Announcing a whole bunch of stuff at CES… including the NETGEAR WiFi phone
We’re present at the [2006 International CES](http://www.cesweb.org/) at Las Vegas. Find us in the eBay booth.
We’re announcing a [bunch of new products](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_ces.html):
* [D-Link Skype USB phone adapter (DPH-50U)](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_ces_dlink.html), that connects your regular phones to Skype on your computer. You can receive or make both traditional telephone and Skype calls from the same phone
* [two new IPEVO devices](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_ces_ipevo.html) — FLY.1 is a USB cordless handset with a speakerphone; and Xing USB speakerphone, “the first device from IPEVO designed for business teleconferencing using Skype”. Both are PC and Mac compatible.
* [KODAK Photo Voice, the first Skype certified online photo sharing experience](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_ces_kodak.html)
* [Panasonic](http://www.skype.com/company/news/2006/skype_ces_panasonic.html) – a cordless telephone product that interfaces with Skype
* VTech USB7100 Phone
plus…
* Creative Skype Internet PhonePLUS — a standalone phone that enables anyone to make free Skype calls over the Internet without a PC connection. That’s right. A standalone Skype phone that plugs in to your router.
* [NETGEAR's Skype WiFi phone](http://www.netgear.com/pressroom/press_releasesdetail.php?id=305)
This is what the IPEVO FLY.1 looks like:
Here’s the Creative Skype Internet PhonePLUS photo. Click for larger view. Thanks to [TMCnet](http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/skype/photo-of-creative-skype-phone.asp).
And last but not least, here’s the NETGEAR phone. Again from [Endgadget](http://www.engadget.com/2006/01/04/netgear-wifi-phone-for-skype-no-pc-required/).
Some of the products are available immediately, such as [KODAK Photo Voice](http://www.kodakgallery.com/photovoice). Some will be available in a while and we then announce it here. Check the press releases for details. See also the [CES press materials about Skype](http://www.virtualpressoffice.com/presskit/index.jsp?showId=1119531853568&companyId=1133164753102).
Wow! That FLY.1 is a very sexy phone!
http://skype-buzz.blogspot.com
I’m anxiously awaiting that FLY1 phone to be available in the US. In the meantime, is there another handset phone that is available for Mac? I see the headsets that are Mac-compatible, but it seems all of the phone set-ups are only PC-friendly now.
If anyone can steer me towards a wireless phone that is Mac-friendly, I’d be grateful. Cheers.
Hello,
I have the Kodak Beta install to my Skype Beta Version and the conclusion is very very nice and also easy to instal the system. the test is perfect no problem….
I don’t think the FLY is too sexy looking.. I think it pulls the eyes for a modern tech look but it isn’t what I would call sleek and attractive. However, on the other hand, I am not a big fan of “candybar” phones but I think the netgear phone deffinately wins the cordless show. As for a phone that is mac friendly, I don’t know much about that. However, coming up here soon, most PC based hardware should be functional on the new macs. Mac has decided to start using intel processors now so, in my opinion, a whole new world is opening up. I don’t think it was a good move for Mac though…Windows is slowly taking over everything.
>>Here’s the Creative Skype Internet PhonePLUS photo. Click for larger view. Thanks to TMCnet.
>>And last but not least, here’s the NETGEAR phone. Again from Endgadget.
Actually that photo was mine as well. Engadget borrowed it. : ) as seen here:
Engadget “borrows” my image, but it’s all good
But like I say in my post, it’s all good…
Here’s what I’d like, Skypers: can someone come up with a ‘radar screen’ for all these products so it’s not so hard to keep track of what’s out, what’s not, what’s coming, and when?
Maybe even someone at Skype with a day job.
By the way, when I was last at Radio Shack, they were clearing out a lot of their old phones.
Mac-compatible Skype phones — um, Johnathan, you’re wrong. Intel chips in the Mac will do NOTHING for hardware compatibility. Device drivers involve OS-specific development, and this won’t change that. It’s not terribly hard, incidentally — but dumb manufacturers would rather lose potential sales than put in the effort in a market where they could make a killing. As for “Windows slowly taking over everything” — what, now? Think that happened some time ago. But Mac users are a devoted and tech-hungry bunch, meaning smart manufacturers will write drivers for them so they can sell more kit. (Mac users buy more per capita than PC users, period. And they LOVE Skype. So get on the ball, manufacturers.)
Here’s the first phone out of the gate with Mac drivers:
http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/14/the-ipevo-free-1-usb-phone-for-skype
In the meantime, I’m going to hook up Skype to my PC and keep my Mac free for studio recording.
Does anyone know when the Creative phone is available? This seems live a very good idea.
I’ve been using the ipevo FR-33.2 with the Mac and l’m very happy with it.