Caller ID

It rings once, twice, a third time and you wonder who could be calling at such a strange hour. Could it be the crazed ex asking for his or her TV back? Your drunken cousin calling for bail? Another telemarketer? Quite frankly, you never know who's on the other end of the line and there are certainly times when you'd rather not pick up the phone. That's why caller ID was invented.

Caller ID  gives you the upper hand when it comes to filtering and screening phone calls. Technology today has made it easy for everyone to get in on the trend through several methods, that you can see below. Keep in mind that with all caller ID systems, you must sign up with your local phone provider to get the service. Cost for the service varies from area to area.

Caller ID Box  Buying a caller ID box is one of the simplest methods for installing caller ID in your home. It is compatible with any type of phone and hooks up easily. Very inexpensive and it doesn't require buying any other equipment as long as you already own a phone. The only downfall is that it takes up room on a wall or countertop.	Phone with Caller ID  For anyone in the market for a new phone, chances are, the option for adding caller ID and call waiting to the package will certainly sweeten the deal. Options and features usually just cover the basics and can be fairly limited compared to a caller ID box. Read the guide on Cordless Phones to learn more about which phones have received the best reviews. Several of the top phones also feature caller ID.	Caller ID Card  Combined with the proper software, one of these cards inserted into your computer can be a useful tool for monitoring incoming calls that is perfect for a home office, small business or for those who are often on the computer. Notification options available on caller ID software include: pop-up notification of calls, emails, voice announcements and special ring tones. Many programs even allow you to track and record the incoming and outgoing calls on your computer.

Buying Tips

• Look for a box or phone that you find pleasing to look at, as it will make up part of your deskscape or home décor.
• If you have any vision problems, consider those models with ultra-large numbers, such as theLED Large Display Caller ID  by Bright ID-er.
• Make sure that if you want to be able to use call waiting, that the caller ID box you select has that feature. For example, the GE Call Waiting and Caller ID System  does both and only costs $10.
• When shopping, don't forget to consider the total cost of the services, plus the cost for the device.

Cool Caller ID Boxes

Brookstone Color Call Caller ID	Sharper Image Info Globe Scrolling LED Message Center with Caller ID	Skype Call Center	Big-Digit Atomic Clock with Wireless Caller ID	Fossil Caller ID Watch

Related Buying Guides

• VoIP
• Cordless Phones
• Cell Phones

External Links

• HowStuffWorks.com: How Caller ID works.
• Wikipedia.org: The basics about Caller ID.
• Ainslie.org.uk: Some of the technical information about getting Caller ID installed in your home.