Rating: 
Summary: Poorly designed Anwering Machine!!!
Review: I've always bought Panasonic cordless phones but I thought I would give Motorola a shot. Let me say that it was a big mistake. The phone reception is okay with a slight hiss in the backround but the major disappointment is the answering machine. If the caller hangs up before they leave a message the answering machine doesn't hang up and stays recording, which basically sounds like an annoying busy signal and will stay that way until at least five minutes or until you pick up the receiver and turn it on and off. You shouldn't have to do this with todays technology and for a two hundred dollar phone this is unacceptable. I'm stuck with the phone because I paid too much for this. Don't let these reviews fool you here the answering machine definately has a major flaw.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Voice Quality - but a little pricey for a basic phone
Review: After buying and returning Motorola's dissapointing 2.4ghz phones, I can report that these new 5.8ghz phones are mostly satisfactory - if only a little basic considering the cost.I have 3 handsets total, so that is a great feature, however each one operates completly indepently of the others, so you have to program the phone-book on each phone seperatly, there is no common phone book or copying among handsets(like I had on my Siemens). Also when an incoming call rings, it doesn't do a phonebook lookup, only shows the caller-id from the phone company - a pain that everybody I know has a cell-phone and I have to remember who belongs with what number instead of it looking up the phone number in my phone book. One more weird feature, the answering machine is not integrated into the phone at all, it's kind of like a stand-alone answerer just physically attached to the unit. No indication on the handsets of a message waiting, and also cannot retrieve them from the handsets either. It uses propriety batteries, and there wasn't one included for the base battery backup - I have no idea where to buy this from either. But on the good side, the talk quality is great and loud - a great basic phone - but like I said kind of pricey.
Rating: 
Summary: Solid, Simple, and Satisfaction
Review: After reading all reviews on the MD681 I was a bit concerned regarding motorola customer serivce, finding batteriy replacements, answering maching voice quality, and not having the handsets talking to the base (in terms of synching phone book numbers, and messages waiting.) that I have read about. I decided to buy the MD681 after considering the Panasoni 5100. The other top line competing phone. The 5100 reviews had me more concerned (LCD Screens not working, poor battery life, low volume on handset). These seem to be larger issues to me because if I paid all that money to have one of those features fail or not work properly to my satisfaction I would be very upset and the phone would be useless. These shortcomings of the Panasonic appear to be true quality issues compared to the feedback on the MD681 which are just personal preference issues related to system process and customer service.
I did speak to the sales rep at the electronics store before I made my final decision, and he said that he sells more Panasonic 5100s (they are popular brand among phones, have more bells an whistles) than MD681's but he see's a lot more returns of the Panasonic (quality issues). Therfore my decision went to the MD681. Bottom line I decided that I wanted a simple expandable phone that is well built to quality standards, that is reliable, take messages, and will let me hear and talk well. I believe the MD681 meets all these needs. I do not need all the bells and whistles (offered by the 5100) to complicate something as simple as making a phonecall and having a conversation, and then need to be worried about the technolgy holding up to reliability standards. I am not sorry one bit that I purchased the MD681. It is a very simple system, very well built, the handset and base sound quality is very good, and I was very surprised that the handset speakerphone mic and speaker worked extremely well. Reception is also very good. I have the base set up in my office on the first floor and I can walk through my entire house (up and down stairs) and backyard without losing any reception quality. Not even a hiss. I did not find customer service with Motorola an issue. I did write them an email from their web site requesting where I could find a replacement battery (If I needed one) and recieved a quick response back. These batteries can be purchased through radio shack for about $14. This eliminated my concern regarding battery replacement which I don't think I will need. The answering machine voice quality is good. I do not know what folks are complaining about. It works! As for the central system and synching the handsets with the base in terms of phone book, and message waiting. I will get around those issues. Once the phones numbers are programmed I will have no issue there. As for message waiting, I'll just hit clear as necessary. If you are looking for a solid, simple, and satisfactory expandable cordless phone product the MD681 is a sure bet compare to others. :-)
Rating:
Summary: MD681 AOK
Review: After several weeks of weighing the pros and cons of the Motorola vs the Panasonic, I ordered the MD681 and four remotes.
I am completely satisified with this product having used it for two weeks.
The voice quality is excellent both on the phones and when using the speaker phones. I've used the phone outside to a range of about 75yds from the house--no signal loss.
The answer phone works well. I was concerned about this from some other reports, but I've had no problem that I haven't had with every other answer machine I've used.
I can cradle this phone on my shoulder just like the old ones.
As a techno-challenged senior, I still can't program my VCR, but programing and using this system has been easy.
So far there are no cons. I recomend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: MD681
Review: Best in its field. I've tried other cordless phones, only to be disappointed. The md681 and its' handsets offer quality and performance that is staggering. The phones' range from the base simply blows my mind, mine reaches beyond 200 feet. The speakerphone system is phenominal. I can be 10-12 feet away from the phone and still carry on a quality conversation. The answering system could improve somewhat on voice quality, but overall I was so impressed that I ordered another handset to go with it. P.S. the backlit keys are a real plus and one feature that I was particularly looking for in a cordless
Rating:
Summary: Not impressed
Review: Currently have a Panasonic 2.4 GHz phone and have been very happy with it but want to upgrade to 5.8 GHz so I don't conflict with WiFi and the buttons on the Panaonic are worn out. Was really looking forward to being impressed with the phone but was disappointed for the following reasons:
1) phone feels like a brick
2) reception was not any better than the 2.4GHz Panasonic
3) buttons are hard to push. Several times I dialed a number only to notice that one of the digits did not take. Going to order the 5.8GHz panasonic. Only concern is that it has a built in answering machine which we do not need. Wish Panasonic made a 5.8GHz phone without built in answering machine.
Rating:
Summary: 4.5 stars .... excellent phone, average answering machine
Review: Everyting works as advertised (says a lot these days). The only problem I have had over the last 10 days is that sometimes, the messages left on the answwering machine, do not play clearly.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty darn close to a great phone
Review: Good cordless phones are darn hard to find, great ones near impossible. The Motorola MD681 comes close to a great phone. Like other reviewers have mentioned, the only significant setback I find is the lack of speed dial. If you can live without that, this really is a pretty great deal for the price (plus, you get a $30 rebate from Motorola until March 31st!). Easy setup, 3 voicemail boxes. Digital answering machine works terrific. Messages are easy to hear (although they are only accessible from the base machine). Speakerphones (one on base and one on handset) work great too, especially the handset one. Ive actually been told by people that they can hear me better using handet speakerphone than the old "hold it to your ear and talk" method. Thats pretty darned impressive for a phone of this price. The screens on both the base and handset are easy to read. SBC was charging me $9.50 a month for their voicemail service. Taking that into consideration (and after my rebate), SBC will be paying off the price of my new phone in less than 8 months. I think I may give a couple of these away for birthday presents. I consider this phone a real bargain. I dont think you will be disappointed with this product. I sure havent been.
Rating:
Summary: Great Phone Just don't mount it on the WALL
Review: I agree with all the positive reviews, it's a NICE Phone But
I purchased the Base unit for my kitchen and several MD61 for the rest of the house, I tested the phone for serveral days
(before I cut the power cord) .. worked fine, installed the phone on the wall in the kitchen, spliced and snaked the power cord and phoneline as needed...2hrs worth of labor. Wife came home and her first comment was she wanted the phone removed from the wall.. The wall mount attachment is "UGLY"..
So now I'm installing a corded phone for the kitchen with a MD61 unit and the Base is in the bedroom... I still would have purchased the phone had I known the Wall Base attachment was so bad, I just would have saved 2hrs.. Good looking Phone and worked as advertised!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Sub-par Phone Compared To Others in Same Category
Review: I am not sure if I agree w/ some of the reviews here. I would not be surprised if to hear that some of these reviews may have been give by people w/ an interest in Motorola. You see, I find this phone having some basic drawbacks compared to other phones in the same category: 1) The handsets cannot access the answering machine to retrieve messages. 2) The call id log does not tell you which calls may have left a message in the answering system. 3) The caller id display does not match the name stored in your phone book to make a distinctive ring tone (so that you know which calls come from a friend/family). 4) Phonebook entries cannot be shared among handsets and base.
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