Many Web sites feature a “click-to-call” button – when you click the button and enter your phone number, someone from the company or organization will call you. But what if you wanted to make the call yourself? After my last upgrade to the Skype client software and subsequent opening of the Firefox browser, a button appeared in the upper right corner – a new Firefox extension was installed to allow me to activate this feature.

Here’s an example of how it looks. I chose the Web site for Silko Honda of Raynham, MA, eastern Massachusetts’ best Honda dealer. In the footer of every Web page is their address and phone number, and this is how it typically looks.

With the highlight button clicked, here’s how the same area of the Web page looks:

This feature is unique and makes Skype more of a player in the replacement of POTS – plain old telephone systems. Where Vonage has client software where you can type or paste in a phone number and your phone is rung and the call is placed, this is a one-click solution. This is not, however, a free call – you must have Skype credits or a calling plan. I have also experienced the browser act a little sluggish when I had the feature on all the time and I have seen other reports of this on forums.

This is the type of innovation that leads companies forward, and in the case of Skype may lead more people to pay for its calling services.

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Chicagoans were excited to hear that on a recent visit to France its mayor Richard Daley was going to check out bicycle rental, namely the Velib service for on-demand bike rental. This system relies on renting bikes from and returning them to a “service point.” On a recent visit to Germany, I saw examples of bike rental where the bikes stand alone.

In Berlin it was not uncommon to see red and silver bikes with a “DB” logo, part of the Call A Bike service. The service is summarized on this English-language page on their Web site, and it is a straightforward service where you establish an account, and when you want a bike you call a phone number, enter the code on the bike, then enter an access code on the bike and you’re on your way. This picture was taken at the Potsdamer Platz train station with several bikes available. Many times I saw just one bike, all alone, waiting to be rented. The bikes have a unique design and even a carrier with a cable for carrying packages. Click on the photo for a larger view.

I also found DB bikes around Frankfurt, as well as bikes from another vendor available for rental in a similar manner. By being able to rent and leave them wherever your destination is, the service is extremely convenient. When you are done with the bike, you lock it to a sign post and call in the location and it is picked up.

By the way, DB stands for Deutsche Bahn, the German national railroad. Now that is an integrated transportation system!

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Several months ago while making a purchase on Staples.com, I saw where I could get a free SunRocket phone after rebate. As a Vonage customer following the patent-infringement headlines, I thought it was well worth it to get a phone for the second-largest VOIP provider, just in case. That backup plan item has fallen off the list with the shutdown of the SunRocket service altogether, which is detailed on their home page.

Cleaning out my bookshelf the other day, I found the phone. It clearly states it will not work on any other service. So what am I supposed to do with it? I don’t want to just throw it away to add to the burgeoning landfills, and paying $10 to recycle it at Staples isn’t too appealing either.

Any thoughts? Maybe someone at the VON conference will have some ideas?

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