2006-05-26 - Review: Linksys CIT200 Internet Phone
The company's Internet Telephony Kit, a.k.a. the CIT200, enables Skype customers to place and receive calls wirelessly over distances of up to 50 meters indoors, and up to 300 meters outdoors (about 160 feet and 980 feet, respectively).
Operational requirements include a PC with a 400-MHz processor running Windows XP; 128 MB of RAM; an unused USB port; and 15 MB of free hard disk space.
Look and Feel
The kit's handset, dark gray with silver accents, has the look and feel of a standard cordless phone. It displays menus, contact lists, and caller IDs on a 1.12 x .75 inch color screen. Underneath the display are the keypad and requisite navigation, call, and end buttons.
The phone measures 1.86 x 5.20 x 1.36 inches and tips the scales at 4.59 ounces, making it easy to carry but not so small that you would mistake it for a mobile phone.
Features
The handset has an integrated speakerphone if you want to go hands-free, and an audio jack for enabling standard audio headsets. The phone's rechargeable batteries are capable of delivering up to 10 hours of continuous talk time or up to 120 hours of handset operation in the standby mode.
In addition, the complete kit ships with a charging cradle and AC adapter; belt clip; software on CD-ROM; and a small USB base station.
The CIT200, which is powered by the same technology used by standard cordless phones, stores up to 120 individual telephone contacts and automatically logs the last 10 calls placed. Even better, the kit integrates the requisite technology for supporting an intercom connection between as many as four individual handsets, with each being assigned its own extension.
Performance
When it comes to identifying incoming calls, you have a choice of three distinct ring tones to assign to specific contacts. You also have the option of employing voice encryption to enhance the security of the connection. On the downside, however, there is no conference-call capability for when you are away from the PC desktop.
The CIT200 displays the online or offline "presence" status of any Skype subscriber in its caller list. To place a call, simply highlight the desired contact listing to dial the number. One-button speed-dialing is also available for up to 10 numbers.
The audio quality of calls ranges from mediocre to excellent, depending on factors such as the amount of available broadband. The quality also might vary depending on whether the call is made over a free Skype connection or a regular landline. All things considered, however, the CIT200 works as well as one can expect given the quality-of-service limitations of peer-to-peer calling over the Internet.
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