A200

leap day, 29th February 2004
My agenda filled up rapidly after my return to the Netherlands. Sorry readers, but I did not find the time to write in the last couple of weeks.

Roster Temple

Buddha finding a solution for your roster
Have the SUMit Buddha
puzzle about your roster

The hardware guru

Foto Mike Levyssohn
Mike Levyssohn (mlict.nl)
So, now it's end of February already. The first roster customers are in their trial period now. now create their rosters on-line at the SUMit web site. The SUMit sales department is working overtime. Things are going well.

The sales and support department has worn out 2 out of 5 available phones, don't ask me how. An other one is under repair at the moment. The two remaining phones do not suffice for that department. So, additional hardware is required.

Mike, the regular SUMit hardware advisor, always recommends Siemens when it comes to phones. Pigheaded and against the odds, I still make a stroll on the Internet for other options.

Surfing the Internet looking for a phone

Primafoon.nl The Dutch shop of partly state owned national phone company. Grr, the web site starts by setting an illegal cookie. They do have easy to use, sturdy equipment, with one for the visual disabled presented the top model. The choice is limited, seems to target the disabled fellow humans. It all seems a bit overpriced.
Sony.nl The two phones still working here are made by Sony. So there is a good reason to choose for Sony again. The web site looks very high tech, probably targeting the young and trendy. It looks very slick, but downloading a 315K homepage annoys, damned slow. In all glossy glitters, I can't find a phone.

The menus do not work in Opera 6.0, probably browser specific code. Grr. So, annoyance again, used that other browser to download all the graphical shit again. And yes... deep down is anther link that pollutes my screen with yet another browser window for sonyericsson.com. It beats me what Sony and Ericsson have in common. Of course the back button is now disabled as a result of the new window. The Ericsson web site is all about mobile phones, no home phones at all. That is enough. Bye-bye.

Panasonic.nl Ok, off to Panasonic. That is the first electronics firm that springs to mind as an alternative, probably because my vacuum cleaner is a Panasonic. The sonic part sound like having to do something with audio.

Yes, they do have phones. These phones all look quite complex, with lots of buttons. I am not seeking to purchase such robots. The prime goal for a phone is to make phone calls. Prices are kept secret. At least, I haven't found any at the web site. There is no on-line shopping facility.

Philips.nl The Dutch Philips. Didn't these people have the ambition to be the leading supplier of mobile phones? If they know how to make mobiles, they should be able to create a simple home phone. And being a high-tech company the web site will probably be tip-top.

No, unfortunately, the Philips web site is not good. It is a fine example of Tog's top 10 reasons not to shop on line. The homepage is full with on line reports and press releases. The Philips executives, share holders and journalists will probably enjoy it all. This site is clearly meant for an old-boys network, not targeting customers. There is simply no link at all to products when using Opera 6.0.

After using the search function extensively some phone do get in view. I still wonder how I ever could arrive here from the homepage. Most likely I should have known the following address: http://www.consumer.philips.com/global/b2c/ce/catalog/category.jhtml;?divId=0&groupId=COMMUNICATIONS_GR&catId=CORDLESS_PHONES_CA.

There is no price information. Philips obviously does not want to sell.

swatch.nl Ok, going for the final alternative: Swatch. I always liked the Swatch twinphone. Swatch.nl seems to focus on promotion of watches. It does not specifically target the Netherlands. At Amazon, electronics department, the twinphones are all out of sale. Shame.
my-siemens.nl I run out of alternatives. I have to listen to Mike's advice again. I am quite happy with my Siemens mobile phone, so he was right once again.

My-siemens.nl is like coming home.

  1. The site is clear and loads quickly.
  2. They sell phones.
  3. Prices are listed, specifications, pictures, short stories describing which phone targets which audience.
  4. And the best part: you can buy on-line!
Siemens rules. All Customers want is: look and buy. Things can really be this easy.

A200

Finally I choose the Siemens A200. Shopping around reveals large differences in price, for exactly the same device. I am stunned. For a few extra Euros I finally go for the Siemens A200 duo pack, with an extra handset.

Hip hip hurray, SUMit will soon be phoning digitally.

Meine Damen und Herren von Siemens: Danke schön!
Es war mir ein Vergnügen.

Till next nut,
Nut