Their first hardware was the stylish YapperBox, a gateway letting you make either Skype or normal phone calls from your home phone. It was the first gear for Skype with serious design flair. Violet plastic ribs made it memorable, nice to look at and lightweight.

YapperMouse for Skype, a combination mouse and phone for the traveller, came out in time for the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show. It vibrates when Skype rings (vibetones?). You hold it up to your ear to talk. Crafted for laptop users, they can leave their headsets at home and keep on Skyping. Exceptional precision as a mouse, and the top has a velvety texture.  

YapperNut began at roughly the same time Skype Journal got going in early 2005. Skype didn't offer much in the way of third party support then, at least from the business side. Certification definitions were hazy, took forever, and cost a lot. Co-branding or pushing partner hardware through distribution channels was just a vague idea.

In short, these guys were betting on something so new and a company so small (remember, this was pre-eBay) that everything depended on their skill and talent. Operating on a shoestring, they borrowed CES booth space from another company. They launched, and ...

Haven't heard from them since. Guys, care to check in?