GadgetReview

There’s certainly no shortage of Skype phone accessories and adding to the long and lustrous list is the Skype Travel Mouse.  Yup, it doubles as a VoIP phone and you can peep whose calling via the built-in LCD screen before you pickup.  To make a call just slide out the keypad, dial and press the mouse to your face or use the speaker phone function.  In case you’re wondering it has an 800 dpi optical sensor and appears to be Windows only compatible.  Yours for $34.69.

[via RFJ]

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It wasn’t too long ago that iPevo launched their latest Skype handset, the SO-10W.   I managed to get my hands on one and give it a once over.  It’s a straight forward Skype only phone that enables you to make and receive both Skype and Skype Out calls.  It features a 2-inch LCD and a set of relatively large buttons to navigate the exact same menus found in the Skype PC application.

The iPevo SO-10W can be connected to your network via Ethernet or WiFi.  WiFi is not built directly to the phone, so iPevo has included a small, but somewhat cumbersome wireless dongle.  The wireless dongle plugs into the handset via USB and draws its power from the phone, which is powered by an AC plug.  Setting up the wireless dongle proved to be the most challenging aspect of the device.  First, you’ll need to plug the dongle into the handset to be able access the appropriate menus. Simple enough, but that’s where the simplicity ends.  Since the iPevo lacks a QWERTY keyboard, punching in any security information can be a timely process.  Fortunately, you’ll only need to do it once since the phone will remember it.  After entering in all the necessary network info I found myself tapping my foot.  In other words, the SO-10W isn’t exactly expeditious when it comes to connecting to a wireless network.  In fact, the SO-10W seem to take minutes, not seconds as one would expect, to join the network. Furthermore, it actually took me a few attempts to join my home’s network before the SO-10W would accept it.  Fortunately, everything following that was as simple as logging into my Skype account and dialing as normal. …Continue reading: iPevo SO-10W Skype Phone Review

Out with the old, in with the new. Today iPevo launched their Skype friendly phone.  It’s not exactly a revolution in communication, but since the SO-10W meshes new tech with an old form factor it might just appeal to the baby boomer crowd, such as my Mom.  It’s got built-in WiFi so no need to string an Ethernet cord across the kitchen and although there is a 2.4-inch tilting LCD screen, it lacks a camera for video chats.  It’s yours for $169.99.

[iPevo via Coated]

Skype for the iPhone hit the App store last week and it has become a massive success with over 1 million downloads since its launch.  As expected, the Skype service, which traditionally makes calls over a data connection from a computer, has been restricted on the iPhone so that consumers can’t make VoIP calls over AT&T’s 3G network.  Clearly, from a business logic this makes sense since consumers pay a monthly data fee with their iPhone service and if allowed could make unlimited calls with no restrictions on minutes, which in turn would heavily tax the carrier and contradict their business model.

But would it really?  At this point carriers, at least from my understanding make most of their money off data plans and text messages, with the latter being a God send since each message requires so little data usage it’s practically free for them to transmit and that means massive profits.  But one consumer group, Free Press, isn’t happy about the current Skype calling restriction on the iPhone and has requested that the Federal Communications Commission to investigate if Apple and AT&T are contradicting federal guidelines by preventing VoIP application from accessing the carrier’s 3G network.  Until an answer has been provided Skype iPhone users will be restricted to making calls over WiFi, which is free to all AT&T iPhone customers for free at hundred of Starbucks locations.

[WSJ]

Without a moment of hesitation and as promised, Skype released their iPhone app to the iTunes store at 12am EST March 30th, 2009.  As mentioned yesterday, this version, 1.01, includes Skype-to-Skype and VoIP calls, and instant messaging.  It’s free to download.  Enjoy!

Update: I rang my girlfriend.  Her first response: ‘I’m echoing’.  But within a few seconds the app, or Skype seemed to remedy itself and the audio was cell phone quality.  I attempted one other call and couldn’t connect, but didn’t reattempt.

[iTunes]

‘Take a deep breath’ because Skype, which has long existed on computers and via other iPhone apps, will officially launch its iPhone app tomorrow.  Skype users will be able to make VoIP calls over WiFi only, while cellular Skype calls will be reserved to earlier iPhone apps and hacks.  To keep things clean and neat the Skype iPhone app will utilize your iPhone’s phonebook eliminating the need for importing and deduplicating.  IM will be available while voicemail, SMS, video conferencing and conference calling are void from the first iteration.

I’ll be testing out the app when it hits tomorrow.  When I checked out Fring’s Skype abilities I ended up with a 1 second delay during voice calls, but I’m assuming Skype has worked through those types of hiccups.

[PCWorld]

Amazon has the best deal on the Net for the Belkin F1PP010EN-SK Desktop Internet Phone for Skype in Black.  They’re offering it for $79 + free shipping = $79 shipped! Features for this phone include Skype calls, 1.8-inch full color LCD, phone book dialing, plug and play, easy setup.

Buy.com has the TRENDnet TVP-SP1BK ClearSky Bluetooth VoIP Phone Kit for Skype for $27 + free shipping = $27 shipped! That’s the lowest I’ve seen this device for.  It’s got Bluetooth connectivity, plugs into any USB port, easy to read LCD display and rechargeable battery.

Once again Amazon has the D-Link DPH-50U Skype VoIP USB Phone Adapter for $20 – $10 mail-in-rebate + free shipping = $10! This adapater turns any phone into a Skype phone, but you must subcribe to the service to use it.

Skype and Nokia may have partnered today, but I guarantee it will be quickly overshadowed by carrier blockage.  What do I mean?  So the partnership integrates Skype into many of Nokia’s phones going forward.  They’ll start with the Nseries and more specifically the N97.  Nokia and Skype intend to let users dial out using Skype over both 3G and WiFi.  WiFi is fine and all, but if carriers allow 3G calls they’ll potentially eat into their profits since most data plans include an almost unlimited amount of bandwidth.  Or will they?  I’m at a cross road in this discussion (with myself) because carriers now make a shit load of money through text messaging.  It costs the carrier nothing and idiots, such as myself, always go over the allotted amount in my plan.  It remains to be seen what will happen, but perhaps this is why we have yet to see a Skype app on the iPhone?

[DailyMobile]