iPhone handset

[gshenaut]

This is an idea for an iPhone desk/bedside accessory.

The idea is to have a sort of traditional telephone-looking thing that would be an iPhone cradle (stand, charger), but that which would also plug into the earphone jack, and operate as an external headset/microphone-with-switch. It would have a traditional telephone-style handset. The iPhone would be mounted approximately where a traditional touch-tone keypad would go, which generally had good visibility as well as good touch access. If it was in telephone keypad mode, you would operate it by lifting the handset from its cradle and punching in the numbers on the iPhone. You would talk & listen using the handset, just like on a traditional phone.

It would also have internal speakers, so you could use it as a speakerphone, or you could play music through the speakers while watching a video on the "keypad". You could also use the "keypad" as an alarmclock, timer, or anything else you can do on the iPhone. And, there would be a USB jack so you could conveniently plug the iPhone into your Mac as needed.

Then when you went somewhere, you just disconnect the iPhone and take it with you. These wouldn't be expensive, so you could have, say, one on your desk, one next to the bed, and one in the living room next to your barcalounger.

Greg Shenaut