Digital Phones Reviews

Panasonic KX TH1212B Link to Cell Expandable Bluetooth Enabled DECT 6 0 Phone System with 2 Handsets

Your cell phone is your “lifeline.” It keeps you connected at work, on the road, even at home. And now, there’s a better way to make and receive calls at home with ultimate comfort and convenience. Panasonic Link-to-Cell uses Bluetooth technology to connect your cell calls to your home handset extensions. No more running for your cell, walking around for good reception, or cradling that little phone on your shoulder. Better yet, you get to tap into your free cell minutes for talk time and you can charge your cell while using the home handsets. Now, that’s convenience! How Does It Work? Just link any Bluetooth-enabled cell phone to your Link-to-Cell base unit and you’re good to go. It’s that easy. Set up takes only seconds, and you can link up to two phones at once. Talking Caller-ID lets you know who’s calling and custom ring tones tell you which cell phone is ringing.

With Link-to-Cell, You Can: Frequency/Technology 1.9 GHz DECT 6.0 Multi-Handset Capability 2 Maximum of 6 handset capable with optional upgrades Phone Lines 1 LCD Language English and Spanish 60 Channels Link to Cell technology up to 2 cell phones Caller ID Memory 50 / Phone Book up to 50 entries Battery Life (Talk Time) 5 hours Battery Life (Standby Time) 11 days Charge Time 7 hours Selectable Night Mode Lighted Indicator with Ringer/Message Alert Illuminated handset keypad Intercom among handsets Handset Locator function Belt Clip Handset accepts optional headset LCD (Handset) 1.4 Dot 16 Digits x 3 Line White Backlit Color Ringer and Talk volume controls

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great system
I have had this product for about 4 weeks, and am very happy with it thus far. The issues discussed in earlier reviews have not been a problem for me.

Currently, I am using this with 2 cell phones. The system automatically links to the phones as soon as you walk into the house. Great features include: intercom, speaker phone, many different ringers to program with each cell phone, talking caller ID, and ease of use.

The only complaint I have with this system is only being able to carry on one cell phone conversation at a time.

5 Stars Great Phone, Bad Rap
I purchased this phone against all bad reviews and I could not be more happy with this product. What can I say. I am writing this review in an effort to balance the reviews here. I have been using the phone for almost two months now. This phone has NEVER dropped a single phone call either cell or my Landline (actually Vonage). Generally, the base links to my Cell Phone in the carport within a minute of driving up. Most times before I enter the house.

I have noticed the farther away the cell is from the base, the worse the cellphone quality is during conversations, then again, it is bluetooth and while the connect range is greater, usefullness is a good deal less. As long as your cell phone is sitting next to the base I can walk all around the house, and even out in the yard with no quality loss.

I can not speak for all of the bad reviews here, however, I purchased a refurbished unit specifically. I have had great results in past Panasonic refurbished units. In my opinion, refurbs are quality checked BEFORE leaving out. Store bought units “new” are not. They are not individually checked and thus, I believe you get some bad apples.

Please do not take the 40 bad reviews as typical. Thousands of these units are sold around the country, and you have here a “small” percentage of problems. I do recommend if you purchase one, get a refurb unit since the value is better, and you get a unit that has already checked out as being good……and they come with a three month warranty. Still I hedged my bet and purchased a three year warranty from Square Trade.com Just in case. Looks like I will not need it anytime soon.

3 Stars *Finally* Got this thing to work!
Against my better judgment I purchased one of these from a local retailer. When I got it home I was able to get it to sync with my BlueTooth phone, but I was unable to place calls. Receive calls, ok fine. But I couldn’t dial out.

Finally I read the manual closely and found the answer on Page 35. I had to enter [Menu] #157 to disable the land line. Then I could dial the phone like a normal phone and it worked, even though my phone is not on the supported phone list. So that’s good news.

Now for the bad news. My other Panasonic DECT 6.0 handsets do not work with this base station. They pair fine but say “check line” and don’t work. It turns out model KX-TGA931T does not work with this base station. The KX-TGA930T work fine though.

I subtract 2 stars. One because you have to do special configurations to make it work without a landline (Which is why you get this thing in the first place, right?) and because that info is buried on page 35. One star knocked off due to compatibility with other Panasonic DECT 6.0 handsets.

1 Star Great Idea – Terrible Execution
I wanted this phone to work – and even went through an exchange / replacement process when it didn’t. But simply put, it will drop your calls – both landline and cell. It just doesn’t work, and will be an endless source of frustration for you and the people you call.

1 Star Good Idea Gone BAD
Before you THINK about buying this Panasonic KX-TH1211 Link-to-Cell phone:

A) Read the other reviews

B) Check to see if your phone is supported (it probably isn’t) at [...] There’s a link at the bottom of that page. The list of phones supported is shocking short.

I did get the KX-TH1211 to work with my Blackberry Curve 8310. It receives calls just fine. The sound quality is good. But I still can’t get the KX-TH1211 to let me dial an outgoing call from from the Panasonic handset.

My primary phone is a Palm Treo 750, which is not on the list.

The KX-TH1211 is an embarrassment to the Panasonic brand.

Panasonic KX-TH1211 DECT expandable cordless phone system with Bluetooth?link for cell phones

Buy/More Info

Philips CD 4401 High DefVoice Cordless Speaker Phone

With voice clarity as clear as a face-to-face conversation, the CD4401B puts the emotion back into a call. High-Definition sound brings people and their feelings closer together thanks to an advanced digital technology. Calls are undisturbed by interferences from other devices and a built-in loud speaker to amplify the voice of the caller allows you to speak and listen during a call without holding the phone to your ear. The unique acoustic design provides a high-quality, rich communication experience. Enjoy high quality conversation with a level of clarity rarely heard before. The audio spectrum reaches far beyond what’s normally heard on a telephone. Ultra private calls Display colors – Black & White Lines of text – 2 Main Display Technology – STN Main Display Type – Dot-Matrix Handset ringers – Polyphonic Volume Control – Volume Control up/down Alarms – Alarm Clock Base Station keys – Paging key Battery charging indication Call Management – Call Waiting, Caller ID, Conference Call, Explicit Call Transfer Ease of Use – Keypad Lock and Menu Control Function – Baby Call Multi base capability – 4 Multi handset capability – Up to 5 handsets Signal strength indication VIP group with own melody – 3 groups Antenna – Integrated on base, Integrated on handset Compatible – GAP Dialing – Tone, Pulse Name and Caller ID Caller ID on call waiting Message counter on base Call log entries – 50 Phonebook – 100 names and numbers Battery capacity – 750 mAh Battery type – AAA NiMH Kind of Battery – Rechargeable Mains power – AC 120V – 60Hz Number of batteries – 2 per handset Standby time – Up to 150 hours Talk time – Up to 12 hours Base Dimensions – 114×107x80mm Handset Dimensions – 46×26x160mm

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Not that good!
Battery doesnt last that long ..wish it wasnt this kind of batteries. All else good but take it seriously when it comes to batteries.

1 Star Disappointing
This is a case of a quality brand who put out a sub-par product. I, along with other people who’ve written reviews on this, encountered a lot of battery issues with this phone. It doesn’t hold a charge too well.

But now, a little after a year from purchase… the microphone stopped working completely! The people I call can’t hear a thing on their end, despite how well I can hear them.

For this brand, for this price, this unit should be much more dependable.

5 Stars Excellent phone that shouldn’t be overlooked/misunderstood
I am compelled to write this review because it has been reviewed poorly by other reviewers and I feel this is unfair. If you decide to purchase the phone, I highly recommend that you read through the instructions carefully. Everything is explained there quite simply. This is a smart phone with a lot of capabilities and options. In order to make use of the vast choices, you have to know what exists and how to access them. Once you do, it’s quite logical.

When I was shopping for a new phone, I looked for a variety of features. This phone had exactly what I wanted:

*No answering machine (I have digital voice mail through phone service.)

*Caller ID, Call waiting, Call waiting ID

*Nice looking

*Good quality

*Buttons that are easy to press and it is clear when buttons are depressed

*Headset Jack

*Speaker phone

I shopped for the phone in person at a store rather than online so that I could feel the phone and see its quality up close. I really liked the design and feel so I purchased it.

At first, it took some getting used to. As others have mentioned in their reviews of the same product but in different bundles (e.g.Philips CD4402B/37 DECT 6.0 Digital Cordless Phone System with 2 Handsets, there were a few features that were a bit odd:

1) When dialing, the key is registered not when you depress a button but when you release it.

2) To get to the caller ID list, you have to press “CID” then “OK,” whereas to get to the phonebook, you need only press “PBK.”

3) Its small size makes it tricky to rest it on your shoulder and hold it “hands free” while conversing.

But, because the phone is so good in other ways, I found it easy to forgive Philips for these now seemingly minor issues. Not only did it meet the criteria I had listed above, I also found that…

*The sound quality is excellent.

*It does not interfere with my wireless internet service.

*It was easy to add on an extra handset: Philips CD4450B High Def Voice Cordless Phone Handset for CD440 & CD445 Series

*I could easily transfer my phonebook to the new handset.

*I could label each handset with a name that described where it’s base/charger is located in my home (e.g. “by printer” or “dining rm”)

*The light that indicates you have a new call not only shuts off when you view the caller ID on one handset but shuts off on the other handset.

In a nutshell, this phone doesn’t have the stuff I don’t want yet has the stuff I now realize I needed.

2 Stars Poor sound quality and everything else.
This phone is one of the few I can find that does a few simple things:

-Make a phone call

-Mute

-Hold

-Have a standard headset jack input

-*Not* have multiple handset or an attached answering machine

However, there is a low static in the background of every call. I checked the manual, and it says to keep the device away from other electronics (done) and away from … metal objects! Interesting that my previous $25 cordless phone didn’t have that requirement, but this “high tech” phone does. I moved the base away from metal (which pretty much means putting it on the floor)… still no improvement.

Plus, the device is poorly made. The plastic is junk, the menu options are hard to navigate, and the ringing options are hideous.

This is the second phone I’ve tried to buy (the last one was a lovely Panasonic but despite what the Best Buy salesperson insisted, there was no headset jack). It just shouldn’t be so hard to make a decent fixed-line phone. I resent that Philips should design something that takes more time than simply plug and play. Sheesh. I’d return it but life is too short.

1 Star portable phone

Philips CD 4401 High DefVoice Cordless Speaker Phone is terrible. It is hard to hear, hard to program and hard to work with in general. I will try to return it.

Buy/More Info

5 8GHz FH SST Cordless Expandable 2 line Speakerphone with CIDCW DTAD in Silver Black

Multi-Handset Capability(up to 4 handsets); 3-line Backlit LCD Display; 20 Number Memory; 40 Caller ID Memory; 75 Channel Autoscan; Digital Voice Encryption System, and more.

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star worst phone ever
I too bought this phone for about $200 and this was a waste of time and money…battery life is terrible: range is really bad…save your money,do not buy this phone

1 Star The Handset’s Terrible
I bought the Excursion 35828A a couple of years ago for a home business. It wasn’t cheap — nearly $200 — but it appeared to have the features I needed.

The base isn’t bad. The handset is very weak; it’s frequently very hard to hear the other party, especially if they’re trying to keep their voice low. It doesn’t matter where the base is or how far away the handset is, or how charged the handset battery is — it’s not a good handset.

One key shortcoming is that there’s no way to switch back and forth between the handset and the speakerphone on the base during a call.

The manual is poor. It was obviously written by someone for whom English was a second language. Customer support is not good. I called once about the poor handset quality and was read the appropriate section in the manual by someone for whom English was a second language. They have a website, where the frequently-asked questions page is more stuff from their manual. The only contact for questions is their telephone technical support; you can’t send an e-mail or ask a “live” question.

It’s not a bad phone if you don’t mind using the base unit all the time.

Buy/More Info

Philips CD4451B 37 DECT 6 0 Phone with Answering Machine

With voice clarity as clear as a face-to-face conversation, the CD4451B puts the emotion back into a call. High-Definition sound brings people and their feelings closer together thanks to an advanced digital technology. Calls are undisturbed by interferences from other devices, and a built-in loud speaker to amplify the voice of the caller allows you to speak and listen during a call without holding the phone to your ear. The unique acoustic design provides a high-quality, rich communication experience. Enjoy high quality conversation with a level of clarity rarely heard before. The audio spectrum reaches far beyond what’s normally heard on a telephone. Up to 100% greater battery life Ultra private calls Display colors – Black & White Lines of text – 2 Main Display Technology – STN Main Display Type – Dot-Matrix Handset ringers – Polyphonic Volume Control – Volume Control up/down Alarms – Alarm Clock Base Station keys – Answering machine keys and Paging key Battery charging indication Call Management – Call Waiting, Caller ID, Conference Call, Explicit Call Transfer Ease of Use – Keypad Lock and Menu Control Function – Baby Call Multi base capability – 4 Multi handset capability – Up to 5 handsets Signal strength indication VIP group with own melody – 3 groups Antenna – Integrated on base, Integrated on handset Compatible – GAP Dialing – Tone, Pulse Name and Caller ID Caller ID on call waiting Plug & Play Answering machine Recording time capacity – Up to 15 minutes Message counter on base Call log entries – 50 Phonebook – 100 names and numbers Battery capacity – 750 mAh Battery type – AAA NiMH Kind of Battery – Rechargeable Mains power – AC 120V – 60Hz Number of batteries – 2 per handset Standby time – Up to 150 hours Talk time – Up to 12 hours Base Dimensions – 116×110x81mm Handset Dimensions – 46×26x160mm

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars So Many feature comes with a price only
I bought this item and used for around 2 weeks. The caller at the other hand wasn’t able to hear us properly. The voice seems to crack in all of the calls. We verified this by using our old handset. rest of the Features are good and easy. But our peice is either defective or phone has a issue.

1 Star Worst phone ever. Do not buy!!
This is the worst phone ever. The handsets are always just dropping the calls for no reason. Last night a 30 minute conversation cost 2 hang-ups and went through 3 of the handsets before switching to my cell. I’ve had them for about 8 months and think an electronic recyler can get more use out of them. Don’t waste your money and aggravation on these!!!

2 Stars What good is a phone that won’t hold a charge?
I’ve got many (too many) of these phones and none of them ever were up to specifications as far as talk time and stand-by time.

The features and audio are good. Buy them from a reputable store that will take them back.

Test them for there charge holding ability and if they aren’t up to snuff take ‘em back for a refund FAST!

Good luck… you may need it.

1 Star stay away
This is the worst phone I have ever had. Its been 4 months and I am ready to just throw it out. I have changed batteries twice, people on the other line can’t hear you, caller id & answering machine stinks.

5 Stars great phone and answering machine in a small package
This is a great product. The entire unit is very small so takes minimal space on the desk. The phone works well, including the speaker phone. The answering machine gives clear messages. I am very happy with this product and it is a great bargain.

Buy/More Info