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Macworld 2010
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Palm Pre Information & Updates
Palm just introduced their next-gen smartphone, the Palm Pre, and next-gen operating system, Palm webOS. Gadgetell's got the latest Pre and webOS information and news for you right here.
What Is It:
The XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway is a $99 device ($119 for an upgraded model) that lets you pair up to three cellphones with your old landline handsets. Gadgetell got to test out the $99 BT model.
What’s Good:
The XLink lets you make use of the cellular plan you already pay for, thus eliminating the need for a separate landline. There is no monthly fee with the XLink, just the initial cost of purchasing the base. Setup is really easy - it took us less than 10 minutes to set up ours - and you can pair up to three cellphones.
It would be good for families and roommates who want to minimize monthly telephone bills. You can avoid dead spots in your house - just keep your cell in a spot where you get a signal and move around with your paired cordless handset. Also, if you still want to keep a landline, the BTTN model ($119) will let you integrate that alongside your cellphones.
What’s Bad:
The initial outlay of $99 or $119 may be a bit expensive for some.
What’s In-between:
There is no included phone cable with the BT model (BTTN model does come with a cable), so you will have to purchase one if you don’t have a spare lying around the house. The XLink’s instructions say that any paired cellphone must be within 10 ft of the base, which seems a bit short in range for our liking. Bluetooth items usually give you at least 30 ft. Also, the XLink doesn’t have the most stylish design.
For those of you using Skype, XLink has recently released an alpha version of XConnect software that allows you to make and receive Skype calls on any phone connected to the Xlink BT or BTTN. However, when we tried installing the new software, we got an audio driver error message. So, in theory this is a great idea, but it’s buggy. May be best to wait for the beta version.
The Crux:
If you’re looking to ditch your landline and you hate searching for your cellphone to answer calls while at home, then the XLink might be for you. Assuming it works as well for you as it did for us, we’d highly recommend it. The XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway BT model is available for $99 and the BTTN model is available for $119.
Product Page [MyXLink.com]
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