• #gadgets

    Thomson Symbio Cordless VoIP DECT Phone Looks Deceiving

    When does a cordless phone not look like a cordless phone? When it looks like this Thomson Symbio DECT VoIP phone, which allows you to hang up the receiver like a "old time phone," but picks up and works like a cordless one. There's a small LCD screen in the body in order to view contacts and other VoIP network info, and the phone even has internet radio and RSS capabilities—as if you'd want to do either on a phone for an extended amount of time (maybe on the toilet). It's unclear whether this works with Skype, or how it's VoIP, but it sure does look nice. [Thomson via Nexux404]
  • #gadgets

    Philips DECT Baby Monitor is Interference Free

    We've covered many DECT-capable cordless phones and Skype phones here, whose main attraction is non-interference with the already crowded 2.4 GHz spectrum. David P. over at Boing Boing discovered that the benefits of DECT's (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) 1.9 GHz extends to baby monitors as well, when he found that all standard baby monitors use either the 900 MHz or the 2.4 GHz range for communications. More »
  • #peripherals

    Philips Internet Phones

    OK, when Linksys and Netgear make Internet phones, that's one thing. But when Philips gets into the business, things have gone mainstream. The company introduced a slew of new phones today that offer the choice of calling via the Internet or POTS lines. Most are cordless DECT models—which deliver clean reception by using the 1.9-GHz range instead of the 2.4-GHz band that's swamped with competing signals from Wi-Fi, microwave ovens, and old-fashioned cordless phones. More »
  • #ces2007

    Netgear's New Cordless Phone Swings Both Ways

    Netgear today introduced a new cordless phone that combines plain-old telephone service and Skype calling in one handset. It's not a new concept (Linksys is already doing it, for example), but the new Dual-Mode Cordless Phone with Skype SPH200D is a handsome little package. And it looks easy to use. The handset LCD shows you the option of selecting a SkypeOut or landline connection, and your can scroll through your Skype contact list. The wireless functions use the DECT standard, so reception should be good even if you have lots of other wireless devices flooding the hosue. It's available now for $200. More »
  • #ces2007

    CES 2007: Philips DECT Cordless Phone

    We know, cordless phones don't grace our pages very often, but the Philips DECT phone/answering machine won a Best of Innovations award for CES 2007. We know little about the product other than it's "pure indulgence crafted exclusively with you in mind," but you already knew that. More »
  • #wireless

    Auvi PHIP64 DECT Skype Phone

    Similar to the USRobotics USR9630 Skype phone we reviewed yesterday, the Auvi PHIP64 Skype phone uses DECT to connect your handset to the base station, which then connects to your PC via USB to give you wireless Skype calling. Like the USRobotics phone, this has both landline and Skype, along with an LCD display, caller ID, speakerphone, and Skype contact list. In fact, we're pretty sure the feature set is so similar, that they've got more than just a little bit in common. More »
  • #wireless

    Eleven Ways To Improve Your VoIP Quality of Service

    We post a lot about VoIP, and Skype in particular. But even with all the new phones and gadgets coming out, VoIP still isn't at the level of landlines where things "just work"™. More »
  • #gadgets

    Thompson GE 2830 Cordless DECT Skype Phone

    DECT seems to be all the rage these days whenever someone wants to make a cordless handset or headset, and Thompson isn't one to miss out on the boat. Like the other DECT Skype phones, this has a base station that links to your PC and the standard Skype software, which then communicates audio to and from the handset. More »
  • #gadgets

    Shiro SK9151 DECT Skype Phone

    Speaking of Skype, a Singaporian company named Shiro has announced the SK9151 DECT Skype phone. In case you weren't familiar with DECT, it's the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications frequency, which goes on the 1.8GHz band instead of the 2.4GHz, which interferes with WiFi and Bluetooth. More »
  • #wireless

    GN Netcom's 9350 DECT 6.0 Headset Reviewed (Verdict: Clear and Versatile)

    The GN Netcom 9350 DECT Headset uses DECT, which operates at 1.9GHz, to provide range and quality not found on Bluetooth or other 2.4GHz headsets. Because it's on 1.9GHz, it doesn't interfere with your headsets, your WiFi, or your various other wireless devices clogging up that frequency. The 9350 looks like a regular headset, but has a 300 foot range, 9 hours of PSTN talk time and 6 hours of VoIP talk time. It also works directly with DECT 6.0 cordless phones, if you've got any of those lying around the house. More »
  • #wireless

    Philips VOIP841 DECT Skype Phone

    The Philips VOIP841 uses the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) frequency, an 1.8GHz band that was set aside to allow both security and better battery life than other cordless frequencies. The base-station allows you to plug in a normal land-line connection as well as your ethernet broadband connection. This means you're able to make calls on both Skype and your traditional house phone, much like the Linksys CIT300 we reviewed. However, the Philips doesn't require a PC at all, making it truly standalone. More »