Phillips VOIP841 Takes Skype Beyond Your Computer
As a voice service, Skype is different from other VoIP (voice over IP) services such as Vonage because it usually requires you to be attached to your computer either on a headset or using your onboard microphone and speakers. This “tied down” factor is what motivated Skype to partner with hardware manufacturers to take Skype beyond the computer.
There are handsets that plug in to your USB port that look like a traditional wireline phone along with units that use your wireless network and look like a cell phone. However Philips took a different approach with their VOIP841 product. It looks like a very stylish traditional cordless phone but features a color LCD screen that features the normal Skype look and feel.
The VOIP841 can make calls over traditional landline and via Skype by connecting directly to your broadband access point, not the computer.
One major advantage for web workers the VOIP841 presents is the ability to make global calls at Skype’s ridiculously cheap prices. Currently to call most places in Europe, their rate is around 2 cents a minute.
Opening the box
When you open the box, you see the base for the VOIP841 which is shiny piano black and about the size of a small wireless router. Additionally you get the cordless handset itself, a charging base, and all the necessary cabling. Simply plug the base into the wall and into one of the Ethernet ports on your router or cable modem, and theVOIP841 automatically attaches to your network and connects with Skype. Optionally, you can...
