Rating: 
Summary: Swatch Need to Work on its Quality Control
Review: 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.
Rating: 
Summary: A Second Opinion
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: A Second Opinion
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: 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!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: 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!
Rating: 
Summary: Swatch Blue Bean
Review: 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 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.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty, but junk.
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty, but junk.
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Reliable, but poorly designed
Review: I've had mine for about 5 months. It serves me reliably, but I've cursed at it a number of times because I think its user interface (e.g. what happens when you press the buttons, and how do you do a certain simple operation) was very poorly designed. It just takes me much longer to do what I have to with this machine than with another digital answering machine I've worked with. For example, to listen to old archived messages, one has to push the "play" button and hold.... it.... down.... for... @#!... eaons.... OK 3 seconds, but much, much too long for something this simple.
Rating:
Summary: Best value for the money
Review: It was very easy to set up. The sound quality is the best that I have heard from an answering machine. I like it so much that I have recommended it to a family member.
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