| For years we saw them in cartoons and in science | | | | The Cisco IP Phone 7985G NTSC IP Video Phone |
| fiction movies. For those of us old enough to | | | | seems to be one of the more expensive models. It |
| remember a world without the internet, cell phones, | | | | lists for $2,298 new. Basically it works like any other |
| and other modern technologies that young people take | | | | phone with call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, and |
| for granted these things are amazing. Video phones | | | | everything else your other phone has, but with a video |
| are another gadget that are readily available and a | | | | screen and a camera. This allows instant face to face |
| part of our lives. IP Video phones are great for | | | | communication. This model seems to be geared to |
| personal and business use. They come in all kinds of | | | | businesses. Cisco seems to be targeting executives |
| price ranges and offer many different features. Let's | | | | and managers with this phone. This phone seems to |
| take a look at IP Video Phones and find out exactly | | | | have every feature known to man. |
| what they are and what they offer. | | | | A more affordable phone is the Polycom VVX 1500 IP |
| IP Video Phones operate like any normal phone, | | | | Video Phone. This bad boy lists for around $650. This |
| except they have an LED screen that allows you to | | | | model claims to be extremely easy to use and make |
| view the person you are talking to. Before the video | | | | video calls as easy as regular phone calls. As with the |
| part was added, an IP Phone was like any other | | | | Cisco phone, this model has touch screen interface. |
| phone except instead of having a normal RJ-11 phone | | | | This seems to be a good midlevel phone. Like with all |
| connecter; it was equipped with an RJ-45 Ethernet | | | | products the user reviews are mixed. |
| connecter. IP Video Phones operate in the same | | | | Finally we get to the Grandstream GXV-3000 IP |
| manner. They simply plug into a modem and your | | | | Video Phone. This company claims to bring quality and |
| internet connection is used to communicate with the | | | | affordability to the IP Video Phone game, and at an |
| other caller. The beauty of these units is that they can | | | | asking price of $219 it is off to a good start. While it |
| be used anywhere at anytime. If there is a computer | | | | claims to be a great phone for business, this is |
| and an internet connection available, then you are | | | | probably more along the lines of a phone you can |
| talking. This can be very convenient for business | | | | check out the grandkids on. |
| people that travel a lot. Imagine if you are sitting in your | | | | As the IP video phone market expands and they |
| hotel room, and you need to get in on a video | | | | become more popular technology will obviously come |
| conference. Simply set up your computer, plug in your | | | | up with new and better phones all the time, like the cell |
| unit, and join in. If you are planning on doing this, it will be | | | | phone industry. Visiting a store and trying the phones |
| important for you to have a unit that is portable and | | | | out in person is probably a good idea. In the world of |
| can withstand the rigors of traveling. | | | | these phones it is very necessary to read the owner's |
| Hooking up an IP Video Phone is relatively simple. Using | | | | manual so that you are taking full advantage of all of |
| them can be complicated depending on the features | | | | your video phone's capabilities. Often times, people are |
| that you get with your phone. As we mentioned, they | | | | not using their unit up to its full potential. These things |
| come in all types of price ranges and with different | | | | can do amazing things. Make sure that you are getting |
| features. Let's take a look at a few and see what's | | | | the most out of your unit. Also, check often for online |
| what. | | | | updates provided by the company. |