SillyDog701

[Antony]

a document sheet feed scanner, Epson GT-S50:

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[Antony]

A poor man's controller:


A silver Dual Shock 3 for PlayStation 3.

Antony does not own any Microsoft Xbox 360 Antony is poor.

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[Antony]

I got a couple of those:

(Surge protectors)

Instead of RRP $29.95, I got them for $9 each.

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[Don_HH2K]

I found a BookEndz docking station for a 13" MacBook today. I had no idea Mac docks existed.




It retails for $80 so I plan on Craigslisting it.

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[Antony]

I know our current Uniden WDECT 2355+3 (4 handsets) still works fine, but it's time to upgrade my telephone (household phone, not mobile).

Well, we need four handsets, I got the Uniden Elite 9135+1 and two Uniden 9105 (optional handsets)

boxes:


And the contents:

Main features:

• slim design
• Bluetooth connection to mobile phones (phonebook, dial and receive mobile calls)
• wireless (Wi-Fi) network friendly
• answer machine
• up to 10 handsets
• repeater available (to extent the range)

to Don: Antony is poor.

(blog entry for the complicated story on getting this handset)

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[Don_HH2K]

I'm starting to think that one day, you'll have single-handedly created enough market demand to make these gadgets and their related technologies really cheap for the rest of us.

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[Antony]

I take you did not read the reasons why I bought the phones (or other products). Unlike you, I don't have access to so many gadgets.

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[Don_HH2K]

I did read your reasoning, just didn't find any of those things to be of large enough stature to merit buying a phone system specifically tailored to it.

Just so you know, my landline phone is a corded model, and its answering machine uses microcassette tapes.

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[Antony]

Quite often I can't hear what people talk half way or people can't hear me properly (as being interrupted) when I use the phone in my tiny office. I, often, had to walk out of the room to answer the call. In other words, I can't use the phone properly (in my tiny room) sometimes. And that's not a good reason to get a new phone which is not impeded due to multiple wireless networks around?

Mind me asking you, what would you do if you were in my terrible position (suffering difficulty in communication due to poor telephone signal)?

Please remember, we don't live in a very spacious area like beautiful Boston or reputable Rochester... it is unfortunately but as expected crowded here, and there are many many wireless networks (all password protected) as well as many other cordless phones.

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[Don_HH2K]

If the problem were wireless networks, I'd have just switched to a corded phone, rather than buying an expensive set like the one you got.

Let's go over the feature list:

Main features:

• slim design
  
• Bluetooth connection to mobile phones (phonebook, dial and receive mobile calls)
  
• wireless (Wi-Fi) network friendly
  
• answer machine
  
• up to 10 handsets
  
• repeater available (to extent the range)

Slim design isn't a functional feature, so I don't see any problem omitting it.

Bluetooth syncing with the phone: the way I handle my phonebook is by keeping it synced between my phone and laptop via Outlook. Outlook has a built-in phone dialer and my laptop has a dial-up modem, so it's trivial to click on a contact and call the number, then pick up the phone and have it already ringing out. For sending and receiving mobile calls, if someone calls my mobile and I'm near the landline, I typically let the call go to voicemail and call back on the landline to save cellular minutes. For sending, well, if I am at a landline anyway, why would I burn minutes?

Wi-Fi network friendly: corded phones, by nature, generally are.

Answering machine: these come on corded phones too.

Up to 10 handsets: the idle load of a telephone is generally low enough that you can hook up ten (or even more) to your house's phone system with no problems.

Repeater available: you can get a 100-foot phone cable and a T adapter for less than $10, which I am pretty sure is less than the price of a repeater.

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[Antony]

Slim design isn't a functional feature, so I don't see any problem omitting it.

Design is very important these days. A good design will keep people a better mood.
You should know that I could've bought the same model number but in black as they come with a pack of 3, but I decided to go for the white model (looks better), which cost a little bit more.

(...) For sending and receiving mobile calls, if someone calls my mobile and I'm near the landline, I typically let the call go to voicemail and call back on the landline to save cellular minutes. For sending, well, if I am at a landline anyway, why would I burn minutes?

Dear, you don't even answer the call on mobile? (Even the poor Antony is not this cheap.)
And you have to call people back on your landline?
The caller pays for the phone call to call your mobile, and what's wrong with you?
Next, calling mobile phone from landline is usually more expensive than just answering the call.

Up to 10 handsets: the idle load of a telephone is generally low enough that you can hook up ten (or even more) to your house's phone system with no problems.

Wire the telephone cords around the house for 10 handsets? You are an Engineering student, you should know that each splitter reduces signal (SNR).

Repeater available: you can get a 100-foot phone cable and a T adapter for less than $10, which I am pretty sure is less than the price of a repeater.

Dear, a 10-metre telephone cord cost about $17 (AUD, at JB Hi-Fi) here. Like I said, we don't enjoy high standard living with super-cheap living cost here in Australia.

And you want me to wire the telephone cord up and down the house? I would need to call the telephone cable guy again. Also, we don't have super-secret conversations.

Other important benefits of this new phone (Uniden Elite 9135) compared to previous phone (Uniden WDECT 2355 +3):

• clearer sound, particularly in my tiny(*) room.
• lighter (weight) than the previous model.
  lighter means using less energy to hold the handset each time. (This is Physics.)
• consumes much less energy (electricity) good for environment, and save money.
  (Elite 9135's power adaptors are 150mA for base + 100mA for each cradle (charger); versus WDECT 2355's 350mA for base + 230mA for each cradle.)
• less heat wasted (or generated) on the base and the power adaptors
  unlike beautiful Boston where it is nice and cool, reducing heat generated is very important in this sunburn country.
• much smaller size (base and even power adaptors)

Hence, this new phone is a great saving. Save on electricity, save on space, and also save on my energy required to hold it.

(*) tiny as in comparing to Don's spacious room.

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[Don_HH2K]

Slim design isn't a functional feature, so I don't see any problem omitting it.

Design is very important these days. A good design will keep people a better mood.
You should know that I could've bought the same model number but in black as they come with a pack of 3, but I decided to go for the white model (looks better), which cost a little bit more.

Honestly I don't see the difference between a black or white, slim or fat phone. It's a phone, so long as it does what I need it to do I'm happy.

(...) For sending and receiving mobile calls, if someone calls my mobile and I'm near the landline, I typically let the call go to voicemail and call back on the landline to save cellular minutes. For sending, well, if I am at a landline anyway, why would I burn minutes?

Dear, you don't even answer the call on mobile? (Even the poor Antony is not this cheap.)
And you have to call people back on your landline?
The caller pays for the phone call to call your mobile, and what's wrong with you?
Next, calling mobile phone from landline is usually more expensive than just answering the call.

Not around here - I have to pay for the call on the cellphone, even when I am receiving it. So does the person sending it, so that the cell companies make lots of money on both calls. Landline service, by contrast, is typically fixed-rate for local calls, whether I'm calling a cellphone or another landline.

Up to 10 handsets: the idle load of a telephone is generally low enough that you can hook up ten (or even more) to your house's phone system with no problems.

Wire the telephone cords around the house for 10 handsets? You are an Engineering student, you should know that each splitter reduces signal (SNR).

I have a relative with a phone in almost every room - six handsets in all I believe. And the signal quality there is typically better than at my house, with its three.

Repeater available: you can get a 100-foot phone cable and a T adapter for less than $10, which I am pretty sure is less than the price of a repeater.

Dear, a 10-metre telephone cord cost about $17 (AUD, at JB Hi-Fi) here. Like I said, we don't enjoy high standard living with super-cheap living cost here in Australia.

You looked at the expensive retail stores again? Just go online.

And you want me to wire the telephone cord up and down the house? I would need to call the telephone cable guy again. Also, we don't have super-secret conversations.

Why would you have to call a telephone cable guy? I have a loose phone cord running up the stairs and over a door jamb, and nobody cares about that.

As for your saving-electricity defense, you do realize that a landline phone will typically draw power from the phone line (unless of course it's an answering machine or similar), hence saving you even more money? And you are really going to complain about the energy you use to lift a phone?

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[James]

I enjoy the sparring between the two of you. Let me know when the next round comes so I can go and pop some pop corn!

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[Antony]

Up to 10 handsets: the idle load of a telephone is generally low enough that you can hook up ten (or even more) to your house's phone system with no problems.

Wire the telephone cords around the house for 10 handsets? You are an Engineering student, you should know that each splitter reduces signal (SNR).

I have a relative with a phone in almost every room - six handsets in all I believe. And the signal quality there is typically better than at my house, with its three.

Before I start with proper response, is that 6 cordless handsets or 6 corded handsets?
Also, do you use cordless or corded?

I enjoy the sparring between the two of you. Let me know when the next round comes so I can go and pop some pop corn!

Thank you James.
Speaking about popcorn, I haven't touched my popcorn maker for years. I found that using a pre-packed microwave oven popcorn gives better results than those from popcorn maker.

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[Mandrake]

Antony has certainly been posting regular updates into this thread regarding his frequent purchases! I have some incoming upgrades to my PC this week, but for now I purchased these (not strictly a gadget...):



A new pair of Brooks Ravenna 2 sneakers for my power walking and jogging.

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