Best Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Best Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kit

Leggo

13 posts

Geek

#40768 3-Sep-2009 15:14

Okay - given the impending legislation on cellphone use in cars, what is your experience with Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kits? Do they work? Is Voice Activation actually useable? What are the brands and models that are effective, cool and/or value for money?

As a side issue - I cracked up at the latest PCWorldNZ Magazine's short review of TomTom GPS Navigation application being made avaialble for iPhones. So you can't use your iPhone to talk with in the car, but you can squint at the screen of the thing myopically as it sits half a metre or more away from you on the dashboard picking up it's GPS signal...........sceeeeeeeeechhh - CRASH!!!!! Brilliant.

bcourtney

652 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#252928 3-Sep-2009 15:30

Leggo: As a side issue - I cracked up at the latest PCWorldNZ Magazine's short review of TomTom GPS Navigation application being made avaialble for iPhones. So you can't use your iPhone to talk with in the car, but you can squint at the screen of the thing myopically as it sits half a metre or more away from you on the dashboard picking up it's GPS signal...........sceeeeeeeeechhh - CRASH!!!!! Brilliant.

I don't know anyone that stares at their GPS unit while driving - They have audible turn-by-turn navigation for a reason.

I glance at my GPS unit no more than I do my speedo

n00dy

482 posts

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Lifetime subscriber

#252930 3-Sep-2009 15:43

Not the cheapest but the Bury 9040 is brilliant, i see they now have i small dashboard / visor variant. I have the hardwired version. It is touch screen, voice activated, voice dialling / answer. Software upgradeable for new phones ( I bought mine 2 years ago when first came out and have upgrade the software a few times as new features are added or when i was using a newer phone) If suopported by the phone it will read out to you your text messages in a nice english accent LOL THe voice activation works out of the box but you can also use a once only training session for 100% accuracy. It retails around $399. I have also used the Blueant supertooth lite and supertooth 3, Parrot 3100lcd, parrot slim, and the jabra I have also used bluetooth on the navman s150 and my50. If the bury is out of your price range the supertooth 3 is a good choice around $199

Kraven

729 posts

Ultimate Geek

#252933 3-Sep-2009 15:53

I use a Blueant Supertooth Lite. It's fantastic, not overly expensive and since its not hard-wired I can move it from car-to-car.

nate

6473 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

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#253157 4-Sep-2009 12:31

Leggo: Okay - given the impending legislation on cellphone use in cars, what is your experience with Bluetooth Handsfree Car Kits?

I went down the most expensive part and bought a stereo with a Bluetooth kit. The most handy feature is when you have an incoming call, the number flashes up on the display (you can also upload your phone book to it if you want to see names) and you can accept/decline the call, plus it turns the radio down until you hang up.

I have a microphone mounted on the windscreen pillar, and I can turn the caller up or down by using the volume dial.

richms

28172 posts

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#253390 5-Sep-2009 15:10

I have tried a couple of them, and find that the bluetooth connection is very erratic between the handset and the kit. Basically I had to put the phone into a holder directly under the visor so it was about 500mm away from the kit to have it start to be reliable, but there were still many places where it would drop the connection and if I was on a call revert to the phones handset.

Not sure what I will do when the legistation comes into place. Probably just use the speakerphone on the handset and shout at it.

Richard rich.ms

ascroft

396 posts

Ultimate Geek

#253413 5-Sep-2009 17:19

I was wondering whether a headset was actually better reception wise than a visor job. I figure you won't look too dorky as long as you only wear it in the car...... :-) I think you can only get away with it 'in the wild' if you are in I Robot or maybe MI3.......

common sense is not very common