Cool Tech Reviews

Ed Oswald at BetaNews:

Skype on Thursday launched a beta of the second major revision to its popular PC calling software, adding video support and announcing partnerships with Logitech, Creative and Web log software maker Six Apart.

Logitech will bundle Skype with some of its webcams; Creative has a webcam, microphone, and Skype bundle; Sixapart is promoting Skype and offering special Skype features in its TypePad weblog service. Besides the video,

Other features of the Skype 2.0 beta include a simplified user interface; a self-expression feature that allows the user to communicate whether they are happy, sad, available to talk or do not want to be disturbed; personalization features; as well as integration with Microsoft Outlook through an an optional toolbar.

Of course, the best part is that it’s still free for Skype to Skype calls, video or not. You can download the Skype 2.0 beta here. While it’s for Windows XP only so far, the current production (non-video) version is available for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Pocket PC.

If you don’t have a microphone or headset/speakers, you can run on down to RadioShack where the promised Skype Trial Kit is now on sale for $4.99 for which you’ll get a headset and 30 free minutes of “SkypeOut” calls to regular phones. They also have Skype compatible internet phones and fancier headsets, and I’m sure they wouldn’t be put out at selling a webcam too so you can try the video version.

But how well does the new version work? Walter J. Mossberg reviews the Skype 2.0 beta at the Wall Street Journal:

I’ve been testing Skype 2.0, along with the new, cheap, Skype-branded microphones and a new Skype-compatible phone that frees users from sitting in front of a computer while talking. Despite some flaws, this new combination of hardware and software generally worked well, and I believe it stands a chance of propelling Skype into the mainstream.
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All my test calls were very clear, though in most cases there was a slight problem in the first few seconds, when callers couldn’t hear me. In a couple of cases, the sound dropped out briefly during a call. And Skype disconnected my call to Berlin in the middle, forcing me to redial. Still, as a tradeoff for free calls, the glitches were tolerable.

I used a variety of microphones, built-in and added-on, cheap and expensive. In general, the built-in and costlier add-on mikes worked best. Skype’s new cheap mike, which comes with an earbud as part of a $4.99 Skype “starter pack” available at RadioShack stores, was a little muffled unless I held it close to my mouth.

I also made a few video calls, using a Logitech Web camera. These worked fine, though they displayed the graininess that marks most Web video calling. An audio conference call also worked well, though you can’t use video if you’re calling more than one person. Skype also offers a conventional text-based chat system and a feature for transferring files. I tested both, and they worked fine.

More by following the link where you’ll see he was most impressed by the Linksys CIT200 VoIP cordless phone which I have mentioned here previously.

Carmen Nobel at eWeek has the story:

Cisco Systems Inc.’s Linksys division is offering new Wi-Fi hardware that offers throughput and data transfer rates that rival Fast Ethernet, albeit with proprietary technology.

The WRT54GX4 Wireless-G Broadband Router and WPC54GX4 Wireless-G PC Card are based on the third generation of MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) chip sets from Airgo Networks Inc. The chip sets can support data rates of up to 240M bps, with “real-world” TCP/IP throughput rates huddling around 120M bps, according to Airgo officials in Palo Alto, Calif.

“The cool thing about this generation is that it’s not just for notebooks anymore,” said Greg Raleigh, CEO of Airgo. “You can connect your desktops and do away with the Ethernet.”

You can do that with 802.11a, b, or g too, but MIMO gives you more speed (likely not noticeable in everyday use) and more range (likely very noticeable).

MIMO technology runs multiple data streams in a single channel to boost throughput to rates of up to 108M bps, which is double that of the maximum speeds of 802.11a and 802.11g. Some variant of MIMO will be at the heart of the upcoming IEEE 802.11n standard. Many enterprise-level hardware makers plan to wait for the standard before releasing a MIMO product, but ratification of that standard isn’t expected until early 2007 due to an ongoing stalemate between two competing contingents within the standard task group.

In October, a splinter group called the Enhanced Wireless Consortium announced itself and its plans to expedite the ratification of 802.11n with its own draft specification. The group includes several powerhouse players in the Wi-Fi space, including Intel Corp., Cisco, Atheros Communications Inc., Broadcom Corp. and Linksys—but not Airgo.

So Cisco/Linksys is on the opposite side of the fight from Airgo, but releases a “pre-n” product based on Airgo’s technology? Makes sense to me! See also a previous post on the 802.11n standards battle.

In any case, the Linksys press release is online with more info and prices:

The WRT54GX4 and WPC54GX4 are available now through Linksys e-commerce resellers at estimated street prices of $149.99 and $99.99 respectively. The products will soon also be available from retail, direct response, and VAR partners.

as well as the spec sheets: WRT54GX4, WPC54GX4.

Tom Keating kicks the tires at the VoIP blog:

Linksys has partnered with Skype to offer a cordless DECT 1.8-1.9Ghz phone complete with a backlit color display, backlit keyboard, and other features, called the Linksys CIT200 Cordless Internet Telephony Kit. The Linksys CIT200 is tightly integrated with Skype utilizing the Skype API for not just making and receiving calls but also accessing your Skype contacts and profiles.
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A USB base station acts as the “go between” communicating with both the PC (running Skype) via USB and with the CIT200 using the DECT standard. Linksys gave me an exclusive first look at the Linksys CIT200 and I have to say the Linksys CIT200 is probably one of the coolest if not the coolest product that works in conjunction with Skype. One of the coolest features is that you can scroll through your Skype contacts using the Linksys CIT200’s color display and you can see their current Skype presence (online, offline, etc.). Then using the arrows on the phone you simply highlight the Skype contact and dial.

Much more by following the link. The Linksys site has CIT200 information here.