The success of Skype – the software that allows users to make cheap telephone calls over the Internet – has created a small army of add-ons and accessories aimed at the millions of people now calling all over the world.

There are dozens of phone handsets that work with Skype, but the US Robotics Cordless Skype Dual Phone is more than just a Skype phone.

Like the Philips VOIP841 and the RTX Dualphone 3088 it can actually work with both Skype and an existing landline, allowing you to make cheap calls with Skype while also being able to switch back to the landline whenever that's necessary.

The package consists of a cordless telephone handset and a separate base station unit that plugs into a spare USB port on the PC. There’s also a telephone socket on the base station so that it can be connected to the normal telephone line as well.

It's then possible to switch between Skype or the landline simply by using the menu options on the handset’s little LCD screen. It’s a nice idea, and will particularly appeal to small business users and self-employed home workers.

However, it does have one rather obvious drawback, which is that the PC and the telephone socket have to be in fairly close proximity so that both can be connected to the base station. That may not be a problem in a normal office, but anyone who wants to use the Dual Phone at home may easily find that their PC and telephone sockets are in completely different rooms.

There are similar phones – such as the aforementioned Philips and RTX models – that work by connecting to a broadband router, rather than to a USB port on the PC, and that will be a better option for many people. However, these other phones are about £50 more expensive than the US Robotics Cordless Skype Dual Phone, so the Dual Phone is still worth considering as long as it fits in with the existing setup at home.

Vista compatible: No