phone mode

Futiro Luna USB VOIP phone

phone 20080414 201858 Futiro Luna USB VOIP phoneI recently had the opportunity to test the Futiro Luna USB VOIP phone with Skype Pro. The Luna has been a major asset on my desk in the past weeks, making it easy for me to both call and answer from a sleek, slim phone connected directly to Skype. Not only does the Luna look great, it also sounds great, and it even includes a speaker phone mode.

On the front side there are 16 buttons and a volume control. The buttons include 0-9 keys, #, *, a call button, hang up button, back button and a speaker phone button, with an LED above that to let you know the status. Near the top sits the standard speaker, and on the back is the speaker phone (mic and speaker). It is slightly weighted, so it will not topple over, and features a coiled USB cable.

The Luna has integrated very well into my workflow. For the last few days I stopped making calls with my land line and used Skype Pro. I found it to be almost flawless. It integrated perfectly with Skype Pro, and behaved exactly as a traditional phone would.

Using Skype Pro, the call quality was fantastic. I even had a comment from someone who I was speaking with asking how I got my phone to be so clear. At $3 per month, Skype Pro is super affordable, especially considering it includes unlimited calling within the United States and Canada, free voicemail, and a discount on a SkypeIn phone number.

For me, the Luna was almost perfect. I would have preferred a longer USB cable, but I was able to easily deal with this issue by adding a USB extension cable in.

Despite some issues in the beginning with the Futiro Luna’s software, it is an amazing product. Along with Skype Pro, it is a perfect solution for long distance calling. I would recommend this product to everyone who frequently uses Skype, or to those who make many long distance calls.

Product Info:

Name: Futiro Luna
Price: $95

The BTCUP for iPod lets you listen to music or talk on the phone

btcup 20070912 191315 The BTCUP for iPod lets you listen to music or talk on the phoneMacally today announced the release of its BTCUP, a full-channel FM transmitter in a cup holder design that lets you enjoy your iPod in the car while also integrating Bluetooth hands-free functionality with Bluetooth-equipped gadgets.

The Macally BTCUP lets you listen to your iPod through the car’s speakers and gives the driver full access to the spin wheel and a clear view of the screen. Also it lets you manage incoming calls from Bluetooth equipped mobile phones by auto-switching between phone mode and iPod mode and allowing you to answer the call hands-free. It returns to music play mode when the call is completed.

Powered through the cigarette lighter, the BTCUP supports 3G through 6G iPods, iPod with Video, iPod Photo, 1G and 2G iPod nano as well as the new iPod classic and the new iPod nano. The Macally BTCUP will sell for USD$119.99, and is now available at leading electronics and technology retailers throughout the United States.

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Yak Communications’ yakForFree Virtual VideoPhone

Yak Communications today announced the launch of a Macintosh OS X download for its yakForFree Virtual VideoPhone software. By downloading the free Virtual VideoPhone users can make free member-to-member voice and video calls over the Internet using a high-speed connection–kind of like Skype with video.

In addition to video and Instant Messaging capabilities, yakForFree has all of the features of traditional telephones, including: Audio Conference for 10, Unlimited Distributed Conferencing, Quad User Video Conference, Audio and Video Call Recording, Speaker Phone Mode, Call Transfer, Call Logs & Missed Call Indicator, Auto Answer & Conference and Do Not Disturb.

In the near future, the plan is to roll out a yakUnlimited service upgrade that offers local line replacement including unlimited local and long distance calling in North America for only USD$19.99. Additional new features that yakForFree users can look forward to include a download for Mobile Pocket PC, a version that runs on Linux, as well as the development of an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol.

I’ve got Skype, I like Skype–I’m not going anywhere.

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