Polycom

Have you seen how many different phones there are to make Skype calls now?! This year has seen an explosion in different new models, so I thought it was time for a quick Skypegear overview on the different phones you can use to make calls via Skype.

Cost-wise Skype phones run from around £10 right up to hundreds of pounds, so it's important when you're choosing a phone that you pick one based not just on your budget, but more importantly on your needs. I've divided them up into four categories:

• Phones that you need to have your PC on to use
• Phones that can be used without a PC
• Speakerphones
• Headsets.

Of course there are other ways to make calls such as by plugging in a phone adaptor to your regular phone, or by using the in-built mic in your webcam, but these really are 4 main ways of improving your Skype audio calls with hardware.

There's also a great interactive guide to choosing a phone in the Skype store, but read on for more info...

Continue reading "The 4 main types of Skype phone...or, a beginner's guide to buying a Skype phone" »

Life isn't easy being an international firm of architects. Gone are the days of waltzing around in black polo-necks, talking Bauhaus and minimalism and wearing thick black specs to impress the ladies. These days, clients are demanding, deadlines are always imminent, and the boundaries of creativity always ready to be pushed.

It is these kinds of pressures that, with offices across the UK and in Prague, architects  Lewis & Hickey operate under. As you can see from their website, Lewis & Hickey are far from conventional in their approach to office space and working practices, and so Skype were delighted to work with them on the first Skype for Business showcase in the UK.

Continue reading "International Architects get a full Skypeover" »

Polycom have really grasped VoiP with both hands, which perhaps explains why their two first Skype-certified products are both handsfree speakerphones! As a company which focuses on combining voice, video, data and web content whilst communicating, there is a natural synergy with Skype.

Pretty much anyone who has had the dubious pleasure of working in an office will have come into contact with Polycom's Soundstation, which graces burr walnut boardroom tables of offices the World over, and has gained a deserved reputation for quality. This expertise with high performance enterprise products can clearly be seen in both the Communicator and the Voicestation 500, both of which are Skype certified.

Continue reading "The Polycom/Skype family is growing..." »