Focus on 'Net Phone Hardware at VoIP Show

Interesting developments are afoot in Voice-over-IP land. At the VON (Voice on the Net) trade show this week, many vendors are showing off new goodies.

Some highlights: 8x8, the company behind the Packet8 VoIP phone service, and Uniden join forces with a new VoIP-in-a-box phone system. The new $200 UIP1868 (below) is a handset unit with your typical dialing pad, and you can add up to 10 Uniden handsets. The device has VoIP technology built in, integrating the Packet8 service, which starts at $20 a month for unlimited calling to U.S. and Canadian numbers.



BroadVoice, another IP phone service provider, showcased its new WiFi VoIP phone?a $149 handset that you would use in conjunction with one of its plans, which start at $10 a month and up.

Belkin presented new phone adapters and routers, which you can use with any VoIP service. Its (creatively-named) Broadband Phone Adapter is available now for $40 to $50, depending on where you shop. The company is rolling out three other units?an adapter for small businesses and two VoIP routers?in the second quarter this year.

If the idea of VoIP in a caf? appeals to you, you might like the sound of Net2Phone?s VoiceLine XJ100 Wi-Fi Handset (below). This $175 doodad, which works with Net2Phone?s VoIP service (with plans starting at $9 a month), scans and connects to available access points, so you can yak over the Internet at open Wi-Fi hot spots (in between gulps of your frothy latte).



All these VoIP handsets sound great in theory. I?d like to see how well these puppies work right out of the box.

And finally, AOL is making a rather late foray into the VoIP field.

One other thing, while I?m on the subject. Is it just me, or is VoIP one of the most annoying acronyms out there?