Tunstall today launched a new version of its Lifeline hub. New features include:
- A softer, rounder, look
- Less in-your-face branding
- An integral ambient temperature sensor
- Automated regular pendant test reminder
- A 75% more efficient power adaptor
- Improved battery back up
- Improved virtual sensor management
- Flexible voice recordings
- Enhanced reminder functions
The launch press release (PDF) also features, after you get past the obligatory ‘world leading’ bit, a real-person story about the first user (an ex-soldier with a young family) which is a refreshing change. You will also note that the Tunsall logo in the press release, like that on their re-vamped UK website, has mellowed very slightly – softer, with a two tone, less intense red than of old.
The only slightly puzzling thing about the new hub is the last part of its name. Lifeline Vi. Is that pronounced ‘vee’ as in the two finger salute? ‘vi’ as in ‘vital’? Or is it ‘six’ as in “Tunstall’s sixth generation home unit” as the unit is described on the website? Surely not the latter, which would be Lifeline VI, as in the Roman numeral.
I thought Lifeline was a registered trade mark owned by Philips. It is certainly claimed as such by Philips.
Philips bought Lifeline Inc a few years ago, giving them the rights to the Lifeline brand in the USA. The Lifeline name has been used by Tunstall for almost as long as the Piper name – and doubtless they expected it to become standard name for carephones in the same way as Hoover became the accepted name for all vacuum cleaner.
This hasn’t happened, both because there are enough competitors in the UK to impose their own brands, and because these devices are rarely phones in their own right, most of them plugging into existing phones which have keypads and handsets. In fact, the TSA use “DAU” (Dispersed Alarm Units) as the generic term – it hardly rolls off the tongue – but it’s a lot better than “Lifeline” which itself implies vulnerability and a badge of dependency.
I would have to say that this new design looks much better than the old cream style – and I would be far more likely to have one in my own home. Dare I ask if their designers have taken a leaf or two out of Tynetec’s new approach?
Having said all of this, the disappointment is the lack of new features. Perhaps DAUs have reached the end of the line? In the future, perhaps they will all be integrated into a TV set-top box, or into a tablet computer?
Jo,
I agree with you, whilst the new unit is a vast improvement on previous unit’s in terms of aesthetics, it is not as attractive, to my mind, as the Tynetec unit, but it will do. It also has some new features (though not too many).
It is a shame Tunstall still have not addressed the issue around triggers, still ugly! This does impact wear-ability. Now when you look at the price of tablet computers you mention and the myriad of health & fitness related apps available, the potential for social networking, integrating this with DAU technologies sounds, on paper at least, like a great idea.
Tunstall regrettably is not Apple or Samsung, they are not great innovators. To be fair to them, this is not a massive consumer market either. The catalyst for real innovation in this market place is just as likely to be born out of entrepreneurism, someone developing something to meet a specific need with development costs being raised via ‘Kickstarter’ type crowd funding. Though I’d love any of the existing manufacturers to prove me wrong!