The Qool SkyQube
² was apparently an idea ahead of its time.
Four years ago, the small, rounded box promised to bridge the worlds of cheap VoIP telephony and pricy GSM roaming by automatically routing international calls through Skype, but after CES 2007, we never saw the device again. Until now, of course.
Skype Journal reports that SkyQube has become the Navoto, and its original creator has built a firm called UGI Telecom to introduce it to market quite soon at an undisclosed price. Near as we can tell, the basic functionality is as complex as ever, requiring a SIM card swap and an always-on PC to do the heavy lifting, while the Navoto itself simply directs landline and 3G calls to SkypeOut. When that glorious day comes that all carriers
let you do this on a smartphone, this device will quickly become obsolete, but for now we could see some falling for UGI's ludicrous infomercials (videos after the break) to avoid receiving a gigantic roaming bill. Hit our more coverage links for the photos and diagrams required to understand how it all works.
posted April 20th 2010 6:41AM
I can get free skype in some countries with my phone at the moment :)
@JoshBoulton Yeah, as long as you have a phone that supports Skype over 3g and the network isn't blocking it, you're golden. On another note, that video had amazing diction. I mean, it seemed like overkill to caption it. A deaf person could have understood that woman.
derivatives, derivatives, derivatives.
Betting on assumptions is not my kind of sport.
-Uninterrupted power supply(depending on what country the computer is in)
-Constantly connected to the internet(service charge from ISP dependent on what country your business is setup and plan)
For a very small business, the cost of saving on international calls is spent on other ammenties
Also is it A Sim per Box per Computer? as this makes a difference in value.
I do not study economics nor finance but just learnt about the word "derivative" recently so I could be wrong using it in this context.
@StewieGriffin
in Calculus: when in doubt, take the derivative.
What's with the e-nun-ci-a-tion?
@robogobo
I'm just a kid with a football head from a little show called family guy. Need I say more.
Now why would you do that ?? There is a solution out there that does not require any purchase of hardware!
Just go to Vopium.com, choose whatever handset you use, download the application and make VOIP calls. Other than skype, it works on nearly any handset out there, you do not need WIFI, it works on 3G as well but also without a data plan as it uses voice relay technology routing the call to a local number and via the Internet to where you are calling.
I used it since 2007 in Europe and it is also available for the US and it offers auto-top up, credit transfers and has Skype integration so you can call Skype users for FREE too..
I would not buy Navoto stock if I were you :-)
This is a niche market product. However it is quite a wide niche.
Where it fits, it wil sell well.
@rederikus I don't think it will sell well for those who keep up with the technology. I mean why buy a device if your own phone is capable to make that same cheap call directly without any purchase of hardware or contracts?
Dead in the water product if you ask me.
i think the sim card at 0:29 is a DTAC sim card lol
..um how is this really a benefit?? especially for north american users? its assuming one has an unlocked phone which the majority don't. So to use it you have to get an unlocked phone. Then when you are traveling buy a local sim. Then you can set up their device & use it, but you must also lug that around too not to mention its power supply, connection, etc.
.. just keep you existing contract phone & sim, buy an unlocked phone then buy a local sim & honestly you really 90% of what they are suggesting. with the $$ you didn't spend on the device, use for some cheap calling card type thing & you are 100% there. Plus you have both #'s for full function. if a US colleague needs you, they call your contract phone, you don't answer it, but then call them back w/ you unlocked phone & local sim using the cheap calling card. You save space packing, don't have to worry about loosing sims while swaping them to & from your contract phone, life is more or less the same or at tad more simple than this device. ... end of story.
plus not to mention if one is a skype fan, you already are carrying with you a laptop or net book, so when wi-fi is available you can use that for the 'free' calls.
..sorry this is a misguided effort offering little to no benefit. (IMHO).
-painted dog
Seems like a lot of work when things like Rebtel exist.
How much does the device cost?
Probably like $300 lol.