I've been wanting a easier method to make Skype calls for a along time. Have tried Wireless adapters, Cyberphone K, SkypePhone.com Phones, all have there good points but never quiet easy or reliable enough for my wife and I to use as a day to day telephone.

The SMC Wi Fi phone I picked up today could be the solution we have been looking for. Out of the box you get the wi fi b/g compatible phone, gloss white plastic cover, color screen and all the keys you would find on a typical mobile phone. As well as the phone you get basic hands free which plugs into the bottom of the phone, manual and Documentation CD and a printed Quick Start Guide.

When you turn the phone on you select your language, only English was an option, then an agreement that you understand Skype is not a replacement for your ordinary phone as it does not make emergency calls.

It then searches for a network; if your network has security you can manually enter the Network Key via the number keys on the phone.

This is good if you're logging onto a network which you have the security details however for hotspots, etc., requiring web based authentication, this phone isn't going to work.

Signing in process is just as easy; entering your username and password then the phone makes the usual logged on sound the pc software makes.

As soon as I was logged on the phone said there was a later version of the software and click ok to install (phone came with version 0.9.0.11), this always brought up an error "The download could not be completed. Please try again."

Nevertheless the current software is fantastic, extremely easy to use, contacts, forward settings, etc., all downloaded to the phone, no need entering all your contacts again. Turn the phone on and off and it remembers your preferred networks and their settings. Great! Contacts are one button away and are sorted from online, SkypeOut, and offline. For dialing SkypeOut numbers without entering as a contact just dial the number directly from the main menu as you work with a mobile phone.

Menu system is very simple and easy to use with pretty much all the configuration options you would find on the pc version.

Plenty of network options, including selecting your own incoming port number.

Call quality within 20 meters of a router is great, no difference than the Cyberphone K, distance calls I will try as time goes on, but so far, it's the solution we have been waiting for!

Rick.

Thanks for the story Rick. I wonder if that phone would work in Canada?