We've written about several approaches to freeing Skype users from their physical connection to the personal computer. One group, using gateways to cell phone networks, lets users really cut loose; another uses a variety of wireless networking technologies to let users move and phone freely in the vicinity of the PC.
A new offering, announced yesterday by Chicago-based USRobotics, falls into the second category. The company's USR9630 Cordless Phone for Skype provides cordless Skype and landline PSTN service from a single phone system.
USR also announced a companion USR9631 Accessory Handset. As many as three USR9631s can be added, for a maximum of four handsets operating off the base stationsimilar to many 2.4GHz home phone systems currently available.
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However, the USR Cordless Phone for Skype doesn't use the 2.4GHz band, which is also home to 802.11b/g (Wi-Fi) and Bluetooth networks. Rather, this system uses DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) 8.0 technology to communicate between base station and handset, providing a 50 meter range indoors, 300 meters outdoors, with no interference to household Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
The base station unit connects both to the household landline and to a Windows XP/2000 PC running Skype, via USB (either 1.1 or 2.0). The full-duplex phone supports Skype and telco caller ID, and the handset has both a battery power indicator and an out-of-range warning tone.
A backlit LCD display provides access to Skype contacts, and the phone supports all forms of Skype calling: Skype-to-Skype, SkypeIn (direct inward dialing from the PSTN) and SkypeOut (calls to PSTN gatways).
The USR9630 Cordless Phone for Skype will be available from walk-in and on-line retailers in September, at an MSRP of $119.00. The USR9631 Accessory handset will have MSRP of $69.99.