|
|
on November 10, 2005 08:38 PM 
I think the device market is under-rated by the traditional IM clients. This example from Ascalade (VON brochure) is a residential dual phone that can connect with both VoIP clients and PSTN simultaneously. Note this one doesn't work with Skype yet, it's designed to work with SIP solutions. Still embed Skype in the box and who needs a computer?
When could we see a Skype version? Perhaps sometime early in the new year. What's the achillies heel for all these devices? I see two currently. They haven't yet solved the text chat messaging opportunities, while many are stuck with memory problems when you have more than 80 - 100 buddies.
on November 9, 2005 06:35 PM One of the first Skype Developers to make use of the Skype API was Alex Rosenbaum. He launched SAM which I believe is still the number one downloaded answer machine for Skype. SAM is now part of a range of products including a cellular gateway being developed to help small business users more efficiently use Skype. KishKish is the name of this new company.
SAM - KishKish SAM will pick up the call, play a greeting message and the "all-time classic beep", so the calling party will leave a voice recorded message. Why try SAM? SAM provides controls that Skype Voice Mail still doesn't manage. If you have a desktop machine and it's on all the time then SAM has some features that may be useful to you.
KishKish Book enables users to create groups, sort contacts within these groups, set alerts, and initiate multi chats and conferences. While we are still waiting on Skype's contact management features to emerge, the KishKish team is working towards new methods of managing Skype data.
KishKish Mobile: This is the most interesting solution of the lot. It is a Cellular Gateway for Skype users. Receive the Skype call when You are away from your PC. Call your Skype contacts from your mobile phone, etc. It seems like many other systems until you see they have set up a system to forward Skype calls over GSM. Thus saving you SkypeOut minutes. More details here
I hope to take a more detailed look at their gateway solution soon. While it is likely to have more appeal in Europe than the US it's good to see the KishKish team working to integrate Skype cost effectively with mobiles.
on November 7, 2005 10:49 PM 
I've had an mVox MV100 USB speakerphone on my desk hooked up to Skype recently. It's simple and it works. Just plug it in and it is ready to go. It looks very similar to the Actiontec VoSky model
that Bill reported on last week. If you like talking in a hands free speaker phone environment, find yourself out with your laptop and want to bring the whole boardroom into a conference call then this is a good solution. It's light weight and needs no software to set it up.
Specs from the mvox site:
* Full duplex speaker phone with 110dB peak volume
* Speaker: 2w peak, 40mm,4ohm, 500Hz to 5KHz
* 8KHz input sampling rate
* USB Audio
* 2.5mm headset jack
* Dimensions: 3.2 x 2.2 x 0.8 inches (8.1 x 5.5 x 2.0 cm)
* Weight: 1.5 ounces (42 grams)
* DSP voice Processor
* 40 mm mylar speaker and Electret Condenser omni-directional microphones
The MV100 comes with a mini-disk that loads a small software program that enables additional control over the volume control There is no volume control on the device itself. This doesn't appear to be a shortcoming in my use so far. The MV100 retails for $39.95 which appears consistent with this type of device. mVox also makes a much more sophisticated bluetooth speakerphone the MV900.
Separately, I still believe there is an opportunity to create better devices that will more effectively integrate with Skype. These are things I'm looking for in future speaker phones.
1. An answer and hangup button or voice commands.
2. Multi-modal. It need to integrate with other devices that may be plugged into the PC. Thus can it run with a handset and headset plugged into the PC at the same time. Can I switch between devices while in a call?
3. Volume controls, mute speaker on the device would be useful. These can tie into the Skype API.
4. The VoIPVoice products have demonstrated the capability for voice dialing. This could be intergrated into speakerphones as well.
5. Log-in by voice. Use voice recognition to log into and out of Skype and set online presence and status.
on August 31, 2005 11:00 AM 
Free yourself from Skyping on the PC. I like going cordless with Skype. I've used a bluetooth headset with limited range, and more recently the DUALphone now finally available in the US. This is one of the most sophisticated cordless / combination internet and standard landline phones on the market today. The DUALphone lets you take and make those important Skype calls from a regular handset. For many that's really cool. It's been customized to provide ready integration of Skype features into the handset.
In my case it is good to get up from the PC from time to time. Plus not everyone or every call requires you to be tied to a desktop session of chat and screen sharing. Sometimes it's easier to walk around.
So what do I like best about the DUALphone? It's not the sound - that is very good. Not the changes in presence status or buddylist on the handset; it is more basic than that. I can still answer my PC with my headset without resetting anything. The DUALphone is smart enough to know when it should change the sound settings and point the internet call to the handset. Thus pick it up and it becomes active. Decide on the next call - to take it on your PC, no problem.
In my experience that is pretty unique. Communication is becoming multi-modal and devices must know when they are desired and when they aren't. Plus everytime I get a Skype call now, the phone rings. That gets over the missed calls I have when I leave a headset plugged in and can't hear it ringing.
Plug in the USB cable, load the software, let it sit for a few minutes and all your Skype buddies will appear on the handset.
After that you can scroll though them, watch the frequent updates as online status changes are reported (I turned the beep for that off quickly and would quite happily turn that feature off altogether).
I quickly found that scolling though the whole list to make a call was not effective. I have 268 buddies currently. However pushing a number provided alpha proximity very quickly and it was then just click to call.
You can also do simple things from the handset like setting your Skype Status.
The rest of the functionality? It sits well in your hand. It's got good range and it looks and acts like the phone you are used to. You can set Internet dialing to remember country codes, etc. As with all new devices it takes a little time to work out all the features. It's worth the time.
In the 'it could be handy department', you can add additional handsets to the initial basestation. Up to 4. Then your whole house could be DUALphone activated. It would cost! For the initial base station and phone the price of the DUALphone-US site is $139.99. Expect it to soon be in a store nearby.
I found one area where the software needs an update. The DUALphone doesn't integrate with Skype VoiceMail. There may be a missed call notification, however there is no way to listen to new voicemails over the phone. Similarly there is as yet no way to initiate a voice message from the handset (sending a VM to another Skyper without ringing). However, that is not the fault of the device, it just requires further developments in the SkypeAPI. Get the phone now and I'd expect a software update will provide this additional functionality in a future release.
Lastly, where do I think the DUALphone fits in making a handset choice for Skype? That may be a little dependent on the quality of your current cordless phone and how sensitive your ears are to trying to retain that Skype audio clarity. (See technical details.) If most of your calls are Skype to Skype and you have to have a traditional handset then this may be the one for you. If the majority of your Skype calls are using SkypeOut then you may be better served at a lot lower price by a device like UConnect, which will turn your old cordess phone into something similar. However, your old cordless phone is unliley to provide the same level of sound quality. If you want Skype on a phone today, go and get it.
Check out other reviews: