Another Reason to get Skype…I Guess
According to PhoneMag, SMC Communications just announced that it's going to ship a WiFi phone that's Skype certified, meaning you can use the phone to call other Skype members for free, or call landlines and cellphones via SkypeOut for about 2 cents a minute (in the US; rates are higher elsewhere in the world). The phone has 3 hours of talk time battery and 30 hours of standby battery and recharges via USB.
Here's the kicker, though: you can only use on WiFi networks that don't require a browser for authentication. The press release about the phone reprinted on freshnews.com makes it sound like that includes most public WiFi networks (i.e., public parks, hotels, etc.) but the last few hotels I've been in with wireless access charged you for it (via a browser) and in NYC at least, the public park access requires going through a signup page. I suppose you could use it to replace your home phone, but given the choice between spending $199 for a phone that I *might* be able to use outside the house (forcing me to carry a cellphone anyway) and hooking my $25 radio shack phone into a VoIP router, I'll stick with the cheaper phone, thanks. What SMC is doing is intriguing, but I think the technology needs a bit more development before it's really useful.
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By Jill, September 16, 2006 @ 9:12 am
Eric, a lot of cheaper Skype phones can be found here. See for yourself:
http://www.cordless-phones.uk.com/newest-products/
Skype phones doesn’t have to be expensive. It should be useful and user-friendly.
Best regards,
Jill