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Desktop As a Cellphone Extension?
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?"
You don't want to be bothered with carrying the phone with you (the easiest solution), and don't want to be bothered with having to run up or downstairs to answer the phone, so your idea is to what - answer it from your PC, which if you're away from it would STILL necessitate you having to rush to it up or downstairs to answer??? Just pocket the stupid phone and be done with it.
I understand you dont want to run for your phone -- Bluetooth won't reach up and down stairs, so linking phone and computer are likely not going to solve your problem. Why not use Grand Central http://www.grandcentral.com/ and a Skype number? Have Grand Central ring your cell and your Skype number at the same time. Then whichever you're closest to, you can answer.
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.
I just forward my calls to my asterisk instance with *72 on Verizon. *72111-222-3333.
http://tf2.digitaljedi.com
They want their breezeblock-sized phones that run off a car battery back. Apparently you were supposed to go and buy a modern phone that you can carry with you.
You probably want to look into the No Hands 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.
Place your battery charger at a convenient place and when ever you get home plug the phone into the charger and do NOT unplug it untill you leave the house. Then you have the same functionality as you had with a fixed line phone with a cord. You cannot misplace your phone anymore.
look like a twat (wear a bluetooth headset all day) is not a good solution to anything, i'd have to stick with carrying the phone, if you tend to wear cloths without pockets, get a belt clip. If you're a naturist, get a lanyard to hang your phone on or stick the phone up your ass, there's always a way. (BTW that last bit was a joke, unless you feel that it's something you want to try. :-))
Blazing Spiders
We are not near the computer at all times sometimes out side working so not realistic to have the cell phone on you. and have to have it inside pluged in to charge. So I got a house phone with base unit and 3 portable phones. solved all problems karen http://www.iamtheprincess.com/
check out bluephone elite. its for the mac, but it does everything the OP wants
How many computers are too many?
You neither want to carry your phone with you, nor do you want to have to actually walk somewhere to answer it. Are you really that damn lazy? It's a damn phone. Stick it in your pocket and be done with it. Shit, do you need help tying your shoes, too? Get a helmet and go on about your life.
If you live in France you get a my favorite ISP, (don t have any commercial relation but be one of his customer), free (appears at fbx.proxad.net on irc )who has what they call a freebox (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freebox), which is one of the inventor as what we know now as triple pay for internet, phone, and video, and they offer as a small but good geek bonus an option like a sip account, wifi, and redirections of your phone line linked to your adsl account to that sip account you own. now if you have a phone on which the sip works (bought a n85 a week ago), then you can do what as you want, have a single device. However note that peoples still have 2 numbers to contact you and you still have 2 outgoing choices for phone calls. They got other bonuses like tivo like recoder with HD channels, about 180 channels, and phone to landline to 60 countries for 30â, good news server retention, usualy, 6MB adsl, ipv6, Gb sized mail with zimbra and web account with apache mysql. (note that they had to inovate and redo the dslam infrastructure to do that), hoo too much goodies. I even like their geeky tv ads, and i mean by anyway , long time ago in france when isp were charging us for internet access on top of the phone comunication fee (which was way higher than now), and free was the first to have no charge on top of the phone fees, and that's where they got their name and then their infrastructure and budget to do what they do now. Now also be prepaired to wait for 3 months to get your dsl line, because the historic operator always make a few errors when switching the connecting to their lines.
I thought about these issues and ended up just buying a Panasonic bluetooth capable home phone: http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/telephones_central/bluetooth_phones/default.asp
I paid about 100 USD.
When the cell phone is in range the base acts just like a headset but relay's the call to any of the three cordless phone handsets around the house. My wife has even grown accustomed to it but there are a couple drawbacks. Weak bluetooth signal drains the battery, fast. No voicemail alert.
I west so far as to port my land number to wireless and just leave the extra cell phone plugged in the charger near the base-station. I can't even see the cell or the base-station, just have the threee handset strategically placed around the house.
I have been using FreeSWITCH, it does much more things than Asterisk and it's a lot more stable and flexible, check it out: http://www.freeswitch.org/
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
You have a free solution -- putting your phone in your pocket, which is actually easier than leaving it somewhere.
You have a convenient solution -- you've listed a system that gives you the pots.
You have an extravagent solution -- you can go ups.
And you still aren't happy?!
Write your own, and stop whining. I'd kill to have those three solutions for any of my problems: do little, spend money, or get a lot. You aren't happy with any of them?!
I find it amazing that you're asking for a solution that requires no effort to set up, lets you answer the phone everywhere and does not require any investment. It looks like you're asking for the impossible. However the solution is very simple:
CARRY THE DAMN PHONE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES
If you don't want to carry it, that's what extensions are for. You're asking how to convert your PC in an extension. Also, you'll need to rush to the extension (or your PC, and let me tell you that buying an extension is cheaper than buying a PC) every time it rings.
You're asking for the ultimate solution in telecommunications. It doesn't exist yet.
GPG 0x1B479C78
I have a low-cost, public-domain solution I use. It's called "not answering my phone". If I'm working at home or anticipating a call, I keep my phone nearby. Otherwise, I feel no special obligation to answer it. If you have to worry about emergency work/family calls, assign special ringtones to potential callers-with-emergencies. If you are the sort of person that absolutely must answer it regardless, then simply smoke lots of pot until you're no longer that sort of person. Easy!
"(BTW that last bit was a joke, unless you feel that it's something you want to try. :-))"
Yep, I can see it now. everyone's got their phone set to vibrate, and it's up their ass. War-dialing never seemed more tempting!
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
http://www.inspectmygadget.com/2007/04/30/use-your-computer-to-receive-your-mobile-phone-calls-via-the-hands-freeheadset-profile-using-bluetooth-wm5/
Ok theres a windows solution for windows mobile phones (it looks like it should work for other mobiles).
now who can find a linux solution.
Blarney Quality Restaurant, Plants
In a number of houses, if you go in the basement the cell signal may die off. Just having it with you doesn't mean you'll always get calls... that's why something like a cell phone docking station that can stay up where signal is strongest makes sense.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Kids less than ~12 yrs old. It goes like this.. GET ME MY PHONE :)
Congratulations you answered your own question in the very same post you posed it in.
There is no "buying" asterisk, it's open source. At most you will need an FXS card/box. The FXS card allows you to ring your house phones. If you want to deal with a real land line you need an FXO card.
Using the FollowMe feature in Asterisk will give you exactly what you ask for. In all you shouldn't have to spend more then $300 on the card and computer. Best part is you can keep using the same house phones you've had all along. (SIP phones cost $90+)
Your ideal setup would be a cellphone with a friends and family package where you pick a number you get unlimited calls to. Setup a SIP account through one of the many services. This will give you a callable number. Pick this as your number in your friends and family package. Connect the asterisk box to the sip account. You can now call home to your asterisk box over the internet for free, you can then call out again using your asterisk box to any other sip user for free or to any other landline for a small charge depending on the service (typically $0.01/min).
IMAGE VERIFICATION IS EVIL!
Solution 1:
Wear clothes
Wear cellphone
Solution 2, if you don't want to wear clothes.
Acquire velcro cable ties
Attach above to cell
Set cell to vibrate
Call friends, leave messages.
Use velcro to attach cell to proper body part
enjoy.
Take your cell phone and put it on your computer desk. This is the most retarded question I've ever seen.
"Those who would sacrifice essential liberties for a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - BenF
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
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.
In any case, the fact that bluetooth adds another load to your phone battery besides the usual cell coverage, it occurs to me that any solution involving this might leave the device tied to a charger too much to be useful. I agree with the earlier poster: just carry the phone with you.
On the other hand, while we (may) no longer need a POTS phone, it's usually simple enough to just connect a VOIP phone, with as many extensions as you need. Most people are perfectly capable of coping with you having more than one phone number.
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
...I think you need to elucidate.
From scarped cliff or quarried stone she cries "A thousand types are gone, I care for nothing, no not one."
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.
Goten Xiao
You're thinking about the problem in far to conventional way - change the question - what you need is a number that friends, family, colleagues, business, etc can reach you. Your cell phone is just one of many systems designed to carry voice. A great example of reversing this problem is the former "Grand Central" now "Google Voice". (Note: I have it under good authority that if you are on the waiting list an additional one million new subscribers will be added as soon as July) There are dozens of other one number systems - Google Voice is just free. Now you have a single number of which your cell phone is just one of many ways to answer or place calls. PS - For those of you keeping up with the Skype/SIP discussion - Skype has agreed to begin providing interconnection to commercial SIP providers. They have been testing this for about a year and I can attest that the system works very good. I've been able to place calls to and from my Skype account from any phone including my Cell.
Mark Hewitt mark(at)mark-hewitt.com