Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

It’s kind of hard to get excited about a landline phone these days, particularly when most of us are considering ditching them in favor of VOIP or strictly using a cellphone. But the OpenFrame platform designed by OpenPeak has enough eye candy to catch my attention. While many cellphone manufacturers are rushing to create handsets that emulate Apple’s iPhone OS, OpenPeak seems to be the only one trying to do the same thing for the home phone. The hardware, which consists of the ‘OpenFrame’ itself (the small tablet that looks like a digital picture frame) and a more traditional phone handset, will be manufactured by OpenPeak but made available to consumers through the telcoms with a price tag of about $200 to $300.

And like with the iPhone, the company will be encouraging developers to create third-party programs to complement the OpenFrame’s core set of applications like a calendar, local weather & news and even internet radio. While there’s no question the UI the company has demo’d looks slick, even I find it hard to justify such a device when I already get the same online services from the PC or laptop I sit behind all day. Not to mention the fact that I mostly only use my home phone for the uber-important task of buzzing the pizza delivery guy in.

[ OpenPeak OpenFrame Platform ] VIA [ Wired Gadget Lab ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’re not chained to a desk all day, it can be tough to keep up with your friends on IM programs like AIM or MSN. And sure, you can get yourself a fancy keyboard equipped smartphone and a nice data plan to stay connected while you’re away from your PC, but that can be expensive. For a cheaper solution you might want to consider the IS6110 DECT 6.0 Digital Cordless Phone from Vtech which uses your home (or office) phone and internet service to access AOL Instant Messenger and Windows Live Messenger via the handset. It features a full QWERTY keyboard and a somewhat small, but probably usable screen for keeping track of instant messages. The phone comes with a compact charging cradle as well as a small box that connects to your PC via USB which allows the handset to access the IM services, as well as VoIP from what I can tell.

At $93.65 from Amazon the Vtech IS6110 is relatively inexpensive when compared to a smartphone (not subsidized with a voice or data plan) and features other cellphone-like functions such as a built-in phonebook and ringtone support.

[ Vtech IS6110 DECT 6.0 Digital Cordless Phone ] VIA [ Uncrate ]

By Andrew Liszewski

From what I can tell, the whole point of this toy gun phone is to scare someone into thinking you’re ready to end it all, when in reality you’re just ordering a pizza, or talking to your grandmother. The phone was made by a company called Custom Phones for a client in Singapore, and in order to listen and talk on it you do need to point it at your head. (Or use the headset jack.) It could’ve been a clever gag were it not for the white keypad on the gun’s handle (which does come with a cover) or of course the twisted black phone cord hanging off the bottom.

Since it was a custom design you’ll need to contact Custom Phones directly if you’re looking for pricing info or want to order one of your own.

[ Custom Designed Toy Gun Phone ] VIA [ SlipperyBrick ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Panasonic recently announced their KX-WP800 Skype phone and while it will currently only be available in Japan, let’s hope it will eventually be sold in other markets too. Besides the decent sized LCD color display, the 55 hours of standby and the 4.5 hours of talk time, the KX-WP800 includes built-in support for the FON wifi sharing network. So if you happen to be a FON user you can take the handset with you and it will automatically log onto any FON hotspots you come across, allowing you to make wifi calls.

The handset also includes a compact wifi router for setting up a FON hotspot in your home. But if you don’t feel like sharing your net connection, the handset will work just as well with other wifi networks as long as you have the necessary login info. At about $296 it’s definitely not cheap, but in the long run it could end up saving you money if you use it enough to offset your regular phone bill.

[ Panasonic KX-WP800 ] VIA [ TechRadar ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’ve recently begun installing more and more unofficial 3rd-party applications on my iPhone and for the inevitable day when I end up bricking it, I bought a pretty basic GSM phone to use as a backup. If you’re in the same situation, or are maybe looking for a phone for a technologically-challenged family member, the HandleEasy 326GSM from Doro might fit the bill.

While the phone has a slim design and is only about 1 1/2 times as tall as a credit card, it has a set of large easy-to-read buttons which will appeal to those who find they have to squint when using other handsets. The monochrome display matches the basic feel of the phone and it can be used to show caller IDs or scroll through a recent call log. There’s enough storage for about 50 numbers in the phonebook, and I assume the A, B, C and D buttons are used for speed dial. The handset also includes a built-in speakerphone, polyphonic ring tones, vibrating alert and supports the 900/DCS 1800 GSM bands.

Unfortunately the phone seems to be only available from the Doromobile online store for about $170, which is kind of expensive when you consider its lack of features.

[ Doro HandleEasy 326GSM ] VIA [ The Red Ferret Journal ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The Teleport 2.0 is an innocuous looking device which allows a telephone to be connected to a PC via USB. Using a Windows-only piece of software called Paliha-Teleport, the PC can then be used to not only record logs of incoming and outgoing calls but can also be used to record entire conversations as an audio file. There have been a few times when I’ve conducted telephone interviews and a device like this would have been extremely handy for recording the other person’s answers, instead of me having to furiously type away in the background.

And of course there’s the obvious spy-related uses as well, whether you’re trying to monitor your employees, kids or anyone else you think is out to get you. The Teleport 2.0 works with touch-tone or pulse dialing phones, can also be used to dial numbers stored in your PC’s phone book and is compatible with Russian and American caller ID standards. So whether you’re a KGB or CIA agent, this device should work for you.

It’s available on the Art. Lebedev Studio website for about $71.

[ Teleport 2.0 ] VIA [ Spy Review ]

By Andrew Liszewski

While getting rid of your landline at home in favor of only using a cellphone makes financial sense, you do lose out on other benefits like the ability to use novelty phones. Just like the hamburger phone seen in Juno has become quite popular, I’m sure this Dubble Bubble phone will ignite a consumer frenzy the same way Tickle-Me-Elmo did.

When the phone rings, circus music plays, lights flash and a gumball is released from the glass dome which then spirals down a chute to a dispenser. However if you don’t feeling like popping a fresh piece of gum in your mouth every time the phone rings, there is a button you can press which diverts the gumball to a spinning auger which carries it back up into the dome.

Unfortunately the phone has been discontinued but CustomPhones.com still has a limited stock available for $139 each.

[ Animated Dubble Bubble Gumball Telephone ] VIA [ Shiny Shiny ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’ve got a tight budget but dream of having a video phone, this hands-free calling kit might be an acceptable compromise. It easily clips onto any land line or mobile phone and besides adding hands-free speakerphone capabilities, it also includes a pair of animated lips that move in sync with the other person talking. All you need to do to complete the illusion is find a headshot of the person on the other end of the line, cut out their mouth and tape the photo over this thing. (And of course ignore the fact that Bill in accounting now has lips with a mirror finish. He’s such a character!) You’ll swear you’re living in the futuristic world of 1998!

The Gadgeter.com has it for about $18.

[ The Lips Hands Free Phone Kit ]

By Luke Anderson

No, not the Ghostbusters, at least not on this phone anyway. For those that have never had the pleasure of watching the old school TV show (from the 60’s), Batman would actually get calls on a red phone when he was needed. When you think about it, this method was far more convenient than watching the skies for the Bat Signal.

This Batphone has been crafted to be identical to the original. It features a bright red light in the middle of the phone that lights up and flashes when you receive a call. Just like the one off of TV, you won’t be able to call out. It’s a bit pricey at $112, but for any hardcore fan it will make an excellent collector’s item.

[ Red Hot Phones ] VIA [ SlipperyBrick ]