Digital Phones Reviews

Philips VOIP 321 Skype Dual Phone Single Handset VOIP3211G 37

Make and take calls on both networks from one single handset and you can see who is on-line without going to the PC. SkypeOut is a low cost way to make calls from Skype to friends who still use a traditional landline or mobile phone. With Skype you can enjoy making free calls all over the world to any other Skype users. With a single press on the Skype key, you can directly access your Skype contacts list. The list of the users currently logged on to Skype is displayed and you can see their online status. This Skype key also enables you to take the line (once the contact selected) and to make a Skype call (Skype & SkypeOut). This dualphone enables you to make calls via Internet or/and via a normal landline with the mobility, voice quality & ease of use of a cordless phone. Enjoy making free calls over the Internet without sitting in front of your computer. You can see your Skype contacts list directly on your handset. Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call on Hold, Message Waiting, Call Transfer Line, Dialing keypad, Phonebook, Call log, Redial, Skype, Loudspeaker Amber Backlit keypad Headphone jack Speakerphone-Talk handsfree Call log entries – 15 missed & 5 missed Redial List Capacity – 10 calls Name & number phonebook – 50 names and numbers Handset Volume Control – 5-level earpiece and loudspeaker volume control Display contacts list status Edit user status on the phone Direct call from contacts list Fully Integrated with Skype USB Full Speed – Full 12Mbps Power LED indicator – Green 2 AAA NiMH Battery type Up to 10 Hours Talk time Standby time – More than 100 hours Radio RF power – Less than 250mW System Requirements – Free USB port, Pentium-based PC with 400 MHz CPU or better, 128 MB RAM memory, 30MB or more Hard disk space, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000 Operating System, 33.6 kbps or faster Internet connection (Broadband preferred), CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars phone not registered with base and it’s not compatible with vista only xp
OK I BOUGHT THE PHONE FOR A REASON TO USE IT AS A HOUSE PHONE WITH SKYPE I HAVE AND XP AND A VISTA FIRST I CONNECT IT WITH VISTA AND IT DID NOT WORK FOR SHRIMP NOT EVEN AFTER I DOWNLOADED THE LATEST DRIVER FOR VISTA OK SO THEN I WENT WITH MY XP AND IT WORKED PERFECTLY WITH NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 2 AND HALF WEEKS LATER THE PHONE STARTED SAYING PHONE NOT REGISTERED SO I TRY TO CONNECT IT AND IT SAYS SEARCHING FOR BASE FAIL AND IM STILL WITH NO PHONE

SO I RECOMMEND YOU NOT TO BUY THIS PHONE AND IF YOU BUY ONE THEN GOOD LUCK WITH IT. BUT FOR ME I’M DONE PHILLIPS NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED…:(

HOPE THIS HELPS

4 Stars It DOES work with Vista
I have been an Amazon customer for many many years, but I have not written a review until now largely because there are some misconceptions from other reviewers about this device’s compatibility with Vista that I think are negatively affecting the reviews.

I purchased this phone primarily for use with Skype because I was tired of having to sit at my desk with a headset. I don’t have a traditional phone line, so I cannot comment on any issues the phone might have with dual modes. I don’t know how it compares with other VOIP phones and I purchased it used at a very attractive price and I use it strictly for making calls through Skype. Also, I work with computers so I am comfortable installing components and drivers.

I was aware before buying the phone that it uses a USB connection and requires the computer to turned on always and for Skype to be running. I was also aware of some compatibility issues with Vista but after reading through the forums on Skype and saw that many users were running it on Vista without problems, I felt sure I could get it to work.

Misconception 1 – Does not work with Vista

The phone in fact DOES work with Vista and I have mine running on Vista Business right now using the V3.8.3 drivers from Philips and Skype V.4.0.0.206. In all fairness, it is not a simple plug-n-play installation for most users.

After downloading the latest Vista drivers from the Philips website (V3.8.3 released September 2007) and installing it, like most people I noticed that in my Device Manager the phone showed up with a yellow exclamation point and an error message “Device Cannot Start (Code 10)”. If you google that error you will soon find that it is a generic error that affects many different products running in Vista. After many hours of research, I found on the Skype forum that the best way to get the phone to work is to use a USB port with a VIA chipset. In short the USB ports on most motherboards are not VIA chipset so you need to install a new PCI USB controller with a VIA chipset VT6212L for the phone. I puchased one off eBay and installed it in a few minutes. Here is the same one I got – VIA VT6212L 4+1 Port USB 2.0 PCI Controller Card. Once Vista recognized the device and installed the drivers, I plugged the Philips phone into it and voila, the error was gone and the phone is now working problem free.

Misconception 2 – Disables Sound

When Vista installs the new phone, it recognizes that it has a mic and speakers and changes the DEFAULT sound options to the phone. This is why sound begins to play through the phone instead of through the computer speakers for some users. This has nothing to do with the phone at all. All you have to do is open your sound options in Windows and change it back to your computer speakers and mic and the problem is fixed. In Skype, make sure it is set to use the phone and not the computer speakers and mic.

Misconception 3 – Need Skype Contacts to make a Skype call

I had a problem with this myself until I read D. Cascketta’s review from June 14, 2008 and San Kool’s review from August 1, 2007 and Matt B.’s review from December 31, 2006 (thank you!). This misconception is probably due to poor documentation. You simply need to dial the number you wish to call and hit the “S” Skype button instead of “Talk” to call that number. I usually prefix the numbers with a “+”

I have had no problems with interference or sound quality since I’ve been using it. I particularly like that I can also listen to my Skype voicemail from the phone. I purchased it used and I’ve used it for a month now without any problems so I don’t expect to see any other hardware issues. I has met all my expectations and I don’t regret buying it.

I hope this information is helpful.

1 Star Phone is great if you’re a software engineer
All of the other gripes aside, I only have ONE.

Philips refuses to support the driver.

New versions of Skype cause the phone driver to hang.

Which means that it will stop working in a couple weeks.

Don’t waste your time or your money.

1 Star Drivers can’t keep up with Skype upgrades
I purchased this phone in summer of 2008 to take advantage of Skype and VOIP while working with people all around the world, unfortunately shortly after I installed the phone, Skype upgraded their software and since then Phillips hasn’t done a thing to make their drivers work with the latest versions of Skype, so I have to use my webcam microphone and speakers to do calls. Also doesn’t allow me to use the landline option for POTS calls.

would not recommend you buy this phone if you intend to use w. Skype. I’ll probably have to junk mine since it doesn’t have any functionality without working w. Skype.

4 Stars Seems to work well
While the device a few annoying/ limiting features, it works well, and seems to deliver good call quality even when simultaneously streaming video over the same DSL line. Battery life is 2-3 days and installation is easy.

Buy/More Info

Panasonic Wi fi Phone for Skype

The Panasonic KX-WP1050 fills two needs at once. Not only does it connect to a local WiFi network for Internet phone calls, it also connects directly to a Skype account. The base keeps you connected to the global telecom you use most, and the handset makes international calls as simple as calling locally. Conference calling Skype-to-Skype calls, plus SkypeIn & SkypeOut calls Skype voice mail Call queuing Stores call history – Incoming, Outgoing, Missed, Voicemail, Authorization IEEE 802.11b/g interface Includes leather case Dimensions – 5.6 x 1.78 x 0.79 (142 x 45 x 20 mm) Weight – 100 g (0.22 lbs.)

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars A hopefully helpful and comprehensive (but long) Panasonic Skype phone review
I purchased this Panasonic Skype phone so that I could cancel my landline phone service, but still have an alternative to my cell phone. I opted for Skype’s $3/month unlimited U.S./Canada calling plan (they have a $9.95/month international plan), and a Skype phone number ($30/year). I don’t like being restricted to the computer when using Skype, so this phone sounded like a good idea.

I saw very mixed reviews for most Skype phones listed on Amazon. This Panasonic model only had a few reviews posted (mostly positive – I think there were only three negative reviews, and one of the negative reviews had just one star but had a very positive tone so was probably a mistake). But I have had excellent success with Panasonic cordless landline phones in the past, so I decided to try it.

I had relatively low expectations for a Skype phone, based on such mixed (often negative) reviews I saw from other Skype phones. I expected a delay in conversations that would be expected with a satellite phone. But thus far, I have been pleased with this model – having owned the phone for about 3 weeks. Setup was quite easy and I did not have to call customer service for assistance. I noticed other Skype phone reviews mentioned that the phone doesn’t always ring, but instead goes straight to voicemail – I must admit that this does seem to happen sometimes with my Panasonic Skype phone – but my greeting says refers the caller to my cell phone in case that happens.

This model comes with the phone handset and a wireless/wired router (along with battery, cables, etc.). You can use the router as your sole router (if you don’t already have one) so that you can establish wireless internet access at your home for your computer and for the phone; or (if you already have a wireless router) you can connect the router to your current router so that you can use either wireless router’s connection. I kind of wish that the router that comes with the phone could be more customizable – such as by being able to change the SSID and encryption key, but this does not appear possible – not a big deal in my opinion.

The phone’s size is like that of a large cell phone or a small cordless phone. It’s pretty easy to use and maneuver and is very light. It is easy to remove the battery (if you need to replace it after long-term use), which I noticed was more problematic in some of the other Skype phones that I saw Amazon reviews on. The interface on the phone basically corresponds with the interface you see on the Skype software on your computer. It’s pretty easy to use and works well. On the phone, you can view and add contacts, view your call history, change your status, check your voicemail, etc. And you have access to call waiting, caller ID, and other settings that you would also find on your Skype software on the computer.

The phone works for me consistently well – especially when I use it somewhat close to the phone router’s location in my home. I keep the router in my basement (where my home office is), and I often use the phone upstairs in my living room. I only have connection problems when I move to the far extremities of my house to use the phone (my house is roughly 2000 square feet).

I have seen reviews of other Skype phones that report that their phone’s connection often is lost. The only time I ever had this problem was recently when we had a neighborhood power outage. After power returned, the phone would not reconnect automatically until I moved closer to the router – then it connected without a problem. I have had no other connection problems.

It is a bit difficult to hear the party you’re speaking with because volume is a bit low (and is not adjustable), but when I use a simple headset that I bought from Target (one with a microphone and earpiece), it became much easier to hear. There’s a built-in speakerphone on the phone itself, and this is quite helpful too, and works well.

When I use the phone, people who I talk to say that the voice quality is not nearly as good as when I talk to them using my cell or landline phone; and on my end, their voice quality sounds a bit worse than when I use a cell phone. But the quality is not bad, and is probably adequate for most people (unless you want the person you’re talking to hear you with crisp quality). We do have a bit of a problem when calling a family member of ours who is a bit hard of hearing – he can hear us well when I use my cell phone, but has significant difficulty hearing us when we use this Skype phone. This probably also depends on how fast the internet connection is in your home. I should mention that I don’t think that there is any real audio delay when using this phone – something I noticed with some other Skype phones reviewed.

It is true that when on standby (not being charged), the phone does not have terrific longevity of battery power. The Panasonic website says that the phone has 72 hours of power on standby mode and three hours of active talk time. 72 hours of standby time is probably an overestimate, and I seem to recall seeing complaints about this on Amazon reviews. But this is not a problem if you keep the phone charged. It is true that you can only charge the phone by plugging it into its router or into a computer’s USB port. Since my router (and computer) is in our basement, but we keep the phone upstairs in our kitchen, we bought a universal USB wall charger for $5 so that we can keep the phone plugged into a wall outlet to keep it charged throughout the day – not a bad workaround.

I have not tried the phone when travelling, using the router as a travel router. So I can’t comment on how well it works in that case. Reviews of other Skype phones stated that when the phone is in standby mode, incoming calls sometimes do not ring on the phone; I have not had such a problem with this Panasonic Skype phone.

It would be nice if Skype could import contacts (e.g., through Outlook or a CSV file) and retain them in your Skype account. Currently as of this writing, Skype’s contact import feature has serious problems – I can only get Outlook contacts to be imported, and this only works when I’m actually running Outlook on my computer; if you shut down your computer, you cannot see your Outlook contacts on your Skype account (including on the Skype phone). There are “extras” you can purchase for $15-20 that allows full integration of Outlook contacts (see “Do More” in the Skype software), and to be used on the Skype phone, and this worked well for me (I use an “extra” called “SkypeSync”). Skype is looking into a better contacts importing feature with its next version, based on a recent email I saw from them.

In cancelling my landline, the downside is that I can no longer fax from my home. But most faxes I have to initiate can be done scanned via email anyway. There are some Skype “extras” I found that allow faxing through Skype, at inexpensive rates.

So overall I would recommend this phone, but probably not as one’s sole phone in the house – because of problems with call quality, but also because 911 locater service is not offered with Skype phones, and so if there is an emergency, the 911 operator would not be able to locate where the call was initiated from.

4 Stars Excellent phone, great sound and a lot of features
This phone is excellent. Some people gave a very bad review based on the battery life. I don’t think it is fair. The talk time is reasonable > 4 hours (comparable to any cell phone/wireless phone). The standby time may be only 24 hours but so what. You just need to charge it once per day or charge it while it is not used. One can always charge the phone while one is talking. Buy an USB charger/long usb cable and you can talk as long as you want!

Pro:

* The sound quality is comparable to landline provided you have a fast connection (I have Verizon FIOS 20Mb down and 20Mb up.) The sound quality is better than my cell.

* The sound quality is just as good as landland on the other end even it is oversea.

* The speaker phone sound quality is excellent which is comparable to Polycom Voicestation 500 I own. However, the mic is not as good as Polycom. (Polycom has the best speaker phone in the industrial.)

* It has all the features as most cell phones, caller id, missed call, call duration, voice mail, call forward, call waiting, time/date etc.

* It can be connected to any 802.11G/B network without using the Panasonic router came with the package.

* Handset is light and the LCD is bright and clear. Keypad will light up when you are dialing so it can easily use in the dark.

* Very intuitive interface. I have not read the manual to set it up.

* The phone will sign in Skype without a computer. It is major advantage since I reboot my computer from time to time and I don’t want to miss any call.

* All Skype contacts will load automatically to the phone.

* Reasonable talk time, talk time > 4 hours on bettary.

* Can talk while it is charging. You can talk as long as you want provided you keep charging the phone.

* Handset can be charged by any USB port. I use a Monster Ipod charger to charge.

* Firmware of handset and router can be updated if it is available. So new features can be added.

Con:

* The handset will only connect/sign in automatically to none encrypted network/router if it gets disconnected due to weak WiFi signal. This is a firmware issue. I hope it will be fixed in the firmware update.

* Battery life can be longer. I don’t see battery life is a big issue since it can be used while it is charging. So, you just need a long USB cable!

* Skype cannot dial emergency phone at the time of this writing.

* The phone stand is not a charge. One must use mini usb cable to charge the phone, it is not convenient.

* A bit of expensive but it is worth the money. It saves me a lot of money to call oversea. The saving of first 2 months is enough to buy this phone!

1 Star Panasonic Skype phone is terrific
Wow. The handset is lightweight, easy and intuitive to use, with great sound quality. The base unit increases functionality. Registering it on my network was tedious but not tricky. Great product!

1 Star BAD battery life
Excellent conectivity and performance, but very bad battery life. I buyed a new expensive battery from panasonic, in the hope that I solve the problem. But battery life is still only 14 hours in stand by. I don’t recommend this product, waste of money.

4 Stars Nice Package Design
Pros: Including everything you need while making a skpye phone call.

Cons: The phone cradle is not a charge station and has short battery life.

Buy/More Info

Linksys CIT300 Dual Mode Internet Telephony Kit

Get cordless handset convenience when you use Skype! Now your don’t have to sit in front of your computer when you want to talk to your friends. The Linksys cordless Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit comes with a handset, charger, and a USB Base Station that plugs into your computer. Dual-Mode capability lets you choose whether to make calls over a standard telephone line or with the Skype application running on your PC. Just select whom you want to talk to from your contact list on your Handset, press a button, and get ready to talk. It rings when you have a Skype or SkypeIn call coming in, and shows the caller’s ID on the screen. The Handset also supports call waiting and Skype’s optional Voicemail service. When you’re on a call, you can hit the Mute button for privacy, or use the speakerphone function to let everyone join in. You’ll get the convenience of a cordless phone and all its features, plus the high-quality voice reception that you get from Skype on your PC, without being tied to your computer. Base station with USB connection to connect to your PC and RJ-11 connection to connect to your analog phone line Status display of Skype contact list, Skype voicemail, and SkypeOut credit Superior sound quality / Voice encryption for maximum security / 120 hours standby time, 10 hours talk time Distance Range 300 meters outdoors, 50 meters indoors Minimum Requirements – Internet Connection (Cable/DSL/other)/ PC with 400MHz Processor / 128 MB RAM / One Available USB Connection / 15 MB Hard Disk Space Available for Installation / Windows XP or 2000 / Skype Software Installed on PC (also included on CD) / CD-ROM Drive Package Contents – Handset / 2 NiMH batteries / Charger with Power Adapter / USB Base Station with USB Cable / Power Adapter / RJ-11 Cable / Quick Installation / Setup Wizard / CD with Skype Software

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Terrific device to save money!!!
How anyone can criticize this product is beyond me! Although I didn’t buy this on Amazon, I had to throw in my “2 cents”. (I bought on ebay for $44).

OK, so it has a few limitations….call waiting? Small color screen? What? Why is everyone so picky? This is a telephone. Use it to make FREE phone calls. It worked excellent right out of the box. I could wander 2 rooms away from computer and got perfect reception. I have not had any dropped calls either.

If you want all those special features, pay the phone company. I am saving about $30/month. I LOVE SKYPE and this Linksys phone!

3 Stars Better than headphones and a computer mic but not as good as other options
If you want to use Skye in a manner similar to a regular phone, this handset is a decent upgrade, though not a perfect substitute for better devices. Still, for its price you’ll get a pretty good system to access Skype. I’m not regretting getting it, but I’d certainly like a better solution:

Pros:

The phone is extremely simple to use – it gets its date and time directly from the computer, and the Skype contact list (obviously) is transmitted from the computer as well. Seriously, when you get everything up and running, all you have to do is pick the thing up, hit down on the selection button, and – BAM! – your contacts are displayed. Ridiculously simple.

Great range! It will stay connected with the base transmitter through walls and across a small house or apartment.

When everything works (the software, the base unit, and the phone) it works wonderfully.

Cons:

Your computer has to be on to use the phone (try the CIT400 for a solution that doesn’t need your computer to be on – if you can find one for sale, that is). Sometimes I have to leave it running all day long; and since my computer uses approximately the same energy as 2-3 100-watt lightbulbs, that’s a lot of energy.

There are too many places where something will stop working in this system – the phone always works, but the base unit or the software on your computer may become disconnected without notification or warning at any time (though, strangely, never in the middle of a call).

The software/device driver combo from Linksys pretty much sucks and is no longer being updated as of mid 2007. It initiates once you boot up your computer, loads up Skype, and connects to Skype, but its connection to Skype (and thus the Skype availability on the phone) is not trustworthy. For example, if you’re at home all day and have the computer on the whole time, the Linksys software may or may not maintain its connection to Skype that entire time – and there’s no way to know if it’s disconnected unless you periodically pick up the phone and try to access Skype. If it becomes disconnected, sometimes it’s the base transmitter which you can simply unplug, wait 5 seconds and plug back in. It will take it only another 5 seconds to re-initialize and re-establish contact with the software on the computer. But if the Linksys software becomes… discombobulated, for lack of a better term (I have no clue what’s the matter with it), nothing short of a computer reboot will make it synch with Skype again. If you try to close it down, it hangs. If you force-quit it with the task manager and restart it, it hangs when trying to connect with Skype. Trust me, I’ve attempted both solutions over a dozen times each. The results are the same every single time. Today the software refused to connect to Skype no matter how many times I rebooted the computer. After uninstalling, reinstalling, and rebooting my computer again, it worked fine.

4 Stars Excelent product
Very satisfied. Excelent product

The only problem is that it completely discharge if you unplug the energy. It keep searching a base and discharge all the batteries.

1 Star Not keen on Linksys
I think this is a common complaint these days but it was so difficult to get the customer service to replace the power adapter on this device (they NEVER responded). That I ended up getting an electrician to provide a replacement adapter. This was after a fault in the first two months of using it (and the handset charger was connected to a ups – so should be safe from surges). I reckon these guys are all brand and no service. Their products are ok but without decent customer support they lose my vote – and I hope your’s too.

VOIP phones are great and save you lots of money. Linksys are ok but see if you can find a better option.

4 Stars Very usefull
Very good and usefull.

A plus for the distance of wuireless lenth.

The only problem is that do not have a “Flash” key, for use with PABX.

Buy/More Info

Linksys CIT300 Dual Mode Internet Telephony Kit

Get cordless handset convenience when you use Skype! Now your don’t have to sit in front of your computer when you want to talk to your friends. The Linksys cordless Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit comes with a handset, charger, and a USB Base Station that plugs into your computer. Dual-Mode capability lets you choose whether to make calls over a standard telephone line or with the Skype application running on your PC. Just select whom you want to talk to from your contact list on your Handset, press a button, and get ready to talk. It rings when you have a Skype or SkypeIn call coming in, and shows the caller’s ID on the screen. The Handset also supports call waiting and Skype’s optional Voicemail service. When you’re on a call, you can hit the Mute button for privacy, or use the speakerphone function to let everyone join in. You’ll get the convenience of a cordless phone and all its features, plus the high-quality voice reception that you get from Skype on your PC, without being tied to your computer. Base station with USB connection to connect to your PC and RJ-11 connection to connect to your analog phone line Status display of Skype contact list, Skype voicemail, and SkypeOut credit Superior sound quality / Voice encryption for maximum security / 120 hours standby time, 10 hours talk time Distance Range 300 meters outdoors, 50 meters indoors Minimum Requirements – Internet Connection (Cable/DSL/other)/ PC with 400MHz Processor / 128 MB RAM / One Available USB Connection / 15 MB Hard Disk Space Available for Installation / Windows XP or 2000 / Skype Software Installed on PC (also included on CD) / CD-ROM Drive Package Contents – Handset / 2 NiMH batteries / Charger with Power Adapter / USB Base Station with USB Cable / Power Adapter / RJ-11 Cable / Quick Installation / Setup Wizard / CD with Skype Software

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Terrific device to save money!!!
How anyone can criticize this product is beyond me! Although I didn’t buy this on Amazon, I had to throw in my “2 cents”. (I bought on ebay for $44).

OK, so it has a few limitations….call waiting? Small color screen? What? Why is everyone so picky? This is a telephone. Use it to make FREE phone calls. It worked excellent right out of the box. I could wander 2 rooms away from computer and got perfect reception. I have not had any dropped calls either.

If you want all those special features, pay the phone company. I am saving about $30/month. I LOVE SKYPE and this Linksys phone!

3 Stars Better than headphones and a computer mic but not as good as other options
If you want to use Skye in a manner similar to a regular phone, this handset is a decent upgrade, though not a perfect substitute for better devices. Still, for its price you’ll get a pretty good system to access Skype. I’m not regretting getting it, but I’d certainly like a better solution:

Pros:

The phone is extremely simple to use – it gets its date and time directly from the computer, and the Skype contact list (obviously) is transmitted from the computer as well. Seriously, when you get everything up and running, all you have to do is pick the thing up, hit down on the selection button, and – BAM! – your contacts are displayed. Ridiculously simple.

Great range! It will stay connected with the base transmitter through walls and across a small house or apartment.

When everything works (the software, the base unit, and the phone) it works wonderfully.

Cons:

Your computer has to be on to use the phone (try the CIT400 for a solution that doesn’t need your computer to be on – if you can find one for sale, that is). Sometimes I have to leave it running all day long; and since my computer uses approximately the same energy as 2-3 100-watt lightbulbs, that’s a lot of energy.

There are too many places where something will stop working in this system – the phone always works, but the base unit or the software on your computer may become disconnected without notification or warning at any time (though, strangely, never in the middle of a call).

The software/device driver combo from Linksys pretty much sucks and is no longer being updated as of mid 2007. It initiates once you boot up your computer, loads up Skype, and connects to Skype, but its connection to Skype (and thus the Skype availability on the phone) is not trustworthy. For example, if you’re at home all day and have the computer on the whole time, the Linksys software may or may not maintain its connection to Skype that entire time – and there’s no way to know if it’s disconnected unless you periodically pick up the phone and try to access Skype. If it becomes disconnected, sometimes it’s the base transmitter which you can simply unplug, wait 5 seconds and plug back in. It will take it only another 5 seconds to re-initialize and re-establish contact with the software on the computer. But if the Linksys software becomes… discombobulated, for lack of a better term (I have no clue what’s the matter with it), nothing short of a computer reboot will make it synch with Skype again. If you try to close it down, it hangs. If you force-quit it with the task manager and restart it, it hangs when trying to connect with Skype. Trust me, I’ve attempted both solutions over a dozen times each. The results are the same every single time. Today the software refused to connect to Skype no matter how many times I rebooted the computer. After uninstalling, reinstalling, and rebooting my computer again, it worked fine.

4 Stars Excelent product
Very satisfied. Excelent product

The only problem is that it completely discharge if you unplug the energy. It keep searching a base and discharge all the batteries.

1 Star Not keen on Linksys
I think this is a common complaint these days but it was so difficult to get the customer service to replace the power adapter on this device (they NEVER responded). That I ended up getting an electrician to provide a replacement adapter. This was after a fault in the first two months of using it (and the handset charger was connected to a ups – so should be safe from surges). I reckon these guys are all brand and no service. Their products are ok but without decent customer support they lose my vote – and I hope your’s too.

VOIP phones are great and save you lots of money. Linksys are ok but see if you can find a better option.

4 Stars Very usefull
Very good and usefull.

A plus for the distance of wuireless lenth.

The only problem is that do not have a “Flash” key, for use with PABX.

Buy/More Info

Philips VOIP 321 Skype Dual Phone Single Handset VOIP3211G 37

Make and take calls on both networks from one single handset and you can see who is on-line without going to the PC. SkypeOut is a low cost way to make calls from Skype to friends who still use a traditional landline or mobile phone. With Skype you can enjoy making free calls all over the world to any other Skype users. With a single press on the Skype key, you can directly access your Skype contacts list. The list of the users currently logged on to Skype is displayed and you can see their online status. This Skype key also enables you to take the line (once the contact selected) and to make a Skype call (Skype & SkypeOut). This dualphone enables you to make calls via Internet or/and via a normal landline with the mobility, voice quality & ease of use of a cordless phone. Enjoy making free calls over the Internet without sitting in front of your computer. You can see your Skype contacts list directly on your handset. Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call on Hold, Message Waiting, Call Transfer Line, Dialing keypad, Phonebook, Call log, Redial, Skype, Loudspeaker Amber Backlit keypad Headphone jack Speakerphone-Talk handsfree Call log entries – 15 missed & 5 missed Redial List Capacity – 10 calls Name & number phonebook – 50 names and numbers Handset Volume Control – 5-level earpiece and loudspeaker volume control Display contacts list status Edit user status on the phone Direct call from contacts list Fully Integrated with Skype USB Full Speed – Full 12Mbps Power LED indicator – Green 2 AAA NiMH Battery type Up to 10 Hours Talk time Standby time – More than 100 hours Radio RF power – Less than 250mW System Requirements – Free USB port, Pentium-based PC with 400 MHz CPU or better, 128 MB RAM memory, 30MB or more Hard disk space, Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000 Operating System, 33.6 kbps or faster Internet connection (Broadband preferred), CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars phone not registered with base and it’s not compatible with vista only xp
OK I BOUGHT THE PHONE FOR A REASON TO USE IT AS A HOUSE PHONE WITH SKYPE I HAVE AND XP AND A VISTA FIRST I CONNECT IT WITH VISTA AND IT DID NOT WORK FOR SHRIMP NOT EVEN AFTER I DOWNLOADED THE LATEST DRIVER FOR VISTA OK SO THEN I WENT WITH MY XP AND IT WORKED PERFECTLY WITH NO PROBLEMS UNTIL 2 AND HALF WEEKS LATER THE PHONE STARTED SAYING PHONE NOT REGISTERED SO I TRY TO CONNECT IT AND IT SAYS SEARCHING FOR BASE FAIL AND IM STILL WITH NO PHONE

SO I RECOMMEND YOU NOT TO BUY THIS PHONE AND IF YOU BUY ONE THEN GOOD LUCK WITH IT. BUT FOR ME I’M DONE PHILLIPS NEVER BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED…:(

HOPE THIS HELPS

4 Stars It DOES work with Vista
I have been an Amazon customer for many many years, but I have not written a review until now largely because there are some misconceptions from other reviewers about this device’s compatibility with Vista that I think are negatively affecting the reviews.

I purchased this phone primarily for use with Skype because I was tired of having to sit at my desk with a headset. I don’t have a traditional phone line, so I cannot comment on any issues the phone might have with dual modes. I don’t know how it compares with other VOIP phones and I purchased it used at a very attractive price and I use it strictly for making calls through Skype. Also, I work with computers so I am comfortable installing components and drivers.

I was aware before buying the phone that it uses a USB connection and requires the computer to turned on always and for Skype to be running. I was also aware of some compatibility issues with Vista but after reading through the forums on Skype and saw that many users were running it on Vista without problems, I felt sure I could get it to work.

Misconception 1 – Does not work with Vista

The phone in fact DOES work with Vista and I have mine running on Vista Business right now using the V3.8.3 drivers from Philips and Skype V.4.0.0.206. In all fairness, it is not a simple plug-n-play installation for most users.

After downloading the latest Vista drivers from the Philips website (V3.8.3 released September 2007) and installing it, like most people I noticed that in my Device Manager the phone showed up with a yellow exclamation point and an error message “Device Cannot Start (Code 10)”. If you google that error you will soon find that it is a generic error that affects many different products running in Vista. After many hours of research, I found on the Skype forum that the best way to get the phone to work is to use a USB port with a VIA chipset. In short the USB ports on most motherboards are not VIA chipset so you need to install a new PCI USB controller with a VIA chipset VT6212L for the phone. I puchased one off eBay and installed it in a few minutes. Here is the same one I got – VIA VT6212L 4+1 Port USB 2.0 PCI Controller Card. Once Vista recognized the device and installed the drivers, I plugged the Philips phone into it and voila, the error was gone and the phone is now working problem free.

Misconception 2 – Disables Sound

When Vista installs the new phone, it recognizes that it has a mic and speakers and changes the DEFAULT sound options to the phone. This is why sound begins to play through the phone instead of through the computer speakers for some users. This has nothing to do with the phone at all. All you have to do is open your sound options in Windows and change it back to your computer speakers and mic and the problem is fixed. In Skype, make sure it is set to use the phone and not the computer speakers and mic.

Misconception 3 – Need Skype Contacts to make a Skype call

I had a problem with this myself until I read D. Cascketta’s review from June 14, 2008 and San Kool’s review from August 1, 2007 and Matt B.’s review from December 31, 2006 (thank you!). This misconception is probably due to poor documentation. You simply need to dial the number you wish to call and hit the “S” Skype button instead of “Talk” to call that number. I usually prefix the numbers with a “+”

I have had no problems with interference or sound quality since I’ve been using it. I particularly like that I can also listen to my Skype voicemail from the phone. I purchased it used and I’ve used it for a month now without any problems so I don’t expect to see any other hardware issues. I has met all my expectations and I don’t regret buying it.

I hope this information is helpful.

1 Star Phone is great if you’re a software engineer
All of the other gripes aside, I only have ONE.

Philips refuses to support the driver.

New versions of Skype cause the phone driver to hang.

Which means that it will stop working in a couple weeks.

Don’t waste your time or your money.

1 Star Drivers can’t keep up with Skype upgrades
I purchased this phone in summer of 2008 to take advantage of Skype and VOIP while working with people all around the world, unfortunately shortly after I installed the phone, Skype upgraded their software and since then Phillips hasn’t done a thing to make their drivers work with the latest versions of Skype, so I have to use my webcam microphone and speakers to do calls. Also doesn’t allow me to use the landline option for POTS calls.

would not recommend you buy this phone if you intend to use w. Skype. I’ll probably have to junk mine since it doesn’t have any functionality without working w. Skype.

4 Stars Seems to work well
While the device a few annoying/ limiting features, it works well, and seems to deliver good call quality even when simultaneously streaming video over the same DSL line. Battery life is 2-3 days and installation is easy.

Buy/More Info