January 15th, 2007
A closer look at three new Skype phones
While I was at the Skype press conference at CES and got a good look at the several new phones that were announced, Garrett Smith of the Smith on VoIP blog also grabbed some hands-on first impressions about the products being debuted.
Here's some of his reactions to each. First the Topcom WebT@lker 5000:
Although the Topcom Webt@lker 5000 won’t be out until next quarter (April), if you are looking for a business class phone for Skype, it is well worth the wait. With a suggested retail price of $199.99 USD, it is very liley you will be able to pick one of these up for uner $180 dollars, making this phone a great value and must have.
Here's a pic:
And now for Garrett's take on the Asus AiGuru S2 Wi-Fi Skype VoIP Phone:
It is a cool gadget, but I am not a huge fan of Wi-Fi VoIP phones in the hands of residential users. I do not think they support the type of user experience Skype truly wants to deliver to their users. I could not get an MSRP, but I would venture to guess this one will be going for around $299 ea, with a street price in the $249 range.
Pic:
The third Skype phone here would be the Netgear SPH200D Cordless DECT Phone For Skype. This is my personal favorite.
Garrett:
The Netgear SPH200D is not only sleek and stylish, but upon first tinkering, the phone was extremely easy to use. With a retail price tag of $199.99, the phone is reasonably priced for the flexability it offers. With DECT, PSTN, and IP connectivity, Netgear has successfully deliver a device that not only moves Skype away from the desktop, but replicates the traditional calling experience, and bolsters the Skype offering by provide life-line capability. Definitely two-thumbs up!
Can't leave you hanging without a pic.
Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
