Open wireless Internet hot spots will soon serve as virtual phone booths, as four manufacturers plan to introduce Wi-Fi handsets for Skype’s popular voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony service this quarter.The phones can be used at open Wi-Fi access points that do not require browser authentication, and come preloaded with Skype software, Skype said Thursday. The move is designed to give Skype users the mobility of a cell phone, but retain the ability to use the eBay-owned telephony company’s free or inexpensive calling rates, Skype said. There is no difference in fees for calls made from Wi-Fi phones than for those made from PCs.Belkin, Accton Technology’s Edge-Core, Netgear and Standard Microsystems are all introducing the handsets to support the new service. The phones will hit the market in the third quarter, Skype said, and will be sold directly from the Skype online store. Edge-Core’s phone, which features a color liquid crystal display screen, carries a suggested retail price of 199 euros (US$251), excluding value-added tax (VAT). Netgear’s phone is displayed on the Skype store, listed as “coming soon” and priced at 140 pounds (US$258), inclusive of VAT. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe -Steven Schwankert, IDG News Service (Beijing Bureau) Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content feature Mastercard preps for the post-quantum cybersecurity threat A cryptographically relevant quantum computer will put everyday online transactions at risk. Mastercard is preparing for such an eventuality — today. By Poornima Apte Sep 22, 2023 6 mins CIO 100 CIO 100 CIO 100 feature 9 famous analytics and AI disasters Insights from data and machine learning algorithms can be invaluable, but mistakes can cost you reputation, revenue, or even lives. These high-profile analytics and AI blunders illustrate what can go wrong. By Thor Olavsrud Sep 22, 2023 13 mins Technology Industry Generative AI Machine Learning feature Top 15 data management platforms available today Data management platforms (DMPs) help organizations collect and manage data from a wide array of sources — and are becoming increasingly important for customer-centric sales and marketing campaigns. By Peter Wayner Sep 22, 2023 10 mins Marketing Software Data Management opinion Four questions for a casino InfoSec director By Beth Kormanik Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Media and Entertainment Industry Events Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe