Skypegear recently looked at a pair of corded USB phones from USRobotics. Now I've had the chance to try out USR's cordless offering, the USRobotics Cordless Skype Dual Phone. After a week of playing around with it I can tell you it's a solid, no-frills way to combine Skype and landline calling in a single phone. Read on for my review.

First Impressions

The Dual Phone is larger than many of the other phones we've seen around Skypegear Manor recently. It's ergonomic and comfortable in your hand, and the buttons are large and well-spaced out--it's not like some cell phones where the buttons are on top of each other and you constantly mistype numbers. The buttons also light up, which can be useful in the dark.

The screen is monochrome and very simple--no graphics--but the lack of color and graphics does not signal a lack of functionality or usability. The screen is easy to read and has a good yellow backlight.

The build quality of the phone is very solid--I feel like I could throw it down several flights of stairs and it would be totally fine. It's not flimsy at all.

The base unit is sleek and gray and won't take up a ton of space near your computer. It has indicator lights for when you're on a Skype call or a landline call, and also a page button to find the handset if you've lost it.

Functionality

Like the recently reviewed CIT300, the USRobotics Cordless Dual Phone is a Skype-certified 'Cordless Handset,' meaning it adds the Skype functionality of your computer to your phone. Its base unit connects via USB and your computer has to be on and running Skype for Skype to work in the handset (the landline will still work when the computer is off).

Setup was easy. I downloaded the latest driver from USRobotics, installed it, plugged my landline into the base unit and the base unit into the computer’s USB port, and shortly thereafter everything was recognized and connected.

Skype integration is good. You can make Skype calls by inputting a number and pressing the Skype button or selecting one of your Skype contacts on screen. You can change your user status, check your voicemail, and check how much SkypeOut credit you have all from within the handset. Text chats go to your computer--you can't see them or respond to them in the phone. The phone only displays two lines of text at a time, so you can only see two contacts at a time when you're scrolling through. But this isn't a problem--in your contacts list you can press the number keys to jump to later letters.

For landline calling the Dual Phone has a separate phonebook, and you can add numbers from the list of numbers you've called or received. The phone comes with ten midi-style ringtones--the default ring is Pachelbel's Canon, which was unexpected but kind of nice.

Sound quality was very good for both Skype calls and landline calls—I didn’t experience any drop-outs or echos.

Conclusion

The USRobotics Cordless Skype Dual Phone is perhaps the least expensive way to combine Skype and your landline in a single phone. It's one compromise is its lack of graphics and a color screen, but it's still easy to set up and use, and it’s built like a little tank. The dual phone is definitely a solid choice. You can get at the US Skype Store for $119.95, in the United Kingdom for £59.95, and for 89,95 € in the rest of Europe.