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“Today We Transitioned from the Live Messenger Era to the Age of Universal Communications in One Great Emoticon Refresh”

A spokesman noted: “Today We Transitioned from the Live Messenger Era to the Age of Universal Communications in One Great Emoticon Refresh. Nothing can do more to streamline communication and collaboration than just the right emoticon in context.”

This move has industry insider’s tongues wagging. According UC Architect Pat Richard:

“Not sure I'm a fan of the new emoticons in Lync” source

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Well known Lync MVP Tom Arbuthnot notes even more serious challenges with the new move:

“I miss my animations” source

An industry observer who decided not to name themselves notes “ How can the loss of 10 emoticons and animations be considered a move forward"?”

Company officials note that all emoticons are webRTC ready immediately but in-browser animations will only be enabled once the webRTC standard has been ratified, which could be several years.

Kidding aside: Looks like Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1 brings refreshed emoticons to Lync!

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Apparently the below are no longer relevant

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If you think emoticons will transform the future of UC you can vote here:
http://lync.ideascale.com/a/ideas/search?query=emoticons


If you think there are other things to be focused on:
http://lync.ideascale.com/

For more fixes to Lync that came in Office SP1:
http://www.pro-lync.be/blogs/lync2013/archive/2014/02/26/microsoft-office-2013-service-pack-1-surprisingly-fixes-a-lot-of-lync-2013-issues.aspx

The SP1 Download:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41994

Microsoft Demonstrates UC Javascript API (aka jLync, UCJA, Name TBD) That Brings All Lync Client Modalities “In Browser”

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In the keynote at Lync Conference 2014 Gurdeep Singh Pall demonstrated a custom Lync web application making use of voice and video modality in browser using what has the working title of “J-Lync”: a JavaScript wrapper that will let you embed all modalities into your website.

In a later technical session, Albert Kooiman noted that what is provisionally being called “jLync” he calls the “Unified Communication Javascript API”, but he was quick to point out that it is really an object model that sits on top of UCWA at this time. We were given some more details about the new object model that would sit on top of UCWA and make adding voice/video to your web applications “just several lines of code”.

First demonstrated was the ability of the current UCWA to change the Activity presence text using UCWA in a small test app shown below:

Screenshot (2)

Below was a demo/sample Lync client app embedded in the web browser doing a media call. (it failed with a plugin error, but you get the idea) Kooiman noted that using new Jlync + UCWA means Audio, Video, Screenshare in browser can be achieved with a few lines of code. (Whiteboard not at this time)

Screenshot (3)

Then showed what appeared to be a complete Lync client with media capabilities running inside Chrome. (there was no hint that Lync v.next would get browser based Lync client, just a demo/sample application)

Screenshot (5)

And then lastly a demo of a video call from inside Chrome using the Chrome media stack. Kooiman was careful to remind us that this could only be a peer-to-peer call.

Screenshot (4)

Will It Require a Plug-In?

Yes. (graphically verified in demo :)

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What Will It Be Called?

No name has been decided at this time, all current names are provisional. To be decided.

How to get jLync/UCJA/{whatever-it-will-be-called}?

Join TAP.

When does "Jlync" go public/live?

Gurdeep said "by end of year", but Albert Kooiman hedged that “it will be here when it is here”. "JLync" will arrive with a Lync Server Cumulative Update so it will not need to wait till Lync Server v.Next.

You can get the current version of UCWA (that does not support media) here: click here

Using Lync Server CsClientPolicyEntry for Inband snom Setting Provisioning for IP Phones

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What if you could provisiong snom specific settings like ringer tone, buttons and a myriad of other snom settings using standard Powershell and native Lync Server functionality? (no additional provisioning servers to install or learn) With snom’s new use of the native Lync Server csClientPolicyEntry cmdlet this is now possible.

Lync Phone Edition has never had the ability to change user/device setting (example: default ringer, screen contrast, etc) from Lync Server policies. Ever since Lync Qualified IP Phones have been available this unresolved challenge has required additional servers to provision Lync Qualified IP Phone settings centrally and made 3PIP phones feel like “black sheep” devices to Lync admins. In the case of snom there is snomtastic and polycom has their own method of pushing out settings.

Interestingly Lync Server has a built-in feature, for some versions already, that can brilliantly address this problem: CsClientPolicyEntry cmdlet. This commandlet allows a Lync admin to add additional custom vendor specific settings to any CsClientPolicy. Microsoft has used this as a kind of “back door” method to push less used & esoteric settings to official Lync clients  but it can be used just as well to push any vednor specific setting to Lync Qualified devices.

Overview of How CsClientPolicyEntry Works

csClientPolicyEntry allows you to use csClientPolicy’s to send vendor specific devices settings to snom UC Edition devices. This means that using totally native Lync and powershell you can provision vendor specific settings inside and outside your Lync Edge. No additional provisioning servers required.

How to Use CsClientPolicyEntry to Configure snom Settings

For this example we will change the “Global” CsClientPolicy. (NOTE: obviously you would only want to do this in a lab; ONLY push settings out to small group of phone first for testing!)

First, find the snom setting you want to set. A snom setting will look something like:

  • answer_after_policy!

A great way to construct a setting is to login into the snom web UI, change a setting and click “Apply” and then view settings screen to see what setting changed and what its value is. (shown below)

image

The name you will use for the setting is the above prefixed with snom_ and the trailing ! removed to look like:

  • answer_after_policy!: becomes snom_answer_after_policy

Now run this powershell against the CsClient policy you want to change:

$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name snom_answer_after_policy -Value always
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity Global –PolicyEntry @{Add=$x}

To test if you setting was success run:
Get-CsClientPolicy -Identity Global

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Sure enough, our new CsClientPolicyEntry is there.

If we add more than one CsClientPolicyEntry, it will look something like the below:

image

To remove a setting:

$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry -Name answer_after_policy -Value always
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity Global –PolicyEntry @{Remove=$x}


Using Replace instead of Add or Remove, will replace all current Names/Values with the new one(s) you add. I suspect in most cases an admin will not want to use Replace, but you can read more here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/nexthop/archive/2011/07/25/haiku159.aspx

More Technical Detail on How Inband Provisioning Works

It appears that the in band provisioning is pulled from Lync Server when the endpoint reregisters. At this time all in band setting will be sent to the endpoint in the SIP Subscribe (re-register) as XML in SIP.

What can you do to trigger a re-register? Reboot the device or (in snom phones) click re-register (either via phoneUI or webUI) on the appropriate identity. You can also wait for reregister to happen. (30minutes default?)

That alternative is waiting patiently. Like many other things in Lync Server, this will not happen immediately. Below are (what appear to be to me) the default resubscribe timing in Lync for various login types:

Registering and Subscribing (min 1200 secs)

  • Pin Authentication – provision on every 4hrs (minimum getting settings/re-subscribe is 20minutes)
  • NTLM  w/ AD account -  provision once 1hr on the hr (300-900sec)  (minimum getting settings/re-subscribe is 20minutes?)
  • NTLM w/Contact only  - unknown
How to See csClientPolicyEntry’s for a Given Policy When There Are A Lot of Entries?

cls
$a = Get-CsClientPolicy -Identity Global
$a.PolicyEntry | ft name,value -AutoSize

Powershell To Add csClientPolicyEntry’s Based on snom Settings File

We have written a Powershell script that makes adding csClientPolicyEntry very easy. The steps:

  • Change the settings in the snom phone you want tweaked
  • copy these settings into a text file (example of settings file show below, and you can copy this right out of snom web UI)
  • run the below Powershell

Sample snom settings text file contents (2 lines below):

user_ringer1!: Ringer3
fkey3!: presence <sip:sampleuser@sampledomain.com>


### PowerShell Script Starts Here ###
$pathandfile = "c:\settings.txt"
$policyname = "Test_User_Policy"

### Don’t change the below vars ###

$textfile = get-content $pathandfile
$prefix = "snom_"

##############################
# remove old settings first
##############################

foreach ($i in $textfile) {

$pos = $i.IndexOf(" ")
$lyncname = $i.Substring(0, $pos)
$lyncvalue = $i.Substring($pos+1)


$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name ($prefix + $lyncname.Replace("!:","")) -Value $lyncvalue
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity $policyname –PolicyEntry @{remove=$x}
}

##############################
# add settings
##############################

foreach ($i in $textfile) {

$pos = $i.IndexOf(" ")
$lyncname = $i.Substring(0, $pos)
$lyncvalue = $i.Substring($pos+1)


$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name ($prefix + $lyncname.Replace("!:","")) -Value $lyncvalue
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity $policyname –PolicyEntry @{add=$x}
}
Write-Host Completed Loading Inband Settings into $policyname ClientPolicy on Lync Server.
### PowerShell Script Ends Here ###

How to Remove csClientPolicyEntry’s That Have Been Pushed to snom Phones

To remove settings pushed to a group of snom phones you need to take the following steps:

  • Set the snom settings back to default values using the above powershell command
    • you can get snom default values by resetting values on a snom phone and checking the value via the web UI settings page
      • csclientpolicyentry does not allow VALUE to be $Null
  • Wait and verify affected phones get the new, default setting(s)
  • create a snom setting file with settings you want to remove
  • Now remove the csClientPolicyEntry’s using the below PowerShell

 

### PowerShell Script Starts Here ###
$pathandfile = "c:\settings_to_remove.txt"
$policyname = "Test_User_Policy"

### Don’t change the below vars ###

$textfile = get-content $pathandfile
$prefix = "snom_"

##############################
# remove old settings first
##############################

foreach ($i in $textfile) {

$pos = $i.IndexOf(" ")
$lyncname = $i.Substring(0, $pos)
$lyncvalue = $i.Substring($pos+1)


$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name ($prefix + $lyncname.Replace("!:","")) -Value $lyncvalue
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity $policyname –PolicyEntry @{remove=$x}
}

### powershell ends here ###

Several Ways to Provision snom Device Settings

Below we compare various methods of provisioning snom phones and the pros and cons:

Feature snomtastic csclientpolicyentry
push reboot device yes no
push device reset yes no
show device IP yes yes, Lync Monitoring*
show device FW yes yes, via Powershell
Works outside edge no yes
can provision fkey0 no yes
provision via PowerShell no yes
per endpoint setting policies yes no
per user setting policies unknown yes
utilize existing csclientpolicy no yes
     
Additional Maintenance    
requires additional server yes no
requires importing/AD sync yes no
source click here read more

* Lync Monitoring Server 2013 has added IP address to underlying SQL tables. click here

Other Stuff/Limitations/Etc
  • We have tested 1 csClientPolicy with 160 csClientPolicyEntry settings successfully.
  • We have tested 1 csClientPolicyEntry with a Value that was 930 characters long.
  • What if you want to change a setting to “not set” or back to defaults? csClientPolicyEntry doesn’t seem to accept NULL
    • You need to know the default value and then explicitly set it to that (and optionally remove the setting from csclientpolicyentry if no longer of interest)
  • You can have only 1 group of csClientPolicyEntry settings per user. There is not a way to have 1 Lync user who has 3 different phones with a different settings going to the different phones using csclientpolicyentry method of provisioning settings. (you would need to use snomtastic or snom Active method). Another way of saying this is that csclientpolicyentry is per user, not per device.
  • While csClientPolicyEntry can strictly speaking, send settings to a single device, it is not optimized for this scenario. So using csClientPolicyEntry method for sending settings valid for 1 user is awkward. (say a button configuration valid for one user)
  • 2nd Identity in snom devices does not seem support in-band provisioning [reported]
  • There is no way for csClientPolicyEntry to pass user specific values/device specific variables
    • for example: you want to have a group of phones in one csclientpolicy but you want an IP Phone setting assigned a device specific variable (MAC,IP) or Lync user specific (Username, LineURI, etc)
  • NOTE: Before rolling out large group of phones you will want to test additional load this puts on your servers
Snom Explanation Slide Deck

 

Additional Provisioning Option: Inband + Out of Band
  • it allows bridging out from inband provisioning to out of band, if needed or even to TR-069 based solutions
  • simply by placing XML config. and FW config files on the Lync IIS (like described in SIP to UC guide) and direct the phones inband  to it, you can realize location aware FW Updates (in SBA sites) or
  • address the need for “roaming” F-Key’s:  User A logs in with User level CS-Policy F-Key’s provided out of band, next shift comes and A logs out B logs in with its individual Fkeys (inband directed, out of band programmed)
Pros and Cons of csClientPolicyEntry to Manage IP Phones

snom UC Edition’s use of csClientPolicyEntries is pure genius: It allows you to manage snom devices using Lync Server’s built in functionality and Powershell, the settings are pushed in-band so this works on devices inside and outside your Lync Edge and it requires no additional poorly understood/supported provisioning servers.

Lync Server, and csClientPolicy entry by extension, focus’ on a user centric approach to management. This serves well in many cases but not in some cases where you have 1 user and several devices that need to have different device settings.  In this case you are forced to choose between different user or same setting.

csClientPolicyEntry can technically push snom button settings just like any other setting, but is not optimal because of csClientPolicy’s “clumsiness” at/not designed for pushing user/devices specific settings.

Conclusion

Once again, snom UC Edition’s use of csClientPolicyEntries is pure genius: It allows you to manage snom devices using Lync Server’s built in functionality and Powershell, the settings are pushed in-band so this works on devices inside and outside your Lync Edge and it requires no additional poorly understood and supported provisioning servers. I want to thank Jan Boguslawski, Technical Product Manager of UC Edition at snom, for conceptualizing and designing this feature. snom UC Edition’s use of csClientPolicyEntry marks the first time Lync admins can push out IP Phone preferences (ringers, language, etc)  directly and efficiently from Lync Server.

This may just be the feature that makes snom UC Edition & Lync Qualified devices more optimized than Lync Optimized devices.
 

snom Slide Deck by Jan Boguslawski on csClientPolicyEntry: click here
{End}

http://wiki.snom.com/FAQ/Can_I_control_my_snom_phone_remotely
http://192.168.1.187/line_login.htm?RE-REGISTER:1=Re-register
http://blogs.technet.com/b/dodeitte/archive/2011/05/11/how-to-get-the-last-time-a-user-registered-with-a-front-end.aspx

CsClientPolicyEntry is used in corner cases:
http://ucken.blogspot.com/2013/05/viewing-extensions-in-lync-client.html

snomtastic: http://snomtastic.codeplex.com/

200 ok

http://www.diffchecker.com

default for fkeys = line

snom Setting Permissions:
http://wiki.snom.com/Features/Mass_Deployment/Setting_Files/XML/Flags
Change
any snom setting using an URL: http://wiki.snom.com/FAQ/Can_I_set_single_phone_settings_via_HTTP_requests

More sophisticated change Powershell:

### PowerShell Script Starts Here ###
$pathandfile = "c:\settings.txt"
$policyname = "Global"

### Don’t change the below vars ###

$textfile = get-content $pathandfile
$prefix = "snom_"
cls

##############################
# remove old settings first
##############################

Write-Host Any Warnings that follow indicate new clientpolicyentry settings...

foreach ($i in $textfile) {

$pos = $i.IndexOf(" ")
$lyncname = $i.Substring(0, $pos)
$lyncvalue = $i.Substring($pos+1)


$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name ($prefix + $lyncname.Replace("!:","")) -Value $lyncvalue
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity $policyname –PolicyEntry @{remove=$x}
}

##############################
# add settings
##############################

foreach ($i in $textfile) {

$pos = $i.IndexOf(" ")
$lyncname = $i.Substring(0, $pos)
$lyncvalue = $i.Substring($pos+1)


$x = New-CsClientPolicyEntry –Name ($prefix + $lyncname.Replace("!:","")) -Value $lyncvalue
Set-CsClientPolicy –Identity $policyname –PolicyEntry @{add=$x}
}


Write-Host Completed Loading Inband Settings into $policyname ClientPolicy on Lync Server.
### PowerShell Script Ends Here ###

Write-Host New PolicyEntries for $policname
$a = Get-CsClientPolicy -Identity $policyname
$a.PolicyEntry | ft name,value -AutoSize


$cu = (get-csuser -filter {clientpolicy -eq $policyname}  | Format-Table samaccountname, clientpolicy).count
$cc = (Get-CsCommonAreaPhone  -filter {clientpolicy -eq $policyname} | ft name,clientpolicy).count

Write-Host This client policy affected $cu users.
Write-Host This client policy affected $cc common area phones.


Write-Host ---
Write-Host Done.

Mitel + Lync: What Is Happening to Lync Assets Mitel Now Has?

image_thumb[54]

Mitel has purchased several Microsoft Lync related vendors lately:

  • PraireFyre
  • Aastra

What does this mean for Lync Partners?

According to Matthew Clare at the LyncConf14  booth the Lync and traditional Mitel channel will remain separate, meaning Microsoft Partners will be able to purchase Lync stuff even if they aren’t authorized to sell Mitel equipment.

What’s Here Now?

  • PraireFyre has become MiContactCenter
  • MiVoice for Lync Client integrates Mitel to Lync: click here
  • Lync portable phone line (from Aastra)


Quick Screenshots

MiVoice (Lync client plugin)
image


What’s Coming

  • Mitel branded Lync Phone Edition (Aastra LPE rebranded; all products in USA will get Mitel brand for that matter)
  • Mitel is bringing a Lync Attendant Console to market in ~60days

Mitel with Lync suite of products is certainly interesting and will be interesting to see how this plays out.

<end>

Press Release
http://investor.mitel.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=771882

Aastra
The acquisition will be complete on Jan 31, 2014. Expect to hear something after.
https://twitter.com/ericcullum/status/428185012757078016

NoJitter Article On Mitel:
http://www.nojitter.com/post/240166040/mitel-offers-some-details-on-aastra-integration

Spectralink Pivot 8753: Android, Smartphone Form Factor, Durable WIFI Portable Phone

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It was just a matter of when this happened, not if. Spectralink brings the Pivot 8753: An Android based, smart phone form factor, durable WIFI portable phone. (Wow, that was a mouth full.)

The model number appears to be Pivot 8753.

Some features

  • HD voice and full duplex speaker phone
  • PTT w/25 channels
  • Optional 1D/2D barcode scanner
  • ~$895 US

Pivot runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 which means that OS wise Pivot can run Lync Mobile 2013 for Android, which requires 4.x or greater. There is no communication from Spectralink if they support or allow this. Spectralink notes that Pivot “supports the Lync Android application”.

image

The Pivot does not have a camera at this time.

Pivot Specs (US):
http://www.spectralink.com/pivot/sites/default/files/Spectralink_PIVOT_prospecs_F_021014.pdf

Pivote Press Release:
http://www.spectralink.com/sites/default/files/spectralink_pivot_release_final1.pdf

Spectralink Webpage:
http://www.spectralink.com/pivot/

Matt Landis’ Lync Conference 2014 Notes

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I’m at LyncConf14 and looking forward to meeting a lot of you!

Whether you are able to make it to Lync Conference 2014 or not, I will be “reporting live” from sessions and expo floor on new products, announcements and interesting tidbits I uncover. Follow https://twitter.com/matthewlandis for stuff “as it happens” and monitor this page for my end of day summary, photos and videos. (you can think of it as getting to look over my shoulder at my conference notes!)

Announcements and News

Pre-Conference/ Monday 2/17

image image image
Vytru Room Video Conference (more features than LRS): click here BLync: “clientless, remote presence display” via UCWA  click here See @lyncdialg’s Details Here; Video Demo Click Here Keynote will stream at http://lyncconf.com Tues, 9am Pacific Time
image image image
Lync Attendant Pro Beta Program Announced click here

Lync MVP’s by Region via @jdscher click here

VIDEO: snom UC Edition BTOE, Meeting Join w/Roster, 802.1x, Photos Schedule for Q2 2014 click here
image image image
Busylight Lync plugin reroutes 2nd call (if you're already in a call) to destination for unanswered calls (BETA) click here

Interesting “Behind the scenes of the Keynote” by Tim Woo: click here

The Big Screen @ LyncConf14 Tweet Wall Available on Web: Http://Lyncconf14.TweetWall.com


Tues Feb 18

image image image
Keynote: Lync Mobile Coming to Android tablets this summer, Lync Online to get PSTN/Large Meetings this year, Lync <-> Skype Video “in a couple months”, Tandberg VTC a role in Lync Server vNext: Recording: click here Keynote: "The era of Universal Communications is here" --Gurdeep Singh Pall VIDEO: Mark Weigleib, snom Enterprise Voice Shows New Features coming to snom 7xx Series Summer 2014: Adhoc Meeting Initiate, 1 Click Meeting Join w/Roster, Contact Images from AD.
image image image
VIDEO: How Long Can Ken Lasko Go Without Mentioning the Lync Dialing Rule Optimizer? VIDEO: Look at Spectralink Pivot on Exhibit Floor: Android WIFI Phone click here SQL AlwaysOn Support coming to Lync Server

Other excellent Keynote recaps:
http://thoughtstuff.co.uk/2014/02/lync-conference-2014-keynote/

Wed Feb 19

image image image
VIDEO: Ran Invar CTO @ Audiocodes Demo’s 440HD IP Phone Better Together over Ethernet and Unique LCD Buttons click here Mitel Developments: Coming: Mitel Branded Lync Phone Edition & Lync Attendant Console (60days). Mitel Lync Products will have separate channel. click here Albert Kooiman Demo’s Voice/Video “Lync client” in the HTML5 Browser via what is informally called “JLync”, likely to be called UCJA; Will Arrive With a Lync Server CU, Will Not Need to Wait Till v.Next; click here
Trivia Engine Logo (2) image image
Play LyncConf14 Trivia: Just send an IM to LyncConf14@TriviaEngine.com VIDEO: Demonstration of BusyLight Busy-on-Busy, Answer Hotkey, Select & Dial functionality click here VIDEO: Patrice, Programmer @ BLync Demo’s New UCWA Powered Remote Presence: click here


Thu Feb 20

image image image
VIDEO:  Siva Nissan (Logitech)
and I take a look at the Logitech cc3000e click here
VIDEO: Plantronics Intro’s Lync and Smart Wearable Device. Functionality coming as software update. PR: click here Video: click here snom Brings Native, In-Band Setting Provisioning to UC Edition: click here
image image image
Comparison of LRS from Smart’s Perspective: click here Microsoft Compare: click here Polycom was showing the CX5100 click here Dell Shows Prototype of Lync Optimized Monitor w/Integrated Camera and Audio: click here


Post Conference Thoughts/Stats

image image image
Lync MVP Ruben Nauwelaer: #LyncConf14 Takeaways Interview @rnauwelaers: click here Lync MVP Shane Hoey: #LyncConf14 Takeaways Interview @shanehoey: click here @lyncdialog Jonathan McKinney, Lync MVP Conference Write-up click here
image image image
Wrap Up Blog By Lync Team Click Here Greig in Sydney Conference Highlights Click Here Alan Percy Audiocodes Highlights: Click Here
image image image
..Other favorite memory of LyncConf14: The Las Vegas taxi driver asking me, "So, Microsoft ... Is that a big company? What do they do?" Click Here Powershell To Download #LyncConf14 Video Sessiosn By Tom Arbuthnot will greatly help you download (attendee login required): Click Here LyncConf14 HashTag Stats: ~10K Tweets in last 30 Days: Click Here


Other UC News

image image image
Feb-16 @dontcallmeDOM Notes: “Apple just joined the WebRTC Working Group click here Commentary: click here Avaya Down 6.6% Year over Year According to UC Analyst @tbanting click here Facebook Purchases WhatsApp for $19Billion click here
image    
WhatsApp to Get PSTN Calling “in Months”: click here    

 

Photo Stream

Interview & New Product Videos