Features:
- 900 MHz analog operation
- Base-unit speakerphone
- Full dialing pads on base and headset
- Microphone and speaker jacks, line-in and line-out jacks, volume control
- Full 2-way page and intercom
Description:
Unlike other headset phones that tether users to the base unit, the IBM 900 MHz cordless phone uses a cordless headset to provide true freedom of movement. Plus, it offers 900 MHz analog operation, a base-unit speakerphone, and full dialing pads on the base and headset. The powered base unit has some interesting, computer-friendly features. Speaker and microphone jacks on the back let you connect the phone to your PC's sound card so you can use the phone for Internet calls. Selecting regular phone operation or computer mode is as simple as flipping a switch on the front of the base unit. Unfortunately, the headset is a little bulky, and the one-size-fits-all design doesn't work as well as it could. The headset is relatively large, with a small battery pack on one side and what amounts to a full-sized phone keypad on the other side. The keypad is convenient because it let us dial numbers when we were away from the base unit, but it looks ridiculous sitting on a person's head. We could live with the bad looks if the voice quality was good, but unfortunately, we could hear an echo of ourselves talking through the speaker. And the unit handled plosives (percussive vocal elements like the p in probably) terribly, amplifying them and echoing them through the ear piece. Callers at the other end of the line came through clearly though, and we really liked the volume dial in the headset that allowed for easy adjustments. This cordless phone might be a decent choice for people planning to make a lot of Internet calls, but for standard use, the echo effect is a real turnoff. The IBM 900 MHz cordless headset phone does a lot of things right, but there are too many compromises in the design for us to give an unconditional recommendation. --T. Byrl Baker Pros: - Cordless headset allows freedom of movement
- Computer-friendly base unit performs some tricks other phones can't match
Cons: - Hearing yourself talk is annoying
- Headset is bulky
| 
