If you make a lot of long distance calls and have an Internet connection at home, there’s little reason not to use Skype, the Web-based phone service.
But taking advantage of those free, or at least cheaper, calls can be a hassle. Some can’t be bothered to sit at the computer and wear one of those clunky headsets with the microphone attached, while others aren’t tech-savvy enough to handle the occasional quirks of PC software.
My parents, who live abroad, stopped using Skype when the sound in their laptop mysteriously ceased working. The problem was simple to fix, in theory: Just open up the Skype software, go to Tools, Options, Audio Settings and make sure you’re using the correct the speaker and microphone inputs.
But explaining how to do this, over a long distance international phone call, proved to be a challenge. The problem was eventually solved, but Mom and Dad remained wary of making phone calls on their PC: It seemed complicated and troublesome. It would probably break down again. And it did.
Thankfully, electronics companies are recognizing that there’s a market for Skype devices that take the PC out of the equation, or at least make Web-based phone calls almost as simple as a normal telephone call.
The Taipei Times looks at just a few of the many options available for Skype phones. Decent sound quality is a given with these models, but what sets them apart are setup, design and ease-of-use.
NO FUSS, JUST PLUG IT IN
The runaway, plug-it-in-and-forget-it solution for making Web-based phone calls is something akin to the Belkin Desktop Internet Phone for Skype, which retails for around NT$3,000. It looks and feels like a regular home or office phone (although it’s made of a cheaper plastic) and pretty much works like one.
The best part of this type of device: You’re always available on Skype, and you don’t need a PC. Like your computer, the Belkin phone plugs directly into an ethernet outlet to connect to the Internet. Just sign into Skype and your contacts can reach you online, 24/7.
This phone is basically a mini-computer equipped with software created and licensed by Skype. You can view your contacts and settings on a 1.8-inch color screen, and it’s easy to tell which of your Skype contacts are online. Sifting through contacts and changing settings will be intuitive to anyone who has used a mobile phone — the interface and layout reminds me of a basic Nokia phone.
And, of course, there’s the standard numeric keypad that you can use to either type in the name of your contact, or dial a number if you’re making a Skype-out call (a fee service where you can call regular phones at discounted rates). There’s also a speakerphone function for conference calls.
On the handset, the sound quality is on par with regular landline and mobile phones. You’re bound to run into the occasional hiccup or weird echo that comes with Internet voice calls, but for the most part, you can’t tell the difference from a regular telephone.
The Belkin can be hard to find in Taiwan, although it sometimes pops up on up on PCHome’s online store (shopping.pchome.com.tw).
But there’s an equally good, and cheaper, option. Taiwanese electronics company Teco’s (東元) SP2014 Desktop Phone for Skype retails for NT$2,380 and is identical to the Belkin, save for a few cosmetic changes with the buttons and color (Teco is indeed a contract manufacturer for Belkin). It also comes equipped with Skype’s certified software.
The Teco Skype phone is easy to find through Taiwanese online retailers and can also be purchased at Taipei’s Guanghua Market (光華商場) — several shops there say it’s one of their better-selling Skype phones. If you’re looking for something for a technophobe family member or friend, or you want to use Skype with out fussing with a computer, this is the model to get.
(Alas, there is an exception to the “plug and go” functionality of these phones. Most Taiwanese users will have to take an extra step that neither of these companies mentions in their instruction manuals. The fault rests with the country’s Internet providers, including Chunghwa Telecom, whose subscribers have to provide their “PPPoE” data, which is basically an assigned username and password. On both of these models, you enter the information by going to Menu/Settings/Network/PPPoE. Once this is done, things should work smoothly from there.)
WIRELESS SKYPE-ING
Those who have wireless Internet at home or are always near a Wi-Fi spot may fancy the Ipevo S0-20 Wi-Fi Phone for Skype (NT$3,190). Ipevo, a Taiwanese company that specializes in computer accessories, has a flair for stylish, user-friendly designs. The S0-20 takes the exact shape of a generic candybar-sized mobile phone, with an identical keypad layout, and sports a dark gray and black matte plastic casing. It also uses the same Skype-certified software as the Belkin and Teco models.
The Ipevo works like a charm — just select the wireless network, enter the password if there is one and then sign in to your Skype account. It feels just like using a basic, reliable mobile phone. Except for one thing: The battery life is not so great. I managed not even three hours of talk time before getting a low power warning. Nonetheless it’s easily rechargeable through any USB port, and is still a good model for business travelers to consider. The phone is available at Ipevo’s online store, www.ipevo.com.tw.
On the other end of the price and quality spectrum is the Lobos LB-SP601, a mixed bag of a wireless Skype phone. The main attraction of this device is the price — it costs around NT$1,700 through online retailers and can be found at many electronics retailers.
The Lobos does the job — that is, if you can get it to work. It has to be connected to your PC with Skype running, and I had mixed luck using it on different Windows computers. Mac users shouldn’t even bother.
Part of the problem is the way this phone is wired. The Lobos is a wireless handset, but it has a base station and charger that has to be attached to your computer via a USB port. The handset doesn’t use Skype-certified software. It comes with Lobos’ own rudimentary program, SkyMe, which you must install on your computer and run in tandem with Skype.
The Lobos software worked fine when I tested it on a laptop with Windows 7, but it wreaked havoc on another computer that ran Windows XP. After I installed it, not only the voice calls, but all of the sounds from the computer — including music and videos — were being channeled through the phone. In short, the Lobos may require some tinkering with your PC before everything works properly.
SOMETHING IN BETWEEN
If you don’t mind being tethered to a computer to use Skype but still want to feel like you’re talking on a normal phone, then try another Ipevo product, the FR-33.2 Skype USB Handset (NT$999, available at Ipevo’s online store). You have to install the included software and drivers (for both Mac and PC), but this handset, which connects to a USB port, works well and the call quality is very good.
The FR-33.2, which sports a sleek, futuristic design, comes with an obscure bonus, but one that journalists, bloggers and anyone who conducts telephones interviews will appreciate: FreeRec, a software that allows your to record your Skype conversations or voice memos. The handset even has a dedicated record button that activates the software instantly. FreeRec worked nicely for me, but a word of advice for Windows users: Download the software from Ipevo’s Web site instead of using the program on the accompanying CD-ROM, which is outdated and doesn’t work properly. On a Mac, FreeRec worked without a hitch right from the start.
For now, my parents, who just got the Belkin desktop model, are always online, just a Skype call away.
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