Gear of the Year

Wi-Fi Phones: Calling on the Internet

Two new phones combine the benefits of voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) with the convenience of wi-fi. They allow you to make calls through the Internet (where long distance fees don’t apply) from any wireless network hot spot.

The Vonage V-Phone ($40) bears a striking resemblance to a flash-memory thumb drive. It does, in fact, include 250MB of data storage in addition to its telephone capabilities. On one end of the unit is a USB connector that plugs into any Windows-based computer. There are no buttons or dials on the V-Phone itself. Calls are made using your computer’s keyboard and display. A small jack on the V-Phone’s side accepts an included stereo earpiece microphone for conducting conversations. Your call history and contact list always remain stored on the V-Phone, so the information is retrievable any time you plug the device into a PC. While connected, you can dial any working phone number and receive calls. When it’s time to detach, you can either forward incoming calls to another number, or let them go to voicemail and retrieve messages later from a PC.

The V-Phone requires VOIP service from Vonage. Residential pricing starts at $15 per month for 500 outgoing call minutes; business plans start at $40 per month for 1,500 outgoing minutes. Incoming calls and calls between Vonage users are always free. Vonage service includes features such as voice mail, call waiting, and caller ID. You have the option of using your existing landline or cell phone number with the service, or choosing a new number with any U.S. area code you like.

If you find the V-Phone’s design a bit too untraditional, consider the Belkin Wi-Fi Phone for Skype ($190). This portable wireless handset—complete with a good old-fashioned keypad—places and receives calls through wi-fi networks using Skype, a popular international VOIP service. The biggest selling point of this solution: No service plan is required to speak for free with fellow Skype users around the world. Calling non-Skype users within the U.S. and Canada is free until the end of the year. Placing international calls to landline or cell phone numbers incurs fees (about two cents per minute for many domestic and international destinations). If you want non-Skype users to reach you, you can buy a phone number for 30 euros (about $35 to $40) a year.

As the digital camera market matures, many people are now looking to upgrade from their first purchases. No longer satisfied with the limits pocket-sized cameras impose, buyers are eyeing larger, more sophisticated and expensive digital single lens reflex (DSLR) models. These cameras operate using the same principles as a 35mm film camera, except that the image is exposed to a digital image sensor instead of film.

Canon’s impressive track record with film-based cameras extends to its digital line. Two current models—the EOS 30D ($1,500, with lens) and the Digital Rebel XT ($800, with lens)—have earned considerable acclaim for their high-quality images. Each camera uses an 8.2- megapixel image sensor and ships in a kit with an 18–55mm, f/3.5–5.6 lens. The 30D is more oriented toward semiprofessional performance. This camera’s ISO (light sensitivity) equivalent settings run from 100 to 3,200, and shutter speeds are as fast as 1/8,000 of a second. To catch quick-moving subjects, you can snap five frames per second in continuous-shooting mode. The focus, exposure, sharpness, and other parameters can be manually adjusted to your liking, or opt for auto settings that use the camera’s electronics to optimize images.