Skype Debuts New Product Categories At CES

By Greg Scoblete On Jan 22 2007 - 8:00am

Catering to its base of business users, Skype announced a new product category of desktop Internet phones at a press conference during International CES, held here earlier this month.

Both IPEVO and Topcom will offer models in March for a suggested $160. The IPEVO Solo.1 and the Webt@lker from Topcom offer built-in Skype software and can connect to broadband modems for Skype calling with the PC off.

Skype has been adding registered users at a pace of 250,000 a day during the third quarter of 2006, according to Don Albert, VP and GM, Skype North America. The company boasts 10 million U.S. users and 136 million global users, 30 percent of which use the service for business, he added.

Nokia also jumped into the Skype ecosystem with the introduction of its N800 Internet tablet. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled device can make Skype calls over wireless networks. N800 owners can download Skype for the device in the second quarter of this year.