June 24 - 8:35am EDT   Logitech this morning made one of its rare webcam offerings for Macs with the advent of the QuickCam Vision Pro. A close cousin of the QuickCam Pro 9000, the USB camera is targeted at Mac mini and Mac Pro owners whose computers don't already have built-in iSight cameras but who want a better-than-average replacement for iChat, Skype, or other video apps. The Vision Pro not only has true glass optics from Carl Zeiss, rather than plastic, but also has a voice coil motor for autofocusing which is much faster and more fine-grained than the stepper motors on most webcams. [full story]

June 10 - 4:00am EDT   HP's performance label Voodoo PC today launched a complete overhaul of tis designs with systems that directly challenge the design aesthetics of the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro. The Envy 133 notebook joins both the Air and the ThinkPad X300 in the newer class of ultra-thin but still fast portables: the use of an LED-backlit screen and a carbon fiber chassis help the Envy measure 0.7 inches thick at every point while weighing under 3.4 pounds. A new generation of Intel's notebook platform helps reach these dimensions while still supplying speed, the company says. Voodoo's design is also the third after those from Apple and ASUS to sport a multi-touch trackpad with ... [full story]

May 8 - 7:50pm EDT   Resellers in the US today began stocking the PSP Headset Kit for Skype, the earpiece and remote combo designed to take advantage of the VoIP service on the handheld console. Sony's American release follows just days after the Japanese launch and mirrors its functionality, with both street-style earphones, an adjustable boom mic, and a remote control for managing volume without reaching for the PSP itself. [full story]

May 5 - 4:35pm EDT   Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ) announced a PSP Headset with Remote Control on Friday. The kit is meant to be used with the PSP's Skype functionality, which was enabled late in January with firmware update 3.90. To use the devices to make VoIP calles using Skype on the PSP, the gaming system's firmware must be upgraded to version 3.93, according to SCEJ. [full story]

April 21 - 3:45pm EDT   Skype on Monday announced it will offer unlimited international calling to land lines in 34 countries for $10 a month under its Unlimited World plan. In a few countries, including US, Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore, the VoIP company's newest plan includes calling to cell phones as well. With the plan, subscribers will also be able to use their cell phones or traditional land lines to call a local number, which then forwards their call to one of the 34 countries and does not incur long distance charges. [full story]

February 14 - 4:55pm EST   Skype Technologies recently unveiled Skype for Mac 2.7.0.257, bringing with it 38 bug fixes, and much tighter compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Among the Leopard-specific fixes, Skype would sometimes crash when ending video calls, or when moving the "Send Video" windows. In addition, chat window emoticons would sometimes be shown in the wrong "Space" in Leopard; this has been resolved. Skype 2.7.0.257 is available for download from Skype's website. [full story]

February 13 - 9:45pm EST   Ecamm Networks today unveiled Call Recorder for Skype 2.3, an update to its call recording software, which has added support for the newly released Skype 2.7. In addition to compatibility, the update also adds a two-track video recording function, enhanced video recording quality, and several bug fixes. New users can purchase Call Recorder for Skype 2.3 for $15, while Ecamm also has a time-limited demo version available for download. [full story]

February 4 - 4:15am EST   Developer Brandon Holland recently unveiled a downloadable beta version of his Apple TV Skype plugin that uses a standard USB VoIP handset to make calls through the Apple TV. The plugin is a front-end, and requires the Skype framework to be installed prior to use. Holland offers a fairly in-depth video tour of the as-of-then working features, giving users a technical demonstration of the software's capabilities. [full story]

January 30 - 10:05am EST   As promised, Sony today issued its version 3.9 System Update for the slim PSP. The software primarily adds Skype support for the newer handheld consoles and allows users to place and take the same voice-over-Internet calls as Skype's software for computers, including free calls between Skype members and paid calls to or from real-world phone numbers. The update adds an entire Skype section that lets users browse their Skype contact lists as though they were part of the PSP's normal crossbar interface. [full story]

January 8 - 4:20pm EST   Sony has confirmed that its PSP handheld will soon support Skype, the free VoIP program. Like the desktop versions of Skype, the PSP version will allow people to make free calls to other Skype users, and paid calls to landlines and cellphones; for convenience, contact lists and account details will be viewable (and alterable) without first connecting to a PC. The PSP client will become available with a system update later this month, and will add a Skype icon under the home menu's Network category. [full story]

January 7 - 3:30pm EST   Belkin has taken wraps off a slew of new products at CES 2008, including new iPhone/iPod cases, an upgraded FM transmitter for Apple's media players, a series of other backpacks and cases, a new KVM switch and a desktop Internet phone for Skype. RockStar is a hub that connects a combination of MP3 players and headphones. Users can attach headphones and hear another user's play list. Or, additional iPods can be added another to mix songs and listen together. The RockStar will be available in March 2008 in the US, priced at $20. Also on the iPhone/iPod roster are the TuneBase FM ($90) and TuneCast Auto, FM transmitters that use ClearScan to seek out the best FM frequency ... [full story]

January 5 - 2:55pm EST   Three new models recently joined Erector’s Spykee Skype-capable robot: Spykee Cell, Spykee Vox, and Spykee Miss. Like the original Spykee, the three new robots feature a video camera, MP3 player, loudspeaker, and VoIP capabilities, while the latest versions include an iPod dock in their front. Using a computer, users can control Spykee’s movements remotely to patrol about their houses. As with the first model, users design and build their own custom robot according to their tastes or needs. Pricing for Vox, Cell, and Miss has not been released; the original Spykee goes for $370. [full story]

January 2 - 1:15pm EST   Sony's PlayStation Portable should receive the ability to make voice over IP calls through Skype in the near future, the company itself has inadvertently leaked through its own CES 2008 site. The page for the PSP suggests that the handheld's owners can soon place calls to friends and fellow gamers using the device's Wi-Fi access and a special version of Skype's Internet calling software. No feature of the kind has been announced for the PSP in North America and would require additional hardware to supply a microphone, which is likely to stem from Sony's Go!Cam voice and webcam hybrid. [full story]

December 26 - 12:55pm EST   As airlines begin resuming in-flight Internet services, some have already decided to filter what passengers can do, writes the Associated Press. American Airlines -- confirming plans -- will be joined by Alaska Airlines in soon blocking access to VoIP services such as Skype, while companies such as Virgin America are currently contemplating a ban. The problem is that VoIP not only consumes large amounts of bandwidth, but may generate tremendous noise in a cabin from numerous ongoing conversations. Wi-Fi-enabled handsets could help circumvent the bandwidth concern. [full story]

December 17 - 11:40am EST   Ribbit today released what it says should be the first service to integrate voice on the web with phones. A self-titled platform, Ribbit's technology is based entirely on an Adobe Flash interface that acts as a software telephone switch between both Internet-based and real-world phone systems: an embedded website widget talks both to real cellular and landlines but also to normally incompatible services like Skype and Windows Live. Voice communication effectively becomes transparent and easy for developers to integrate without much work of their own, the Mountain View, California-based company says. [full story]