The Netgear Skype Wi-Fi Phone: now taking pre-orders
In January, we [announced](http://blogs.skype.com/sites/en/2006/01/launching_a_whole_bunch_of_stu.html) that Netgear is going to produce a Skype Wi-Fi phone. Netgear [put up this page on their site](http://www.netgear.com/go/skypephone) where you could, and still can, sign up for e-mail updates.
Two weeks ago, they e-mailed folks that they are now taking pre-orders for this phone on Amazon. And now [there is an official release from Netgear on this](http://www.netgear.com/pressroom/press_releasesdetail.php?id=320).
This is a big deal — it’s the first device in this new category. So it’s new to all the involved parties and we’re looking forward to how people will receive it. Netgear will publish more details about the product as the availability date comes closer. We can say that it is optimised for speaking, and thus the initial version will not have some other functions that might be inconvenient to use from a mobile phone, such as chat or file transfer.
Learn more about the device and news [on Netgear's site](http://www.netgear.com/go/skypephone).
It looks good, but very expensive, instead I could buy a new Pocket PC!
Hi,
I certainly dont want to rain on the parade, but according to the FAQ, security is as follows:
–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–
What about security?
——————
Skype uses secure and encrypted communication so nobody’s able to listen in. The NETGEAR Skype WiFi Phone is designed to deploy Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) for WiFi security.
–=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=–
I can understand that Skype itself is not likely to need much in the way of protection, however, if this phone is only supporting WEP, I suspect people will be looking for WPA-PSK and not willing to downgrade their WiFi networks to work with the phone…?
Certainly I would want to try this device out, and see how cool it really is, but, I am not willing to revert all my network devices back to WEP to do that…
Hopefully this is an omission on the website, and WPA-PSK is indeed supported…
Cheers,
./.artin
OK,
Found this in the Skype shop… should have looked there too I guess, but assumed the FAQ would be complete… Apologies for that, and the double posting…
“Hardware-based Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) 40/64-bit & 128-bit, and WPA-PSK”
DOH!!
I stand corrected (but the guys at Netgear might like to update their FAQ!)
What I want to know is can you log in to your own skype account on the phone? The reason Im asking is because I have skype unlimited and want to get that on the go. Thanks
What I want to know is can you log in to your own skype account on the phone? The reason Im asking is because I have skype unlimited and want to get that on the go. Thanks