Kcall and Decibel: Telephony and Messaging for KDE 4
While the KDE Team is busy working on version 4, more and more Linux desktop applications and interfaces keep on appearing. Kcall 0.7 and Decibel 0.5 bring integrated desktop software for Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), VoIP and real-time messaging to KDE.
The Decibel real-time messaging framework, which has now reached version 0.5, combines CTI, VoIP, chat and other instant messaging solutions. As a D-Bus-based API it also complies with the Telepathy specifications and provides interfaces to KDE applications without integrated telephony or chat functions. From the user's point of view, Decibel provides a standardized control center for all accounts, connections and settings in the real-time communications field.
Just a few days later, Kcall 0.7 was released, the first port of an application with Decibel support for KDE 4. Kcall is a telephony client which integrates with Kontact and uses its phonebook giving KDE users the ability to establish connections by clicking on a phone number in the address book. Kcall outputs ring tones or pops up a dialog to signal incoming calls via VoIP, for example. Connection data and accounts are managed by Decibel.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.
-
KaOS 2025.05 Officially Qt5 Free
If you're a fan of independent Linux distributions, the team behind KaOS is proud to announce the latest iteration that includes kernel 6.14 and KDE's Plasma 6.3.5.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 Now Available
The latest Linux kernel is now available with several new features/improvements and the usual bug fixes.
-
Microsoft Makes Surprising WSL Announcement
In a move that might surprise some users, Microsoft has made Windows Subsystem for Linux open source.
-
Red Hat Releases RHEL 10 Early
Red Hat quietly rolled out the official release of RHEL 10.0 a bit early.
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.
-
Plasma Ends LTS Releases
The KDE Plasma development team is doing away with the LTS releases for a good reason.