Speaker Phones

Speaker phones have recently been upstaged by their sexy counterpart: the cordless headset. But there's still a use for speaker phones, as any religious user will tell you. Headsets may be great, but they still involved strapping something over your ear or the top of your head. Speaker phones allow you to talk without touching anything at all.

Types of Speaker Phones

The most common type of speaker phone is built into a normal telephone. Usually it involves nothing more than a speaker and an almost invisible microphone. These phones are great for use in the office or at home, especially when the room provides you with enough privacy to conduct a conversation without having to worry about someone overhearing or interrupting.

Many people might not be aware of this distinction, but speaker phones come in two different varieties. The first is called "half duplex," and it refers to phones where only one person can be speaking at any one time. Half duplex technology is usually present in less expensive or older telephones and cell phones.

Full duplex phones, on the other hand, allow both parties to talk at the same time--much like a traditional telephone headset. This is great because it allows you to have a free, natural conversation even while you're roaming around a room. Full duplex phones are also much better for situations when there is more than one person on either side of the line.