Desktop As a Cellphone Extension? 199
Posted
by
timothy
from the ring-it-on dept.
from the ring-it-on dept.
spaceman375 writes "Like many slashdotters, I've given up on landlines and have only a cell account. The problem: when I am home I don't want to carry my phone on my person, AND I don't want to have to run (possibly up or down stairs) to answer a call. Landlines solved this with extensions. I could go buy an xlink or other Bluetooth-to-POTS solution, but that takes money for equipment. My desktop has Bluetooth, as do my laptop and cell. All I want is a program that can use my cell's Bluetooth to make and receive calls from my Linux PC. I can do this with asterisk or related programs, but that is like buying UPS when I just need a taxi ride. Yet all I can find are programs that either use 'presence' to shift other-sourced calls to my cell, or ways to use a Bluetooth headset when receiving a call on a PC. Has anyone found a way to use their desktop to make and receive calls through their cell via Bluetooth?"
It's possible, but... (Score:2, Interesting)
The BlueZ code to host the handsfree profile is fairly new and might be immature. And I don't know of a program to actually use it, so you might have to write your own client program.
HFP For Linux (Score:5, Interesting)
You probably want to look into the No Hands [sourceforge.net] project. It'll allow you to control your phone remotely over bluetooth from your PC. Aimed primarily at in-car situations, I guess it'll work just as well on the desktop.
Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:5, Interesting)
I just have a cordless base station which connects to my cell via blue tooth.
It pairs with the phone when I get home and cordless phones are easy to get too.
You can buy more too.
Re:Grand Central (Score:5, Interesting)
Chose FreeSWITCH over Asterisk (Score:3, Interesting)
Most VoIP providers such as Teliax Inc, Bandwidth.com, iCall, etc, are switching from Asterisk to FreeSWITCH because of it's flexibility, stability and features.
"How does FreeSWITCH compare to Asterisk?"
http://www.freeswitch.org/node/117
Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:3, Interesting)
Cellphones generally have to be charged, and cellphones don't always work everywhere in the house.
Re:Let me get this straight... (Score:2, Interesting)
AT&T DECT 6.0 (Score:2, Interesting)
I bought the AT&T DECT 6.0 from best buy not too long ago once my old land line died. It comes with 2 handsets (a base with answering service, and additional charger and handset). You can add as many more handsets as you want (I'm sure there is an upper limit...like 10 or 12).
http://telephones.att.com/telephones_ui/phone_store/dsp_product.cfm?itemID=3930&parent=23655 [att.com]
Sure I had to put some gaff tape over all the AT&T Logos, but small price to pay. When I walk in my house, my iphone cuts in automagically and all calls ring through to the home handsets. The only downer is that it pulls the caller ID information and compares it to the internal phonebook, and not the phonebook in your cell phone. If a number is in your phone but not in your AT&T phone it will just show you the number on the ID, and not the name. When I walk out of the house, by the time i'm down the block I'm into normal cell operation again. Haven't had any problems with it at all. Looks sleek too.
When i first read that... (Score:2, Interesting)
Like many others, when i first read it i thought "you lazy cheap SOB". Then it was "wait, he wants to carry around his computer rather then his phone? HOW BIG IS THE F**KING PHONE?"....
But, it is an interesting techo question in the "can it be done" basket. I've tried "nohands" myself previously and wasnt overly excited by it, it would be nice to be able to walk in my home, stick my phone on charge, have it associate with the server at home which can then route my calls in through the ata and out to the pots phones i have (perhaps it could even do the skype ones too). It would be nice for it to figure out the mobiles plugged in and route out-going ones through there as well (given that work pays for my mobile).
I think alot of people missed the "if tiny a piece of hardware can be a handsfree kit, why cant a laptop" idea behind it all. In all fairness the geeks here on slashdot (i include myself) do alot of things because we can, not because we should and because its intriguing to the simple geekly instincts within us. This kind of question certainly qualifies
just my $0.02
Femtocell? (Score:3, Interesting)
Since the problem seems to be one of coverage (i.e. his basement gets none) a better solution (that would allow him to keep the phone with him) would be to install a femtocell in his house so he can get coverage. Vodafone are launching them in the UK, people like IP Access (http://www.ipaccess.com/picocells/index.php) produce them.