There are times when reviewing toys can make tech reviewers question their sanity.
The IPEVO Free.2 (it's not free, actually, it's about $45 U.S.) is a plain Skype handset that connects to the computer's USB port, with a complete dial pad on it, including a window for menus and such.
However, installing it was a problem, and any users might have concluded that the phone was terrible or that there's something wrong with their cognitive abilities.
The candy-bar-shaped IPEVO is not very sexy, but promising - Skype is a simple technology, after all. But it came with nothing else. The manufacturer, in its haste to get the thing into the hands of reviewers, neglected to include a manual. Or software. In fact, it came in a plastic bag, like you get at the grocery store. Once plugged in, Windows XP recognized it, and installed some software. Users also must have Skype installed on their computers and will require the IPEVO software.
In the absence of a manual, one must wrestle with one's computer, which, in this case, seemed to make a series of inexplicable decisions about whether it should use the phone to call people or listen to MP3 files. Once those issues were resolved, the IPEVO proved to be a marvellous phone with surprisingly excellent voice quality.
The numeric keypad, with Skype-specific hotkeys and a toggle-scroll, made finding Skype contacts simple. The phone also has a neat recording feature that allows you to tape your calls with the touch of a button. It comes with free recording software, is available in black or white and works on Macs and PCs.
