Use A Regular Phone For Cellphone Calls 248
nizo writes "Not too long ago I decided to get rid of my landline, however I miss being able to make a call with a regular phone, especially long calls that might drain my battery. It would also be nice if I didn't have to hunt for my cellphone at home when it rings. Well, it looks like there is a simple solution with a Cell Socket, a cradle for your cellphone that can be used to attach your cell line to one or more regular phones." Even better, for those with a landline or VoIP phone, would be a system that automatically picks the cheapest route out for any given call.
psh, rotary beats that anyday (Score:5, Interesting)
a rotary cellphone [sparkfun.com]
Re:psh, rotary beats that anyday (Score:2, Informative)
Re:psh, rotary beats that anyday (Score:2, Informative)
Re:psh, rotary beats that anyday (Score:2)
psh, Star Trek beats that anyday (Score:2, Funny)
Re:psh, Star Trek beats that anyday (Score:2)
No. Gotta have the original style on this one. If it is made I'm buying it.
Re:psh, Star Trek beats that anyday (Score:3, Informative)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&cat
Re:psh, Star Trek beats that anyday (Score:2)
I just did this! (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I just did this! (Score:2)
Except Cell Socket is new (Score:2)
Except that my parents bought one of these when I was back in the 8th grade under a different name. That would have put it back at 1998-1999 sometime (if I can subtract right...)
Perhaps Hack-A-Day stole the idea from one of the origional implimentations.
Re:psh, rotary beats that anyday (Score:2, Funny)
That's nothing... Maxwell Smart used a rotary-dialled portable phone... in his shoe in 1968.
Enter Asterisk... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Enter Asterisk... (Score:2)
It's not a hack... (Score:2)
Re:Enter Asterisk... (Score:5, Funny)
A short Gaul whose best friend is Obelix... oh, wait, I thought you meant Asterix [asterix.tm.fr], not Asterisk [asterisk.org]...
EricSee your HTTP headers here [ericgiguere.com]
Re:Enter Asterisk... (Score:2, Informative)
I tell you... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:I tell you... (Score:2)
small issue (Score:2)
um... (Score:5, Funny)
For those with a VoIP phone, there's already such a system: always use the VoIP phone.
Re:um... (Score:3, Insightful)
Two more: unlimited minutes (for a certain type of call).
Re:um... (Score:2)
This means you could use your cell phone after 9pm (or whatever the time is) to make calls, and then get a cheaper plan for VOIP since you'll only be using it during the other hours (6-9pm) that you'll be home.....
Out of batteries? (Score:2, Funny)
Apparently the server needs a Cell Socket.
I can't wait for the page to be...well...not-Slashdotted.
Well... (Score:2, Funny)
It seems like a simple solution would be to not talk on the phone so long.
Re:Well... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Well... (Score:3, Funny)
Exactly. What is a slashbot doing on the phone anyway?
Haven't they heard of email? Or IM? Or text messages?
Or any other technology that means you aren't reminded everytime that it is another human you have to talk to.
interesting (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:interesting (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:interesting (Score:3, Informative)
Re:interesting (Score:2)
Looking with a longer-term view, high-speed WiFi can eliminate the need for landlines altogether, as you can use a broadband WiFi connection rather than cable or DSL.
Cheapest route is easy (Score:3, Interesting)
Of course the cheapest route is always analogue, so it's not a great advert for VOIP
Not sure I'd want my mobile phone to link to it though.. that's a separate number that only a few trusted people know.
Re:Cheapest route is easy (Score:2)
I'd have to disagree there... Broadvoice.com has some pretty cheap unlimited packages--especially if you BYOD (bring your own device, such as Asterisk.) I've only been trying them out a little while, but to be honest I haven't been incredibly impressed with their support (hard to reach over the phone, occasional high latency at some locations, etc.) But for $20/mo you get unlimited calling to 21 countries (including U
Definitely (Score:2)
Yup, BroadVoice.com [broadvoice.com] is the best.
TFA (Score:3, Interesting)
I can't RTFA right now, so my only concern is the ability to adapt to different cell phone manufacturers, and what about newer cell phones after purchase. Otherwise, this actually doesn't sound like too difficult a project, but it's the idea that counts. This kind of device can easily be created with a few components and a PIC for under $10.
Re:TFA (Score:2)
Well, apart from the way the page doesn't load.
Re:TFA (Score:2)
"CELLSOCKET kits for Motorola V60, V120, T720, T730, T731, V300, V400, V500, V505, V525, V547, V555 and V600 now only $99.95"
Fast Forward (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Fast Forward (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Fast Forward (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fast Forward (Score:2)
Puto
Re:Fast Forward (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Fast Forward (Score:2, Funny)
That would be sweet...
Me: Sir, have you considered the possibility that the problem might be at your end?
Customer: What?!? Fuck you, you wise-ass! Get your shit fixed now or I'll sue you!
Me: Alright... Calm down sir. Let me explain...
[Press the 30 minute skip button]
Customer: Ah, hmm... Yes, it seems to be my own firewall after all. Guess you were right. Thanks for help!
Me: No problem at all! I'm here to serve!
Re:No, Doesn't work like that (Score:2)
Say that 3 times really fast...
Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:5, Insightful)
When you get home, plug your phone into the charger. If you use it, leave it plugged in.
It would also be nice if I didn't have to hunt for my cellphone at home when it rings.
Leave it in the same place... attached to the charger.
Re:Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:2)
Re:Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:3, Funny)
although that's changed for the better as the years go by, it still scares the crap out of me. I like to keep my wallet and keys in the same two places all the time, so I don't even have to think about where they are and if I have them or not. maybe that's just m
Re:Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:2)
Re:Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:2)
Funniest pseudo-science I've read today. (Score:2)
Oh, great, a cool line from the cell phone anti-marketing department.
Doesn't work for everyone (Score:2)
I'd be interested in s
Seconded. (Score:3, Insightful)
Can't find it? Easy: keep the damn thing on you! I assume you take it with you in some way when you leave the house...keep doing that when you're at home. In my case, that means my pocket. I have yet to misplace my phone for even a minute. Over several years. How difficult, eh?
Always running out of charge? How about plugging it in to charge when you drop it from your pocket (or whatever)? In my case, that means plugging it in
Re:Easy solutions... no extra kit required (Score:2)
So what you're saying is: some people here like to see how far they can stretch their money, and they should not talk about their preferences (note: I'm just playing devil's advocate and exaggerating).
In your example specifically, there are plenty of people here creaming all over the Mac Mini. Go check out the GNUSTEP article or the Gnome article, and you'll find a not insignificant number of posts saying, "GNUStep
google cache (Score:5, Informative)
Re:google cache (Score:2)
Slashdot product test theory (Score:5, Funny)
How does one come to this conclusion?
The company's website is Slashdotted, therefore it cannot handle a massive amount of traffic, therefore they did not expect this much interest in their product, because they have little faith in said product, because, well, they developed it and they themselves think it sucks, so it must suck.
Just a thought...
Awesome concept though...I would love this. One of the biggest things I hate about talking on a cell phone for an extended period is how warm the phone gets cause of the battery.
Re:Slashdot product test theory (Score:2, Funny)
Think of how warm your brain gets cause of the transmitter.
But will it... (Score:5, Funny)
Important Note for users with dialup internet (Score:5, Interesting)
Nix the analog ISP, use the cell phone (Score:2)
Re:Important Note for users with dialup internet (Score:2)
Even though I'm familiar with the differences with analog and digital signals, this at first seems a bit ironic. To those that have bought into the marketing hype about digital speakers, cable TV, and telephones, I guess they are scratching their heads.
As an AC points out, credit cards use a 300 baud modem over an analog line. And anyone that has heard a modem, wel
Re:Important Note for users with dialup internet (Score:2)
And 300baud has the shortest handshake time. From dial to connect is typicaly under 15seconds in my experence where 1200/2400 typicaly under 30 seconds. 14.4k and above can be higher than 30 seconds.
But take the time to listen to those credit card terminals. Many of them i've noticed handshake on the second tone... i.e. 1200/2400.
And fu
Re:Important Note for users with dialup internet (Score:2)
Phonelabs Dock-n-Talk is an universal dock (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.phonelabs.com/prd05.asp [phonelabs.com]
It claims to work with over 400 cell phone models and has a bunch of features not found in the Cellsocket.
While we are on it, does anyone know of a product that allows you to make landline calls THROUGH your cellphone? Here is my idea:
1) Landline phone hooked up to a cell phone (Phone A)
2) You have another cell phone (Phone B)
3) Both cell phones are on UNLIMITED Mobile-to-Mobile plan.
4) You place a call from Phone B to Phone A and tell Phone A to dial a number through your landline.
5) You chat on the phone for 3 hours AND USE UP NO MINUTES since you are on Mobile-to-Mobile connection.
Viola, UNLIMITED PEAK MINUTES AT PRICE OF 2 CELL PHONES, CHEAPO 2-PHONE PLAN, AND UNLIMITED LANDLINE!!
Re:Phonelabs Dock-n-Talk is an universal dock (Score:3, Interesting)
The problem with this is (Score:2)
The intersection of the set of geeks who would go through this hassle and put up with the less than ideal fidelity, and the set of people who would actually talk on the phone for 3 hours is pretty damn small.
I can't imagine many teenage girls doing all that.
Re:Phonelabs Dock-n-Talk universal cable mess (Score:2)
Cellsocket is a dock. The phone plugs in, like a real desk charger. To my mind, a much more elegant solution.
Re:Phonelabs Dock-n-Talk is an universal dock (Score:2)
I don't work for Verizon; I just use 'em 'cuz Cingular coverage in my area is weak. I'm sure other providers have similar plan
wait for competition (Score:2, Interesting)
Nothing sucks more than being forced to buy an old, outdated phone, just so you can use the Cellsocket.
LCRs (Score:5, Informative)
Basically, you're looking for something like Least Cost Routers [google.com] (anybody wanna translate this [wikipedia.org]?). These things have been very popular in Germany ever since the telecom market was deregulated. In Germany you can use other (landline) telecom providers through a Call-By-Call system, dialing the provider's prefix before your actual phone number if you want to use a provider other than your default one (e.g., 01033 for German Telekom [telekom.de], 01013 for Tele2 [tele2.de]). There's whole websites [billiger-telefonieren.de] dedicated to providing lists of the cheapest call-by-call providers. These LCRs can store such lists of providers and their rates for different types of calls (i.e., local, long-distance, other countries, cell phone networks, etc.) at different times of the day/week, and the automatically prefix the number you dial with the cheapest provider's. Of course, lists can be updated manually or automatically. Now, I'm not sure if anybody has built such a device with cell vs. landline vs. VoIP in mind, but if that exists, other Slashdotters who can be bothered to look it up instead of working ;-) will surely post links...
FWIW, there's also an isdn4linux-based LCR tool [voip-info.org] and corresponding phone rate databases [sourceforge.net] (see English summary at bottom) available. For cell/landline/VoIP solutions, if there's nothing else available, there is probably a good starting point.
Re:LCRs (Score:2)
Telular (Score:4, Informative)
What I settled on was a Telular [telular.com] box. It's a company that makes high end boxes for companies that need phone service where there isn't anything but cell. They've got a bunch of products and it works pretty good for most needs. You can even hook it into a phone system so you can route your companies long distance through it to use free long distance minutes.
FYI, Sprint is doing a trial with Telular boxes in selected cities as a way to replace your land line.
Helps Avoid Phone Numbers & Phones (Score:2)
cell phone cordless phone (Score:3, Informative)
Record cell phone conversations! (Score:3, Funny)
Option #2 (Score:3, Informative)
Of course, this means you'd need to get a new line with a recurring fee if you don't already have a VOIP line, which will cost you $20+ per month instead of whatever fixed rate the cell-socket costs. But its worth considering.
Stupid Trick (Score:2, Interesting)
I got one about a year ago. Here's my impression. (Score:4, Interesting)
I recently built a vacation/retirement house in a remote area (where I could get a landline but can't get DSL or cable internet) and got cellphones to use during the construction project - then decided to try using them with a cell socket rather than installing a landline. Didn't work as well as I'd like.
My phone is an older Nokia model and the service AT&T (now Cingulair) wireless. That company is the only carrier available in the area - and no GSM, just TDMA (and maybe AMPS but I can't tell for sure).
The Cell Socket works reasonably well for voice calls.
It provides charging current when the cellphone is ON hook, but stops when the phone is engaged in a call. (Apparently the power brick is too small to power the cellphone and POTS-emulator line at the same time.)
The Cell Socket doesn't provide a dial tone. Instead (if you pick up the POTS phone when the cellphone is plugged in and ready) it provides a series of three beeps. Apparently these emulate the three beeps you get at the front of an intercept recording. My guess is that this is intended to keep people form trying to use modems and FAX machines with the Cell socket.
I tried programming a modem to use it (ignoring the wait-for-dialtone). But even at the lowest speed setting it would not work with the TDMA cellphone service.
(I hear you can get 1200 baud or so through an AMPS cellphone connection. Unfortunately, my phone was a Nokia with AT&T firmware, and (as far as I can tell) those (at AT&T's insistence) can not be forced to make an AMPS call when a digital carrier is available. So I couldn't test that.)
So it's good for:
- Making long distance calls on your cheep cell plans comfortably.
- Eliminating your long-distance carrier on your landline.
- Using your cellphone anywhere in a house when there's only a few good spots for the signal.
- Putting voice-only service into a remote location, where a landline would be expensive to run (or used too little to justify the expense when you already have a cellphone).
But it's not good for:
- Data
- FAX
- Long calls with little time between them to recharge the cellphone battery.
Re:I got one about a year ago. Here's my impressio (Score:2)
Reception (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Reception (Score:2)
You need a different cell phone. (Score:3, Interesting)
Getting rid of the land line was the best communication move we ever made. It got rid of the telemarketers, too.
Re:You need a different cell phone. (Score:2)
Re:You need a different cell phone. (Score:2)
Ok, (Score:2)
Has this guy not heard of a battery charger?
*In Australia off peak calls with mobiles are about $0.50 per minute local calls on land lines are about $0.30 flat rate.
Simpler solution: (Score:5, Interesting)
for Verizon Wireless customers, this is
*72 + 10-Digit Number to Forward + SEND, wait for the tone, END. (to deactivate, *720 + SEND, wait, END)
Re:Simpler solution: (Score:4, Informative)
Airtime applies to forwarded/transferred calls even if you send the call to wireline telephones. When forwarding calls to phone numbers outside your local calling area, you'll be billed for any toll, long distance, and airtime charges incurred. Additional per-minute charges may apply to all forwarded calls.
I know here in Central IL, it's 10 cents per minute plus airtime for all forwarded calls. I got out of my contract 3 years ago when they implemented that.
Heh (Score:2)
Re:Simpler solution: (Score:2, Informative)
Verizon is not nice (Score:2)
If you forward during nights or weekends, it's free.
Re:beware: read the fine print (Score:2)
You insensitive clod! (Score:4, Funny)
Phones? (Score:2)
I just finished a similiar project (Score:2)
Someone said I should sell these.
Cellular Antennas and More (Score:2)
PBX sockets (Score:2)
Motorola phones? (Score:2)
And if you can't, I'm still having a blast shoving WarCraft 2 and Final Fantasy 7 midi onto the thing and using them as ringtones. It might only have 24 polyphony, but I can barely notice dropped notes, and the MIDIs sound great.
similar product but MUCH cheaper (Score:2)
I have designed a device similar in function to the Cellsocket/Dock-n-Talk/Cidco Merge, but that will work with almost any cellphone instead of the few brands that those devices work with, and will cost a SMALL FRACTION of the price of the those products - I estimate around $25. My device will also work with VoIP softphones, such as Skype, and audio ove
Re:Article Text Without FUD (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Forward Cell phone, call cell phone (Score:2)