I recently saw an iRetrofone priced around $200 and could not help but think that the “phone” was not too appealing. It looks like an old rotary-styled phone, but instead of where the dial is, your iPhone is docked there. It syncs and docks via the same USB cord that you already have and just looks so modern, even though it is supposed to look like it is from last century’s technology. To me it seems a little useless because it is so obvious that it is trying to look retro while looking modern– which just does not work –but it keeps you from being able to move around while you are on the phone.
If you are going to pay for a stationary phone, you might as well buy one that does not make it obvious that it was made less than a year ago, so that the look you are going for is actually going to be effective.
The Port-O-Rotary would be a better choice for you. It is about $50 more than the iRetrohone, but this phone actually looks like an old rotary phone. Developed by SparkFun, this is a Bluetooth Portable Rotary Phone. It has a functional dial, the original ring, and a dial tone. To make things even better, each phone is an original rotary phone (yes, from “way” back then) that has been rigged to become Bluetooth enabled. That being said, you may have some scratches on your rotary phone when it gets shipped to you, but SparkFun likes to call those features “character.”
It works with any cell phone that has a support with Bluetooth hands-free protocol; however, it does have some issues with Blackberry phones like the Storm. How does it work? All you have to do is place your phone near the retro-phone, and the phone will reconnect automatically to your cell phone every time you are within range– you do not have to do a thing after the first installation! The only aspect that you will have to keep up with is making sure that the battery, which can run for 30 hours, stays charged by plugging in via an external jack.
