Looks like the same software as the Belkin Skype phone

Looks like the same software as the Belkin Skype phone, which isn't a bad thing. It's sturdy and intuitive.

Let's hope the buttons on this handset are better than the Belkin model (which made typing in a WEP hex key a nightmare).

Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholder

To me, it looks a bit like an old Nokia mobile.

If it really does come in at £81 it might be worth considering, but somehow I doubt that the $-£ conversion rate will resemble anything like reality. It is an IT product, after all.

Beauty

"The first thing that strikes you about the V500DS is that it's a handsome-looking beast."

I'm sorry but the first thing that struck me was that it was fugly.

answerphone?

why the hell hasn't it got an answer phone built in?

Ouch.

"tyres"

Ouch! I'm not native but this one hurts like no other - T_i_RE(S), that's what you have on your car, you know, *tires*.

Time to hire somebody to do the - anyway mandatory - proof-reading (a.k.a. *corrector* in some older 'printed' outlets).

Tyres

@Levente Szileszky

Are you for real? You have the internet at your fingertips. Must be a joke.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyres

Strange Comparison - Netgear

I would have thought that the phone to compare this to would have been the DUALphone. I use the DUALphone and have found it excellent, I have three phones on my rig and it works just as described, including intercom feature. Can't tell the difference between landline and Skype out calls in quality terms.

DUALphone may be visually built like a tank and quite ugly but it does for me

Sound quality

"and sound quality was never less than excellent."

Did you test how YOU sounded to the other party? In my experience, DECT phones (and I presume this is DECT as far as the RF bit is concerned, as it functions as a normal phone) let the side down badly in this respect. Anyone know of DECT phones that don't?

Network encryption, log on

None of these reviews ever seems to mention whether these phones can store long random hex or ascii keys for WPA2 network logon. Maybe I missed it in the review, or do we just assume they can?

@Levente Szileszky - Hint: ".co.uk"

Re: Network encryption...

Maybe I'm being a bit dim but this unit connects via a LAN not WLAN connection so why would you need to enter a WEP/WPA key on the handset? Isn't the radio bit DECT not Wi-Fi.

And just because I hate being 'taught' how to speak/write my own language @Levente Szileszky - Learn English (hint - what is spoken in England). It may also suprise you that the shortened form or mathematics is maths (no lisping at the back)