Gearfuse

Want to get rich on Wall Street? eBay just announced that it’s taking Skype public next year. Read the full details by clicking the link.

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iPhone? We don’t need no stinkin’ iPhone! eBay has announced that its ultra-popular VoIP software, Skype, will be available for download sometime on Tuesday. The application will change the way people use their iPhones and could even put a dent in sales of the Apple device as more people choose the unrestricted iPod Touch over the iPhone. All your standard features are available, save for video chat. Blackberries will also be getting a Skype application on Tuesday, paving the way for telecom companies to freak the fuck out.

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Although this isn’t the only phone that gives us wood, it does make us pop a hard one. After all, when it comes to using Skype or any other VOIP service, it’s tough to look cool talking into your monitor. But, with the Hulger Pappa*Phone, you can’t not look cool. It’d be impossible. In fact, you could call anyone on this phone and still come off as cool in front of anyone whose watching you shout into a wooden phone regarding Star Trek facts.

The phone is handcrafted from a single piece of American Walnut with polished brass in between that certainly would go well with that wooden scale you have.  For $300, it’s yours, but that price doesn’t include your up and coming Skype phone bill.

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What’s the point of calling your Mommy if you live in the same house? There are two reasons, actually.

1. Laziness
2. It’s free and it’s Skype

On May 13th, which is Mother’s Day if you don’t remember (you ungrateful prick), Skype is offering free phone calls to Moms around the globe. Will yours be one of them? — Andrew Dobrow

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Uh oh, we all know how Microsoft loves to be in control of everything. And in VoIP and Internet telephony, Microsoft has lagged behind the likes of Skype. When it was rumored that Microsoft was working on a VoIP phone, it wasn’t a surprise, and seemed rather uneventful. Now that details are starting to appear of the Microsoft Roundtable phone, we can see that they are not playing around.

The Ringcam was originally showcased last year as a slightly ugly prototype, but things are looking sleeker these days for the newly-titled Roundtable. The Roundtable features a 360 degree camera capable of video conferencing in a panorama type view. The Roundtable would probably sync seamlessly with Outlook contacts for easy dialing control. Much work is still needed for sure, since this is Microsoft’s first serious journey into the VoIP zone, but it seems to be coming along nicely. The Roundtable is expected to go into public testing this week, starting as early as today. — Andrew Dobrow

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Linksys presented its VoIP phone, the iPhone CIT 400 at CeBIT 2007. You might know it as the uglier iPhone. This is the first time the Linksys iPhone has been publicly presented. It earned much more attention than it would have because of the legal uproar between Linksys and Apple over the iPhone moniker.

The Linksys iPhone is an internet telephony VoIP phone that is meant to be used with VoIP services such as Skype. There really isn’t anything to overly impressive about the CIT 400, but it is worth mentioning because of the coveted iPhone branding. Although much criticism has been wrought over the Linksys iPhone, compared to the Apple iPhone, any product seems to dim, but we are sure it’s a well made product, much like the popular Linksys routers and wireless internet cards.

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Food and recipe blogs have become an underrated force in the blogging world. The Yummy Kitchen Connect, an entry in the Microsoft / IDSA Design Competition, might win the food talk a little extra recognition. We’ve seen some really cool kitchen design in the past, but the Yummy might be the most usable of the bunch for every day life. The Kitchen Connector will join you and your kitchen to the food blogging network. Specially designed for the kitchen, the Yummy takes up very little room, fitting on the wall like a wall calender. The Yummy takes the information from your kitchen and food life, such as food you have available, diet schedule, and saved recipes and recommends food to make that you might like. Think of it as your kitchen Tivo. The Yummy can also access media such as podcasts, video blogs, music, webtv, and Skype for kitchen calling. All in a useful touchscreen interface.

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Here’s something both equally useful and creepy. Skype has released software capable or reading the amount of stress in someones voice as you talk to them. Voice stress analysis (VSA) technology has been widely used since the 70’s, but is only now being integrated into public use. The software analysis the first 10 seconds of a conversation to determine the overall stress level of someones voice, then comparing the voice to the overall level to determine whether they are being untruthful or not. This software might turn out to do more harm then good. We have a feeling that the “murder through domestic disputes” rate will increase 10 fold because of cheating spouses being caught. But then again, you’d have to have a girlfriend in the first place to get caught. — Andrew Dobrow

Don’t lie to your lover on Skype [iTWire]

There are some places where lugging your laptop around with you isn’t appropriate. Church for example. Funerals are another no no. So what are we to use when we are in these situations, but don’t want to sacrifice our wireless communication? Ding, ding, ding…you guessed right…the Mylo. This Sony gadget bring’s along some cool features, and looks pretty cool as well. Read more for details and thoughts.

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If your still busting your head over what to get that special someone for their stocking or just as a general Christmas gift, a Skype cellphone is a pretty neat idea for Skype users. The phone allows you to call any other Skype user for free when you’re within a WiFi enabled area. For a minimal cost, you can buy pre-payed minutes to use for calling land-line phones as well as other Skype users. Take wireless internet phone technology with you everywhere with this white and slim little gadget and get some nice cheap holiday phone time. Want to preview more?

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