Let's see, how does Microsoft Corp., the software giant of the world, convince its customers that it's a great idea that they're changing over to Windows Live Messenger? Call it an upgrade? Yes. Say it's a better overall product? That too. Just to be sure though, they're also including a cordless dual landline-VoIP phone from Uniden America and Royal Philips Electronics.

These Uniden and Philips phones are aimed at placing Microsoft-MCI users on a par with Skype, the company that Microsoft expects to compete with. Not only has Skype been dominating the field for some time now, but with newcomers like Yahoo and Google, the competition has stepped up to the next level.

A Microsoft spokesperson said last Thursday that there is a "limited Beta in the U.S. and the U.K. Other markets will be added soon."

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Bill Gates also demonstrated new Live.com TV gadgets for managing photos, videos and other content on Media Center PCs and Microsoft IPTV set top boxes. Yet, for as much as was shown, there was still a lot left desired.

The 5.8GHz Uniden has a ditigal cordless handset that has traditional landline capability as well as VoIP capability phone, it's also the WIN 1200. The service with Microsoft offers free PC-to-PC calling through Windows Live Messenger while the MCI Web Calling feature will enable PC-to-landline outbound calls. Callers can use the device for traditional landline service. The feature utilizing MCI, a Verizon Communications unit, carries charges of a few cents a minute.