iPhone WIP320

iPhone CIT400

With interest in a phone from Apple running at a fever pitch, and with rumors flying that such a product release might happen soon, the iPhone was introduced today -- but not by Apple. The new VoIP-friendly iPhone line from Linksys, a division of Cisco, has no connection with Apple, although there might be some confusion among consumers associating "iPhone" with the well-known iPod and iTunes brands. Apple fans are still left waiting for the final word from Steve Jobs.

Linksys' newest iPhones include the CIT400, a cordless phone with a base station that attaches directly via Ethernet to a network and comes preloaded with VOIP software from eBay Inc.'s Skype Internet telephony service. The phone allows users to make and receive Skype calls without having to turn on and use their computers. The WIP320 also comes loaded with Skype software and is compatible with Wi-Fi so that users can make and receive calls on the phone from anywhere they can connect to a wireless access point. Users can check their Skype contact list on the phones to see if someone they want to call is available. The devices support SkypeOut and SkypeIn, the services that allow users to make and receive calls with landline phones for a fee. The WIP320 costs US$199.99 and the CIT400 retails for $179.99. Both are available in North America and are expected to become available in Europe, Asia and Latin America during the first quarter next year.