The Nokia E61 is probably the most sophisticated smart phone on the market. It’s packed full of features including the ability to connect to Microsoft Exchange and Blackberry Enterprise servers.

One of the features which have been promised (but never really worked) since the release of the phone was the ability to connect to SIP servers or in more lay-terms, VOIP.

Well, with the latest Firmware update from Nokia, they’ve done it! I’ve now successfully registered my phone to both Vonage (using the Vonage softphone service) as well as Sipphones.

I can’t reccomend Sipphones, their service doesn’t seem to work with calling PSTN phones in North America (trouble ticket currently open) but Vonage works like a gem. Finally, I can do away with all the expensive long distance when I’m travelling and use Vonage, so long as there’s a WiFi access point nearby.

So what does all this mean? Cheap long distance while on the road! BTW – the phone itself is behind the NAT so a normal home connection with no tweaks to the firewall is okay to use.

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During my last trip to Calgary, I drove by the former location of Mescalero’s on 1st Street SE and thought what a fun place Crazy Horse was for an NYE location. That and the Banke on 8th where a pinstriped suit, some good friends and a black Russian Sobranie to puff on were de rigeur.

A sign is affixed to the soon-to-be demolished building at the old Mescalero’s location reads:

NEW YEARS EVE AT CRAZY HORSE LIMITED TICK[E]TS AVA[IL]ABLE P[H]O[N]E 266-1133.

They’re long gone and the number’s out of service. Soon, it’s just going to be condos.

SO. What are your plans for New Year’s? The two hot tickets in the city are the sold out Thomas Lynch Ministry of Sound event and the NYE 007 event at Mynt which will be their very last NYE event at their current location before being demolished.

Calgary is growing up quickly. Mynt goes down at the end of January. Ceilis and Cowboys have been granted an extension until the end of Stampede. Yee haw!