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Two New Twists on Skype Phone Gear

Ed Tittel, Justin Korelc

May 09, 2006

Introduction

Skype has spawned an entire ecosystem of telephony, which includes plenty of hardware devices intended to enhance the experience. You can find just about any kind of phone product for Skype you might want, from speakerphones, to headsets and dialpads, to wireless handsets, and a whole lot more.

This review will look at two additions to the Skype hardware universe: Iogear's USB VoIP Skype Calling Kit, and Trendnet's ClearSky Bluetooth VoIP Kit.

Iogear USB VoIP Skype Calling Kit: The Pitch And Product

Iogear USB VoIP Skype Calling Kit (GVI2065U)
Summary	Combo device for Skype calling that includes a USB keypad with headset and functions as an active 6-port USB hub.
Update	5/11/2006 - Added work-around for missing "+" key
Pros	• Easy to install and use • Good sound quality • Good Skype integration
Cons	• Current keypad doesn't completely support SkypeOut dialing • External speakers require switching a jack or using another microphone

So you've got a broadband Internet connection and want to start using it for phone calls? Iogear offers an interesting combination of capabilities in a compact package, which delivers most of the goods necessary to support a positive IP telephony experience based on eBay's wildly popular Skype VoIP service.

The product is simply designated a Skype Calling Kit. It includes a dialpad and a headset, along with strong Windows compatibility and good Skype integration; this combination of features makes it easy to install and use. Figure 1 shows a front view of the dialpad with no cables installed, for an unobstructed view.

Figure 1: Iogear Skype Calling Kit Dialpad front view (click image to enlarge)

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Tags: GVI2065U, Iogear, Skype, Trendnet, TVP-SP1BK, VoIP,

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