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How about some tips on
W. buying and using a
telephone answering
machine?
A There's a lot of competition
* in the answering-machine
market, so you'll find machines at a
variety of prices-depending on
what features they include. In
general, the more goodies offered
on the machine, the more expensive
it will be. Decide in advance what
features are important to you. Con-
sider:
e Call screening: You can listen to
calls as they come in; once you
determine who's calling, you can
decide whether you want to answer
while the caller is still on the line.
e Remote turn-on: You can ac-
tivate your machine by phone in
case you forgot to turn it on.
e Flashing message counter: tells
you how many messages are
waiting.
e Beeperless remote: You can
retrieve messages or change your
prerecorded greeting from any
push-button phone-without hav-
ing to use a pocket coder or beeper.
e Automatic reset: automatically
resets the machine once a caller
hangs up, so you don't have to

listen to long stretches
of dial tone.
e Toll-saver fea-
ture: It delays an- a
swering when you
call long-distance by
remote; the delay warns you that
you have no messages, saving you
the toll.
A note about the type of message
you leave on your machine: Make
sure it's appropriate to the type of
calls you're expecting. If, for in-
stance, you're hoping to hear from
a prospective employer, use a
straightforward, professional-
sounding message; save the heavy
metal opening and the Pee-wee
Herman impersonation for another
time.
What's the best way to
Q shop for an electronic
watch?
A Shopping for an electronic
*ewatch isn't that much dif-
ferent from shopping for any other
type of electronic equipment; your
goal is to get a quality product that
meets your needs at a price that's
right for you.
Some guidelines to follow:
-Shop around to get an idea of
features and prices.

-Narrow down your selection to
several models..
-Consider product reviews/ratings,
the reputation of the seller, and
warranty terms.
-Run a six-point test on each
model you're considering. 1) Watch
face: Can you read it easily, even in
dim light? Is the covering glass or
plastic? (Plastic scratches more
easily.) 2) Casing: Is the seal bolted
or glued? (Stainless steel bolted in
place is considered by many to be
the best seal.) 3) Band: Is the band
comfortable? Replaceable? 4) Bat-
tery: What kind is used? How much
does it cost? How often does it need
to be replaced? Is it a do-it-yourself
job? 5) Durability: Is the watch
water-resistant? Shock-resistant?
6) Ease of operation: Is the instruc-
tion manual easy to follow? Is pro-
gramming easy to execute? Can you
use the various functions with the
watch on your wrist? "p

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