Avatar in 3D

2009 saw the release of the new Benchmark in 3D entertainment, Avatar. James Cameron’s immersive blockbuster that took its audience to a whole other world, beautifully rendered in state of the art 3D. And for once it was a 3D experience that was integral to the movie rather than one that was tacked on as a gimmick like so many others have been down the years.

That’s not to say the movie wasn’t without its flaws, if I was to give a potted review here and now I would say simply ‘Awesome at the Beginning, flagged a little in the middle, then was double Awesome at the end.

Did it deserve to be pipped at the post by the Hurt Locker at this years Oscars? Probably. Simply because I do think that Mr Cameron got a little self indulgent in the middle part of the movie. However,which movie would I watch repeatedly in the years to come? Definitely Avatar.

On the 26th of April Avatar will be released on Bluray and DVD in the UK; you can pre-order it already but if you want to keep track of the best prices of the various editions that will be released then checkout www.cheapbluraymovies.co.uk. They have a page specially designed to do just that at Avatar Bluray.

Unfortunately the 3D edition doesn’t look like it will be release until 2011 and it might be damned expensive too, but until then this will have to do us. Check out more Bluray Bargains at Cheap Bluray Movies.

Polycom Conference Phones – IP 7000

Polycom’s range of conference phones are available for use with VoIP calling and traditional analogue telephone systems.

Polycom SoundStation IP 7000

The SoundStation IP 7000 is the most futuristic of its current line-up and it takes the three-pronged design for 360 degree coverage to new levels of sophistication. People standing up to 7 metres from the phone can speak up and their voices will be detected and transmitted by the IP 7000. This means that larger conference rooms will be suitable venues for this phone.

The IP 7000 can also be powered entirely by a single Ethernet cable, which means that there is no need to plug in a separate mains adaptor to get the phone working. This adds to the flexibility of the phone, allowing it to be moved around and powered up quickly. If your business uses VoIP calling as its primary form of telecommunication, then the SoundStation IP 7000 is one of the conference phones that you should seriously consider.

Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000

The SoundStation VTX 1000 is suitable for standard analogue phone systems and with the HD Voice technology onboard it is also a bastion of clear audio capture. Multiple satellite microphones can be attached to add to its range, although on its own it can still pick up voices within a 7 metre radius.

Polycom has created the VTX to pair with its video conferencing systems, but it will work perfectly well as a standalone conference phone. For business people, the inclusion of mobile phone shielding will be a boon. Some conference phones can suffer at the hands of mobile interference, especially in a room filled with active mobiles, but the VTX 1000 should reflect most of this to ensure that its own audio quality is not compromised.

If you are going to be listening to more complex sounds than the human voice using the VTX 1000, then it might be sensible to invest in the subwoofer accessory. This can sit under the desk or beside the phone and it will add significant bass notes to the VTX 1000. Using a subwoofer in conjunction with Polycom’s video conferencing technology is sensible, especially if the conference involves audiovisual aids.

Motorola Cordless Phones

Motorola was founded in 1928 and its initial field of expertise was batteries and radio production, with a significant portion of its original funding coming from US defence and NASA. It has since branched out into the creation of telecoms equipment of all kinds, with significant performance in the mobile market which for a time saw it become the largest mobile manufacturer in the world.

Motorola Cordless Phones

Although it no longer holds that title, it still produces telecoms products for business and consumer use and its range of cordless phones is being expanded with new products to suit all budgets.

Motorola D10

The most basic cordless phone that Motorola offers is the D10, which offers digital technology for extended range and reduced external interference. The D10 is available in a number of packages and it can be integrated into a multi-handset home, with the option to add more at a later date. As with all good cordless phones, the various D10 handsets can be used to make internal calls within a house, as well as for accessing the outside line. The D10 cordless phone is compliant with Energy Star standards and it can also be set to operate in power saving mode, which will give you ten hours of talk time and one hundred hours on standby if it is not left in its charging cradle. The built-in answer machine can store several messages and each D10 is programmable to add multiple contacts and speed dial numbers. As a basic cordless phone, it performs well.

Motorola D201

The middle of Motorola’s cordless phone range is occupied by the D201 and its variants. Whilst the D10 has unfussy styling, the D201 is designed to look thoroughly modern and both the handset and the charging cradle, which is finished in silver, will fit into a home or an office well. The D201 offers the user caller ID functionality, which lets you know the identity of the inbound caller before you answer. This has become a popular feature in recent years and is a welcome addition to the D201. Its indoor range is rated at up to 50 metres, which should offer you more than enough coverage to chat unhindered in any room of your home. Although the D201 offers similar talk time as the D10, it does improve by being able to sit in standby for nearly twice as long. As such a missing D201 cordless phone will stay active and accessible even if it is left lying around for an extended period. Its calling capabilities are also advanced and it is compatible with conference calls for conversations between up to three parties. It has a built-in speakerphone in the handset and it also has multiple ringtones to choose from.

Motorola MOTOLIVN D701

The higher end of Motorola’s cordless phone line up is occupied by the MOTOLIVN D701 and its siblings. Here the design is just as important as the functionality of the phone and with a bright blue backlight for the high visibility display, it will light up and look like the cutting edge piece of technology that it is. The charging dock does not need to be located near to your phone socket, as there is a separate base unit which broadcasts the wireless signal to the phone. This means you can place the D701 wherever is most convenient. Rather than the monotonous ringtones of the cheaper handsets, you get polyphonic offerings here, which is a perk rather than a necessity. The D701 can be programmed to show the time and if you are going to have it on your bedside table you can even set an alarm, which means that a clock is no longer necessary. The D701 can be used in conjunction with up to 5 other handsets, which should allow for enough flexibility to service even the largest properties.

Motorola D851

The most expensive consumer cordless phone that Motorola offers is part of the MOTOLIVN range and is called the D851. Its design is less subdued that the other Motorola cordless phones, as it opts for an all-white finish coupled with some blue detailing. It is certainly a distinctive object to look at. It has a full colour display which can show multiple lines of text at the same time and you can even customise the look of the thing with different wallpapers. Its charging cradle operates independently of the base station and it can even be mounted on the wall. The D851 is compatible with VoIP service Skype. This allows you to use your broadband connection to make voice calls over the internet. The phone can be connected to your PC via USB and can then make and receive calls to other Skype users free of charge. It can also send text messages over the internet and your friends’ list can be managed directly from the handset itself.

Konftel 250 Conference Phone

New conference phones are few and far between, so it’s quite a big deal at Konftel HQ for them to announce the launch of their new Konftel 250.

The Konftel 250 is aimed at the hugely successful Polycom SoundStation 2 but will have to be competitively priced to take sales from Polycom. At a RRP of £400 it may well just do that if the marketing boys do their thing well.

Konftel are aiming the 250 at those looking for high quality but at an affordable price. Whilst £400 may appear high to those of you not having purchased a conference phone before, just think of the cost of two people being out of the office all-day, the cost of flying to another location and the associated travel costs .. oh, and doing that every week or so.

The Konftel 250 is equipped with Konftel’s OmniSound 2.0 audio technology, for crystal-clear sound. Those in the know, us!, claim the quality is top-notch.

You can save your contacts’ details in the 250 phone book and use the conference guide to easily set up multi-party calls or pre-programmed group calls. The Konftel 250 has a built-in recording function that enables you to record your calls on an SD memory card which is very useful, just think of all the times you would have liked a recording of your conversion. You don’t even have to be on the phone to utilise this feature.

It’s worth mentioning that the design of the 250, in our opinion, is better than that of the Polycom phones. This might not be important to all, but it is to those looking for a design-led conference phone for their swanky office or conference room.

Konftel 250 Features

• Optional expansion microphones for larger rooms
• Save time and money through lower travel
• High quality audio
• OmniSound 2.0 – crystal-clear sound
• Analogue connection
• Conference guide that simplifies multi-party calls
• Record your meetings on an SD memory card
• Store your contacts in the phone book
• Two-year warranty

Konftel 250 Specifications

Download the attached PDF for a list of all the Konftel 250 specifications – Konftel 250 Specifications

Blackwire C610 and C620 UC Headsets

The Plantronics Blackwire C600 Series headsets are corded headsets designed for professional business users who are looking for a cost-effective UC headset that delivers high quality audio and all-day wearability for someone who is a frequent phone user.

The Blackwire C610 and C620 are specifically designed for people looking to get maximum benefit from the growing unified communications opportunities being realised by many forward thinking office workers.

Typical Blackwire C610 and C620 users will spend hours each day on long conference calls, webinars and video conferencing. Using this headset allows you to participate by voice and to have hands-free for IM, email or other tasks.

Plantronics Blackwire C610 and C620 Features

• Noise Cancelling Microphone
• Hi-Fi Audio with Stereo Sound
• QuickAdjust Boom
• Monaural – Plantronics Blackwire C610
• Binaural – Plantronics Blackwire C620
• Soundguard Protection above 118dBA

Plantronics Blackwire C420 UC Headset

The Plantronics Blackwire C420 corded headset is designed for busy professionals who need a high quality headset for use with their mobile phone and laptop, or PC, to utilise their UC – unified communications – apps and software applications.

The Blackwire C420 is ideal for use in airports, coffee shops, hotels, on the train, in fact, anywhere when you are out of the office.

Plantronics Blackwire C420 Features

• Folds flat for easy storage
• Soft travel case
• Noise cancelling microphone
• Echo cancellation for full duplex speaker phones
• Hi-Fi Audio with Stereo Sound
• Wideband Microphone
• Comfortable
• Total-focus sound reduction
• Soundguard Protection above 118dBA

Plantronics Blackwire C210 and C220 UC Headsets

The Plantronics Blackwire C200 Series headsets are corded headsets designed for office workers who are looking for a low-cost office headset that delivers high quality audio and all-day wearability.

The Blackwire C210 and C220 are specifically designed for people looking to get maximum benefit from the growing unified communications opportunities being realised by many forward thinking office workers.

Plantronics Blackwire C210 and C220 Features

• Noise Cancelling Microphone
• Digital Signal Processing
• Hi-Fi Audio with Stereo Sound
• Wideband Microphone
• Easy to use Controls
• Monaural – Plantronics Blackwire C210
• Binaural – Plantronics Blackwire C220
• Soundguard Protection above 118dBA

Solitaire 6100 HS Payphone

The Solitaire 6100 HS payphone is designed for semi-supervised indoor locations where a managed payphone service is required. The Solitaire 6100 HS is a high security payphone has a 1200 coin cashbox capacity which is very useful for a busy location. Like the Solitaire 6000 HS payphone, the handset cable is fully armoured.

Solitaire 6100HS uses the Windows 95 PC Based Solitaire Payphone Management System (PMS) to provide a fully managed payphone service.

Typical use of the Solitaire 6100 HS Payphone would be in hospitals, hotels, pubs, leisure centres, colleges, schools, university buildings etc.

Solitaire 6100 HS Payphone Benefits

• Managed payphone service
• Remote Programming of all payphone parameters including tariffs, exceptions and coins
• Remote Reporting of Status including Cashbox Content, Battery Low and Handset Cord Cut
• Remote LCR programming
• PMS System provides Management Reports: Cash Collections Audit, Call Traffic, Memory Button Usage Audit, Callout Response Monitoring

Solitaire 6100 HS Payphone Features

• Ready to use. Just Plug In
• Pay on answer with Coin Refund
• Takes UK coins 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2
• Electronic Coin Discrimination
• Remotely Programmable Coin Mechanism
• 3 direct dial memory buttons
• Direct line or PABX
• Own PIN number to allow calls without coins
• Reverse Charge Call Protection
• 1200 Coin Cashbox Capacity
• Remote Programmable Least Cost Routing
• Pulse Tone Switchable
• International Calls allowed (Banning option)
• Adjustable Ringer Volume
• Programmable 100 Operator Access
• BT Phonecard Plus Access on 144
• Allows 999 Emergency Calls without coins
• Two Year Battery Life (4 x AA Cells)
• 1.6 mm sheet steel security enclosure to protect payphone and cash
• Armoured handset cord to resist hard use
• Refund located on Case Front
• Keyhole slots and multiple holes in backplate allow very firm wall fixing and protects telephone socket
• High security radial-pin tumbler locks on cashbox and payphone compartment
• Double Padlock Security Assembly available

Amplicom or Amplicon Phones

There seems to be some confusion with Google to what the brand name is for the hard of hearing Amplicom Powertel phones. For some strange reason whenever you search for Amplicom phones through the search engine it asks if you meant Amplicon Phones instead. Well the correct spelling is Amplicom, and for some reason a lot of companies don’t seem to realise this, hence the did you mean Amplicon on Google.

So now I’ve had my little rant let’s take a look at the Powertel hard of hearing phones. Well they all have a similar design with distinctive big round buttons, and large easy read numbers. This is because a lot of users of this type of phone are either disabled or elderly, and large controls and symbols help with dexterity and visual problems. The colour of the phones and keypads are two tone as well, which makes the Amplicom Powertel phones much easier to see.

When choosing an Amplicom PowerTel phone you must first choose whether you want a corded, cordless, or both corded and cordless model. A lot of users are now starting to purchase cordless phones, and they are especially useful in business environments. The corded phones in the Amplicom PowerTel range are called the 49 Plus, 50 Alarm Plus, and 58. The cordless phones are called the 500, 502, 580, and the combined corded and cordless is the 580 combo.

All of the Amplicom PowerTel phones are amplified which is why they are ideal for the hard of hearing. Typical sound levels of the handset during a call can be increased up to 35dB, which is why they are also useful for noisy environments. Having an amplified phone is useless if you don’t know when the thing is ringing. For this reason the Amplicom PowerTel phones have extra loud ringers that increase up to 90dB.

Other accessories are available such as extra loud phone ringers and flashers, and even a vibration pillow so you can feel the phone ringing. If the user of the telephone wears a hearing aid all the Amplicom Powertel phones are compatible. However there is also a special neck loop available if the user wants better clarity. There is even a wireless door bell that can be added to your system called the Amplicom Ring Flash 200.

When you purchase an Amplicom phone you know your going to a strong product with exceptional clarity. All that you need to do is simply decide which model is best suited to you.

Headsets – making life easier

There was a time when anyone who used the phone regularly, particularly at work, was bound by the inconvenience of having to hold it to their ear, meaning that not both of their hands were left free to do other things such as type, or perform other-office based tasks during the call.

The arrival of cordless phones meant that people were no longer shackled to their desks while speaking, but the ability to walk around is, in some instances, rendered useless by the presence of a handset – how familiar is the sight of someone performing manual tasks while cradling the phone between their head and neck? A cordless handset, no matter how much pacing and leg-stretching it allows for, is nonetheless a hindrance when it comes to using a photocopier while making a call.

Thankfully, the problem had an obvious solution, with designers only needing to look as far as the humble personal stereo headphone for inspiration. While the technology inside is somewhat more complicated, the basic premise of attaching audio output directly to the ears by way of a headband remains the same.
Next came the means of including an input device – in other words, a microphone. Workers in air traffic control and police operations rooms had been using combined input/output headsets for years and as soon as the technology became cheap enough, the mass manufacture of headsets for sale in the general telecoms market began in earnest.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people around the world, working in call centres and offices use headsets on a daily basis, giving them greater comfort and freedom than they ever could have imagined while burdened by a handset. Plantronics headsets, Jabra headsets and others made by manufacturers such as Alphacom are among the most popular used in business communication by workers now thankful to have both hands free during calls.

Elsewhere, advances in mobile phone technology have meant that Bluetooth headsets are now helping people to hold conversations behind the wheels of their cars, something which is incredibly useful and important giving that holding a handset while driving is an illegal offence. These headsets can also be worn while on foot, leaving phone users free to walk around, make coffee or even play video games.

In the case of that last example, a whole new generation of headsets have appeared, popularised by the rise of online gaming and an ability offered by many of the latest online games, whereby players can speak to their competitors around the globe over headsets. Xbox 360 headsets are perhaps the most-used on the planet, with thousands – maybe millions – of gamers using them in games such as Call of Duty to co-ordinate team mates and taunt enemies simultaneously while staying in complete manual control of the game.

With headsets making such inroads into our everyday lives, one begins to wonder how we ever coped having to hold a phone. Can you imagine cradling a mobile next to your ear while trying to play Forza Motorsport? Headsets have made our lives immeasurably more convenient and whether used in the office, in the car or at home, we would be lost without them.

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