IPEVO's WiFi handset lets you Skype like it's 1999
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Feb 9th 2009 4:34PM
posted Feb 9th 2009 4:34PM
Now, this might not seem as futuristic as a videophone, or your own USB powered Star Trek communicator, but if you're in the mood for some VOIP (feeling frisky, are we?) IPEVO's newest is definitely worth a second look. The S0-20 is a stand-alone Skype handset that boasts a 4 hour talk time, backlit keys, a 1.8-inch color LCD, support for both G711 and G729AB codes, and both WEP and WPA/WPA2-PSK encryption -- all in a package that would look at home next to a ten year old pre-pay cell phone. Available now for $129.[Via TMC]
Skype = best with a headset in bed, so i can talk to my gf. or dial a phonesex operator. ;)
Let me give u a situation where this phone is useful. Off-shore location communicating with the the Head office in US/UK/ etc. This is not 99 this is 2009 :)
EXACTLY
Also good for those of us who dropped our landline service.
Wish I could have a better phone (like Blackberry) to use Skype on but great step forward
Get yourself an iPod touch and one of these.
http://www.chargeconverter.com/shop/connector.htm?touchmic.htm
Then load the fring app and do wifi Skype.
Hey, wait a minute! That looks like my Sony Ericsson K790a, and it's not "a ten year old pre-pay cell phone."
Please take it back, or else....
Looks nice, but why can't it double as a landline phone?
Why do you need lndline if you have this phone? Land phone has nothing over Skype except for 911 feature, but if you have cell phone, then you have 911 feature anyway.
You don't "need" landline, you already *have* landline, and everyone and their neighbour has your landline number. Then there is also the nice aspect of fallback. I know very well when the DSL was last down, but I cannot remember the phone ever being down in the last couple years. Also, landline is everywhere, even if there is no or just shoddy cellphone coverage.
I know that the chance of you ever using a landline is fast going, but the landline still has a lot going for it.
- It will work during blackouts (the phone uses power through the copper wire, if you don't have the newer phones)
- It has priority over mobile phone calls when you call the emergency exchange.
- For some people, the emergency landline is very important - especially those that are home-based for medical reasons and the elderly, because if they need an ambulance, the exchange can pinpoint their exact location.
- Some back-to-base home alarm systems use the landline - without it, they cannot guarantee the service.
Skype is a great service, but it has its limitations due to the cable, DSL or satellite Internet service you have. They just can't guarantee service the way a telco can with a copper wire system because they can't control the Internet's vast network system. My parents want to ditch their landline for 100% Skype, but as they are now approaching retirement age I'm concerned that they need the landline more than ever for emergency calls.
Usually when there is a disaster or emergency, all cell phone or land line phone networks are jammed. The only way to communicate is actually the Internet and Text Messages.
Au contraire! Ham Radio is the only fail safe form of communications in the world!
Internet text messaging fails just as easily as your cell phone, if not more so. Text messaging, whether SMS (cell-based) or Internet, is a useful mechanism for communication, but it's not fail-safe or even really all that robust. Don't count on it to save your bacon in an emergency.
Disaster preparedness is one of the big reasons I have an amateur radio license and own two ham radios; in the event I need help and my Internet connection is down and my cell phone goes out too, I have yet another mechanism to try to find someone to get help to me.
I also didn't understand the Engadget's humor about 1999.
WiFi skype phones started to pop up just a few years ago, and the first models back in 2005 (i.e. Belkin) were too expensive (about $250).
I bought one (SMC WSKP100) for $99 two years ago when I ditched the rip-off landline in favor of cell phone and VOIP. My phone looks exactly like this one and works great in hotels, on the street with open WiFi and in my own house. All for $15/year (yes, Skype has annual sales when they cut annual price of $30 in half). The international phone calls to Europe are one of the cheapest from Skype too. The phone also supports Fon and works great as a hotspot finder.
I must note though that my SMC phone is mostly useless with cafe/airport hot spots because all of them require you to open a browser and click "Accept user agreement" upon connection to public WiFi. The SMC phone has no browser... so it can't accept the agreement. I hope IPEVO phone has this problem fixed.
But you are aware of the reference,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_(song)
right?
the 1999 reference is from Prince's song. was a huge saying in the 90s 'party like its 1999'
Now I got the humor, thank you guys! :)))
Still, check if this phone can address the "Click to accept user agreement" before buying. You will need this if you want to use the phone in cafe/airport. Many hotels will have this problem as well.
From screenshots, it looks like SMC, Belkin and IPEVO use the same Qtopia UI. That means all of them share the same bugs and features.
I use a Belkin phone. It's nice since it's wireless and does not require a desktop to be on (uses WiFi) but it's very basic and the battery life sucks (has to be plugged in all the time!)
Unfortunately, on every outbound and dropped call, a VERY loud sound effect is played that really hurts your ear! From the menu options, there is no way to alter the volume or turn off those sounds!
That phone looks like an Audiovox SMT-5600 (HTC Typhoon)
Anyone try the Mylo 1 or 2 for Skype? I've been thinking about switch over to one of those devices.
I use a Philips PC-free Skype phone. its the Voip841. It works fine except sometimes when you need to enter digits (like to enter my voicemail password for my cell or office) its like it can't hear the tones correctly as you press the buttons. other than that it has been great. but i think this type of service will always have a few areas of choppyness. that why skype may never make it 100% mainstream. but its a good cost savings for me.
http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/31/philips-drops-another-cordless-skype-phone/
I'll give my vote for the Voip841 -- I've had one for about 5 months now and it's great. Can't beat having a home phone line for under $3/mo...
OEM built.
We have the same in France with the ISP named "Free"... as long as you keep the wi-fi certificate synced inside (by plugging it to the usb ort of the ISP's modem), you can use it wherever it reaches a "Freephonie" network (which you can find pretty often in town) or any open or known Wifi... It connects to Free's SIP network with your phone account. Like if you where at home :-)
Here's a pic:
http://www.freephonie.org/photos/les-t-l-phones-free/DSC01721.JPG.php
I would honestly go with the Netgear or Belkin phone instead. Check out this article. It's a comparison between both.
Skype Belkin Vs. Netgear Phone
I would honestly go with the Netgear phone instead. Check out this article. It's a comparison between both.
http://www.shopztar.com/dotnetnuke/BelkinVsNetgearPhone/tabid/63/Default.aspx