David, there's an easier way...

by the way, david pogue recently did, um, let's call it a video blog entry (if you call it a vlog, i will find you and HURT you), and talked up the VoSKY to work with Skype to forward incoming Skype phone calls to your home telephone. Well, that's not a terrible idea, there were still a few too many steps to overcome for it to be easy for Average Joe. But here's the easy way...

step 0.) have Bluetooth in your computer (and make sure it can handle Bluetooth headsets)
step 1.) download Skype for your computer
step 1a.) Install it.
step 2.) get a Bluetooth Headset
step 3.) when the call comes in, answer it FROM THE HEADSET.
step 4.) there is no step 4.

and the upshot of all of this is that, with the VoSKY, it's a one-trick pony. it works with Skype. great. but bluetooth will work with LOTS of stuff. ;-)

i still do not agree with anyone saying this will get rid of your landline. having been through katrina, i can say that not having a land line is about the stupidest thing you can do. the phone company is a public utility that MUST be up asap for emergency services. the trucks for repair for them will ALWAYS get through FIRST. the cell phone towers, however, as i found out, can be commandeered for emergency/miliary use, and all you will get is an earful of "the network is busy. please try again later" messages. so while skype will save you a lot in long distance charges, you are a FOOL if you give up your basic landline.

FOOL.

anyway, back to your regularly scheduled procrastination of work you should be doing instead of reading this blog. ;-)