Enjoy Quasi-Free Internet Video Calls with Skype on the GXV3140 IP Multimedia Phone

Without a doubt, Skype is one of the best-known (and most popular) VoIP services around, allowing users to communicate very easily (and most of the times, for free) even if they're very far apart, as long as they have access to an Internet connection and are registered users.

And now, a company called Grandstream Networks has launched a device that will allow users to leverage the advantages provided by Skype (as well as other VoiP services) without forcing users to stand in the vicinity of a computer, namely the GXV3140 IP multimedia phone, which uses a mega-pixel camera and the H.264 codec in order to enable good-quality video calls over the internet.

The GXV3140 offers FREE two-way or three-way video calling out-of-the-box along with real-time instant access to a variety of Web and popular social multimedia applications.

Moreover, the Skype-enabled Grandstream GXV3140 is the industry’s first desktop IP multimedia phones compatible with both Skype and SIP open standards for voice & video calling.

Equipped with a 4.3” digital color LCD, the ‘always-on’ GXV3140 has an integrated Web browser, giving users convenient, one-touch access to feeds of real-time online information services (such as news video or RSS feeds, weather, IM, stock/currency updates, etc), thousands of Internet radio stations, major Web photo sites (Yahoo Flickr, Photobucket, Phanfare), popular social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter) and Internet streaming entertainment sites like YouTube and Last.fm.

“Skype certification on the GXV3140 IP multimedia phone creates a seamless video-enabled communications experience from PC to desk phone, giving Skype users the utmost flexibility and convenience for video calling,” said David Li, CEO of Grandstream Networks.

“Grandstream's GXV3140 bridges the gap between convenient-to-use dedicated voice/video end-points and the increasingly popular world of PC-based Internet multimedia communication offerings like Skype," added Mr. Li.

The GXV3140 is available via the company's various retail channels for $229, which is actually a fairly good price point, given the features this thing enables.