I know, you look at the Subject line and go "WHAT?", but if there was a product that ties a doorbell into a cordless phone then you could hear the phone ring or the doorbell wherever in your house or section you happened to be. I am outside a lot (with my phone of course) but often fail to hear the doorbell ring. But wait, there's more! Imagine if the doorbell was a miniature handsfree phone in itself, then you could check who was actually at the door, and if it was a door to door seller you could simply say "no", without having to so in person. Did I say that was all! No there's even more to this fantastic idea. If you are out you could auto divert your phone to your cellphone (I know that various telecommunications company's have this capability already), but of course your doorbell/handsfree phone would also divert, so you could speak to the caller from wherever you are. This is particularly handy when you are not far from home and can pop back in a few minutes. Or arrange to be home at a certain time...whatever! Now I'm not saying I would pay any price for this product, but it would be high on my shopping list.
-- Alcin, Sep 04 2000

Some apartment complex entry intercom systems use the phone; they call you when someone buzzes. (Maybe you could get one for your house?) Such a phone intercom + cordless phone + call waiting + call forwarding ought to do what you want...
-- egnor, Sep 04 2000


Many PCS companies are now poised to develop a product that will be more than a phone - it can be a portable information browser, offer online services, and be something like the Star Trek combadge. UPN (Unique Personal Number) I think it's called, where everyone gets their own phone and number; phones will begin to represent _people_, not _places_. I hope they think of your idea when they get to that stage.
-- quanta, Sep 05 2000


They did, [quanta], they did. [+]
-- pertinax, Oct 29 2023


[pertinax] Thanks for finding the well-baked among the half-baked.
-- minoradjustments, Oct 29 2023



random, halfbakery