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Siemens Gigaset A265
by Simon
After messing about briefly testing the phone everything seemed alright, but eventually I got a call where the base station wouldn't stop ringing. I answered the phone and the base station didn't shut up. I hid from the noise in the bathroom and spoke to the person for a while, and the base station kept going. I finished the call and ... hung up, and the base station still wouldn't shut up. I made an internal call and the ringing stopped, but the speaker in the base station continued to emit a low hissing sound. It wasn't until I called it with my mobile and answered that call that it finally shut up.
On further testing trying to reproduce the problem I found that it doesn't actually hang up when you press the button. The other end just gets silence, but is still connected. I hate to think what happens if you call a premium rate number with this phone.
It may be that it relies on the user docking and un-docking the phone to make it work correctly. I did my testing from another room. It should work regardless.
Call quality itself is fine. The battery lasted right up until I returned it on just a single charge -- still not a single notch short of full.
The buttons don't feel all that nice. The one in the shop seemed alright, but there seems to be some variation and the phones I got had a less positive feeling.
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Siemens Gigaset C385
by mellory_crad
Siemens were one of the early adopters of the much hyped DECTGAP wireless domestic home telephony protocol, and their undisputed experience in this domain shines through in this offering.
Extending upon the original DECT protocol, the addition of GAP enhancements has, for many, made true domestic wireless phone calls a ... reality.
Physically the handset and base-station will not set hearts racing, nor are they likely to be troubling the likes of BT or Thorst when design awards are being handed out! But it is in the functionality of their products that Siemens have always been foot and ankle ahead of the rest.
The C385 is conventional i its design, featuring the usual decade of numeric buttons (arranged in the conventional manner), as well as a number of ancillary controls placed to enhance, rather than hinder, the dialling process. Meanwhile the somewhat retro display provides ample in-call feedback, yet without distracting the user.
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Siemens Gigaset A140
by LaylaStar
We have had this cordless phone for a few years. It really is what it is advertised to be: easy to operate & reliable.
Overall, we've been quite satisfied with it, especially considering the price (it was one of the cheapest at the time). Basically I wanted some privacy when making calls & this phone affords it. My ... Mom was against cordless phones at the time, as she heard they "emit radiation" and are health-adverse. After I bought it she now almost never uses the "ordinary phone" (that is inconveniently placed in the hall) anymore. So you can see it's really easy to use. Adding names and phone numbers to the name directory is really easy too.. And finding them there is even easier!
/The menu isn't very easy to navigate, but in real life you only need little use of it anyway!/
I also like the fact that if it's docked/recharging on the stand and the phone rings, you don't have to press any buttons to take the call. That is, if you remember to look at the caller ID in time. If not, that function can be somewhat of a disadvantage, as you can't screen the call after you picked it up.
That only applies to the phone being recharged on the stand, mostly we have it lying around anyway. (Tip: assign a designated place for the phone to find it easily!)
The only nitpick would be its screen and size & form of letters: numbers and names are a bit difficult to read for the elderly, who no longer see well up close, e.g. my Dad! (who doesn't want to use his glasses..)
If you are buying a phone for the elderly to use, make sure they see it & try to use it before you decide whether to keep it! (Ideally, they could test & try to use the phone before buying..)
Also, the phone's outlook/appearance isn't the latest 'scream of fashion'. If you are not terribly fashion-conscious, this phone will do.
Pros of the form: the phone is light & easily fits in the hand, as it has rounded edges (oval shape). Really pleasant to hold...
Another nitpick would be details of missed calls... You see who called you, but not when (no date or hour). I am not sure if this is the fault of the phone company that is the ID caller service provider or the phone (it happens on another phone too), just a tiny warning: you may see all calls, even those from the previous day... But if you have the philosophy that if it's urgent they will call again soon, that will not be a problem.
The specs say that Phone Directory Capacity is 20 names & numbers - if you need more, you might consider getting another phone with more memory capacity.
It used to be enough for us, but since Mom has joined a charity organization & lots of people call her, we've been wishing for a phone with more memory... She keeps asking us, "Do you know who this number belongs to?"
Dialed Calls Memory is 5 and Call Log Capacity is 30 numbers which is quite enough for ordinary users... It is really easy to redial...
Battery is rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride. Personally, I find it adequate. (Sis complains it sometimes fails in 'the most inconvenient moments'!) We usually recharge overnight anyway... There is a battery life display on the LED screen, & if it looks down & the phone call is important, I just use the ordinary phone instead. Otherwise, I warn the caller that the battery might go down, & there's a warning for that too.
Ringtones
Siemens Gigaset A140 does not have such pretty melodies as some phones, but they are adequate & easily heard even by the elderly. (While some of the prettier ones on other phones aren't.) If your ears are very sensitive or you want prettier melodies, another phone might be better.
I like it that call duration is displayed on the phone. (Makes some really long phone calls easier to end! :) - You just mention how long you've been talking!)
It does not have the option of hands-free conversations, so you can't really chop carrots or do laundry while you talk on the phone from afar (you always need to have it close to your ear), but personally I mostly prefer to focus on one task anyway, & prefer it if not the whole room hears who I'm talking to anyway.. Sometimes that option might come handy, & if you suspect you will really need it, then consider another phone...
I have a friend who does all her housework while on the phone, & it drives me crazy that she is able to do all these things while talking, & I can't! So probably if buying another cordless phone, I would go for one with the option of hands-free talking.. Some have poor voice quality if the hands-free option is used (see my later review of Granny's cordless phone) so this is another factor to consider.
The voice quality of Siemens Gigaset A140 is really good.
Another plus: There is a manual online in multiple languages, so if you lose the original instructions, you can find them easily on the Siemens website (simply by Googling)!
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