Customer Reviews

Swatch TDA03-2US Digital Answering Machine (Blue Bean)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I bought The Bean largely on the strength of Loghouse's review. My previous answering machine was an AT&T model, which lasted about five years.

Although I've only had the new machine up and running for a few weeks, I must say it has met all my expectations. Sound quality is good, there have been no glitches, and the price was right. All the features I expected are there, including a few extra nice touches. For example, you can choose to listen to all messages, or just the ones you haven't heard yet. Also, the pre-recorded voice has an English accent.

If you buy, be sure to read the manual, as a few of the features work differently than usual. For example, if you screen your calls, each time you pick up the phone you need to press the * key to stop recording. Also, default max. incoming message length is 1 minute, but you can change it to 2 through the menu.

This is a wonderful answering machine! I cannot believe the crispness and clarity of the messages! When I first tried I thought,"Please, don't be like my first FIVE! But all my doubts cleared up before I heard my first message. Believe me, if they had a 10-star max it would still be jammed way up at the top next to my car and my refrigerator!

I decided to cancel my voicemail through my local telephone company. After researching seveal different answering machines, I decided to purchage the "Swatch Recorder". The sound quality is excellent compaired to other digital answering machines I have tried. Outgoing messages are "loud and clear" as well as incoming messages. It took me no more than fifteen minutes to set up the machine and learn all the features on it. It is definitely a "user friendly" machine, not to mention the fantastic colors available!

Ok, I had voicemail through my phone company and decided I was paying too much. I made my decision to purchase this answering machine based upon the look of it and the 2 other reviews. I literally had it up and running in 5 minutes! It has all of the features I was looking for and more!

This is the only answering machine that I've ever owned that records hang-ups. On an average day, I get several hang-ups (probably from telemarketers), so it's absolutely necessary that an answering maching be able to tell when the caller has hung-up and NOT record the "message" (i.e. the long silence and then the dial-tone). Otherwise, it's not a bad product.

On the positive side, you can set this up for either a 1 or 2-minute record time per call. It does have a nifty female voice with a british accent. On the negative side, I don't like the fact that it thanks each caller for their call AFTER they have hung up. What's up with THAT? And the rotary volume control is already defective after only having it a few months. All in all, not too bad, but just watch out for defects that pop up shortly after using it.

Good points: 1. General Product is compact, sleek, and attractive. Has every feature one could want. It was easy to set up, has remote control features, and was operational within 10 minutes. 2. Product comes with a 9-volt battery included. 3. Battery reportedly saves not only time/date but also all recorded messages. Bad points: 1. Product that I received had a manufacturing defect -- the "next message" button did not work. This button is also used to set the date and time, as well as the PIN code for remote operation. Had to deal without use of those features. 2. To install the battery, need a phillips screwdriver. A "no tools needed" approach would have been better. 3. Had a hard time installing the battery -- battery cover would not close unless extra force was applied. The manufacturer just did not design enough room for the battery and connecting wire.

I new the minute I saw it I had to had to have it. I am a fan of blue, so that was the eye catcher. The price wasn't bad either. After I got it 'hooked up' and set it to working with my own message, I was thrilled. I had previously had a Radio Shack machine for about 10 yrs., so when it 'died' Amazon was the only place for me esp. being on the net. Anyway, it seemed to be working fine, until I tried to replay the important message I had, to my disappointment it wouldn't do that. Then I ran into the problem of not being able to hear the messages very loudly. But over all it ain't so bad.

I was in the market for a new message machine, since my 1990 AT&T tape machine broke. Sound quality, above all, was the most important quality for me. I scoured the web for something that would get the job done -- the Blue Bean seemed to fit the bill. Not so. I am appauled with the sound quality. It is very bad. Both the outgoing and incoming messages are muddy. Don't confuse volume for clarity. The volume can reach high levels, which is nice. However, because the messages are so muddy, it is very difficult to hear what is being said, despite playing it at a high volume. I can't believe that some company can't manufacture a DIGITAL answering machine that is high quality, and sounds as good, or better than a tape machine. I'm willing to pay for one if it exists. Sadly, the Blue Bean is not that machine, and I CANNOT recommend it to anyone.

This answering machine has two great advantages over alot of other ones: it is cute and it is small. Unfortunately the good news ends there.

Answering machines have to do two things: record messages and play them back. This one does record messages and it does play them back -- at least I think that is what it recorded. The sound quality is so bad the messages are almost impossible to decipher. After 6 months of wanting to rip it from the wall, I finally did just that and tossed it in the garbage. I replaced it with an AT&T version and I couldn't be happier. If it is cute you want, cut out the picture and hang it over your phone. It'll work about as well as the real item.