X50S5

If you haven’t done so already, check out my initial impressions of the Z-340 VideoPhone. I have been using this unit for one month now and have made/received P2P and VRS calls.

While not scientific, I did notice that the unit takes a while to recharge; took roughly 3 hours for a full recharge. The videophone’s ‘standby’ time (i.e., running on battery power and ready to receive calls) seemed to last for roughly 2 hours, 20 minutes. No idea how long the videophone’s battery would last on a ‘talk’ time basis, i.e., using the unit in making a call. (I suspect it won’t be as long as 2 hours, 20 minutes!) So, while the battery life of the videophone may be adequate, I’d suggest carrying the wall brick.

One annoying tendency is that when I power the videophone on, the battery sometimes can be depleted already, just when I know it should be fully charged. Maybe it could be the case that I didn’t ‘log off’ while turning off the unit for the day? I really didn’t test this further, as I can simply plug in the videophone and power it up.

I love its form factor! I can put it in my car’s glovebox compartment, or in a portable filing cabinet along with my files. Due to the nature of my job (I travel to different schools), this portability has been the videophone’s biggest asset. And connecting the videophone at various locations (either via Wi-Fi or ethernet) is really simple. No need to configure the router, adjust settings, etc. The videophone simply works.

As for making calls, the video quality is pretty good, quite clear, with very little artifacting and pixellating. This is probably due to the fact that I have high speed connections. I can easily make calls via ZVRS, and even have used ZVRS’s Espanol translation services. The wait time was fairly short (a few seconds at the most), and the quality of the interpreters were acceptable. Calls were made during normal ’9 to 5′ hours. I have not made any calls to any other VRS provider, so I really can’t comment on Z-340′s interoperability.

I also have made some P2P calls (admittedly to other users who have Z-340′s) and have been very satisfied with the video calling experience. Video was clear and smooth. My experience in calling Sorenson VP 200 users have been limited, though. I was able to call one person’s VP 200, but he wasn’t there. I haven’t received calls from a VP 200 phone. For what it’s worth…

My only snit with this videophone is the lack of a visual ring alert, and a lack of an alert for incoming P2P calls. (What is this “Who Just Called” feature?) The Z-Alert feature of ZVRS does work for missed VRS calls. I did get a ‘videomail’ sent to my regular email address instead of my blackberry email address. The end result of that snafu was that I did not receive this person’s message until I have gotten home. I have configured my Videomail settings and hopefully it’ll work this time around.

First of all, here’s the link to the official Z-340 website:
Z-340 Videophone

Secondly, I don’t have a relationship with Z-VRS, or any other relay company for that matter. I do know quite a bit of people working in Z-VRS, though.

I just got this unit in the past week. Turns out that it’s an ‘InPerson’ videophone produced and marketed by Creative Technology. At first blush, the build and feel of the unit seems to be excellent. I love the form factor! The unit is small and portable. The carrying case seems to be a little bit too ‘snug’ if you include the unit with its battery. Battery life seems to be quite good, although I really haven’t put it thru its paces yet. The unit folds; protecting its screen.

The video quality, while clear, is on par with ‘webcam quality’, and the interface seems to be somewhat intuitive. The camera’s angle of view can be adjusted. If one desires, this unit can be hooked up to a TV via A/V cables. In addition to Wi-Fi, the unit can be hooked up via Ethernet. There is a numeric keypad, a top row of color-coded navigational buttons, a navigational keypad, and a couple of other buttons. “Installation” of the videophone was quick and sweet, lasting 10 minutes. The videophone, thanks to its SIP protocol, easily connects to the Internet. It was definitely nice to have my own 10-digit phone number! No more proxy numbers.

Here’s the links to two high-resolution images of the Z-340;
Z-340 (Front)
Z-340 (Back)

I have used it a few times, but was disappointed in the performance of my DSL line. My video output was blurry; however incoming video was nicely rendered. I liked the fact that I could update my address book, info, etc. via the web interface at Z-VRS’s website. An upgrade to cable internet service is definitely in the cards for me!

There are two shortcomings to the Z-340, though. One, it has a limited keyboard. It doesn’t have a web-browser built-in. It means that you can’t ‘activate’ Wi-Fi hotspots at business establishments such as Starbucks, Barnes and Nobles, Panera Bread, etc. quite easily. You would have to ask the manager/clerk for the actual network numbers to access the Wi-Fi hotspots. According to my installer, he has had no problem in securing Wi-Fi access at these places, but your mileage may vary.

Secondly, it has no flasher unit. I have no way of telling if someone’s calling me, unless I happen to be looking at the unit while someone’s calling. However, the unit will alert you that there’s a missed call (or two!) and has a call history feature. According to Z-VRS’s website, they have this service called ‘Z-Alert’, which will send you a message on your messaging pager if someone’s calling you. I haven’t signed up for Z-Alert yet, but I suspect that it only works for Z-VRS calls placed to your videophone. Peer to Peer (P2P) calls will not send an alert to your messaging pager via Z-Alert. I would love to be corrected wrong on this one!

I intend to use this Z-340 videophone for my work, and I hope to give a more complete report on the Z-340 in a few months. (I start work in mid-August.) Overall, this is a nice unit, despite its shortcomings, and one I expect will easily serve my needs at work.