Google engineers are searching for how to return the videos, images, email, calendar, documents and more that disappeared from around 500,000 users’ accounts. Sure, this is only 0.29% of all Google accounts, but those 500,000 or so are feeling rather ill right now.

The answer for the future may be to diversify the online and cloud services that you use and back up. Use OneBox, Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Linkedin, Amazon Web Services, Sales Force, and/or open source Feng Office, ThinkFree, StarOffice or how about Zoho Corp?

The last one … Zoho … includes an online office productivity suite with not only word processor, spreadsheet and presentation apps, but also includes online project management, CRM solutions, web conferencing, online database with reports, online planner, group chat, wiki, and lots more. It also includes a plug-in for MS Office so you can work both online or offline. Techistan Team recently interviewed Raju Vegesna about Zoho services.

DebontheRocks on Blogher advises, “ Find yourself weeping in a puddle of Ben & Jerry’s watching You’ve Got Mail. Damn that perky Meg Ryan! She would never lose all of her mail, would she, WOULD SHE?  Why you?!?!?  Go ahead, cry it out, baby, cry it OUT.”

Ironic also that the most recent email in the Gmail account of Techistan’s VP has this title: XO launches UC in the cloud. She still really enjoys Google Suite.

Want to hear the song with “If the Skies above you are Gray” in it? Click and watch and hear.

Let Sangoma showcase your application! Simply tell them how you use Sangoma products in your application by Dec. 24, 2010. The grand prize winner will showcase the app on Sangoma’s Webinar Series. Four grand prize winners will be announced on Jan. 14, 2011.

How to Enter Complete the contest entry form:

 Wait for your free Sangoma gift. Check back on January 14, 2011 for the Grand Prize Winners to be announced (this could be you!)

 Hurry, and give yourself a gift from Sangoma. Please read contest terms and conditions here.

FREE gift for every entrant! Entrants will receive a free gift of Sangoma-branded paraphernalia.

Grand Prize: Win the chance to showcase your app on Sangoma’s Webinar Series! Four grand prize winners from each of these four regions will win on January 14, 2011:

North America

LATAM EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)

Asia-Pacific

Be sure to add ITEXPO conferences and Cluecon conference to your calendar to participate as sponsor and other ways. Sangoma already has. Meet them in person in Chicago. Meet Techistan and DIDX, who are Sangoma partners. Listen to a podcast interview with Sangoma CEO Mandelstam.

Leading small business VoIP provider Vocalocity announced its decision to formalize its teleworking program. As a company that provides technology for mobile workers, Vocalocity felt the time was right to formalize a program they had been committed to for the past 3 years, and encourages other businesses to adopt this technology.

Vocalocity recently solicited the help of Midtown Transportation Solutions and The Clean Air Campaign, two not-for-profit organizations that motivate Georgians to take action to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion, to formalize their telework program. As a company that provides technology for mobile workers, Vocalocity felt the time was right to formalize a program they had been committed to for the past 3 years. Vocalocity’s phone system for small business connects employees in multiple locations, making it the perfect solution for teleworking.

Wain Kellum Vocalocity’s CEO says, “We had the foundation for a teleworking program in place with both our product and our company culture; it was just a matter of formalizing it. We’ve seen positive results from teleworking such as an increase in our employees’ productivity, as well as a higher work satisfaction from our employers. Our cloud based phone system allows employees to be just as productive at home and their managers to have full visibility into call queues and call activity regardless of where the employee is sitting. This is a great use of the solution we offer to our customers.”

More and more employers are beginning to realize that a 1 or 2 hour commute is taking a toll on employees’ health as well as happiness. If an employee can work 1 or 2 days at home per week, this can save them 2-8 hours a week in the car. That can equal up to a full day’s work per week. Or, an extra few hours of much needed sleep.

Vocalocity now joins more than 1,600 businesses in metro Atlanta and around the state who are already teleworking at least once per week. The program was easy to set up, with training sessions led by a Clean Air Campaign Representative.

Vocalocity is excited to see the program continue to grow, and is hoping to help other companies implement teleworking by offering their services for those who need the flexibility of a hosted pbx phone system.

About Vocalocity®
Founded in 2005, Vocalocity is the leading provider of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) communication services for small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. Vocalocity powers thousands of small businesses with its core offering, VocalocityPBX, a hosted PBX solution that provides customers with the quality and reliability of traditional PBX phone systems, with more features, flexibility and cost savings. Vocalocity helps small businesses compete more effectively by providing them with communications services traditionally reserved for larger organizations, at small business prices. For more information about Vocalocity, please visit vocalocity.com or call 877-VOCALOCITY.

Rumor says that Skype is planning an IPO and Cisco is interested. Over 70 comments, 300 likes and over 1500 RTs have been added regarding the original TechCrunch article. Time will tell. Connect 1.0 was previously called Skype for SIP and is newly available, out of the beta stage. The company says it’s a working business solution that enables IP PBXs and Unified Communications Platforms to connect with Skype.

Businesses can make outbound calls from desktop phones to landline phones and mobile phones to many global destinations. Skype charges outgoing per minute call rates. How do the businesses receive the inbound calls? What Techistan wants to know is … if Skype connected users place Skype’s Click & Call buttons on their websites which is very cool, and that is how they receive the calls, what about the people with landline phones and mobile phone who want to dial IN to the users of the Connect 1.0 IP PBX? Is that possible also?

Answer: Skype Connect offers the feature of incoming calls also from landline phones or mobile phones to the IP PBX with a choice among Skype’s online numbers, called SkypeIN. Additional features will include auto-attendant, automatic call distribution, call detail records, call recording, call routing, conferencing, and voicemail.

“Since its inception, Skype has been used by many businesses wanting to reduce communications costs. In fact, based on internal research, in the first quarter of 2010, approximately 37 percent of Skype users reported that they use Skype for some business or business-related purposes,” said David Gurlé, vice president and general manager of Skype for Business (also a Microsoft veteran) in a statement.

“Our team’s goal is to empower businesses of all sizes and types with rich communications tools to unleash their productivity, while reducing their telecommunications costs. Following Skype Manager’s launch in May, we are very proud to add Skype Connect to our list of specially designed enterprise solutions. Skype Connect seeks to enable our customers to reduce their phone bills, while protecting their investment in existing telecommunications equipment.”

Since the beta stage Skype for SIP and now … Connect 1.0 was made available, over 2400 IP entities are taking advantage. It works with many traditional TDM PBXs and Key Systems which can add Skype capabilities through IP gateways like AudioCodes, Grandstream and VoSKY. It is certified to work with PBX and UC products from Avaya, Cisco, SIPfoundry, ShoreTel, and other original equipment manufacturers.

The Skype Manager is a web-based platform that enable entities to create employee accounts, allocate Skype Credit and assign features. Something new from Skype is dedicated customer support offered. The lack of that in the past has kept many companies and organizations from taking advantage. This includes real-time chat and is available through Skype Manager.

Other services, platforms, applications and companies (but not all inclusive) that have leveraged, built upon or enhanced Skype tools successfully include Asus, ClearOne, DIDX, freeSWITCH, Grandstream, PrettyMay, RIM, Ring2Skype, and Verizon.