Panasonic KX-PRX120 Android 4.0 Cordless DECT Phone: Smartphones Are Portable Phone Future?

Just a few days ago I wondered aloud if portable DECT/WIFI devices might not be an endangered species in light of mobile phones and very full featured UC clients. It appears a leader in portable phones, Panasonic, isn’t going to died while sitting down. It has announced the Android-base Panasonic KX-PRX120:

• Android 4.0 / ICS
• 3.5 TFT 480x320
• 1450mAh battery 4hours talk
• microSD
• Receive calls via Landisline
• WIFI
• Bluetooth
• GPS
• 0.3M front facing camera (Yes, .3M)
• GooglePlay Store
• up to 6 handsets connect to base (handset or GAP Dect handset)
• Optional: Answering Machine w/40miute of message time.
• Optional: key finder accessory
• Price $259USD

Since this device is running Android 4.0 that means it could conceivably run Skype, Lync, Jabber and other VoIP clients.

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Press Release: Click Here
Press Release: http://www.androidauthority.com/panasonic-android-home-phone-251084/http://gigaom.com/2013/08/01/panasonic-puts-android-on-your-home-phone/
http://www.engadget.com/2013/07/30/panasonic-cordless/

http://windowspbx.blogspot.com/2013/07/lync-2013-mobile-gets-call-transfer.html

Panasonic Enter The World of OpenSource and Hosted IP Phone Systems!

Now There Are Even Blogs About Specific Phone Models: snom m9 Blog! #snom #dect #lync

A new blog called "The Whole '9' Yards!!" is focused entirely on snom m9 DECT phone stuff. I'm not sure specifically who the author is but they mention they are an employee of snom. Perhaps the snom product manager? Not sure that is correct because it says location is Wolburn. Who is the secret writer? ;-)

 But go check it out at the link below.

Click Here:
http://snom-m9.blogspot.com/

SIP DECT Phone for $100-$200 Range? Here is a List

I've been compiling a low end SIP Dect phone list.

Gigaset C610A IP
Panasonic KX-TG500 (550)
Yealink SIP-W52T (Not in USA yet?)
snom m3/m9
Aastra MBU400

Have more I should add?

snom m9 Kit With 1 Handset Now Sold at Lower Entry Price

Just talked to our Distributor and it looks like there is now a m9 kit with 1 handset. Previously there was only snom m9 Kit that included 2 snom m9 devices. Now there is even a lower entry priced kit with 1 m9 handset with base. Check with us or your vendor.

IP Phone With DECT Handset (That is handset, not headset)

A client I talked to yesterday pointed out this Mitel IP phone that includes a DECT handset. Seems like an interesting idea. I am kind of wondering if the handset is oddly heavy and bulky considering it needs to have a battery, dect radio and all in it? Does the handset charge when setting in the phone?

I'd like to hear your input if you use one of these.

Here is a link:
http://www.ipphones.co.uk/products.php?product=Mitel-Cordless-Handset-(with-DECT-Module)

Who Will Be the Next Vendor to Bring a DECT Lync Phone to Market?

snom has released their m9 DECT unit a little while ago and it continues to mature. This unit is not officially Lync certified yet (I would guess snom wants to see it on this list) but it does register to Lync and work. (my review of m9 Lync features)  This unit is unusual even for snom in that it is the first snom device to ship with a Lync interoperable firmware installed from factory.

It looks like Polycom KIRK is working on something to act as a Lync endpoint as well. I can't quite determine if it is going to be native Lync or need some gateway in between? Polycom's Jim Kander says the KIRK units are linked up to  "Microsoft Integration OCS" in the video below. What exactly does that mean?



According to comments here the polycom units may show up in the not to distant future.

Here is a link I found saying Polycom will be Lync compliant:
http://blog.voipon.co.uk/microsoft-lync-server-2010-compatibility-with-polycom-kirk/
(but still no Polycom or Microsoft links?)

Did I hear some more vendors may join the DECT/Lync fray?
If you have any input I'd like to hear about it.

#snom m9 #Lync 2010 and #OCS 2007 R2 Features

The snom m9 is the first Lync 2010 interoperable phone to the market. This unit will also connect to a standard SIP pbx such as 3CX, snom ONE, Brekeke, etc as well. It is also a dual IP stack IPv6 unit. So quite of bit of promise in this little unit.

In this blog article I will go over some of the Lync specific features of the m9. This report is not intended as a complete review of the m9 (coming later) but just a quick overview of the m9 Lync features specifically. Below is my video review of the m9 Lync features and my written report.



Presence is huge with Lync 2010 and the snom m9 will automatically change your Lync presence based on the User State of the m9 unit. (It currently does not take into account Device State) So if your m9 is not on a call or DND it shows "Green light" as shown below.

If we select to set the m9 to Do Not Disturb the Lync presence will be set as well.

Here the presence is set to "On a call".

The snom m9 will also allow you to put your contact in a list and dial Lync buddies based on this. This list does not show the contact's Lync presence as you may know that the snom 3xx/8xx do. According to product manager this is a limitation of Dect technology and is not a feature planned for the m9.

The m9 does not pull the Lync contact list but you can make this list yourself from the phone user interface or the web user interface. It will allow you to import VARDS/.vcf's as well so you can include a picture.

The unit will also allow you to setup 10 one digit speed dials. So you can dial a Lync contact with one button! Think about it: If you have Lync federated with MSN/etc you could call them with 1 button! Pretty neat!

Also note the IPv6 address. Since the unit run dual parallel IP stack, you can log in to the unit even if you don't know the IPv4 address. Very slick.

See the dual parallel IPv6 stack below:

Configuring the m9 for Lync is fairly straight forward using the below configuration screen. You will also want to click on SIP tab and set the Server Type to "Microsoft Office Communication Server (OCS)" to make it work.

The m9 is very new to the USA market and it shows. Right now you need to type in a pin to change DND, lack of automatically populated contact list, searching address book only works with some letters, etc but snom is working hard rectify these issues and I hope to be able to report that it has passed my critique shortly. ;-)

If you own an m9 you might want to look at the recently update pdf manual.
I think the m9 shows real promise as a Lync 2010 Dect phone. It also shows that snom is committed to bringing interesting Lync devices to the market.

Looks Like the snom m9 Is Hitting USA Distribution: SIP & Lync Dect Phone

Looks like the m9 is finally hitting USA. (at least some ;-)
Kerry Garrison, over at 888voipstore, does a video looking at the new snom m9. Take a look:

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snom M3 to be Discontinued and Will Give Way to snom M9

It looks like the snom M3 Dect phone will be discontinued in favor of the new snom M9 DECT phone. This is good to know because I was wondering if snom will carry both of the units. The M9 SIP DECT phone will add idle roaming, Lync/OCS compatibility, and higher handset and call volumes. The snom M9 is on the cusp of being available at distribution in the USA with distributors estimating later this month ETA.

Watch the whole video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHNmcEYMbe0

TalkSwitch Also Uses RTX Dect Phone

Just noticed that it appears that TalkSwitch also uses RTX to make their DECT IP phone! Hmmm…Does ANYONE make their own DECT Phone? ;-)

In a previous article I explored who the OEM is that is making everyone's SIP DECT phones. It seems like a lot of deskphone companies are having one OEM make their SIP DECT phones. That would not be a problem except that there seems to be a common build and firmware quality with units originating there.

 
There is (at least) one exception that I know off: The snom M9. The firmware in the snom m9 is entirely snom designed and there are some interesting innovations because of that: Lync Server compatibility, DECT roaming capability, 4 calls per base station, IPv6 ready and the promise of solid snom quality firmware.

TalkSwitch Uses RTX Dect Phone:

http://www.voip-news.com/blog/20090127/new-dect-phone-from-talkswitch/