Skype

I have been using Skype for a long time to make phone calls across the internet. It does a fine job calling regular landlines and cell phones. (I haven't used it for computer-to-computer calls since I've had it.) Recently, I bought a regular phone handset that plugs into one of the computer's USB ports and resembles the older Nokia cell phones:

It does a fine job, and sounds good and clear to everybody I call - just like a regular landline phone. Sounds good, albeit a little bit "tinny" on my end. Overall it works very well. With it, you can scroll down your Skype phone book or just dial in the number like you would any other phone. It's also supposed to work when you switch users and log off Windows. I haven't tried that yet. (That would allow anybody to use it without you being logged in to your programs and files.) After I saw how well it works, I subscribed to unlimited US and Canada calling for only a couple bucks a month. It's much cheaper than phone company rates.

I think I prefer this way over using a headset or headphones/earphones and a microphone. Seems more natural this way. I would guess that it's best to use a dedicated USB port for the phone, because when I swap devices in the port I use, Windows has trouble going back to the handset. It seems that other drivers don't completely release it and occasionally has to be re-booted. You can find one at Wal-Mart and other places with computer stuff. I'm satisfied with it.
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