No need to bust out one of those newfangled smartphones to get your handset-based chat on -- oh no, baby boomers and their offspring can now handle IM conversations via a landline telephone. You heard right, Vtech is getting all extraordinary on us today with the industry's first instant messaging cordless phone, and sure enough, the DECT 6.0 IS6110 features a full-fledged QWERTY keypad to keep those thumbs happy. All that's required is that the phone's base station be connected via USB to a PC, after which users can have free access to MSN Messenger, Windows Live Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger. What better way to gently introduce your mother (
hint, hint) to this millennium than by dropping $99.95 on this?
posted Apr 14th 2008 7:56PM
oh great, more time to waste for first posters like me, and you other guys of course
...what?
Does anyone understand what he said? Yeah, I'm gonna go nap now.
Nite, nite, Engadget.
I also don't know what he said.
QWERTY house phones just dont make much sense to me.
house phones in general dont make much sense anymore. and i know there are people who will disagree but for most people in urban areas, they arent needed
I live in an urban area and I need a landline phone. When I am on a business call I need the security a landline provides that the signal will not fade.
But I do agree, they aren't nearly as needed as say 5-10 years ago.
Cool but a little useless... I think
Where I live (on the outskirts of Anchorage), power outages are frequent enough that a working phone is a life saver.
Can it run Linux?
But seriously, can you at least Skype compatible? And can you upload your outlook contacts to it?
I beta tested this phone and I am actually glad to say that this device is not a pain in the ass to use. The UI is not apple like, though it does the job. The keyboard is also very usable and I enjoy using it when I am around the house and need to quickly IM one of my friends. Although from a price point of a view, I don't think I would have bought this phone for this price ( which was one of my suggestions for vtech after the beta testing period )
I don't get it. If it requires an internet-connected PC (presumably powered up), how does that make anything simpler? If your PC is connected and on, why not just jump on your PC to chat?
so you can do it from where ever you happen to be in the house. from the kitchen waiting for a pot to boil, or while watching some tv, but still want to talk to people
I'm amazed no one has come out with something like this sooner than now. Did see this one device, forgot what it was called, for around $70, it basicly did the same thing, except it wasn't a house phone, and it was sold in the toy section.
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GROSS!
I think?
thats good thats real good lol
now that im looking at it on my computer, its a man.
from my iPhone, it looked kinda like a penis. no joke
Wow, I'm seriously impressed. DigiArt!
@Austin
It looks like that on my touch that I'm using right now.
That was the crappy one. I found the one I was looking for:
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Well, texting on my cell phone cut down the inane chatter I had to have with my wife when she wanted to to call to tell me one thing...
So maybe now with 2 of these in my house we can completly silent! I can dream right?
Wow, Vtech still exists? I remember being 7 years old and messing around on a 50 dollar Vtech children's "laptop." Good times, good times.
Vtech makes a lot of cordless phones too.
I like the idea of text to landline - if I can text from mobile phone to landline at home it would be great.
lol
I tried getting a cordless skype phone for my mum as a "present", but it didn't work. so I doubt this would. Sigh.
I kind of think this can be an okay thing, or a really dumb thing.
I don't see the need to have a cordless phone with texting. I don't know why people can't just get up and move to the computer. While it's convenient, it just kind of shows off laziness.
I mean, come on, your computer has to be turned on for this to work I presume, unless they let people with VOiP somehow use this without a computer powered on, why use a tiny qwerty pad when you can just move to a full-sized keyboard.
Laziness is what this shows me honestly.
..Don't forget kind of a stupid gadget... even for mom's!
SMS capability is also available in phones - home phones - if they'd use it. It's part of the standard package that runs all telcos....
Tell you carrier - WE WANT SMS like the Frenchies!
Why would I want my mom to have such unlimited access to me.
I think my Nokia N800 will do the job at $230.00 at www.swiftgamers.com
If only the mic would be better quality and the integrated VoIP software would stop cutting the voice here and there. : |
Why...?
bout freakin time.
They need to make this type of device with out the need for the USB connection. Maybe toss in a cheap modem that dials up to a carrier every 5 minutes and checks for messages... What's the use if you need a computer on and nearby..
http://www.flicksoftware.com
Thats like ancient news...
The older Vtec phones use to be durable as hell. My old 900mhz phone survived multiple falls, throws and dips in the water. But eventually, after a long submerge in the bathtub, it died. The newer ones suck. THey look pretty but are fragile and delicate. I had one of the color LCD display phones and it started to do weird things after just a few months of owning it. Vtec phones have declined in build quality. THis thing would probably crap out on you after a few weeks of intensive texting.
aren't MSN and Windows Live messenger the same thing?