Plantronics Transforms Home Office Communications

New Calisto Pro Home Phone with Multi-function Bluetooth Headset Simplifies

Landline, VoIP and Mobile Phone Conversations

    SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Aug. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Plantronics, Inc.
 ( PLT) today introduced Calisto(TM) Pro Series, a revolutionary home
 phone with a multi-function Bluetooth(R) headset that greatly simplifies
 and enhances voice communications for home professionals. Leveraging more
 than 40 years of communications and ergonomic expertise, Calisto Pro's
 intuitive design and hands-free capabilities introduce an entirely new way
 to manage landline, mobile and VoIP conversations.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070823/AQTH008)
     "As traditional and new voice technologies converge in the home office,
 home professionals can benefit from 'bridge' solutions that centralize and
 simplify communications," said Merle Sandler, senior analyst, SMB and Home
 Office Programs, IDC. "The vast majority of households have landline and
 cell phones and VoIP adoption is growing, so a phone that can easily
 orchestrate all three will resonate with the growing home professional
 segment."
     IDC estimates that there are currently approximately 37 million home
 office households in the US.
     Stay Connected Hands-Free, Anywhere
     The Plantronics Calisto Pro features a compact landline handset and
 multi-function Bluetooth headset nested in a clean, elegant charging base.
 The headset enables home professionals to switch between landline, mobile
 phone and VoIP calls at the touch of a button. No longer burdened with the
 cumbersome task of cradling a phone between the neck and shoulder, users
 can talk hands-free and accomplish simultaneous tasks that fill the work
 day, from reaching for an important file to signing for a package at the
 front door while on a long conference call.
     The handset is built on digitally encrypted, voice-dedicated DECT(TM)
 6.0 technology to provide exceptional audio clarity and performance that is
 free from interference with other home devices, such as WiFi and
 microwaves. It provides up to 300 feet of roaming range, a built-in
 speakerphone and flip-up waist clip for on-the-go dialing and Caller ID
 viewing.
     The headset combines a robust noise-canceling microphone and an
 extended boom to greatly reduce background noise. The headset can be
 connected to both the handset and a mobile phone to easily answer both
 landline and mobile calls. Home professionals can also use the Calisto Pro
 headset with their Bluetooth mobile phone while on the road, and it will
 automatically reconnect with the home phone upon their return.
     Internet Calls Made Easy
     Perfect for home professionals who use Internet calling to save on
 phone bills, Calisto Pro includes a USB port for PC connection. Skype(R)
 and Yahoo!(R) Voice calls are transferred to the Calisto Pro headset at the
 touch of a button, allowing home professionals to remotely answer and end
 conversations from up to 300 feet away from the base station. The headset's
 long boom is designed to enhance VoIP call quality by significantly
 reducing the risk of echo.
     Calisto Pro also enables professionals to easily transfer 200 Microsoft
 Outlook(R) contacts, with up to three numbers each, into the handset,
 ensuring that important business associates are easily accessible.
     "Home professionals are trying to gain control of the constant juggling
 of telephony devices and of business and personal responsibilities at
 home," said Joyce Shimizu, vice president and general manager, Home and
 Home Office at Plantronics. "With Calisto Pro, users are better able to
 simplify their lives through intuitive, natural communications and
 hands-free mobility -- and do so with the quality and performance that
 professionals expect from Plantronics."
     Pricing and Availability
     Plantronics Calisto Pro has a MSRP of US $279.95 and will be available
 online at Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and The Sharper Image in
 September. It will also be available at The Sharper Image stores nationwide
 in September and in select US Office Depot, Office Max and Staples stores
 starting in October.
     To learn more about Calisto Pro and view a video demo, please visit
 http://www.plantronics.com/calistopro.
     About Plantronics
     In 1969, a Plantronics headset carried the historic first words from
 the moon: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
 Since then, Plantronics has become the headset of choice for
 mission-critical applications such as air traffic control, 911 dispatch,
 and the New York Stock Exchange. Today, this history of Sound
 Innovation(TM) is the basis for every product we build for the office,
 contact center, personal mobile, entertainment and residential markets. The
 Plantronics family of brands includes Plantronics, Altec Lansing, Clarity,
 and Volume Logic. For more information, go to http://www.plantronics.com or
 call (800) 544-4660.
     Altec Lansing, Calisto Pro, Clarity, Plantronics, Sound Innovation, and
 Volume Logic are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc.
 All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
     Press Contacts:
     Dan Race                   Lori Tokunaga
     Plantronics, Inc.          The Hoffman Agency
     (831) 458-7005             (408) 975-3053
     dan.race@plantronics.com   ltokunaga@hoffman.com
 
 

SOURCE Plantronics, Inc.