Skype with a Mac

January 3, 2006 8:56 AM

Skype with a Mac.. I'm thinking of starting to use Skype, but there's one thing holding me back. What wireless USB phones are compatible with the Mac, and where can I get them in the UK? I know Ipevo now provide drivers for the Free-1 phone, but wireless is important to me - without it my wife will never use it.
posted by salmacis to Computers & Internet (12 answers total)

Which mac are you using? powebooks have built-in mic's. You'll get echo if you dont use headphones tho.
posted by joshgray at 9:20 AM on January 3, 2006

Response by poster: Using a Mac Mini, and I don't want a mic, I want a wireless phone.
posted by salmacis at 9:44 AM on January 3, 2006

Walter Mossberg did an article on this for the WSJ last month. I went back and checked the archives, the only cordless phone he mentioned by name was the Linksys CIT200. He was testing Skype on PCs and not Macs, however, so I don't know if is compatible.
posted by echo0720 at 10:13 AM on January 3, 2006

TUAW had a brief article about a Mac compatible Skype phone.
posted by mrbarrett.com at 10:19 AM on January 3, 2006

Isn't there some kind of router that does Skype by now, like the boxes used by other VOIP services? I'd just get one of those if they exist.
posted by kindall at 10:37 AM on January 3, 2006

Ipevo just announced a new cordless handset. Since their corded handset supports OS X, I assume the cordless one will as well.
posted by revgeorge at 2:06 PM on January 3, 2006

From here:

The Linksys CIT200 currently only works with Windows (sorry Mac and Linux fans). I asked Linksys if a Mac or Linux version was in the works and they said that they don’t have plans at this time to support either.

posted by blag at 2:27 PM on January 3, 2006

Just saw this on Engadget: Panasonic Cordless Landline Phone with Skype.
posted by kindall at 10:44 PM on January 3, 2006

I just went back to look for myself and found this:

Enjoy the benefits of making and receiving Skype calls worldwide as well as landline calls from your everyday phone. Simply plug your home phone and Skype enabled PC into the Internet Phone Wizard to combine the power of Skype and the freedom of your everyday telephone.

Which answers kindall's question above. Looks like your best option - £40.
posted by blag at 8:36 AM on January 4, 2006

That box is not, unfortunately, Mac-compatible, which is a requirement here.
posted by kindall at 8:57 AM on January 4, 2006

Aaah. Good point. Sorry.
posted by blag at 9:18 AM on January 4, 2006

Response by poster: Oh well. I went for the Ipevo Free-1 for the moment, and I'll upgrade when the cordless phones become available. That'll probably be not for at least a couple of months.
posted by salmacis at 6:31 AM on January 5, 2006