Telephone Reviews

I originally bought a Sony cordless phone, but had all sorts of problems with it. The battery wouldn't hold a charge; the sound would cut in and out; static would drown out any sound for five seconds, even if I was standing right next to the base! On recommendation of a friend, I bought this Panasonic, and love it. Maybe its not 900 megahertz digital whatever, but the quality is there. This quality is evident when you use the phone, and it easily outperforms a lot of the newer "high-tech" phones that friends of mine have in both sound and range. I have never had any complaints or problems with this phone.

My experience with cordless phones has been bad. I am usually bothered by the reception, but this phone is almost as clear as my corded phone. I am also very satisfied by the answering machine. I especially like being able to operate the message review through the handset of the cordless phone. Just make sure to read the instructions regarding battery charging carefully. I was amazed to learn that one should NOT store the phone in the charger. Instead the handset charge should be allowed to expire before placing it back onto the charger base. I really appreciated getting such clear instructions from the manual. Another good reason to buy this phone.

I've got a collection of duds... 3 answering machines, 2 speakerphones, 2 cordless phones. I've never been happy with them. The answering machines would start eating tape or were not 100% reliable, the speakerphones would cut in and out, the cordless phones were the worst. Short battery lives and no range.

For some strange reason, I decided to toss them all away and try again. Finally, I've found a phone that I love - and so does my father since I got him one. Sound is crisp, clear, and loud in all modes - Speakerphone, Cordless, Answering. Functions are easy to use. The battery lasts forever, and I can easily take this phone around the block and still get my calls. Finally, I haven't missed a call yet. The digital answering machine works great!

My father has bad hearing, so most phones are no good for him. He says this is the best phone he's ever used.

No question about it, Polycom make the best speakerphones. This particular model is a compromise; its better than many phones but far from the best that Polycom can do. Here's the scoop.

This model uses three microphones (one in each corner of the triangle), all of which remain active the entire time. Depending on your room acoustics and where you sit/stand, you may sound like you are talking from inside of a deep well (kind of a hollow echo). Better Polycom models (like the Soundstation Premier) avoid this by only leaving one microphone active at a time, and with higher quality components and circuits. For example, noice canceling circuit to to remove background noise, a feature lacking in this model.

That said, you may still be happy with this model, as it costs a whole lot less than the Premier version and is way better than the built-in speakerphones included in many desktop handset units. To decide you need to consider how important the quality of your conference calls is, and what kinds of acoustics the room that you'll be using has. If you need the best, go with the Premier, otherwise this is a solid model.

After getting frustrated with typical multipurpose phones (handset, speakerphone, answering machine, caller ID, potato peeler, and inflatable raft all in one) I went looking for an excellent speakerphone. This gets my highest recommendation. The sound is clear, the ability to carry on a two-way conversation without noticable pausing or clipping is wonderful, and the system is compact and easy to use. One slight caveat: though the microphones are sensitive enough for everyday use and the speaker can be turned up loud enough to make the party at the other end of the line clearly audible, there is a certain threshold below which you cannot hear the individual at the other end of the line - in this case, a handset can be superior. (I didn't downgrade this system from five stars for this, though - all speakerphones seem to have this problem.)

I've never been inside a major company that used a speakerphone other than this one. Great full duplex sound. Expensive, but worth it.

IIt is a good phone with good sound and range. It's sister phone (looks just like it) is a speakerphone that received the highest ranking on cordless phone report.

The only trick -- it looks like it has a lighted keypad but it doesn't.

Overall -- definitely would recommend. Price is very good for a DSS phone.

I bought the next one up 937A which is exactly the same except that it includes a speaker phone ability on the handset(it works great and is crisp and clear with good volume and no need to shout to be heard either). I used to have a SBC cordless that never worked properly, this is an excellent phone in every way and even CR gives it high marks. I can take the handset across the street to a park and walk at least a 1/4 mile(probably more) in to the park with trees over head and I can still make a very clear phone call(great for walking the dog or just relaxing in the park on a sunny day, no need to bring my cell phone), and the base is in my apartment on the 12th floor. I love this phone. It is a good value too.

I've been using this telephone for over a year now. Zero problems. After using cordless telephones since the dark ages (you all know how awfull they were in the beginning) I have finally found a cordless unit that absolutely lives up to the best corded phone. I regularly take this phone out to my garage (150 yards from the base unit, with obstructions) and still have perfect reception. People that I speak with have no idea that I'm talking to them on a cordless!

We bought 2 Beamers to use with my elderly in-laws. They were able to work it, the image is okay, and they enjoy seeing our kids. We also have webcams for our computer enabled family, and they work much better and there is no phone charges, but this would not work with my in-laws. The videophone is obviously a little choppy, but if you make sure to have a well lit room it shows a nice picture. My 2 year old son goes up to it and says "Pop-Pop, Pop-Pop" when he wants to see his grandfather. Even though they live 3000 miles away, it feels like you are much closer

Appearance: Lovely, unobstrusive, minimalist design with lightly tinted bluish beveled glass surrounding the palm-sized LCD and camera aperture. The rest of the unit is that type of matte finish hard plastic used in laptops. It resembles a picture frame or a small LCD monitor (which it is, in part). Three simple controls on the side of the unit, and three ports in the rear -- two for phone jacks and one for the power supply. With this unit, you supply your own phone, which may be more convenient in some cases and saves on space.
Function: You call into the other location and ask them to activate their video station, and the unit on your side activates automatically. There is a 20 second delay for the video to rev up, then both sides can see each other. The unit tilts about 30 degrees on the base.
Quality: Not bad, meaning, it's fair, but comparable to the standard line speed of 33K. The screen is big enough and bright enough for my parents to be able to view with their not so good eyesight. The unit doesn't respond well to movement like all videophones, but if the image shown is relatively constant, voice and video transmission is good and synchronized. The unit has a simple switch to decrease the resolution which prevents rebuffering delay. The unit also has a picture in picture feature so you can see what you look like. Activating this feature does not seem to slow transmission.
Ease of Use: So easy, my parents could hook it up with phone tech support. (Me.) Very easy to activate and non-threatening interface. Hook up time is about 2 minutes; installation instructions are good. Connection time for calls is really no more than 25 seconds. The unit provides good, clear responses to inform about delays in transmission or problems with connection.
Problems: The unit generates some slight heat when plugged into the adapter. I pull the power adapter out of the unit to rid this problem. It doesn't work with all phone lines, like PBX. It works with my run of the mill ten year old phone.
Overall: This is a solid, well-designed and engineered unit. It's been made to be usable, unlike some amalgams of technology I've seen. I remember the videophones of five years ago with prices in the fifteen-hundred dollar range with quality that wasn't half as good as what this unit. This unit is affordable enough to buy a few of them to distribute to the family. This unit is good for grandkids to see grandparents and closes the physical distance in an amazing way, because its like looking at grandma through a really small window in the house. It gives everyone the feeling of a noticeable tech advance. It's about half the price of the most competitive unit. I had serious doubts about this technology actually working, having not seen this unit prior to buying it, but based on the acceptable performance of this unit, the time for this technology has come.
Vendor: I ordered it from Amazon and J&R on Tuesday at 11 PM and the people I sent them to got them on Thursday afternoon via UPS Ground, as did I. Nice work, Amazon, J&R and UPS.

Easy to hook up. Very stylish. See family without having to fly. Thanks Vialta!

This phone is ok for a cheapy cordless phone. However, I always hear a weird echo in mine. Stays charged forever, and is very light. All in all, though, wish I had shelled out a little more and got a lot more phone.

This is a wonderful phone. The sound is very clear. People on the other end have stopped telling me that I sould like I'm talking into a tin can. The directions are very straightforward and easy to understand with lots of illustrations and step-by-step procedures. Most procedures are no more than 3 steps - that's how simple this phone is. I absolutly love this phone.

I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL CORDLESS PHONES AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A PHONE THAT IS MORE CLEAR. THERE ARE NO SNAP, CRACKLE, POPS OR HUMMING. I LIKED MY FIRST ONE SO MUCH I JUST PURCHASE ANOTHER A FEW DAYS AGO. THE PRICE IS RIGHT AND THE QUALITY IS THERE.

A nice little phone that meets all my needs. Clarity is much better than previous cordless.

A very nice little phone. Only problem is that we can't get the Caller ID to work. We have tried everything.

The Toshiba FT8809 cordless phone is an excellent phone to buy when you are looking for a cordless phone with Caller ID. I also have another cordless phone, but it does not have Caller ID and is still working pretty good. I just wanted to have caller ID in the palm of my hand. With my old cordless phone I would always end up leaving the phone somewhere where I could not find it, so the feature on the Toshiba Cordless phone that enables you to locate/page your phone when you don't know where it is is a good feature to have. For you people who always seem to misplace things get this phone you won't ever have to worry about losing it in your home. And programming and/or saving numbers in this phone is very easy to do and not at all that complicated. Personally I did not have to look at the instructions. It is pretty much easier to program than a digital cell phone, although it works like a digital cell phone. The only thing I wish it had is a little red light that blinks repeatedly after new callers have called and you did not answer the phone or were not at home. You have to press the CID button (Caller ID) in order to see who called lately, it will say NEW CALLS:1 or so. But overall it is an excellent buy.

Bye Bye telemarketers. The only way to get through to me now is if I'm talking to friend and I get a beep and I click over to the new caller. When This happens it could be anyone calling. Otherwise only the people I want to hear from get through. I did use a second answering machine so friends could leave messages when I"m gone.

I got this to stop telemarketing calls and am happy to say that it does so quite effectively. It's really a home pbx that sends incoming calls to your answering machine before they ring your phone. If you have given the caller a two digit code number he can enter it and the Trivox will then automatically switch the call to your phone and only then will it ring, otherwise the caller can leave a message and you will not be disturbed. There is the one thing I dislike about it, if you do not answer it will not send the call back to the answering machine, I think I'll have to put in another one. But it stops computer and hand dialed telemarketers, wrong numbers, fax machines, and cranks. It can also be used with other Trivoxs to form a home phone network for other lines, faxes, computers, etc, it's more versatile than what I have it for. Installation takes 3 minutes, and it can be switched off.
I don't think it will work if you use the phone company's answering service.
I no longer need Caller ID (...) or Privacy Plus (...) so it will quickly pay for itself.
Another plus is that no one can tell that it is there, and I'd advise you to tell as few as possible about it.

I have been using Avinta's Trivox for about 2+ years and love it. I have 7 units throughout my 2 story house (plus a basement). I no longer have to scream for my kids to get the phone and I don't interrupt anyone when I open the phone and someone is using the line. Let me explain... you put a Trivox any place you want to transfer calls to and from and connect a regular phone or wireless phone (any brand) to it. You assign each box a number ( I used #11 for the basement, 21 kitchen... 31, 32, 33 for each bedroom, etc). When a call is received I can transfer the call to any other box, or have the call ring in all of them (#99). I can even use them as intercomms (no outside call is required to ring any extension). If the line is busy - the interrupting party hears three tones - the other people on the line will hear only one tone - thus knowing they will be interrupted if required (I normally hang up and don't interrupt once I hear the three tones)
Avinta has other uses but the best one is the one that avoids any phone calls to ring next to my bed. If I'm sleeping I don't want any telemarketing nor any calls to ring next to my bed. Only someone inside my house can ring my extension!!!

It's the greatest phone product since slice bread. I saved a ton of money versus having to buy a PBX system with their non-standard expensive phones per each extension.

BTW I can have my computer answer its extension and patch my phone call via the internet for free!

You know, one day all phones will have their technology built inside!

This phone is a good combination of both the "corded" and the "cordless" worlds of phones. The corded "home station" of this phone will work even if the power is off, which is something many people overlook when buying a phone. The adjunct handset can be put anywhere there's an a/c outlet, and doesn't require a phone jack.

I have telephone company voice messaging, so the Message Waiting light is a real plus. The speakerphone has good sound quality. My only complaint is that the home station doesn't have any autodial keys for frequently called numbers. All stored numbers are in the main directory. Also, interestingly, there is no place on either station to record your own phone number.

However, my likes outweigh my dislikes on this phone, and I definitely recommend it.

The quality of this phone has turned me on to vTech again! The voice quality is great; only downside is the handset bade, which is poorly designed and rarely makes solid contact with the cordless battery. But the corded phone and speakerphone are great!

What a terrific system. The phones both work great and offer the flexablility of a cordless and the convienience of a corded phone, all in one package. The corded phone also has a speakerphone that actually sounds good and numerous other features. Well worth the money.

We bought this phone because my daughter thought it was cool looking and it was the right color. Beyond that, this phone was inexpensive and is a decent performer.

You are not paying for fancy features, or digital clarity and security. And you don't get those for free. If you desire a great phone you need to spend $60-100 more. Sound quality is acceptable, though there is a constant hiss in the background, regarless of how far from the base you are. The hiss is not a problem at the lowest volume setting, but it gets worth as the volume goes up.

For us the bottom line is that color and coolness are more important, so this one is a keeper.

Before I had this phone I had a piece of junk Budweiser phone. When I bought this I knew the true meaning of phone. I about any neon color you'd like, this V-Tech Phone is a great thing to have in any home. With a crisp, clear sound, you can pick up anything. Also this phone has a great ringing system that will ensure that you get all of your calls.

So, if you need a really good, cheap, and good looking phone, this V-Tech is for you. Buy this phone and you will experience the true meaning of phone.

HAPPY CONVERSATION!

I like this phone because it is attractive, not too expensive and has a headset jack.

We bought this phone because my daughter thought it was cool looking and it was the right color. Beyond that, this phone was inexpensive and is a decent performer.

You are not paying for fancy features, or digital clarity and security. And you don't get those for free. If you desire a great phone then you need to spend more. Sound quality is acceptable, though there is a constant hiss in the background, regardless of how far from the base you are. The hiss is not a problem at the lowest volume setting, but it gets worth as the volume goes up.

For us the bottom line is that color and coolness are more important, so this one is a keeper.

This phone has worked perfect for a year now. I prefer it over my more exspensive phone.

I love this phone. Perfect for my little hand and just the right size for my Husbands. The clarity is excellent, far better than the phones I have bought in the past. I can walk down to my neighbors house without any static. Ooooohhhhhh and purple makes it so much fun, for that child in all of us.