Features and Performance
Toggling in between handset, headset, and speaker mode is pretty easy. To switch to the headset, simply hit the headset's multifunction button for a second. You can switch to the handset by pressing the "handset" button, and to switch to speaker just press the "speaker" button. Sound quality is excellent, as to be expected from a landline phone. However, we did hear a distinct static hum in the background, perhaps because of the number of electronics in the vicinity. This isn't a huge deterrent, since voices still came in loud and clear, but the static hum in the background is still a little annoying.
Of course, one of the best features of the Calisto Pro Series is that you can also pair the Bluetooth headset with your cell phone. We paired it with the RIM BlackBerry Pearl pretty easily, though you do have power down the headset before you can turn on pairing mode. Because the Bluetooth headset doesn't have a lot of controls on it, you'll have to use the cell phone itself to make the majority of your calls. That said, the Bluetooth headset does support voice dialing, so you can make calls that way if you wish. Another downer is that you can't use the headset for both cell phone calls and landline/VoIP calls simultaneously, as the cell phone and charging base can't speak to each other. This means that you'll have to hang up on the landline/VoIP line if you get a call from the cell phone and vice versa.
The sound quality on the Bluetooth headset was excellent, regardless of whether it was used with the landline, the cell phone network, or VoIP. As we mentioned, there was some a bit of a static hum in the background, but it wasn't a big deal.
Conclusion
In the end, we did find a few things lacking. We would've preferred a tighter integration with a specific VoIP service, Skype for example, so that you could get your contact list directly on the handset itself. Another thing we would've liked was a way to use the Bluetooth headset with both a cell phone call and a landline/VoIP call without having to hang up on one (by putting one on hold, for example).
Overall, however, the Plantronics Calisto Pro Series is a pretty good home phone system for those who work from home a lot, such as telecommuters or stay-at-home parents. The ability to walk around the house with a Bluetooth headset and a cordless handset with a belt clip frees up your hands for other household tasks.
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- caller ID
Where to buy
Plantronics Calisto Pro Series Cordless Landline/VoIP Phone, Silver/Black:
$209.86 - $259.99
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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$214.04 | Yes |
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$259.99 | Yes |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$209.86 | Yes |
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$209.88 | Yes |
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$249.99 | Yes |
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