Jabber-Walkie Now you can ramble in more ways than one.

How would you like to push a button and make instant voicecontact with your closest business associates in the office or evenacross the state? No busy signals. No phone tag.

Walkie-talkies are becoming increasingly popular fixtures onphone handsets and wireless handhelds like Motorola'sTalkabout. The T6200 and T6300 versions of this Family RadioService communicator sell for $54.99 to $100 and includeenhancements for quality security and reception. And two-way radioson EnGenius Technologies' $349 SN-920 Cordless Phone can linkup three dozen handsets.

For long-distance chats, Nextel Networks' Motorola iDENphones can connect to 100 others across hundreds of square miles.The Nextel Direct Connect feature accounts for about 40 percent ofall conversation minutes, says CEO John Chapple. He creditsNextel's high phone usage and high customer retention rate toDirect Connect.