The HOP1502, Hop-on's $39 WiFi phone

Hop-on has a history of being a little, um, optimistic in their press releases, but they've just announced a new $39 WiFi phone that'll let you make Voice over IP phone calls from any WiFi hotspot (at least the ones you have unfettered access to). The HOP1502, which it doesn't sound like you can actually buy or anything, looks a lot like an late Ninteties handset and is listed as having a talk time of 3.5 hours.

[Foreplay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

whats not to like?

[Cullen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

theres no way ill watch hd feed on that screen. its gotta be at least 12 inches bigger...wtf were they thinking.

[www.mygadgetbag.com @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Agreed, I would buy this for that price.

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Looks good enough to me. $39? Why not? Their site (hop-on.com) never really sells the products - so eBay is the way to go sometomes. Thats where I have got a few items from them.

[huh huh huh? @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

this is going to sound retarded, but can you call normal phone numbers with it? if not, who can I actually call with this thing?

[Inaneboy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

After the hubbub they made about disposable cell phones....

These guys have made wild claims before and I have never actually seen review / photo / product.

[Ken @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

"huh huh huh?" To answer your question, you will need a subscription to a VOIP gateway provider such as Vonage or my current, Junction Networks. For far less than the cost of an analog phone line, you can make and receive calls on the "normal" phone network.

[richard lawrence @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Imagine if this thing worked with Skype!

[RCM @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

OK, and where can I buy to try? Can't find it for sale anywhere...

[Not a Yank @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I am trying to find out if Hop-on is actually shipping a WiFi phone. Has anyone seen this phone? Heard of a carrier that is using it? or know of anyone who has evaluated it?

[Not a Yank @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Hop-on said they would be showing their phone at VON. Did anyone see the phone?

[Paul Deane @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

After looking at their web site i noticed the SIP phone that they did actually display was from Korea and not them? Strange we have investigated this market intensively and SIP WIFI phones start at around 150 dollars US and up. These are quality devices so 40 dollars is unbelievable and unachievable. Paul Deane