Sogatel - Skype compatible USB cordless internet phone - Windows 7, Vista, XP

This is a good product, and the wireless technology makes it well worth the upgrade from the corded version. Simple to install, all very hassle-free. It uploads your skype contacts onto the handset, and the address book will even flag up those that are on or off-line.

Audio quality is not perfect, but is considerably clearer than a conventional phone-line, so also a thumbs-up in this regard.

Verdict: a good functional product, reasonably priced for its features, and does what it says on the tin.

Installation was really simple. The software user interface simply auto-runs whenever the computer is booted and allows you to alter the volume settings for both the microphone and the speaker. Easy to use the handset, to access your Skype phonebook, call history and to give and receive calls.

Reception has sometimes been a bit of an issue. Maybe around 10% of the time it has been a little 'choppy' when using it in a different room to the receiver.

Build quality of the whole unit is pretty good and the outer shell of the handset is very rugged, however, the LCD display sometimes displays groups of pixels that it shouldn't, but it doesn't cause a problem, just cancelling the screen can return it to how it should be.

Value for money.. Having read the review of other wireless Skype compatible phones in the same price range, this one seems to have less to fault and costs less too. As with all cheap wireless technology, there are many things that could go wrong compared to a wireless handset. But if this is your budget and you would prefer a wireless one I would choose this one over the others.

ADDITIONAL (April 2010): Ever since Skype was updated I've been having problems with this phone. Every so often the phone's display will carry on showing the last call which you've made and there's no way to get rid of it (removing the battery or rebooting the computer won't suffice). This makes navigating the phone lists impossible without using the computer display. I have been having issues with my computer but I thought I would say this just as a precaution for anyone wanting to buy one! Asides from that I'm pleased with it!

For most people, this will probably be a very handy addition to their desktop clutter. It worked reasonably well from the start, not even needing an initial charge, although I had to change back the Windows (XP) audio settings before it would stop playing other sounds - music, etc - through the phone. You only need to do that once, although read the final paragraphs for a caveat.

Once installed, you'll get the ugliest icon imaginable in your systray (the little icons next to the time on your Windows screen). It's hideous, bright green and with no attempt at a 3D effect, so it looks like an icon from a 1980s freebie kids' game. Small point, but a niggle nonetheless.

It's extremely simple to operate. Even the most trembling technophobe could use one - at the very simplest, a call to a contact set up with a fast-dial number can be made by pressing the number and then the green call button; an incoming call is answer simply by pressing the green button The display is clear, the build quality solid enough, and it fits well and feels good in the hand.

The base unit connects with a USB cable - I couldn't get it to work from a hub, so you'll probably need a spare port on your computer. This provides power as well as data, so it's a pretty neat setup. There is a hands-free mode on the base unit, but the sound I got from that was terrible; on an "echo" call to Skype Test Call I could barely make out what I was saying. Not a big problem to me - after all, if I'm next to the base unit I'm next to the desktop mic and speakers, and I'd prefer to use that anyway. It will mean that headset users won't have an alternative, though.

That knocks off one star from a five-star review. There's simply no excuse these days for a hands-free unit not to give perfectly adequate sound quality.

Why the other star knocked off? Well, this will only apply to people in the same situation as me, but it's enough for me to return the product for a refund:

You simply can't use it as a supplement to your existing setup, be it mic/speakers, headset or whatever. The software is very tightly integrated between the "SkypeMate" phone software and your regular Skype window (indeed you can switch tabs on the Skype window by pressing a key on the phone ... if you want to for some strange reason of your own), which works well on most ways, but means that you cannot receive a call on your normal setup. Incoming calls will always come to the phone, no matter how it's set up. Before making an outgoing call from your computer's hardware, you need to make two changes to the setup (change audio settings, setting your sound and mic back to your soundcard), and these are overridden as soon as you use the phone to make a call or even just receive one. It's unlikely that any of the competitors will be any different here, since it's the Skype software that's at fault.

Since I'd only purchased the phone as a secondary device, intending to use it for those times when I had to be away from the computer, this renders it useless to me.

But if you bear that in mind, and are looking for a simple but effective phone to use with Skype for all calls, look no further.