Philips is to give consumers maximum choice of how, when and where they make telephone calls at home by adding a new Internet/DECT phone to its growing range of home communication products capable of working with the voice-over-IP services of global Internet communications company Skype.

The Philips VOIP321 phone combines total cordless mobility, ease-of-use and crystal clear DECT digital voice quality with the dual convenience of enabling consumers to make free* Skype calls via a broadband Internet connection.

Additionally, the VOIP321 enables ordinary landline calls including low-rate calls on standard numbers using the SkypeOut service. The VOIP321 also enables consumers to take advantage of other rich Skype features, including teleconferencing with other Skype users, Skype Instant Messaging and file transfer.

The VOIP321 is easy to set up and use. To access both Internet and landline services, the base station connects easily to a normal PSTN telephone outlet and to a USB socket on a PC. Once all connections are made, a press of the VOIP321 handset’s Skype key allows users to access their Skype contacts list anywhere in the home as well as see who is connected.

For all calling activities, the VOIP321 offers a full complement of convenience and call management features, including hands-free speakerphone and Caller ID. The VOIP321 can log up to 20 missed and 10 received phone numbers. The handset can also offer up to 10 hours' talk time between battery charges, with a maximum standby time of 100 hours.

For easy retrieval of regularly used numbers, the VOIP321 handset can store up to 50 numbers which can also be called directly. To help users distinguish between landline and Skype Internet calls, the VOIP321 has programmable ring profiles and a choice of 10 polyphonic melodies.

via geekzone