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Philips VOIP433 and VOIP321 phones reviewed


It seems that Philips' delightful duo of VoIP phones have made their rounds in the US, and have finally landed in the reviewers lounge at GeekZone New Zealand. After spotting these units awhile back, the VOIP433 and VOIP321 both hit the testing block, and choosing between the two seems to boil down to whichever internet telephony platform best suits you. The 433 provided "true plug-and-play" functionality with Windows Live Messenger, and the unit's automatic contact updating was highly regarded. The biggest dig, however, came from the substandard LCD screen, which was dubbed "one of the worst" the crew had ever seen. On the 321 side, all of the advertised Skype functionality was performed adequately, the two-line display was "comfortable to read," and the larger button layout made dialing less of a chore. Both units touted a satisfactory 10-hour battery life (while talking), separate power supplies to locate the base station away from the PC, and all the dedicated landline features we've come to know and love. Overall, both devices were hailed as worthwhile purchases if you spend a good bit of time chatting it up with VoIP, but deciding between Windows Live Messenger and Skype is entirely in your court.