All that you need to place calls using Skype is the following:

1. A working Internet connection
2. The Skype software
3. A headset or handset
4. (As an alternative to the preceding item): A PC-compatible speaker and microphone rig

Is That A Telephone? No, It's A Skypephone

Hopefully the difference between a headset and a handset is pretty clear. As its name suggests, a headset sits on one's head, whereas a handset is something people typically hold in their hands to use - such as a conventional telephone. Those who take the headset or speaker/micropohone rig route, soon come to appreciate Skype's built-in support for using the keyboard and mouse while placing calls.

Predictably enough, headsets have no buttons or keys.

When it comes to handling or placing calls, a handset like the IP-700m USB World Phone is more familiar and comfortable to use. With this kind of device in hand, dialing a number works just like any other phone call, using its integrated keypad.

The IP-700m handset differs from a conventional telephone only in its use of a USB connection (not shown in this picture).

There are other differences that arise from the type of equipment used in IP telephony. Whereas PC speaker/microphone or most handset rigs typically require access to audio inputs and outputs, a handset like the IP-700m requires only a free USB port to plug into.

With a net weight of just over 3 oz (90 g) this device presents no problem to travelers who might want to take it along. Its four- to six-foot long (120-180 cm) spiral cable provides plenty of freedom of movement for its users, though most people tend to prefer cordless phones. That's probably why IPFones promises cordless models for its next generation of products, which will communicate wirelessly with a base station that plugs into a USB port on a PC or notebook.

Before we describe the functions of the IP-700m USB World Phone in more detail, we want to show you just how easy this device is to install Compare Prices on IP-700 M Phone.