Features:
- Unique design with cobalt-blue case
- Web-enabled
- Voice commands, voice-activated dialing
- PIM functions, 5 built-in games
- Up to 3.75 hours digital talk time, 200 hours of digital standby time; includes Lithium-ion battery and charger
Description:
With its remarkable design and performance, the Touchpoint TP2100 joins the ranks of Sprint PCS's feature-rich phone series. Wireless Internet access, a built-in voice-memo recorder, voice-activated dialing, and seamless menu navigation make the TP2100 suitable for personal or business use. In addition, its dual-band, dual-mode CDMA technology allows you to place and receive calls in most areas of the United States. Essentially, the TP2100 is a trimmer, less-expensive version of the popular TP2200 phone with a couple of cosmetic improvements, including a subtle, cobalt-colored case. At 4.8 by 2 by 0.8 inches, the TP2100 is well balanced and portable. The six-line screen is fit for information management and Web work, and the keypad is marked with a novel, chunky font--a refreshing take on staid phone design. Like other Touchpoint phones, the TP2100 incorporates a four-way mouse key for menu navigation, and its OK, CLR, and End buttons double as useful menu keys. The buttons themselves are rubberized, responsive, and big enough to allow us to place calls quickly without misdialing. Call-management features include 30 distinctive ringer types, with vibration mode, three recordable ringers and three custom ringer settings. The enhanced phone book offers 120 storage locations, and each entry can hold up to nine phone numbers. A call-history feature logs the last 10 incoming, outgoing, and missed calls each. The TP2100 is prepped for Sprint PCS's voice-activated features. We set up voice tags for 20 friends and associates, all of whom could be dialed by voice command. We never had trouble getting the phone to recognize names, and once we set up voice tags, all we needed to do was press *OK, speak the name of the person we wanted to call and the TP2100 handled the rest. The voice-memo recorder was just as useful. Instead of scrambling for Post-its or hauling out our PDA, we saved up to four minutes worth of to-do lists, important numbers, and reminders in the TP2100's memory. An added bonus: When playing messages back, you have the option of listening to them over the earpiece or the main speaker. You can even record and attach a voice ringer to any number in voice-dial memory. The TP2100 supports such carrier-dependent services as caller ID, call waiting, voice-mail alerts, three-way calling, e-mail, SMS text messaging, and wireless Internet access. Web navigation was flawless, and the minibrowser has direct access to popular shopping and entertainment sites, as well as updates on the latest news, sports, weather, and financial information. It also has messaging and game folders, so you can access your AOL Instant Messenger account or engage in a round or two of trivia. It should be noted that the TP2100 also features five built-in games: Football, Dice, Blackjack, Sequence, and Sketcher (the wireless equivalent of an Etch-A-Sketch). While the TP2100 may not replace your Palm Pilot or Handspring Visor, it stores appointments and to-do lists, and it features a calculator and stopwatch, as well as a series of different alarms to keep you on track. If you purchase a data kit, you can use the phone as a digital modem for PCs or download PIM data from your computer. Security features include phone locking, restricted incoming calls, restricted outgoing calls (with three special memory spots for exceptions), phone-book erase, and full reset mode, which erases personal information in all applications. We were enthused when the TP2100's lithium-ion battery, which is rated for 225 minutes of digital talk time, held a connection for four hours. Furthermore, the phone lasted for 210 hours in digital standby mode, a full 10 hours better than its rating. Touchpoint phones are some of the best-designed models currently available, and the TP2100 is no exception. Melding distinctive form with ample functions, the TP2100 is a noteworthy phone for business and personal communication. --Thom Arno, edited by Steve O'Neil Pros:
- Impressive voice-activated calling features
- Excellent menu navigation
- Clear, moderate-sized screen for messaging and Internet access
- Contemporary style
Cons:
How We Tested Battery Talk/Standby Time When reading our reviews, you should view the test results of mobile-phone battery talk time and standby time as relative information only. Many variables, including carrier signal strength at your location, signal consistency (including incoming and outgoing calls), display and ringer settings, and battery-charging methods and history, will affect performance. When handset manufacturers and mobile phone carriers list talk-time and standby-time ratings, they usually include disclaimers about variable performance and often refer to the times they publish as maximum times. Some quote expected battery-life ranges, and in this case you're probably safe to assume you'll experience at least the minimum rated range. Note that manufacturers of dual-mode digital and analog handsets publish battery-life rates for both digital and analog modes, as analog mode consumes much more power than digital mode. Our Tests: We tested digital-mode talk and standby times with each phone. Prior to each test, we fully charged the phone's battery according to the manufacturer's directions. To test digital-phone talk time, we turned the phone on, established a digital carrier signal, dialed a number in our test lab, and, when the call rang through, took the receiving phone's handset off the hook. When all went well, we didn't do anything else except record the time when the phone died. In a couple of cases, the phones lost the signal and dropped the calls. If we were right there and could redial, we did so immediately and continued running the test. Otherwise, we halted the test, recharged the battery, and started the test over. Assuming consistent carrier-signal strength, this test should represent best-case talk time. And it's worth noting that several phones' talk-time performance significantly exceeded the manufacturers' ratings. To test digital-phone standby time, we turned the phone on, established a carrier signal, and left the phone in standby mode. We checked the phone every few hours (for what was often days on end) until the phone finally cut out. Since no outgoing or incoming calls occurred during testing and because the phone was not moved, this method should represent best-case standby time, again assuming consistent carrier signal strength.
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