adjustments to listening, speaking, and recording features of your software?

IPEVO: The main use of the product, which is conversations and conferences, is extremely easy to use. Set the device preferences in Skype, and you’re ready to go! For the recording feature, you can just record at the push of a button, and select a variety of settings within the recording software, called FreeRec. FreeRec allows you to record in WAV and AAC (mp4), which is ideal for reviewers and podcasters, because you can then edit in GarageBand. Fine tuning the parameters of volume for input/output is something we are always working on, as the infinite case scenarios (including computer environments and background noise environment) make it a perpetual game of fine tuning.

MYMAC: Why do you use different software for speakerphone than to LCD headset?

IPEVO: Actually, they both use the IPEVO Control Center. There are, however, 2 different controls centers: one for our Skype-dedicated hardware, such as the FR-33.1, FR-33.2 USB handsets and TR10 Speakerphone (black); these operate on the same ICC for Skype. The other control center is for the TR-10 for iChat (white), so that the buttons you press trigger iChat commands. The 2 IPEVO Control Centers are different because they command different programs (iChat vs. Skype).

MYMAC: Why not have a single interface for your control center and recording software?

IPEVO: The recording functions of the FR-33.2 and TR-10 have been a huge selling point, and our users have made that request, so we’re actually working on a solution at this time.

MYMAC: Who are your major competitors, and what do you offer that they don’t?

IPEVO: There used to be a wide variety of companies that would offer products for Skype. In the last 2 years, it has declined so that only Phillips, Belkin, and few others are left on the market. We have very good reason to believe that this will change (drastically) in 2009, as Skype is offering more support to their hardware partners. See link below for interview with Skype president Josh Silverman. The most obvious differentiator for us is the Design Within Reach: we produce beautiful hardware that is affordable, and our integration with Skype is seamless – what else would you want, really?

MYMAC: How do your Skype and iChat software/hardware differ from one another?

IPEVO: In terms of hardware, we made minor modifications for voice optimization (you’d have to go check out the circuit board to see it). In terms of software, the two IPEVO Control Centers give different commands for the launch button: the Skype button maximizes a minimized Skype interface (Skype users are usually heavy users), whereas the iChat IPEVO Control Center lets you start the iChat software from scratch.

MYMAC: How do you handle tech support, via Skype, iChat, phone, email, or web form?

IPEVO: We handle it through Skype, phone, and email, plus we have FAQs on the website. We’re there for you!

Skype: ipevo_cs (US), ipevocs1 (International)

Phone: 877 269 4738 or +1 408 324 0158 (Americas). For international, +886 2 5550 8686.

Email: cs@ipevo.com (Americas), service@ipevo.com (international).

Online: www.ipevo.com

MYMAC: What are the most typical complaints or problems encountered by new IPEVO users?

IPEVO: Most people don’t install the drivers and therefore cannot record a conversation.

Useful links:

ST4RT Universal Handset

About the ST4RT Universal Handset

FR-33.2 USB Skype Handset with LCD Screen