Voice over IP (VoIP); to most, the concept of using the existing Internet infrastructure to carry voice. In its raw sense, using custom telephony hardware to encode Voice calls and transmit them via standard TCP/IP over a network. 

 

VoIP has been integrated into many applications such as MSN over the recent years, however they have been marred somewhat by the fact that you both have to have compatible software and also need to use a cumbersome headset to talk. Whilst this may be fine for people playing games, being able to pick up a handset and just chat isn't quite as easy. 

 

The USB Phone from Eksitdata aims to bring standard telephony practice to your PC by appearing and acting more like a phone. You hold it like a phone, use it like a phone and the keypad will act much like a phone. At least that's the idea. 

 

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2003/08/20/eksitdata_usb_phone/1

 

http://www.vocaltec.com/