The Xing Conference Phone measures 287mm x 287mm x 53mm and has a design that makes it stand out from the rest of the conference phone crowd. It comes in the shape of an 'X', where a black plastic mesh adorns the top while the rest of its body is coated in white. The Xing Conference Phone offers high voice fidelity output an an interesting 4-way surround microphone system with built in echo-canceling feature that turns virtual meetings into genuine business discussions. Its weight of slightly over half a kilogram at 580g makes it suitable to be hung on walls instead of being placed on the desk.
Setting up the Xing Conference Phone is extremely easy. All you have to do is connect it to any available USB port (it is compatible with both USB 1.1 and USB 2.0), insert the driver CD, and follow the on screen instructions. If you do not already have Skype installed on your PC, you can install it via the CD. Once the drivers are installed, you can begin holding conversations with your friends, family, and business associates via Skype immediately.
To make a Skype call, just press the dedicated Skype button on top of the Xing Conference Phone. The Skype program will automatically launch on your desktop, and you can select whom you want to make the call to from there. Click on the selected contact and press the “Call” button on the Xing Conference Phone. In the similar vein, whenever you want to terminate a call, just press the “Hang Up” button on the Xing Conference Phone. In addition, you can turn the microphone off at the touch of a single button in case your group has something important to discuss in private during a conference call. The analog rotary dial adjusts the volume level accordingly, from levels of 1 to 10.
The Xing Conference Phone boasts great sound quality – I could carry on conversations while standing up to a couple of meters away without missing a beat. There was no echo feedback whatsoever during my conversations. I even tested the Xing Conference Phone up to the manufacturer's claim of a 5 meter range and found that my conversation partner on the other end of the line could still hear what I spoke clearly.
Holding a conference call was easy and no hassle at all, as this full duplex speakerphone performed its duties without running into any glitches. I could hear all the conversations coming through loud and clear. In case you want to keep your conversations private in the presence of other people, you can always plug in the headset at the side and continue talking.
You can also use the Xing Conference Phone in conjunction with software other than Skype. I have tested it with both Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger, and the audio conversations performed brilliantly as well. Although the Xing Conference Phone was designed specifically for use with Skype, it is also a formidable solution for those who carry conversations with their business associates and friends via other Instant Messaging programs with voice feature.
Alternatively, the Xing Conference Phone also doubles up as a speaker, but I doubt you will be using this as your primary speaker unit as there is no stereo sound to begin with, much less a sub-woofer of any sort.
Overall, the Xing Conference Phone is a good candidate for offices that are looking for a Skype conference solution. This device is extremely easy to set up, offers great sound quality and range, and ultimately looks good whether placed on the desk or hung on a wall. What's more, calls made via Skype is extremely cheap when compared to traditional telephony services, and in some cases free. It is currently competitively priced at $129.99.
Review done by Reaper from
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