Phone Labs Dock-N-Talk
Manufacturer: AlertLine Communications Inc. Part number: DNT01
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Provided it works properly with your cell phone and you can afford the sky-high price, the Dock-N-Talk from Phone Labs is an ideal and pain-free way to combine your cell and landline phones.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unbeatablesale.com | Not yet rated | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Phone Labs Dock-N-Talk price range: $172.04
- Reviewed by: Kent German
- Edited by: Bonnie Cha
- Reviewed on: 04/27/2006
The good: The Dock-N-Talk is easy to use, requires minimal setup, supports Bluetooth, and can connect to multiple landline phones.
The bad: The Dock-N-Talk is expensive, its construction feels somewhat cheap, and it doesn't support all cell phones.
The bottom line: Provided it works properly with your cell phone and you can afford the sky-high price, the Dock-N-Talk from Phone Labs is an ideal and pain-free way to combine your cell and landline phones.
As more people ditch their landline phones and transition to an exclusively cellular lifestyle, they may encounter a few problems. For one thing, cell phones are not getting any bigger (hello, Motorola Razr), and the tinier models aren't comfortable to hold against your head for long conversations. What's more, you may not get a signal everywhere in your house or your office. Fortunately, however, there are alternatives with products such as the Dock-N-Talk from Phone Labs. Similar to the CellDock but much improved, Dock-N-Talk lets you sync most any mobile with a landline home or office phone for more comfortable gabbing throughout your residence or workplace. Of course, you'll need to place the unit where you can get good cell reception, but that should be about the biggest problem you face when using this functional and user-friendly product.
One major downside, however, is the price. Not only is the Dock-N-Talk itself fairly expensive at $149.99 (for a hunk of plastic, no less), but you must fork over an additional $19.99 for a cell phone cable. And since the cables don't have universal connectors, you will need multiple cables if you own multiple cell phones. Alternatively, you can use a Bluetooth module to sync with your cell phone, which is a nice touch, but it will run you another $79.99.
Unlike some other docking stations we've reviewed--the Motorola SD4500 and the RCA Cell Phone Docking System, for example--the Dock-N-Talk does not come with a landline phone. Phones Labs will sell you its own cordless model for $119.99, but Dock-N-Talk is best for people who already have one on hand. And keep in mind that you don't need an active landline connection in your home to use Dock-N-Talk.
The main component of Dock-N-Talk is a plastic box measuring 4.25 by 4.25 by 1.25 inches and weighing 5.5 ounces. The small size means you can place it on smaller shelves, but its construction feels a bit cheap. Beyond the ports for the telephone cords, the AC adapter, and the cell phone cable/Bluetooth module, the only features on the exterior of the console are a small LED, a Bluetooth-pairing control, and a ringer setup button. The color is basic gray, which is offset by a wavy black stripe. It's nondescript, to say the least, but it's just a docking station, after all, so we didn't think anything of it.
Setup for the Dock-N-Talk was easy. After plugging in the module via the AC adapter, you can connect your home or office phone using the included phone cord. Then, after pressing the ringer setup button on the console to establish a connection, you're free to plug in your mobile. We used both the cell phone cable and the Bluetooth module to connect our Sony Ericsson S710a and had no problems using either method. Phone Labs says it supports more than 800 cell phones from the major manufacturers, but some very recent models, such as the newer Sony Ericsson Walkman handsets, have yet to be accommodated. You can see a complete list of compatible cell phones on the company's Web site. On the upside, however, the unit will charge your mobile when it's connected.
One of the Dock-N-Talk's better features is that if connected to a wall jack, it can function with up to five other landline phones in your home. It's especially great for families that have multiple phones in the house, as they need to buy only one device. This feature works regardless of whether you have active landline service, but keep in mind that it won't work with wall jacks assigned to different phone numbers. Also, you can connect only one cell phone at a time to Dock-N-Talk. Other features include call waiting, speed dialing, and live call transfers between a cell and landline phone. And good news for Nextel customers: You can even make push-to-talk calls on the landline handset.
Using the Dock-N-Talk is simple as well. To place a call using your cell phone's service, just pick up the landline phone and dial as normal; to receive a call, you just answer your home or office phone as you normally would. When we tested the Dock-N-Talk, we placed and received calls on our office phone using the S710a on Cingular's service. Call quality was satisfactory, but remember that reception will depend on what kind of signal you get on your cell phone. More important, remember that as long as you're using your mobile service to make calls, you will be burning your cell phone minutes.
Overall, the Dock-N-Talk is a quality product for combining your cell and landline phones, but its high price doesn't warrant the convenience just yet.
User reviews
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Nice idea, but not 100% reliable
Pros: Small, easy to use, simple. Great concept! Quick online email support.
Cons: Poorly executed idea. Doesn't always work. Too often fails to "link" cell phone calls to home phones. Rings, but no audio (can't talk or listen) when answered. I think the major problem is that it tries to be one solution to all cell phones. However,
5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A Very Cool Product
Pros: Does what it says - makes and takes cell phone calls through a regular phone. No need to touch the cell phone to dial, answer or anything. Cell phone options like Caller Id and call wating are also supported. Bluetooth option is very convenient. Setup
Cons: No real cons, just some observations: Sound quality is directly a function of cell phone signal strength. With Bluetooth option, sound quality is also a function of that connection. I found that call quality seemed to be more affected by interference w
3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Idea - but not perfect
by icedog114 on March 16, 2005
Pros: Drop the land line and save $40 a month!
Cons: Doesnt always perform as expected
Summary: I have had my Dock N Talk for about 6 months now. The best thing about it is the money is saves each month. I have had a few drawbacks ...
Summary: I have had my Dock N Talk for about 6 months now. The best thing about it is the money is saves each month. I have had a few drawbacks so far however. It is not compatible with a fax machine or satellite tv system that requires a traditional phone line. I have also had problems with volume, I can hear people on the other end of the line great, but most of the people on the other end say I am very quiet and hard to hear. I have an email into tech support, so we will see if this problem can be resolved.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Poor follow thru on great concept
by kfn56 on February 26, 2007
Pros: The begining of a great idea
Cons: Implementation falls flat
Summary: A great idea but implementation is clunky. Should be able to walk in the door and drop my phone into a charging base with a USB connection for syncing and ...
Summary: A great idea but implementation is clunky. Should be able to walk in the door and drop my phone into a charging base with a USB connection for syncing and a port which connects to my home phone system allowing me to eliminate my landline. Because there are so many different connection styles for cellphones, a high quality implementation would require the support of the major phone manufacturers in providing a simple, high quality, drop in cradel that would accept multiple models of their phones and provide a simple drop on connection which would allow phone, sync and charging at the same time. Sony/Ericson...are you listening???
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not perfect, but better than what is out there.
by jpprice47 on November 12, 2008
Pros: Works on household wiring. I can make and receive calls from cheap phone extensions. Works great with Dish DVR (main reason I got it).
Cons: Most times, the phones ring once then call goes to cellular voicemail. On the occasion it rings more than once, it takes about 10 seconds for the call to come through.
Summary: If you don't mind having to get your calls through your voicemail then call back, this unit works very well. I tried the XLink ITC-BTTN and it just will ...
Summary: If you don't mind having to get your calls through your voicemail then call back, this unit works very well. I tried the XLink ITC-BTTN and it just will NOT work on the household lines, ONLY the wireless phones.
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Not For Prime Time
by kscope on January 16, 2008
Pros: The Concept of Fixed Wireless
Cons: The Execution
Summary: Have had Dock N Talk over a year and used it with a cable and Bluetooth. Neither are satisfactory for everyday use. The Bluetooth interface was intermittently, connecting calls less ...
Summary: Have had Dock N Talk over a year and used it with a cable and Bluetooth. Neither are satisfactory for everyday use. The Bluetooth interface was intermittently, connecting calls less than half the time with hollow sound and background tapping noise. The wired interface initially worked better but recently acts like the Bluetooth. Support said change wire. Changed wire, no change in behavior.
Bottom line: Kids, Wife, won't use it. -
Poor compatability even with phones on their list!
by slam_to on December 2, 2007
Pros: allows you to plug your cellphone into regular phone jacks
Cons: questionable compatability, noise problems
Summary: I've had the DnT for 5 months and have had limited sucess.
Phones that are listed on their website as being compatible and supported may not be 100% compatible. ...Summary: I've had the DnT for 5 months and have had limited sucess.
Phones that are listed on their website as being compatible and supported may not be 100% compatible. Some phones could only place outgoing calls, some could receive incomming calls but no audio.
Use with GMS handsets may also induce noise due to radio-frequency interference from the cellphone on the DnT. -
Try the Intellitouch Xlink instead
by samamori on June 8, 2007
Pros: It works sometimes
Cons: wire line connection
Summary: I bought one of these a few years ago but we could never cancel our phone line because it only works sometimes with one cell phone. Last week I bought ...
Summary: I bought one of these a few years ago but we could never cancel our phone line because it only works sometimes with one cell phone. Last week I bought an IntelliTouch Xlink. It has Blue tooth built in and it can work with 3 cell phones ( I have not tried it with 3 but it works great with 2 cells phones). I find the IntelliTouch Xlink alot better than the DockNTalk and now we actually did cancel our phone service. Pretty cool.
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Worth every penny
by dickday on September 1, 2006
Pros: Works as advertised and great support.
Cons: The cable was a pain, Bluetooth is worth the extra money
Summary: We purchased the Dock-N-Talk about a year and a half ago. At the same time, we canceled our land line and went totally wireless. The Dock-N-Talk allows us to use ...
Summary: We purchased the Dock-N-Talk about a year and a half ago. At the same time, we canceled our land line and went totally wireless. The Dock-N-Talk allows us to use the same phones in the house, my shop and the arena. We save about $50 a month by not having the land line. The Dock-N-Talk paid for itself in about 4 months.
The product works, the support has been great and it saves us money. -
Did not operate as specified
by cw3scott on February 28, 2006
Pros: Good design concept
Cons: Bluetooth connection erratic, audio seldom worked
Summary: I did not implement the hard wired mode.
In the Bluetooth modes many problems arise.
1. Difficulty in pairing ( this should be a breeze )
2. Difficulty in connecting (again, should ...Summary: I did not implement the hard wired mode.
In the Bluetooth modes many problems arise.
1. Difficulty in pairing ( this should be a breeze )
2. Difficulty in connecting (again, should be routine)
3. Loses Bluetooth connectivity at random times, difficult to reconnect
4. Outgoing call: rings called phone but does not put through the audio in either direction.
5. Incoming calls: rings your wireline phones but doesn't connect the audio in either direction.
6. Sometimes fails to ring wireline phones.
This product is simply not reliable enough to implement external communications in a reliable and trustworthy manner.
In short, in the Bluetooth mode, you are beta testing compatibility with your phone.
I only got it to work correctly on a couple of calls.
Be sure to save every part of the shipping container or they will hit you with a hefty restocking charge on return.
Manufacturer info
- AlertLine Communications Inc.
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse AlertLine Communications Inc. products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.mylinkline.com
- Address:
93 West 800 North, Bountiful, Utah 84010
