Modems used to be essential but essentially boring items that simply modulated a digital bit-stream into a series of audible analog tones, and at the other end demodulated the tones back into a digital bit-stream – but no longer. Launching its all- singing-all-dancing modems, Skokie, Illinois-based US Robotics Inc has announced new Sportster products claimed to bring full- duplex speakerphone and professional office message center capabilities to the small office. The Sportster Voice product line includes internal and external V.34 facsimile modems for computers running Windows and an external V.34 facsimile modem for Macintosh computers. All three models include the 33.6 Kbps V.34 speed enhancement, which increases V.34’s top speed from 28.8Kbps and boosts throughput at lower speeds, while all models also integrate the capabilities of a high-speed modem, facsimile machine, full-duplex speakerphone and digital answering machine. The Sportster Voice products promise full facsimile and data capabilities in addition to personal voice mail with multiple mailboxes, remote voice message and facsimile retrieval capabilities, facsimile on demand (not available on the Macintosh), caller identification and a full-duplex speakerphone that enables users to talk and listen to the person on the other end without interrupting the normal flow of conversation. All products include an Internet Connection Kit that contains an Internet guidebook. The personal computer versions of Sportster Voice are Plug and Play and require Windows to support the voice capabilities. The Sportster Voice internal personal computer model and the external model for the Mac are shipping now, while the personal computer external model for the personal computer will begin shipping later this month. List price for the internal model is $240, while the external model for the personal computer, and for the Mac, is $280.
