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BT Slimtel 1985 "off-white"

Started by gpo706, August 20, 2010, 05:55:22 PM

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gpo706

I was wondering whether to post it, as its hardly old or rotary, but if folks are interested enough in my old buses, surely won't cause offence I hope!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130418512415&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Went cheap, coloured ones like blue and red look a lot nicer, however this colour is more suiting to my brothers room being all beige and with his Paul Rothko colour print on the wall, so I'm reclaiming the 2-tone green 746 for his mate (who asked for it originally) and he's getting this which will sit better on his computer desk than the 746.

It sits on its back which will be a BIG dust trap, but it will look a lot neater on his desk.

Links:

http://www.phone-pages.org.uk/slimtel.htm

http://www.britishtelephones.com/slimtel1.htm

Unfortunately what it says in the links are true, a handsfree function but no loudspeaker, and a bloody irritating ringtone, his extension isn't on ring from incoming on the PBX so he'll only hear it when I transfer calls, also as they said the lable cover has long ago disappeared.

Still its very clean and a quick polish later it looks as new, now that sliding button on it, I couldn't figure out until it put it on the table and flicked it up and it locks, giving you a dial tone, cutting off the two hookswitces on the base, then you just punch the buttons as it sits on its back, given the lack of a speaker you have to guess when connected or dial and crane your head or pick up.

Yes, it does have 2 hook switches, they work independent of each other in case you put it down over say the cat or something.

Also LD, but doesn't make any pulse sounds when you use it, just long silences.

When he comes back from his Saturday DVD hunt tommorow his 746 will be gone and this'll be sitting there.

There's even a funky ad for it, anyone who remembers Olivia Newton-John singing "Physical" is in for a treat...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_nyG3e91Ko

"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

LarryInMichigan

I never considered off-white to be a "stunning colour" :D  nice phone though.

Larry

gpo706

Its the 80's marketing slang for "beige" I would say Larry  ;)
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

McHeath

Guess it's one of the early ergonomic messes that phones eventually descended into, looks over functionalism.  It still has an acoustic chamber for the ear, and a recessed keypad to keep face oils off the buttons, but the buttons are way too small and it sitting on it's back will catch all the dust and dirt it can.  But comparing it to any modern cell phone, or even most cordless phones, and it's light years ahead in usability. 

Not a bad looking phone however, it looks very British to my eye.  Or even Danish. 

gpo706

It should have been called the "Dust-trap" eh?  ;)

I think they consciously copied it from the newer linesmans sets of the time, though not as functional methinks.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

gpo706

#5
Gosh, had to bell my bro on this tonight, there was a loud cacophany then he answered.

He said "I wondered WTH that noise was"

I had explain that the Slimtel has probably the most annoying ring of any phone invented...

Ho-hum...
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

gpo706

#6
I succumbed a second time - but this one is black!

They look really nice, but ergonomically pretty useless, tiny buttons easy to misdial, lies on its back and you have a slide button for on its back dialling but no speakerphone function.

BAH - if they had just made the buttons a bit more usable and had a speaker in it it might have been a winner, a triumph of design over function.

Mind you, they look real sexy, enough to impress a date (maybe),,,

I've actually resurrected the beige one from the " domestic storage facility" just for fun, it takes up hardly any room on the desk, and works fine, but the ring tone is appalling.

Yes, I have just noticed its is labeled 'Dark Blue" on the box, so if I get a red one thats the set complete....

"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"