Comments on: Review: Parafone

While many people are familiar with the VisorPhone, a Springboard which lets the Visor be used as a mobile phone, a less well known Springboard is the Parafone, which turns the Visor into a cordless phone for short-range telephone use. Long-time reviewer Robert Zach brings us this review.

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Hmm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2001 4:15:40 PM #

This is ridiculous.

A PDA is a PDA, not a cordless phone.

RE: Hmm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2001 4:25:15 PM #

Exactly....

$120 for a dumb module that's worse than a $39 cordless phone with digital answering machine.

http://www.staples.com/Catalog/Browse/SKU.asp?BCFlag=False&PageType=1&SKU=391766

RE: Hmm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 9:26:48 AM #

This reminds me of a few years ago when I wanted to watch Sunday football games while I did office work on my computer. I went out and bought a $100 video card, $100 tuner and added memory to my computer which then had a 14" monitor. My wife later asked, "Why the hell didn't you just go out and buy a friggin $100 19" TV for the office!!!" The worst part was having to wait for Win 95 to boot up before I could watch the damn thing. I've since recovered from my geekiness.

Technology gone awry. Geeks repent!

RE: Hmm.

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 7:42:32 PM #

Awesome story!

One cool thing ...

Moosecat @ 9/26/2001 4:20:52 PM #

... they could do would be to use this unit plus the Visor's memory as a voice recorder, since the unit already has a speaker. Rather than write down a phone number, eg, you could just record it as someone is saying it in the conversation, and then enter it later or never.

(I guess this idea could be used for the Visorphone too...)

Now, as soon as voice recognition comes of age, we'll really be in business.

RE: One cool thing ...

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 12:37:36 AM #

HaHa, why dont I just take my cash and BURN IT. What a joke.

Damn straight!

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/26/2001 4:45:51 PM #

What is a PDA? A personal digital assistant. Does it say phone in there somewhere.

Unless you've got money to burn by basing every appliance on a PDA (cordless phone, remote, cell phone...), well maybe not the Visor Phone, this is completely useless!!! You can get a cordless phone for about 40 bucks, with the money left over you can get other stuff for your Palm. Don't look at me like some cheap bastard, it doesn't even feel practical to put your PDA to next to your ear! You'll quickly gunk up your screen unless you use screen protectors.

Last Year's Comdex ...

Token @ 9/26/2001 5:06:48 PM #

... had a module similar to this from Zilog. EXCEPT that it also allowed two way comms with a base station (and its attached computer) over the 900MHz (might have been 2.4GHz) cordless phone spectrum. this allowed the phone to also act as a remote control for the computer to do X10 type functionality. Nice demo, pity it hasn't seen the light of day.

B-W-O-M

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 1:21:54 AM #

This thing is a BWOM. (BIG WASTE OF MONEY)

Could have been really, really cool

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 9:51:39 AM #

This would be useful it if had integrated a modem in it. It would be like cheap wireless lan.

Looks Cool

I.M. Anonymous @ 9/27/2001 10:46:03 AM #

This looks interesting. I guess part of the value is the integration of your already existing phone database, (mine's about 400 now). I'm interested, but sure would like the wireless surfing enabled.

PDA is a PDA?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/8/2002 10:13:16 PM #

That is the most ridiculous comment I have read in some time... who is to say what a PDA is or is not, or more importantly, where it is going? You sound like the IBM executive who in the 1960's estimated that the demand for computers did not exceed 3,000 units worldwide.

I'll give you one person's view on why this is the direction of the future (though admitedly still expensive in the early adopter phase):

...all of your phones should sync to your Contact Manager. In said Contact Manager, you will set permissions on who can contact you through what channel and at what time. The Contact Manager will further update itself with your contact's information as it changes. Does today's product meet those expectations? Of course not... just give it time to mature.

RE: PDA is a PDA?

I.M. Anonymous @ 1/8/2002 10:47:54 PM #

yup. Today's "Computer" does much more than just its name implies - ie compute math problems answers.

Just a try?

I.M. Anonymous @ 5/21/2002 5:58:47 PM #

Well, nice try though - too bad that I've got ISDN and a DECT standard wireless phone - I'd love to use my PRISM (!) or my wive her EDGE(!): both won't work 100%.
It seems like an old (but good) idea that came to life but what a pitty, it does not suit the technological needs of today.

Better make a big leap - or we will see the Treo turn into a cell-telephone with wireless-phone and LAN capabilities before the next development step of this product births.

Regards

Uwe