It's great to use Skype on your computer with a headset, but once you try it with something that looks and feels like a real phone it's tough to go back. The Linksys WIP320 Wireless-G iPhone for Skype is a good example. It's a WiFi phone available at the US Skype Store that I've had the opportunity to play around with for the past couple days. Read on for my take on this iPhone.

First Impressions

It's a good looking device - I certainly wouldn't be embarrassed pulling it out at a business meeting or using it at the local coffee shop. It's not too big, fairly light, and feels good in your hand. The buttons are big and offer a decent amount of feedback when pressed. They also light up so you can use the phone easily in the dark.

Functionality

The screen is among the best I've seen on these types of devices. It's bright and clear and has a wide viewing angle. The interface has the simplicity you'd expect in a Skype-certified device, but does allow you to take advantage of most of Skype's features, including searching and adding contacts, changing your status, and SkypeIn, SkypeOut and Voicemail. The one thing it can't do is text chat. People who send you messages are informed that you're using a version of Skype that doesn't support chat, but you will get the messages next time you sign into the client on the computer.

I had no problems connecting to my wireless router (using WPA encryption) and making and receiving calls. It takes some tapping to enter your wireless password the first time, but afterwards the phone connects to your network automatically. The WIP320 has 3 different familiar Skype ringtones and it can also beep or vibrate. Sound quality was very good for both Skype-to-Skype calls and SkypeOut calls, and I never experienced any dropoffs or echoing. Battery life was as expected - I could go 2-3 days between charges.

The WIP320 also has the ability to update its software automatically, rather than having to connect it to a computer to install new firmware. This is particularly useful because with the recent release of Skype 3.2 Beta, Skype introduced Multi-Device Presence. This means that when you're signed in to Skype on multiple devices, your most recent status is synched across the devices--hopefully Linksys will add this feature soon.

Conclusion

The Linksys WIP320 iPhone is another great way to get your Skype on. It should be noted that because it doesn't have a web browser, it can't connect to some free or pay WiFi hotspots that require web-based authentication. But for all other access points, open or password protected, around the house or at the office, the Linksys WIP320 Wireless-G iPhone is a great way to use Skype untethered to a computer. You can get it now at the US Skype store for $194.99.