GeekSugar

4 Good-Lookin' Skype Home Phones

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:04:42 -0700

Do you Skype? Last I asked, almost 70 percent of you had Skyped, and with the service's newfound ubiquity (they now have an iPhone app too), a lot of people are getting more comfortable Skyping, which allows you to make phone calls over the Internet. If you Skype, take a look at my list of attractive Skype phones worthy of a pretty interior.

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Feel Retro, Go Modern With the Skype Hulga Pappa Phone

GeekSugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:05:52 -0800

You don't need to hang onto that landline just to keep a sexy-lookin' corded phone around; if you're a Skype user, you can use Hulger's Pappa Phone ($300). Like their ultrasexy Sophia phone, Hulger's Pappa plugs into a Mac or PC and becomes your vehicle for Skype.

But let's discuss what's really hot about this phone: Its looks. The wooden angles are modern, but they look to fit so naturally in your hand. And natural it is - the phone is made from one solid piece of walnut.

Sophia Phone by Hulger: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

GeekSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:00:25 -0700

I love a phone that looks retro chic, yet boasts all the features of a modern telephone. Just like this 1920s and 30s inspired phone by Hulger that uses bluetooth technology to connect to your PC, Mac or cell phone. It is also fully compatible with Skype. Too geeky for you or geek chic? Leave your answer below!

You Are Now Free to VoIP Via 3G on Your iPhone

GeekSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:44:57 -0700

As you may have heard me say before, the iPhone can do pretty much everything under the sun except open a bottle of champagne thanks to its amazing apps - except use its 3G goodness to make calls from Skype, that is. You could use any open WiFi signal to dial up your pals for free over the Internet, but Apple drew the line at you hopping on its 3G signals to use voice over IP.

After much grumbling from the geek population (including a few gripes from yours truly), Apple has finally allowed 3G voice over Internet calling, which includes using your free Skype App. Hop on your signal to call whomever, whenever, and now you don't have to go searching around town for a free WiFi signal in parts of town you aren't familiar with. If only this would have come up a few weeks ago when I was abroad, it would have made my traveling life so much easier.

Daily Tech: Skype For the iPhone Has Arrived

GeekSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:05:52 -0700

Starting tomorrow, iPhone users will be able to download the Skype app for free from the iTunes App Store. - CNET
Compared to email, instant messaging and calling, text messaging is said to be the preferred communication method between college students. - Switched
AT&T has just announced six new cell phones and they all have full QWERTY keyboards. - Boing Boing Gadgets
For a whopping $4,000, you can have a Seattle Modular Coffee Table that lifts up to become a workstation. Sounds neat, but in the meantime, I'll stick with my $20 Ikea Dave table. - Unplggd
The online music streaming site Lala (where you can upload all of your tunes) will soon be releasing an iPhone app so you can access all of your music from your phone (without having to take up a ton of storage space). - TechCrunch

Do You Use Skype?

GeekSugar — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:03:34 -0700

I come bearing good news from the rumor mill: apparently, Skype for the iPhone is due to surface sometime next week.

I've long loved Skype, the service that lets you make calls over the Internet, and as an iPhone user, this is nothing but good news.

But I know not everyone uses - or knows of - Skype, so tell me, are you a Skype user?

Should Airlines Allow In-Flight Phone Calls Via WiFi?

GeekSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:33:00 -0700

In a recent USA Today article, I read about a man who was able to make in-flight phone calls on his iPhone during a flight using WiFi. With WiFi enabled, passengers on one of the 600 WiFi-enabled planes taking off in the US can use any number of video-chatting or voice programs like Skype or Gchat.

According to the article, a survey by the Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics found 45 percent of Americans thought voice calls should be banned on flights, while 40 percent said they should be allowed if they don't pose a safety risk.

When we polled you guys, 74 percent of you said you'd switch airlines to have WiFi. I used Google Video chat on a Virgin America flight last month and actually turned my computer's camera so a friend at home could see the clouds out of my window. The person sitting beside me even waved hello! Chatting live at 30,000 feet was a pretty surreal experience - I love Gogo In-flight Internet!

Would You Rather: Large Screen Kindle or Apple Tablet?

GeekSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:55 -0700

Let's just assume for a moment that the rumors of an Apple Tablet are true. A ginormous iPhone styled touchpad that can function as a computer, e-book reader, Skype phone, etc., would pretty much obliterate the Kindle, and put it out to pasture, right? Or would it?

Apple has a long history of releasing great gadgets, but at a much higher price than competing products, which leaves a lot of would-be Apple lovers out in the cold. If you're in the market (or quietly looking) for an e-book reader, would you rather drop some cash on the Amazon Kindle (which is a great reader on its own) or hold out for a possible Apple Tablet?

Source

World Gets iPhone, But Not From Apple

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 22:27:39 -0800

Industry insiders suspected Apple was going to make a big announcement yesterday about a cell phone-game combo with its own music-playing handset. Of course, we all suspected the phone could be called iPhone, as the url iPhone.org currently sends folks back to the main Apple page and it just seemed like the next natural next step for the company.

Much to the surprise of many, including yours truly, Linksys, (owned by Cisco Systems), announced it will release its very own iPhone. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Cisco's had the name since 2000, when it bought InfoGear Technology, which had the rights to the iPhone name.

For more about the Linksys announcement, just read more

According to a press release from Linksys, the iPhone will enable compelling internet services, allow consumers to know when their contacts are available for calls, and offer access to personal content like music, movies and live video cameras.

The iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype, $99.99, embeds the popular communications client into a cordless phone base station that is attached directly to the home network via Ethernet, making it easy to place calls to other Skype users, mobile phones, or landlines without turning on a computer.

The iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype (shown above), $219.99, makes Skype portable by integrating it into a Wireless-G handset, allowing consumers to place calls from anywhere they can connect to a wireless access point.

Download of the Day: Skype

GeekSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 15:21:11 -0800

Skype is a great software program that lets you make free calls to anyone else on Skype, anywhere in the world. And, until the end of 2006, it allows you to make free calls to landlines and cell phones in the US and Canada from Skype. The calls have good, if not great, quality and if you and your contacts are using webcams, you can also make free video calls.
Business types are also hopping on the Skype bandwagon for its instant messenger systems, which allows you to chat with one to 100 people in a group chat and features a fun design.

There's even a Skype Voicemail that takes messages when you're busy or offline.
Download Skype for your Mac or PC.