Andy Shaw tests a home phone that has Android built-in, so you can browse the web, block nuisance calls and more
Mobile phones have come a long way in the last few years, with Android and iOS turning them into pocket computers, rather than simple telephones. But despite such development in their mobile equivalents, our home phones have barely changed since they went wireless with the introduction of digital cordless (DECT) phones in the early Nineties.
The BT Home SmartPhone S II is an attempt to breathe new life into the humble landline phone. It includes all the usual functions of a home phone: it can hook up to an existing cordless system, has an answerphone built-in and it will work with any standard landline. The usual keypad has been replaced by a touchscreen, but it otherwise behaves like a normal home phone, and we found the calls we made on it sounded crystal clear.
Built-in Android
The S II is the second Android model in BT’s Home SmartPhone series, but its predecessor was severely restricted because it didn’t have access to the Google Play Store. This has been fixed with this latest incarnation, so it can install and run any Android app that’s available through Google’s shop.
Disappointingly, neither the hardware or software is cutting-edge. The screen of the Home SmartPhone S II isn’t as high quality as the screens you’ll find on even cheaper mobile phones, and the operating system feels like it’s being held back by the hardware – you sometimes have to tap and wait for the phone to respond, rather than getting instant action from your touch. It also runs Android version 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), which is two versions behind the current Lollipop.
You’d think that this might keep the price down and, to be fair, the S II is still significantly cheaper than the latest mobile handsets. However, if it’s Android you want, there are plenty of less expensive mobiles and tablets around that have better screens and a more up-to-date operating systems. For the £169.99 that BT is asking for the standalone version of this phone, you could get a digital cordless home phone for every room of your house.
It’s a shame the hardware isn’t up to scratch because the addition of the Play Store makes Android worth having on your home handset. It’s genuinely useful to be able to download your favourite apps onto your home phone, and while the phone is too slow to be running the latest games, you can still download and use any non-standard communication tools that you might like, such as Skype or a messaging app. The phone also has a front-facing camera, which makes it a handy way to get basic video calling on a home phone.
There’s a limit to the number of apps you can install because the device only has 2GB of storage, less than half of which is available for apps. There is a microSD card slot hidden inside the battery compartment, though, so you can upgrade its memory if you run out.
Useful tools
We found that one of the most useful things about having Android on your home phone is the integration of contacts. If you already keep your contacts up to date on a Google account because you use Android on your phone, then it’s a real bonus to be able to access them quickly and easily from your home phone, too. Having a single point where you can quickly check your other communication channels, such as email and social networking, is also handy, though more so if you don’t have other devices like tablets or mobiles that you already use to do this.
While the phone will beep or ping when emails arrive and other Android events occur, the screen doesn’t light up to let you know what’s happening at a glance. This can have you reaching for the phone to wake the screen and check what’s going on, which is annoying if it isn’t something important. You might also want to avoid having your email arriving at a central point in your household, where any family member or visitor can access it.
One very useful function of this phone is its nuisance-call blocker. This is basically a pre-installed app that filters calls as they come through to the phone, as long as you’re subscribed to a caller ID service. It operates a kind of white- and black-list system, checking the incoming number before deciding whether to let the call through or not. There’s a ‘do not disturb’ setting that will block all calls, or only allow calls coming from a pre-configured list of known numbers. Similarly, you can block specific numbers or types of numbers, such as international calls or calls coming in from a number that’s been withheld.
VERDICT
Having Android on your home phone is a great idea, because it provides instant access to email, contacts and other apps, and you can configure it to suit your preferences. However, we were disappointed with the implementation because the low-spec hardware leaves Android feeling sluggish and unresponsive.
With a bit more power under the bonnet, this could have been a useful additional phone, bringing Android’s services and some of BT’s good ideas (such as the nuisance-call blocker) onto your homephone network.
Sadly, it’s not quite good enough yet to merit an unreserved recommendation.
SPECIFICATIONS
■ DECT cordless telephone answering machine
■ Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
■ Google Play Store
■ Wi-Fi connectivity
■ 1,500 contact storage
■ 3.5in capacitive touchscreen
■ Web browsing
■ Facebook and Twitter pre-installed
■ Email software
■ Video and music player
■ Nuisance-call blocking