[slugslugslug]

I'm about to move, and I don't really want to bother hooking up a landline phone again. But my wife's parents live in the Caribbean, so it'd be really expensive to talk to them via cellphone.

Since they finally got broadband recently, this seems like a good time to try to use Skype with them. I'm just trying to figure out what to use on our end for maximum convenience.

I know there are Skype phones out there that can join your home Wi-fi network and don't need a computer. Does anyone have experience with any of these? Should we just use a Bluetooth headset with a Mac and the Skype software? Any thoughts are welcome.

[Cold Warrior]

I use a bluetooth headset with skype and it works great. Like you, my wife's parents are also in a far-off place and have recently started using broadband (about 1.5 Mb). Plenty of bandwidth for Skype video and audio chats. However, I'm going to get them a Phillips DECT model that will connect to their landline and their router for Skype. Here's why: first, at their age, sometimes they prefer a regular telephone. Second, I'm going to sign up for the SkypeIn service, whichi will give them a US telephone number. This will be useful for all the times we need to call from our phones.

[ginoledesma]

There's MagicJack – it's not Skype, but very Skype-like and uses a regular phone as a handset. It works with both Windows and Macs running on Intel. It costs $40 for the initial hardware with free service for one year, and $20/year thereafter (you get a US number to receive calls, free US/Canada calling, and you can purchase International calling minutes). There's a 30-day trial period (if you ship/bill to the US). I recommend it if you have that much time to play with it.

I'm currently putting it through its paces. Call quality is pretty much the same as my Skype and Vonage services.

If you're going the Skype route, some of the network Skype phones (can't remember the brand/model) I've tried have really awful speaker quality, making it sound like you're hearing through a tin can. They're the ones usually on sale in Best Buy. I suppose you get what you pay for.

[The Godfather]

If you are going to get a Wifi Skype phone, stay away from the Linksys brand. A friend of mine swears that the voice quality is horrible.
Get 2 unlocked Linksys PAP2 from ebay and enroll them in FWD.com. Call between these two devices for free for ever.

[vmarks]

If you're wedded to the skype idea, you can go with dedicated wifi skype phones, or you can use a wireless handset like miglia dialog+ (relies on a mac or pc that is signed into skype.)

[slugslugslug]

Well, I do like the Skype idea, largely because the in-laws already have a Skype account. So I wouldn't have to talk them through setting up some other service or send them new hardware or whatever. I think I like the idea of a Wi-fi Skype phone, but if it's outrageously expensive compared to a USB one plugged into a Mac, I could try the latter option. So I guess specific recommendations for either are still welcome (I'll go read about the Miglia one now, thanks).

[Atheist]

I've got a Philips Skype phone. I highly recommend it. I also use a bluetooth headset and Skype on my computer. For whatever reason, the Philips phone always sounds better than using Skype on the computer.