Vonage America today announced that it is introducing the Vonage V-Phone, a portable and multifunctional USB device.

"Vonage is pleased to offer our customers the convenience of making phone calls wherever they are, simply by plugging into any laptop or PC with a high speed broadband internet connection," said Daniel Smires, senior vice president of Engineering. "One of the best features of the V-Phone is that customers are not limited to PC to PC calling and they still get a variety of choices with Vonage's inexpensive, flat-rate and full-featured calling plans."

The Vonage V-Phone does not require any setup. Vonage software comes pre-loaded on the V-Phone and updates itself on the device's 256 MB flash drive. The V-phone comes with a standard 2.5 mm stereo earpiece microphone, which is compatible with many cell phone headsets.

When customers are surfing the internet at a Wi-Fi hotspot, they can plug in their V-Phone and make calls too. With its plug and play ease, the V-Phone is ideal for business travelers, students, or anyone on the go. Users can check their voicemail from any computer and send voicemail attachments directly to an email account or BlackBerry.

The V-Phone offers added convenience because phone call history and contacts travel with the V-Phone if customers insert it into different PCs. The V-phone fits inside the palm of your hand and offers easy storage in pockets, laptop cases, or briefcases. Users don't have to miss phone calls when they're away from their computers because call forwarding is available.

Vonage selected Ubistar and SJ Labs to collaboratively develop its new product. Vonage offers $14.99 for 500 minutes, $24.99 for residential unlimited and $34.99 for business unlimited. Calls to Canada and Puerto Rico are considered local and Vonage has reduced international rates with no connection fees. The V-Phone costs $39.99 with an additional $9.00 activation fee.

Minimum PC configurations include Microsoft 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The Vonage V-Phone is not currently compatible with Apple, Macintosh, or Linux Systems.