Uniden - Ans. Machine, Caller ID & Cordless A Nice Combo
Written: Jan 27 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Good range, good sound clarity, caller ID is in handset
Cons: If the phone is hung up facing inward, you can't see the Caller ID
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| engwall's Full Review: Uniden EXAI 7980 900 MHz - Cordless Phone |
When our answering machine went kablooie, we decided to take a long hard look at what we wanted in a new one. We also needed a cordless phone, so we wanted to get a combo.
The Uniden EXAI7980 serves both of those functions and then some. It has integrated caller id in the handset, and is an analog 900MHz cordless phone, so it has excellent range. It can store up to 10 memorized numbers, and the base can be used as a speakerphone.
Compared to conventional cordless phones, this phone's range is great. Keep in mind that there are two types of 900MHz cordless phones - analog & digital. Digital 900MHz phones have a much longer range than analog, but this phone has a clear reception for about 200 feet, indoors. That gets me almost to the lobby in our apartment building. Indoor interference may affect the range, so it's possible that the range would be better outside. In any case, that's plenty of range for most homes. The sound quality is very good, and the phone will beep to warn you when you are moving out of range.
The answering machine is digital, so there's no tape. It does a good job of picking up voices, and doesn't record hangups (no listening to the operator telling you to hang up and try your call again). It gives the time and date of each message. You can't listen to messages from the handset; you have to go to the base.
The caller ID is pretty much like most caller ID. Keep in mind that if the handset is hung up on the base, hang it so that the caller ID and buttons are facing OUT. Otherwise, you can't see who is calling. One nice feature of the caller ID is that while you are looking at someone's number, you can press Talk, and it will automatically dial the number from the Caller ID. You can't, however, enter the number directly from caller ID to memory, so if you want to store someone's number from Caller ID into one of the 10 memory slots, you'll have to memorize it briefly or write it down.
The base speakerphone is nice, but since there are no dialling buttons, it's really only practical if you are standing by the base when the phone rings and can't find the handset. Otherwise, you'd have to dial out with the handset and then select speakerphone on the base.
The phone requires an initial 16-24 hour charge, and then after that the battery life per charge is excellent. Recharging it overnight every week or so (perhaps more frequently if you use it heavily) seems to be adequate.
Overall, this phone is a good value. We paid around $80 for ours, and that's a good deal for a phone with this many features. The sound quality is decent, the range is good, and it has all the features I'd want in a phone. I highly recommend it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
engwall
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Member: Keith Engwall
Location: Chicago, IL
Reviews written: 67
Trusted by: 67 members
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