Can a "Fone" be Fun?
Written: Apr 21 '00 (Updated Apr 22 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A 900 MHz Phone With Good Feature Set
Cons: See-Through Phones Are Not For Everyone
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| lap0530's Full Review: Vtech VT 9111 900 MHz - Cordless Phone |
VTech VT 02-9111
According to VTech, the new/see-thru design of their $49 cordless makes it a "Funfone for everyone." Of course, VTech is somewhat given to hyperbole, since they claim also to be "The Company that Re-Invented the Telephone." For more information and exposure to VTech's marketing approach, one can visit the VTech web site at www.vtechphones.com.
Overall, the VT 02-9111 is a good buy for the price. My daughter Elizabeth (15) was next in line for a new cordless phone. Her brother had just received a Sony SPP-900 to replace his dead cordless. Beth's old Southwestern Bell cordless had ceased to hold a charge for more than a few minutes, and trips to Radio Shack and other electronics suppliers had not located the proper replacement battery.
A Phone of a Different Color
Impressed with the performance of our new Sony 900 MHz cordless phone, I promised Beth that we'd replace her old cordless with a new one. Beth wanted "something different" to avoid the obvious problems of look-alike phones. We found the VTech on display at Office Max.
The translucent colors are certainly eye-catching. Beth (wisely in my estimation) chose the see-through blue. The green one was a little too much for us. At $39 on sale, the VTech was not the least-expensive 900 MHz phone at Office Max, but close to it.
What You Get for $39
The keys are large and well-labeled. An interesting feature of this phone is the ability to answer an incoming call by pressing any key. The phone has a page feature to locate a missing handset and an out-of-range indicator to prevent wasted efforts to make calls when the user is too far from the base unit.
The VT9111 also features a volume control, ten-number speed dial, and automatic channel selection with digital security codes. The compact handset of the original VT9111 has been retained in this see-thru version. The phone is ergonomically well designed, with a curved front and back that make it easy to hold in one's hand.
The 900 MHz bandwidth produces excellent sound clarity and reception. In experimenting with the phone, we've taken it throughout the house, outside the house and as far as the sidewalk in front of our house. We have yet to experience the out-of-range warning.
A Good Phone For The Price
Though the ergonomics of the phone appealed to me personally, the cosmetics did not. I'm a little too conservative for a see-through phone. However, Beth loves the color.
I've been more impressed with the performance of this unit. The battery was fully charged when it was installed, avoiding the typical scenario of having to wait several hours for the battery to charge before using one's new phone. The phone has an adequate battery life before requiring a recharge. The VTech also has a decent charging time, but nothing like the Sony, which will fully recharge in half the time of the VTech.
You Can See Right Through VTech's Marketing Strategy
Like the iMac, Swatches, and many other consumer products, the VT 02-9111 is being sold on appearance rather than on features. Though the features are adequate, the see-through colors are what cause people to stop and look at the phone, and at least in the case of a 15-year-old young lady, to want one.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
lap0530
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: Anderson, SC
Reviews written: 122
Trusted by: 332 members
About Me:
Psychology and management professor and business consultant
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