wireless skype phone
April 20th, 2006
I’ve been using Skype for some time now. It has to be one of the best free things on the internet. I love this kind of hack because it is so simple and enhances an even cooler technology. Basically using trial and error Chris was able to use a once useless cordless phone into a wireless phone he can use to make free phone calls with.
Read all about it here.
Categories: gadgets |
Netgear is finally taking pre-orders of their long anticipated wifi Skype phone.
It’s a cool idea but a bit steep for $249. The target price appears to be close to what it would cost for someone to get an internet phone service. An equivalent service would be to sign up for which will get you an actual phone number. This will allow anyone with a traditional phone connection to call your Skype account. It’s about $60 a year. So for about $310 you can get a year’s worth of phone service. Afterwards, you just have to fork $60/year for SkypeIn.
Is it worth it? If you are single, have wireless broadband access most of the time it probably is. The best feature obviously is the portability without having to pay cell phone prices. For someone who lives in New York City for example where wireless access points is just about everywhere, it’s probably worth it, albeit foregoing WEP security.
I’m a Skype (with SkypeIn) user and would most likely jump at the chance in getting this if wasn’t for the steep price. For now it would only be a novelty because I already have internet phone and a cell phone. It is still a great step towards IP telephony and look forward to where the technology is heading.
AVING showed a sneak peek of Belkin’s Skype-enabled Wi-Fi phone. This will hopefully drive the price down of what Netgear is selling today. History shows that Belkin always sells their product at a much lower price bracket than their competitors.
Check out the sneak peak on the new NETGEAR Skype phone
http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/26/forthcoming-netgear-wifi-skype-phone-caught-on-video/