There's something tremendously appealing about making phone calls for free, and that's made easier when you can quickly link up to your home's Wi-Fi network and make calls over the Internet without even needing a PC. That's what you get with Panasonic's KX-WP1050 Skype Wi-Fi handset, and along for the ride comes slim and attractive styling that looks like a designer cell phone rather than an old-fashioned handset you'd use around the house.

There are a few caveats going along with Skype phone use, though. It's only free if you're talking with other Skype users; if you want to call out to the conventional phone network, you'll have to buy SkypeOut services, but then that's only going to cost you $29.95 per year. Another problem is that sometimes Wi-Fi connectivity can be a bit spotty, as we noticed in our review of a Belkin Wi-Fi Skype phone late last year.

Even so, we're everyday Skype users, and the quality seems to get better every day. This $399 phone from Panasonic, a svelte .62" thick and weighing a mere four ounces, could be a reliable assistant in your Skype adventures, giving you 55 hours of standby and 4.5 hours of talk time. Even though it's steeply priced, if you already have a home network, it could pay for itself in less than a year. — Charlie White

eHomeUpgrade, via SlashGear