Worldgate Ojo Personal Video Phone (PVP-1000)

Product Description

Think of the people you talk to all the time, but don't see enough of. Kids. Grandkids. Close relatives and friends. Whoever and wherever those people are, they are the reason for Ojo. With Ojo, seeing everyone you love is just a phone call away. There have been other videophones before but this one displays fully synchronized images at a lifelike 30 frames per second in sharp color, accompanied by superior sound.

Ojo works over a high-speed cable or DSL modem, and also uses the household's existing telephone number for both IP video calls and conventional voice calls using existing PSTN or VoIP service.

Ojo's stylish display unit houses a high-resolution 9:16 portrait-oriented 7? digital LCD screen and a state-of-the-art miniature camera for bright, clear images from both sides of the call. An Ojo call sounds as great as it looks. The audio signal is strong and clear, and Ojo has an Automatic Gain Control (AGC), full duplex echo-canceling speakerphone for great sound even when there's background noise. Captures and sends full motion video at 30 frames per second 7 inch Diagonal High-resolution 16 - 9 LCD color screen with 176x144 resolution State-of-the-art miniature camera Full-featured cordless phone handset for voice calls (up to 6 hoursd talk time per fully charged battery) Easily accessible video/audio privacy controls Latest video and audio codecs On-screen residential and business directories Price covers one Ojo Personal Videophone

Customer Reviews:

OJO Video Phone.......2007-01-11

I purchased Ojo's for my children, parents, and self for an early Christmas present and installed them in November. Overall, we have been extremely happy with the phones. Installation ranged from very easy to fairly easy on the four installations. My parents are older and I bought the Ojo in part because it appeared to be the easiest to use, and that has proven to be the case. The pictures are good, features are good, and the synchronization between voice and picture is excellent. Ojo personnel are also very helpful in installation and answering questions. The phones are a little expensive up front, but the quality and ease of use are worth the price. I recommend them highly.

The "Jetson" future is here! A fantastic product........2006-09-01

First, the bad news: the Ojo is fantastic. That's right...and it gets better from there. I'm extremely pleased with the Ojo and would never want to be without one again. In comparison, regular landline phones and webcams come up far short. Both the picture and audio quality are excellent and with no audio delay. The video messaging was automatically downloaded (free) after I bought the units. It's a great feature. The display is at a good height for viewing (no looking up peoples' noses). I was surprised that the display appears larger than it is (7" diagonally). The handset is cordless and detachable. I seldom use the handset away from the unit, but don't want to be tethered to a phone, so didn't even consider other videophones. Material and construction appear to be first-class.

I live in a remote area of West Virginia and bought four units last December (three as gifts for the people whom I talk with the most: my mother near DC, a daughter and grandson in Houston and a daughter near Los Angeles). My mother is 87 and wants to live alone, so I bought one for her so I could SEE how she's doing. Incidentally, she has trouble using her landline phone - too complicated, but the Ojo couldn't be simpler to make calls. Seeing the two daughters and grandson several times a week is great too. Now, my wife and I are integral parts of their daily lives, and vice versa. We are now able to SEE our grandson grow up! We get an Ojo call every time he loses a tooth or something significant happens. He loves to "show-and-tell" on the Ojo. Birthdays - when we can't be there - are now special events to us as well. Plus, this month, my California daughter's boyfriend asked my permission to marry her...using the Ojo. This may sound tacky, but if you've ever used the Ojo, you'd think it was completely normal. It's just like being across a table from someone.

I'm not a techie, but was able to set up the ones for my mom, one of my daughters and myself with no problems. My mom has Comcast cable, my daughter has Road Runner cable and I have Verizon DSL. I have been told that any broadband connection works. I just hooked routers to the cable and DSL modems then plugged in the Ojo's. Plug-and-Play. Later, I connected two of the Ojo's to Ethernet bridges (home plugs) which plug into any electrical outlet and can now use the Ojo's anywhere in the houses where there's an electrical outlet. The signal travels through the house wiring. I haven't noticed any loss of picture or audio quality.

I haven't had a problem with any of the four Ojo's to date, so can't say what Worldgate's customer service personnel are like, but their activation people were excellent.

By the way, Motorola is no longer the distributor. The manufacturer, Worldgate Communications, now directly distributes the Ojo's at about half of the original list. They also sell a cheaper version (less features), the Shadow.

There is a monthly service charge of $14.95 but that includes unlimited video calls to any other Ojo in the world! Sometimes we just leave it on as we do things around the house and talk as though the other person is there. To me, this sure beats flying. Plus, the cost of one flight will typically pay for two Ojo's, including service for a year.

Italy and America closer NOW.......2006-04-11

We got our OJO from our son who lives in US..It's a wonderful product I enjoy talking and seeing my grandson while his father is in office and he stays alone ? home with the nanny...I hope talking to me will alow him to learn Italian easily

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Too expensive, get MSN Messenger which is free.......2006-03-29

The Ojo fails exactly where the previous video phones have failed: it's way too expensive, even before the "generous" mail-in rebate which will take months to receive if ever. For $50 or so you can get two webcams with video and audio quality just as good as (if not better than) the Ojo and then just get MSN Messenger which is free and has the best video phone quality and features, even over slow Internet connections.

Greedy Motorola..........2006-02-14

The Ojo looks gorgeous, is beautifully finished and easy to use. The perfect machine to give your technophobic family members who are terrified of computers, for instance.

Unfortunately, these are the same people who are very unlikely to already have access to the broadband service required to get videoconferencing, and it may be difficult to justify the price of a broadband connection simply for the videophone.

The pricing model is leaving me baffled. Usually service providers such as satellite TV and cell phone carriers sponsor the purchase of devices and give you a kickback in exchange for a service committment. Not so with Motorola, who not only wants to collect money up front but also charges an outrageous monthly fee for what is nothing more than a live directory service (which instant messaging companies would have been glad to provide for free, like AOL does for Apple's iChat).

Although the VoIP interoperability is commendable, it makes the lack of interoperability with common videoconferencing protocols an even more glaring omission.

The outrageous fee Motorola requires to enable the Ojo's videophone feature makes it very hard to recommend when you can get a brand new iMac G5 with built-in videoconferencing camera for the price of the Ojo and a couple of years of subscription to the service.

Unfortunately, Motorola seems to have brilliant industrial design and style specialist and fantastic hardware and software engineers, but inane marketing teams who ruined the potential of a product that could have been very promising.

Still, this is probably your best pick if you need a simple videoconferencing product, are absolutely opposed to using a computer and don't mind Motorola's high price and outrageous monthly fee. But before you pull the trigger, do yourself a favor, go to an Apple store and ask for a demonstration of iChat.

Priced at $200 and without the ridiculous and unjustified $15/month fee, the Ojo would deserve five stars; but at its current price and with the added insult of the monthly fee, 3-star is a more than generous rating.

Average customer rating:

As good as the hype
No brainer
The Ojo is the most awesome invention! I love it!
This Videophone Will Change Your Life

Motorola Ojo Phone - Black

Manufacturer: OJO PHONE
ProductGroup: CE

Video Phones | Telephones | Office Electronics | Categories | Electronics

Office Electronics | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

Phones | Refurbished & Used | Special Features | Electronics Features | Electronics

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Accessories:

3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair

Product Features:

Video Telephone; with Caller ID
2 Pieces in Set ; Includes: Corded Base, Cordless Handset
Features: Handset Locator Helps You Find Your Cordless, Large, Full Color Graphic, Speaker Phone Mode for Hands-Free or Group Calls, Ringer On/Off Switch, Low Battery Indicator, Receiver Volume Control, Last Number Redial
Modes: On/Off Mode, Volume Control (Base), Tone/Pulse Switch, Handset Volume Control, Mute
Other Features: Phonebook Directory
Frequency Range: 2.4 GHz
5.0 Ringtones
Stores Up to 100.0 Names and Numbers ; Stores Up to 100 Caller ID Names and Numbers
Desktop Design
Extra Large LCD Display, New Call Indicator, Digital
Button Style: Backlit Keys
Caller ID, Call Waiting, Headset Compatible
Accessories Included: AC Adapter, Charger
14 x 8.5 x 7.5 "; 9.0 Lb.

ASIN: B000G1249S

Product Description

The OJO PVP900 is a revolutionary new telephone that allows you to talk face-to-face with friends and family. Feel the warmth of a smile. Catch the twinkle of any eye. It's just like being there.

This Worldgate Ojo is similar to the Motorola Ojo wi

Customer Reviews:

As good as the hype.......2007-08-26

I have been using the OJO phone for almost a month now (I live in the USA and have family in the UK), and it is every bit as good as the marketing hype. For families that don't have the luxury of living close together, it gives you a wonderful and fun way to stay in touch. It is far better than anything else I have tried - and I have tried a bunch.

OK - so why spend the money on an OJO when you can use a webcam for free? There are plenty of ways to video message with people out there (Skype and MSN Messenger to name a few). However, my experience with these has been average at best, especially when compared with the OJO:

- Webcams: The quality of the audio and video is usually moderate at best
- OJO: Great quality audio and video - even on a modest broadband connections

- Webcams: Both parties need a computer with the correct software installed, a webcam, a mike, and a broadband connection.
- OJO: You need broadband, but the phone does everything else

- Webcams: can be tricky to set up. Before now, I have spent hours on the phone to my mum trying to workout why her audio is not working. By the time you get it working (if you do), everyone else has got bored of waiting and has moved on to something else.
- OJO: easy to set up (practically plug and play), and there are support staff to help if you have any problems. The staff are very friendly and helpful.

- Webcams: (My biggest complaint) - both people need to be on the computer at the same time, and ready for a call. You send emails scheduling a time. You call before to see if they are ready. It is a hassle.
- OJO: It works like a phone. It sits there waiting for a call. When a call comes in, it rings. You can accept the call, and away you go, or you can reject it, and the caller can leave a video answer-phone message.

In short, it is designed for the job of being a video phone, whereas the standard home computer is not. Unsurprisingly, the tool designed for the job is far better.

To get going is not cheap, but it is a lot more affordable than it was a couple of years ago. To get fully set up is probably going to cost you the best part of $250 for each phone - but this is a one off cost for the phone. After that there is a $10 per month for the subscription fee (for each user).

The only negative I can think to say about the OJO experience is that their website is a real let-down. The faceless corporate feel of it belies the friendly and personable staff that greet you when you call to sign up or have any support questions. The dull and static marketing rhetoric, and business information that makes up most of the website's content completely misses the opportunity to let enthusiastic users sing its praises on interactive forums, or provide community services such as user directories. I think anyone who is about to spend $250 on a phone would probably (as I did) check out the company website first, and this very nearly put me off the purchase. I am glad it didn't. I hope someone from OJO reads this, and does something about it!

So in summary, I love my OJO. If it was a toss up between being able to afford this or cable TV, I would go with this every time. Apologies to any guys out there if you have had to sacrifice your ESPN subscription on account of this review!

No brainer.......2007-06-27

My parents are both in their 80's and both are victims of strokes. It is inconceivable that they could communicate with the grandkids via webcam because they simply cannot use a computer and telephone does not allow me to visually 'check up on them'. Enter 'The Ojo' as we have come to affectionately call it. My Mom who has significant diminished mental abilities from her stroke to our surprise learned on her own to call us with their ojo (press two buttons and that's it)! In fact, it's easier to use in my opinion than a standard telephone...even my [...]calls Pappy and Grand-ma on her own. Seems like setting it up is the biggest fear (all of my family and even cousins now have ojo's) because it is 'new fangeled' but the customer support that I received is second to none; they really love their product. I've not heard anything negative from my family either about set-up or service. I think it took about 20 minutes from opening the box to total set up. If you have family/friends in far away places, it's really a no brainer...these things are the future. Also, when I purchased ours, I did search the internet for competitors but found ojo to be the best design and easiest to use. It's been sometime since then so I don't know what's on the market now but have no incentive to look around as we are completely satisfied. The ability to leave or receive a video message just like a voice mail is also really neat. Imagine coming home and SEEING your grand kids sing happy birthday to you! Priceless!

The Ojo is the most awesome invention! I love it!.......2007-02-03

I have been so excited and amazed by this product that I have spent the last several days dragging friends and neighbors into my office to see this wonderful phone in operation. I am buying two more, one for home & another for my Eastern Shore office.

I wish I had bought this phone earlier. My Mom would have loved it. I live in Maryland and Mom lived in NC with Daddy until she died in August(after 49 years together.) I found out about the Ojo and bought two of them. Now I can see Daddy several times every day and he is very comfortable with using the Ojo. It is almost as though I am in the room with him. It has given me so much peace of mind, that I can't say enough good things about this product. Worldgate has an incredible staff of helpful people that have spent time to help us get the phones set up. I find it very impressive that if I call for help or with a question, I reach an actual person and I don't have to spend forever on hold. Whenever I call I get an answer! I do not know how this company sells the Ojo for such a low price, and the service plan costs almost nothing (especially when I compare it to the ridiculous price that I pay for monthly service on my Motorola Q cell phone.)

I didn't realize this product was on the market or I would have bought it years ago. I think that it will be great for my business. I am a lawyer with offices 115 miles apart. Now clients coming into either office can actually see me.

I can't imagine anyone not wanting an Ojo, or maybe two or three. So if you are reading this review and trying to decide whether to buy one or not, just buy it. You will love it, and your friends and neighbors will ooh and ahh over it, which alone makes the purchase worthwhile.
Bernice Latou

This Videophone Will Change Your Life.......2007-01-04

In My Opinion:
There aren't enough Stars for this OJO. I bought two so that I could see my Son, Daughter-in-Law, and Grandson who live over three thousand miles away.

It was immediately apparent that our relationship has changed forever, in a most positive manner. No more boring phone calls. The real-time video is priceless. It has established a closeness and sharing that is NOT possible by using a telephone.

Let me tell you about the OJO:

- The setup is simple.
- The OJO Reps are extremely knowledgeable and courteous.
- Calling is virtually foolproof.
- Sure, you have to incur a monthly fee for the dedicated OJO line, but it's well worth it because I have seen NONE of the problems that are associated with regular videophones or video-messaging. Right now, OJO is running a special for this service.
- You can leave video messages at any time. It's incredible to come home to a video message.
- The picture quality is excellent at almost all distances. The sound is very acceptable. There is an initial period of adjustment where you have to see how much light you need, and how much volume to use.

I researched videophones for close to three months, and all had problems. The ones connected to your computer used so much memory as to cause crashes. This unit DOES NOT need a computer to operate, however you will need a router if you want to run your computer and the OJO.

My other children have now purchased OJOs and we all communicate in this fashion instead of boring phone calls. You can show each other documents and photos, and I even helped my son connect a sound system while he held the manual up to the OJO.

Initially, I thought that the screen would be too small. I would like it to be larger, but it doesn't really seem to be an issue. I opted for this unit instead of the one with the cordless phone because I already have a cordless, and I figured that fewer features may mean fewer problems. The cordless telephone on the other OJO unit is not necessary for videophone operation.

All I can say is: get one for your Family and CHANGE your life.

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