Product Description

The wireless handset that gives you the freedom from the use of your keyboard, mouse and monitor when making/receiving Skype calls. Simply scroll through your Skype contacts directly from the cordless handset to make a call (no need to refer to the pc screen). Also call any number worldwide directly from the phone using the SkypeOut service. To make a call simply select the name you want to talk to and press the call button. The base has a built-in high quality speakerphone, ideal for conference calling. The handset has graphic LCD with blue colour backlight displaying all online Skype contacts. The unit is very simple to use and install - it's just like using a home cordless. Compatible with Windows Vista, XP, 2000.

Phone features

- Wireless range 50m in a typical indoor environment
- Hands-free calling with speakerphone built into base station
- Both base and handset ring for incoming calls
- Auto-select RF channel to improve the voice quality
- USB powered, no external power required
- Anti-slip coating


System requirements

- Windows 2000/XP/Vista
- 400MHz processor or higher
- 128 MB RAM or higher
- Free compatible USB 2.0 or 1.1 port


Package Contents

- Cordless handset
- Base station, USB cable
- Li-battery
- Manual
- CD driver

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1514 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sogatel
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 6.00" w x 7.00" l,

Features

• Wireless Skype phone for PC using operating systems XP and Vista
• Built in sound card, speakerphone base, wireless range 50m, talktime 10 hrs
• Easy installation, simple to use, user friendly, sleek design
• Excellent product - one of the best selling Skype cordless/wireless phones
• In the box: Handset, USB speakerphone base, battery, manual, CD driver for VISTA/XP

Customer Reviews

Nice bit of kit.
This is a good product, and the wireless technology makes it well worth the upgrade from the corded version. Simple to install, all very hassle-free. It uploads your skype contacts onto the handset, and the address book will even flag up those that are on or off-line.

Audio quality is not perfect, but is considerably clearer than a conventional phone-line, so also a thumbs-up in this regard.

Verdict: a good functional product, reasonably priced for its features, and does what it says on the tin.

Nice, but not for me
For most people, this will probably be a very handy addition to their desktop clutter. It worked reasonably well from the start, not even needing an initial charge, although I had to change back the Windows (XP) audio settings before it would stop playing other sounds - music, etc - through the phone. You only need to do that once, although read the final paragraphs for a caveat.

Once installed, you'll get the ugliest icon imaginable in your systray (the little icons next to the time on your Windows screen). It's hideous, bright green and with no attempt at a 3D effect, so it looks like an icon from a 1980s freebie kids' game. Small point, but a niggle nonetheless.

It's extremely simple to operate. Even the most trembling technophobe could use one - at the very simplest, a call to a contact set up with a fast-dial number can be made by pressing the number and then the green call button; an incoming call is answer simply by pressing the green button The display is clear, the build quality solid enough, and it fits well and feels good in the hand.

The base unit connects with a USB cable - I couldn't get it to work from a hub, so you'll probably need a spare port on your computer. This provides power as well as data, so it's a pretty neat setup. There is a hands-free mode on the base unit, but the sound I got from that was terrible; on an "echo" call to Skype Test Call I could barely make out what I was saying. Not a big problem to me - after all, if I'm next to the base unit I'm next to the desktop mic and speakers, and I'd prefer to use that anyway. It will mean that headset users won't have an alternative, though.

That knocks off one star from a five-star review. There's simply no excuse these days for a hands-free unit not to give perfectly adequate sound quality.

Why the other star knocked off? Well, this will only apply to people in the same situation as me, but it's enough for me to return the product for a refund:

You simply can't use it as a supplement to your existing setup, be it mic/speakers, headset or whatever. The software is very tightly integrated between the "SkypeMate" phone software and your regular Skype window (indeed you can switch tabs on the Skype window by pressing a key on the phone ... if you want to for some strange reason of your own), which works well on most ways, but means that you cannot receive a call on your normal setup. Incoming calls will always come to the phone, no matter how it's set up. Before making an outgoing call from your computer's hardware, you need to make two changes to the setup (change audio settings, setting your sound and mic back to your soundcard), and these are overridden as soon as you use the phone to make a call or even just receive one. It's unlikely that any of the competitors will be any different here, since it's the Skype software that's at fault.

Since I'd only purchased the phone as a secondary device, intending to use it for those times when I had to be away from the computer, this renders it useless to me.

But if you bear that in mind, and are looking for a simple but effective phone to use with Skype for all calls, look no further.

User Friendly and Reasonable Price
Installation was really simple. The software user interface simply auto-runs whenever the computer is booted and allows you to alter the volume settings for both the microphone and the speaker. Easy to use the handset, to access your Skype phonebook, call history and to give and receive calls.

Reception has sometimes been a bit of an issue. Maybe around 10% of the time it has been a little 'choppy' when using it in a different room to the receiver.

Build quality of the whole unit is pretty good and the outer shell of the handset is very rugged, however, the LCD display sometimes displays groups of pixels that it shouldn't, but it doesn't cause a problem, just cancelling the screen can return it to how it should be.

Value for money.. Having read the review of other wireless Skype compatible phones in the same price range, this one seems to have less to fault and costs less too. As with all cheap wireless technology, there are many things that could go wrong compared to a wireless handset. But if this is your budget and you would prefer a wireless one I would choose this one over the others.