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Posts tagged Xlink
Xtreme Technologies Xlink Reviewed
May 27th
I finally decided to review the Xlink Cellular Bluetooth Gateway (BT). I’ve been using it for about a month now and I have to say, for what it is, I’m impressed. Basically the device plugs into an outlet, then you run a normal phone line from this unit to your home phone. Then you pair the Xlink via Bluetooth connection with your cellphone much the same way you would handsfree devices such as bluetooth headsets. After the connection is made (the blue light stops blinking) you are able to make phone calls from any phone in your house using this unit and your cellphone, taking full advantage of the minutes on your cellphone plan.
Now, I bought this for one major reason. I simply DO NOT get cellular reception in my kitchen. If I walk anywhere within 10 feet of my kitchen while on a call with my cellphone the call will absolutely get dropped. Not that this is limited to the kitchen, it’s just the place where you are guaranteed for this to happen. Anyhow, since I get reception and am able to use my cellphone fine near the window, I decided one of these units might not be a bad investment. I had looked around for “repeater” type devices to improve cellular reception in so-called “dead” areas but every one I found seemed far too expensive. This Xlink solution can be had for $99. So, I figured it was worth the try.
Here’s the unit as I have it set up:
So far, so good. I am now able to lay my cellular phone anywhere in the apartment that it gets reception and it will automatically connect via bluetooth to the Xlink. Then I can make/receive calls using my normal house phone. One of the features I was sort of skeptical about is the caller ID function. I mean I had no problem believing I’d be able to make phone calls but I figured transferring caller ID information was asking a little much. Well, I was wrong. That works great. Every time a call comes in, the caller ID info is sent to the display on my home phone.
All in all, I have to say I’m very pleased with this device. It seems to function exactly as advertised. Anyone with the same problems I was having that want cellular reception in the rest of their house would surely benefit from the Xlink. Also, it’s an obvious way to cut down on monthly bills by completely cutting out the home phone service.
Any questions?
Make Cellphone Calls from Your Home Phone
Mar 21st
I have had good service with Verizon. It has served me well for about 5 years now. However, I’m sure many of you have had dropped calls. Up until a little over a year ago, this was a rare enough occurrence that it was easily overlooked. But the fact is, a service can’t work everywhere. And that is an acceptable reality unless the location you can’t get service is in your own home.
My parents have had a “protective” blanket (more like a Faraday cage!!!) over their house for years now, but I chalked that one up to lack of service towers in the area (they live in the country). But when I moved to the big city there was no doubt in my mind that phone service would be fine. Well, apparently I hadn’t figured on moving into the black hole of cell phone coverage areas.
After putting up with it for, oh, a year or so, I have decided to start trying gadgets to solve my problem. You see, my phone actually works if I’m in certain locations within the apartment (preferably near the windows) where the apparently “lead-lined” walls aren’t AS effective. I have heard of gadgets to help this sort of thing and I was thinking more along the lines of some kind of signal booster or antenna. After looking into that, I decided the cost for an effective system wasn’t quite what I had in mind.
Enter the Extreme Tech XLINK BT….Basically it will connect to your cellphone using a Bluetooth connection and the Xlink to any regular home phone using a normal home phone line allowing cordless access to your whole house while your cellphone remains in the best “hot spot/zone” you can find. This device allows up to 3 cellphone pairings simultaneously, incoming/outgoing for each, all the other bells and whistles of your cellphone service. These systems have been around for a while, but it wasn’t until I was reading an article in CPU Magazine (great magazine btw) about Xlink the same day I had multiple dropped calls that I broke down. This was two days ago, so I, of course, haven’t received it yet but I will be sure to let you know how it works out. So far I am planning on combining it with the Panasonic KX-TG8231B. Hopefully (fingers crossed), this will solve my current home phone issues.