Vtech Connect to Cell Bluetooth Answering System

[kickstart]

Hey all, this will be my first thread. Hoping to do a review of the Vtech DS6421-2 Home Phone/Cell Phone hybrid. Bought it at Futureshop for 89$ plus tax (figured I'd try it, and take it back if it sucks, and share my thoughts with everyone).
Link to Futureshop: http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/vtech-vtech-2-handset-dect-6-0-cordless-phone-with-answering-machine-ds6421-2-ds6421-2/10166333.aspx
Link to only other comparable item at FS ($50 more, one unit is corded): http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/product/motorola-motorola-dect-6-0-corded-phone-with-bluetooth-l512cbt-l512cbt/10155618.aspx?path=1616cd368f23a3d8460f7b80340b8a9 een02

So I've had it for all of 45 minutes and so far it's been easy to set up. It's your basic cordless homephone setup, two handsets and docks, and while I don't have a home phone line, it seems like it would be fairly simple to set up if you did.

I haven't done much on it, as the batteries need to charge, but they come with enough juice to allow you to go into the menu and connect the phones via bluetooth. This process was really easy, and I had no trouble with it, even though I've never used bluetooth before. I did my phone and my girlfriend's phone without trouble (a WIND HTC Maple and WIND Samsung Gravity 2).

After connecting I took them for a spin, and it seemed to work well. There was no less call quality than I would have on my handset, and you can adjust the volume so that it is a bit /louder/ than the HTC's speaker (which is extremely quiet). No noticeable delay or buzzing (so far). When Sarah called my phone with hers, my phone vibrated simultaneously as the handsets rang.

A cool thing about this system is that it will download your phone's contacts into its directory so that you can use the handset to dial on your cell. Furthermore, when a contact calls you, the handset will ring and say "Call from: Sarah." It downloads the directory in (for me, with a hundred contacts) less than a minute via the bluetooth connection.

The system allows for up to four devices to connect (can't comment on the reliability as I only have two), and you can have different ringers for each device.

One thing that I would really like to see this system do is notify you when your cell phone receives a notification, e.g. a text message, voice mail, or email. I haven't fully sought out every option, but reading through the manual I don't think it does this.

I'm just in a two bedroom condo, so I can't comment on range of the handsets, but it runs at 1.9ghz.

Sleek design and dedicated Cell Phone talk button and dedicated Home Phone button. Pressing the Cell Phone button lets you choose which phone to call out on, and then dial or choose a contact.

Will provide more in the coming days, but hope that this gives some info for people who might be looking to buy one of these for themselves.

[kickstart]

So it's been a couple days and I'll go over a couple of the pros and cons I've discovered so far.

Pros:

When I come home from work, the phone automatically connects via bluetooth - don't have to remember each time I come home to reconnect
Base remembers the phones and the settings you set for each phone (e.g. the contact directories, the ringers you set)
Definitely has a higher volume than my HTC Maple, which is nice
Can roam through the house without entering dead spots or low signal spots
Guests have the ability to use a phone to make long distance calls on my cell plan without having to actually use my phone (makes me seem like more of an adult)
A relatively decent price for what the phone actually does
When someone needs to get buzzed in, I don't need to run for the cell phone to answer it (it rings through my cell phone, because we don't have a home phone line)


Cons:

Is a high price for two home phones, when you sit down and think about it.
Some people say that it sounds as though I'm speaking to them through a speakerphone or bluetooth (though they sound really good)
Initially there is a delay when the call is first connected
Doesn't ring when a text message comes in/alert appears on the cell phone (this would be AWESOME, and should be included)
Cell phone needs to be pretty close to the base in order for the call quality to be adequate for both ends.


Again, it's overall a pretty sweet piece of tech. I will keep monitoring it's performance and let you know if I end up taking it back or not.

Peace

Kickstart

[kickstart]

Three weeks in:

It's been all of three weeks, and I'm still happy with the set. I haven't resorted to taking it back, though did start to feel that 'buyers remorse' near the ** (see attached img) 30-day (for this type of item) return mark.

Recent Developments:

The unit is now $59 at Futureshop, so I'm going to get my $30 difference
Unit still works well
Still provides seamless pairing with cellphones as long as you leave bluetooth enabled


My final verdict on the unit is that at $59, it's a really good price, especially having dropped from $89 three weeks ago (around 33% off). I would recommend purchasing this phone if you find that you are missing calls when you get home, or would like something to class up the place, or are sick of running to get the phone. It doesn't alert you to a text or email on your phone, which is the biggest con in my mind, but overall a decent buy.