Hardwired hands free car kits

Forums › Mobile handsets › Hardwired hands free car kits

strugglinggeek

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Wannabe Geek

#33295 6-May-2009 15:14

I am new to this forum and would appreciate any help from what (after a brief read) looks like a lot of experts out there.

I am looking currently looking at a business proposition that involves hardwired hands free car kits. My concern is to work out where the technology is going in future and whether the need for hardwiring kits will be overtaken by wireless technology or any other technology.

So far as I can see alternatives are blue tooth headsets which are a bit of a hassle or small battery powered wireless units that clip on to your sun visor etc.

Do you think there is a future for hardwired hands free kits?????

Many thanks

hairy1

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#212870 6-May-2009 15:33

A lot of the modern car stereos are coming with Bluetooth built in or allow an expansion module to connect to the stereo. These have the advantage of being powered from the vehicle and mute the music when a call comes in. This may be where vehicle manufacturers go in the future or it may stay as a niche for aftermarket car stereo installs.

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strugglinggeek

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Wannabe Geek

#212874 6-May-2009 15:46

Thanks for your reply but do you mean that the stereo will be muted with wireless hands free kits or the muting facility is only available with a hardwired kit?

hairy1

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#212876 6-May-2009 15:50

As the stereo contains the bluetooth connection, when you get near your car and the stereo is powered on it pairs automatically with the cellphone.

The stereo then acts as a handsfree kit. The car stereo speakers act as the speaker for the cellphone and there is a microphone built into the front of the stereo . The music or radio automatically mutes when making or receiving a phone call.

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tonyhughes

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#212880 6-May-2009 15:57

Lots of modern cars have bluetooth carkits as a standard feature, that mute the audio.

~$300 for a nice brand name car stereo these days with bluetooth + muting too.

It's becoming socially less acceptable to talk and drive, and from personal experience I know its JUST as distracting to talk on a handsfree while driving, as it is to hold the phone.

Many companies I have encountered now completely bar the use of a telephone in any manner whilst driving a company vehicle.

I would not be inclined to sink any investment dollars into handsfree equipment - though there is still a few years of margin to be made reselling existing products as a retailer.

strugglinggeek

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Wannabe Geek

#212899 6-May-2009 17:15

Thats very helpful. I take your point about companies banning all phone use in the car and this is the sort of information I am looking for. As I mentioned before my investment opportunity is related to hard wired hands free kits but if this is a sunset product then I am keen to know now. Any other opinions out there??

pageweon

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#212905 6-May-2009 17:31

Bury offers a range of hardwired and bluetooth car kits suited to multiple phone models(you can switch around the cradles), the advantage with the hard wired kit is that you get a charger and aerial extension. i know that in nz its being put into law that a car kit will be required to use the phone whilst driving.. but i myself agree in that its just as distracting with the car kit.. especialy if its a heated discussion with the missus(bad enough when she is in the car)

prices can be in the upper hundreds(700 to 999) for car kit and instalation but at least with the exchangable cradles costs wouldnt be too hard when you change phone models(generally happens a lot more often then cars for me)

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strugglinggeek

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#212929 6-May-2009 19:23

Hey that was a really helpful thanks. I guess the extra cost of hardwired kits plus installation is likely to be somewhat of a barrier to the retail market. I guess its more likely that companies would make this investment in which case an earlier comment about rules around the use of any phone in a company car is relevant.

Any other opinions on whether technology is likely to make hard wired kits redundant???

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#212999 7-May-2009 00:53

strugglinggeek: I am looking currently looking at a business proposition that involves hardwired hands free car kits. My concern is to work out where the technology is going in future and whether the need for hardwiring kits will be overtaken by wireless technology or any other technology.

So far as I can see alternatives are blue tooth headsets which are a bit of a hassle or small battery powered wireless units that clip on to your sun visor etc.

I would say that hardwired handsfree has a shelf life. With the widespread support of Bluetooth in most modern mobile phones, and the ease of getting a Bluetooth handsfree speaker, headset or compatible stereo, it makes it a hard commercial case for paying for the installation of a wired car kit.

I remember as a kid my Dad has a handsfree kit for his mobile, you slid the mobile phone into a cradle which connected it to the microphone, antenna and powered it. With my Bluetooth stereo, for example, I can see the caller ID, accept/decline using my stereo and take a call without taking my phone out of pocket. Very convenient, plus it works with any Bluetooth compatible phone (after pairing of course)

The only benefit I see now of a hard wired kit is having the external antenna.

I wouldn't invest, however, that's my unqualified Joe Public opinion...

strugglinggeek

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Wannabe Geek

#213064 7-May-2009 09:41

Thanks to you all for your opinions. I think the collective view is that hardwired kits have a limited life in future. This has been very helpful to me in helping form my opinion

coffeebaron

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#213105 7-May-2009 10:48

There is still demand for full on car phones. As soon as there is a 3G 900 or 850 option, I'll be keen.

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