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How to Choose the Right Hearing Impaired Phone in 5 Easy Steps

If you're straining or not hearing telephone conversations clearly, a hearing impaired telephone can help. With a built-in volume amplifier and hearing aid compatibility, a hearing loss telephone can make telephone conversations normal again.

It many cases these phones are purchased by sons and daughters for their elderly parents who are having difficult phone conversations due to hearing loss. Or maybe you’ve noticed a decline in your hearing and you need a little boost. 

Clearsounds A1600

STEP 1 |  Determine Hearing Loss Severity - Severe, Moderate or Mild?

If your Mom is 95 years young and you are shouting with her on the phone, she likely has severe hearing loss. However, if she  just misses a word here and there and needs the phone just a bit louder, she has mild to moderate loss.

If you think you (or a loved one) has moderate loss, but could be close the severe category, it’s best to err on the side of louder. That’s because you can adjust a very loud (severe) phone’s volume down, but you can’t adjust a moderate phone louder than its maximum volume. And let's face it, our hearing isn't going to be getting any better going forward.

STEP 2 | Corded Phone or Cordless?

This one simple step will narrow down your choices by about 50%. Advantages of a cordless phone is mobility and convenience. Advantages of a corded phone is larger, easier to see buttons and in some cases easier controls. Need both? You can always get one of each.

STEP 3 | Feature Requirements

It’s probably a good idea to write down features that are required, if any.  If your mom is 95 you’ll probably want the most basic phone available without any confusing features. However, if Caller ID or an Answering Machine is a requirement, this will further narrow down your choices. 

STEP 4 | Browse by Category of Hearing Loss, Looking for Required Features

Categories:  Severe | Moderate | Mild

Sure there’s a lot of phones available, but that’s a good thing. That means there is likely the perfect phone for you. If you find the perfect phone except for it does not have an answering machine, consider the ClearSounds ANS3000 stand alone answering machine as a separate add-on. It’s designed for hearing loss, and it’s simple to use.

While browsing through the phones available, use your instinct. If one phone appears easier to use than another, and you think that would be best for your Mom, you’re probably right. If you are purchasing a phone for an elderly loved one, it can be a great idea involve them, if possible. Email them a picture. If you can’t do that, print one out and show/US mail it to them. Describe them the features, and ask for feedback. You don’t want resistance after the purchase. 

STEP 5 | Devil is in the Details

Nit-picky about features and want to preview how the phones operate? You can download the phone’s user manual to preview the details and specific functions of how to program and operate. A download link to a Abobe PDF format user guide is listed on most of the phone’s item pages, after the features listed. Product videos are also featured on select items.

What about Brands?

Is one better than the other? No. The brands are all comparable. I would only shop by brand if you have had some positive experience with one already, or if one was suggested to you by an Audiologist. 

Keep in mind what works for Bob doesn’t work for Betty. Everyone’s hearing loss if different, and not every phone works perfectly with every user. But, if you make decision based on need, type and features, you should better your chances of a successful purchase.

Should the phone you decide on not meet your needs, SmithGear offers a 30-Day return policy (with no-restocking fees) with a full-refund or exchange, if needed.

New 2012 Panasonic Link2Cell Bluetooth Cordless Phones

Panasonic has released several new Link2Cell bluetooth cordless phones models for 2012. These systems allow you to make and receive cell phone calls on any Panasonic handset throughout your home.

With Panasonic's Link2Cell, landline phone service is optional. Simply place a Link2Cell base unit wherever cell reception is strongest and then pair up to two Bluetooth-enabled cell phones.

Once paired, cell phone calls will ring on all compatible Panasonic handsets, ensuring that important calls will not be missed. Also, since it's Bluetooth compatible you can transfer 3,000+ entries from your cell phone's contact list to the system with ease.

iPhone users can also now import custom ringtones directly into the Link2Cell phone system. That means any calls will ring with the same tone as your iPhone throughout the home!

New models available: KX-TG7731S | KX-TG7733S | KX-TG7742S | KX-TG7745S

KX-TG7742S pictured

 

Calisto P830-M Full-Duplex Speakerphone for the Home Office

I've been looking for a decent speakerphone for hands-free communication in my home office for some time. I was tired of using a standard desktop telephone for the speakerphone function and was less than pleased with its performance. The problem was that the speakerphone in my desk phone was not full-duplex.

A full-duplex speakerphone allows for natural, 2-way conversations where both parties can hear each other at the same time. Since my desk phone's speakerphone was not full-duplex (half-duplex, I guess), while I was on a phone conversation only one party could speak at a time, and it made conversations a real hassle. Not only that, the speaker sounded "tinny" and it was hard to even make out what the caller was saying.

After some searching for a full-duplex conference phone, I found out that most of the high-end conference phones are designed for use in a conference room, not a desk in my home office. However, there were a few options for the home-office user, and I tried out the new Plantronics Calisto P830-M.

The size of the device is small (perfect for the desk), and it allows for the connection of a PC, a bluetooth cell phone, and a landline. And you can connect all three at the same time. Pairing a cell phone was easy and the landline connection was as simple as plugging it in.

Unfortunately, I was unable to get the PC connection with my Apple Mac Pro computer. The device is only PC (Windows) compatible, so I was not able to test this with my Skype or Google Chat. However, if you have Windows I’m sure the Calisto will work as described.

Update 4/24/12: Plantronics Offers MAC OS X Software called SPOKES. I was able to download and use with my MacPro desktop computer running Lion. Works great with Google Chat. 

The Bluetooth connection works flawlessly. I was able to pair my iPhone quickly and to my suprise the Calisto P830-M even rang my iPhone’s custom ringtones during an incoming call -- very cool. Landline calls have 3 ringing options and Plantronics has a couple decent (not too annoying) ringtones to choose from.

The keypad is touch and the dial pad is not as easy as a traditional phone. Since most of my calls are incoming or originated with Google Voice, this is not a problem for me.

The performance of the speakerphone itself is wonderful. It really is a joy to use. I spent most of the day asking callers if it sounded like I was on a speakerphone. Not a single caller could tell. The Calisto’s speaker does a great job with callers voices and the microphone never misses a word. Most of the time I was leaning into the Calisto, thinking this would help my caller hear me more clearly. After a few days I stopped doing this because I found this made no difference at all, the callers all heard me fine whether I was speaking right into the unit or not.

If you are looking for a high quality full-duplex speakphone for the home office that’s easy to use, check the new Calisto P830-M.

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Remote Power Control for Two AC Devices with the MultiLink IP4000

The MultiLink IP4000 offers an easy way control AC power to remote site equipment. It's an affordable and cost effective way to troubleshoot from the operations center, or even from a Smartphone.

The device allows remote power control to two AC devices using either a web browser or MSN messenger. This device is a perfect tool for IT personnel supporting routers and network equipment in remote sites.

The IP4000 provides the ability to either manually control power remotely over the internet, OR automatically by an internet monitoring feature that pings up to six IP addresses.

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Phone Alerts User if Handset has been Left Off-hook by Accident

When an elderly loved one does not hang up their phone completely, their phone can remain busy for hours. The only way to check on them is to call a neighbor, drive over to their house, or even worse, call the police. Then it turns out it was simply a phone left off-hook by accident.

To help with this problem the Serene HD-60 phone features a unique alerting feature which alerts the user if the handset has been left off-hook - by accident or just for too long. The phone detects the warning signal on the phone line and alerts the user with special loud rings and bright flashes.

If this feature works just once it can help reduce the worry and stress associated with caring for elderly loved ones who live alone.

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Telephone Line Sharing Devices help Reduce to Phone Service Cost

If you've been running a home office it's likely you have at least one or two phones and a fax machine. And if you're like many other home offices you may be keeping (and paying for) a dedicated telephone line for just the fax machine. But with the increase of online documents and scanning and emailing, the fax machine is getting used more infrequently. Personally, I try to avoid sending or receiving a fax whenever possible.

But if you are still paying for a dedicated telephone line from your phone company to keep the fax machine running, you may want to consider using a line sharing device to get the fax machine onto just one line (the same as your voice calls). This will allow you to call your phone company and cancel service for your dedicated fax line.

How it works: the line sharing device acts as a router for your incoming calls. It essentially passes any voice calls through your telephones and any fax calls directly to your fax machine.

Combine this with phone company distinctive ring service (additional phone number on the same line that rings differently) and you can have multiple phone numbers, one one line, with each number going to different devices.

 > view line sharing products

NEW D712 BUNDLE Combines Clarity's Amplified Base Phone with 2 Extra Handsets

The NEW Clarity D712 BUNDLE amplified/low vision cordless phone with answering machine amplifies incoming sound up to 30 decibels. This new version of the D712 comes Bundled with (2) Extra Cordless Handsets.

This best selling phone is ideal for those with moderate hearing loss.

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Oregon Scientific Atomic ExactSet Projection Ceiling Clock

This cool little clock sets automatically to the US Atomic Clock. It never needs adjusting for Daylight Saving Time. A handy projection clock feature offers a great way to easily read time at night by casting soft glowing red numbers on the ceiling.

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Plantronics New Wireless Headsets CS510 CS520 CS540 Lightest on Market

Plantronics is setting a new standard for wireless headsets with the three new CS500 Series sets. New headset models include the CS540 Convertible, CS520 Over-the-head (TWO EAR) and the  CS510 Over-the-head (ONE EAR). 

Each headset system features the lightest DECT headset on the market, range up to 350 feet, a streamlined design and improved performance. They also come with the same reliability and hands-free productivity that has made the CS family a bestseller for nearly a decade.

More details: CS540 | CS520 | CS510

Sony MDR-DS6500 Wireless TV Headphones offer Optical Digital Connection

Does your new HDTV have no analog outputs on the back? Not a problem. Sony now has TV headphones with optical connection.

With the new Sony Wireless Stereo Headphones MDR-DS6500, you can use the supplied optical digital connection cable to the digital output jack on a satellite/TV receiver, HDTV, TV, DVD, GAME device or other digital component to the DIGITAL IN jack of the processor for true digital sound. 

The headphones also support media formats: Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Surround EX, DTS, DTS-ES Matrix, and DTS-ES Discrete.

The connection of AV component may need to be set up for optical digital output. Refer to the operating instructions of the connected device.

NOTES: The optical digital connecting cable is an extremely high-precision device and is sensitive to jolts and external pressure. Therefore, be careful when inserting and removing the optical cable plug.

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