QuickLook: Kensington’s Vo200 Bluetooth Internet Phone

AT A GLANCE

(all images link to higher resolution)

At 3.75"L X 0.15"H X 2.25"W, the Kensington Vo200 is about the same size and shape as your average PCMCIA card (okay, so about a half-inch longer, but we’ll get to that later), and quite light weight. As mentioned in the introduction, it is thin, light, and surprisingly flexible, thus giving it a much better chance of surviving heavy use.

    What’s in the box other than the phone? A quick start guide, the user manual, and a driver/software CD. It is important to note that the CD is useful from a driver perspective, but that the installed software refused to work with my system. This has to do chiefly with the fact that my testing laptop (a Compaq V2000z), while Bluetooth-enabled originally had the Microsoft stack, and had to be upgraded to the Widcomm stack for the Vo200 to even work. I couldn’t get the unit to work at all with my Sony VGN-T160P as I was unable to find a replacement Bluetooth stack that supported A2DP. The Kensington software is supposed to allow for easier connections. In my case, any time I wanted to use the phone, I powered on the unit, used the Quick Connect on the laptop, then pressed the power button again to complete the connection. If I ‘hung up’ (keep reading for more info on that feature), then I would have to repeat the process to call again.

    The front of the device is partially covered by the Kensington sticker and has three buttons (Power, Bluetooth, and Speakerphone). At the top is a small speaker hole, and at the rounded bottom, the indicator lights. The back is relatively nondescript, just showing the appropriate FCC info and the serial number sticker.

    To the left of the unit is a rocker switch for controlling the volume on the device. The volume levels were good, but I think they could have given it a bit more range (especially to the louder end) to compensate for noisy spaces. Other than the items listed above, the Vo200 is relatively unadorned. Very down-to-business looking, so don’t expect to see every teenager to be walking around with one anytime soon.

    But who would want to talk into a flat bit of plastic? You cannot, in fact, use the device without flipping down the, well, flap (for lack of a better word). Fold the flap back up, and the phone disconnects the call. Turn it all the away around, and it becomes a handy-dandy stand for speakerphone usage (which is as simple to enable as just pressing down the speakerphone button). The speakerphone did work okay, but the callers did complain that the call wasn’t nearly as clear.

Powering on the Vo200, the indicator lights come into play. Amber and blue, they show connectivity and power.

    As mentioned previously, you charge this IP phone via the PCMCIA port on your laptop (note the amber charging light that will disappear when the charge is complete). Talk time and standby time are rated at 3 and 30 hours respectively, and I found that the expectations were met without a problem. What I didn’t expect was the amount the Vo200 extends from the case edge. I was a little fearful that I might clip the end accidently, but didn’t run into the scenario during the review process. Thankfully, the end is spring loaded, and pops back easily if you dislodge the flap. Just make sure to put it back in the same place you disconnected, or it won’t close properly.

THE DRAWING BOARD

The biggest drawback of this portable IP phone is the lack of any charging method other than a PCMCIA slot. Even a mini-USB port would have been a useful addition. Personally, I would have liked the unit to fit flush with the case, so as not to have to worry about damaging both the device and the computer. Since it is a pocketable device, I can envision a mini-headset jack for even better call control. And while I realize that BT range is a rather arbitrary distance, based heavily on the device you are connecting to, the Vo200 performed the worst of the Bluetooth Audio devices I own. Lastly, some sort of dialpad would have been extremely useful.