ET phone home - I think not (Magic Box Touch DECT)

Member Name: soundmaniac1981

Product:	Magic Box Touch DECT
Date:	12/07/07 (668 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stylish, good features, Multiple handsets can be added on.

Disadvantages: Time consuming, poor range.

We have a modern looking home; all appliances are modern looking and have a good range of functions. When we went shopping last month we decided to upgrade our tired old fashioned looking phone to something new. We wanted cordless, answering machine, digital display and 2 handsets.
Over we went to Comet where we saw this Magic box – wow it looked the business, with a blue back lit screen, answering machine, conference calling, 3 handsets, polyphonic tunes and touch sensitive key pad, amongst other features. For only £99 could we really go wrong? The sales staff recommended it as a “fine piece of electronical equipment” and “one of their best sellers.” Well how could we honestly refuse?
I got home and immediately plugged it in; you got a new toy my partner said. I followed the manual and set up its various functions, answering machine message, ring tones, personal numbers etc.
About 1 hour later, after all the setup I decided to make my first call, to my astonishment the clarity was crystal as I was next to base. As I moved toward the conservatory (some 15 meters away from the base) the clarity worsened, and slowly crept in the white background noise, not enough block out the callers voice but enough for me to be disappointed. At first I thought it was due to the battery not having its first proper charge, so I decided to charge it and test it the next day.
The next day came but still the same. Thoroughly disappointing.
The second issue I have with phone is although its touch sensitive Magic Box have built in a sensor that when placed next to your ear locks the key pad. However when removed does not unlock the key pad. In order to wake the keypad one must press a button twice, once to wake and the other to key the number/ hang up the call. After a while (3 days) this really began to grate on me.
The features are great on this phone and they are easy to use and navigate and if you put up with pressing button twice and have a small house it probably is a good product , however for us this product really is not worth buying in my opinion as it is far too annoying.
Features include
Answering machine – answer only and answer and record. There are 3 mailboxes for different people if required. Also external call facility, PIN code ca be entered so that you can pick u messages remotely.
DECT – Digital security and clarity
Baby Call – a function set to call a number if the phone detects a noise over a certain level.
Call Timer
Mute
Speaker Phone
Volume control
Caller ID
Poly phonic Ring Tones
Alarm
Last number redials 20 possible entries
Recall
Conference Call – between handsets (multi handset version)
Transfer call between Handsets (multi handset versions)
60 names and numbers in phone book
Sensor to lock key pad
Touch sensitive
Battery level indicator
Range indicator

Summary: With poor range and and pressing buttons twice just not for us

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