Headset phones improve efficiency in home offices
Headset phones improve efficiency in home offices
By Zatni Arbi
JAKARTA (JP): So you also run a home office? Then you must
find these scenes familiar. Scene Number One: You are talking on
the phone, you hear the doorbell ring and you realize that you
are alone at home and you will have to answer the door. Scene
Number Two: You are trying to take some notes on your client's
feedback on your first draft, and you are finding your neck
hurting as you keep your head tilted to keep the phone handset
between your ear and your shoulder. Scene Number Three: You are
cooking in the kitchen, and your former boss calls and wants to
have a chat with you.
What can you do?
A headset phone will free you from neck stiffness and will
also free your hand so that you can keep pounding away on your
keyboard. Headset phones are becoming increasingly available in
phone stores as well as airports such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
In fact, I bought my first headset in Hong Kong's old Kai Tak
International Airport a couple of years ago. However, I found out
later that somehow the electrical current from the telephone
network was leaking into the ear piece, giving me a painful
sensation inside my ear each time I used it.
I have seen a few new headset phone models at Changi Airport,
Singapore. The prices are not bad, but we cannot test them to see
how well they function. To tell the truth, after my first
experience, I did not want to make another mistake.
In Indonesia, we can buy high-quality headset telephones, but
their cost is exorbitantly high. They are usually used by data-
entry or call-center operators. Siska, the receptionist at PT
Acer Indonesia, told me that her company paid more than Rp 1
million for the headset phone she was using. There is still a
problem with these headset phones, though. They are connected to
a wall outlet with a cable. That means you will still be tethered
to the desk, which makes it useless in Scene Number Two or Three.
In Scene Number Two, the obvious solution has been around for
some time. Just buy one of those great cordless phones from
Panasonic, Sony, Sanyo, GE or even from those obscure cordless
phone makers. In general, these phones operate very well. The
sound quality is sometimes on par with your corded telephone set,
thanks to the additional electronic circuitries inside them that
cancel unwanted noise. But, you still have to hold the handset in
your hand or keep pressing it between your head and your
shoulder. It will not be useful in the kitchen, either, unless
you can cook with only one hand.
So, why not combine the two? Why not combine the headset phone
with a cordless phone? I honestly do not know whether they are
already available here, but on my last trip to the U.S. I came
across one model at RadioShack, and I bought it right away. It
only cost US$79, far below the price for the headset telephone
that Siska's company had to pay (at that time, the exchange rate
was still less than Rp 8.000 per U.S. dollar).
Incidentally, just after I bought the ET-1101 Headset Cordless
Telephone, I found a similar model made by GE at Sears. It even
cost $10 less. I guess this new type of phone will become
increasingly popular, and although no model is available yet at
the electronic store at Changi, my feeling is that we will soon
be able to find them in Glodok.
900 MHz, 40 Channels
Like most other cordless telephones, the ET-1101 has a base
and a battery-powered keypad. The battery, which is attached to
the keypad, should be charged for 15 hours before using it for
the first time. I had to use a small power converter as the power
supply was intended for 110 V house current.
The base does not take up much space, as the keypad itself is
also small. There is a holder at the back where you can hang the
headset. The antenna is also very short. The phone automatically
selects one of its 40 channels for the highest sound clarity.
The headset is lightweight and quite comfortable. The ear
piece can be placed over your left ear or right ear, as you
prefer. It is not the type of ear piece that you can put into
your ear, instead it has a headband. That could be a shortcoming
for those who do not want their hair to get messy. The sturdy
cable that connects the headset with the keypad is about 75 cm
long. The microphone boom, which is made of plastic, is very
flexible. You can easily place it very close to your mouth to get
the stronger voice.
The keypad itself is nicely designed. On the back there is a
belt clip. At first I was a bit confused because the keypad would
be positioned upside down when I hung it on my belt. But then I
realized that it made perfect sense. When you need to make a
call, you do not have to detach the keypad from your belt. Just
hold it in your hand, and you will be able to read the buttons
right away.
The cordless phone uses the 900 MHz frequency, which gives a
clearer sound and less interference. Compared to my one-year-old
Panasonic cordless phone, which has a much taller and more
obtrusive antenna, the ET-1101 has a much wider coverage. In
places where the reception gets weak and static begins to
interfere with the Panasonic cordless, the ET-1101 still gives a
clear channel.
There is an intercom function, too. If you are using the
headset, you can call other people to come to the base with a
distinguishable but not annoying beep. If your wife is using it,
you can page her from the base and talk using the base's
microphone. Other standard functions such as memory, flash,
volume control, ringer control, mute and redial are all
available.
Unfortunately, there is no LCD screen displaying the number
being dialed. However, in a way, that was a good design decision,
because it keeps power consumption to a minimum. The replaceable
Nickel Cadmium battery pack can provide up to 8 hours of talktime
and 7 days of standby time.
I have been very happy with the ET-1101. It allows me to
continue typing away with all my fingers or move about the house
while holding a conversation with a caller. If you are thinking
of buying a cordless telephone for your home office -- or for
your Mom so that she can chat with her grandchildren while
preparing dinner, choose a headset cordless telephone.
(zatni@cbn.net.id)