Yahoo! and Linksys Introduce VoIP Phone

Yahoo! Messenger and Linksys are announcing the availability of a new dual-mode cordless phone, the Linksys Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice (CIT310). The handset gives consumers the flexibility to make and take low-cost Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls using Yahoo! Messenger with Voice as well as place and receive phone calls using their traditional landline/PSTN connection.

People subscribing to Yahoo! Phone Out can use the cordless phone to make an Internet-based call to any traditional or mobile phone at low rates. With the use of a USB base station, the phone gives people the freedom to take their Yahoo! Messenger with Voice calls away from the PC and into other rooms.

Additionally, people can search for local business information directly from their phone using Yahoo! Local Search. For example, by programming the phone with a local zip code, people are able to search for a local restaurant (or any other local business) and effortlessly call the restaurant with one click. People also have access to weather forecasts through a weather search setting.

The phone also provides weather search, with 2 days of weather info on the display, based on the zip code entered in the phone.

The Linksys Dual-Band Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice includes a handset with color display, and a USB base station that plugs into a computer’s USB port and a port for a traditional landline/PSTN connection.