I know even talking on a mobile ‘hands-free’ is not recommended, but taking a call on the move is sometimes a necessity.
So what options does someone have new to the technology? I’ve seen these cradles in Halfords, but I assume they are simply that – a cradle to hold your phone? Is a system whereby on receiving a call you simply turn off your radio and talk megabucks?
Hope that makes sense. :-(
|
You can get a plumb-it-through-the radio option, with a radio cut-out, caller comes through on the speaker, and a microphone mounted on the visor. But not cheap, and depends on your phone.
Or you can get a plug/wire/clip/mike/earphone option dead cheap, which does the job.
I use the latter, and keep my calls whilst driving to a minimum. I find it distracts me. [by the way, here a hand-held cellphone when driving is a serious offence, with big fines]
|
|
|
|
I use one of those 50 quid ones that just goes into the cig lighter. It has a built-in speaker and does the job fine. It came from one of the mobile shops. They're no good for making a call but I won't do that anyway.
|
|
£50 ? That was a bit pricey. I've seen 'em on the market stalls for £7.99 or even less. That is of course if you're refering to the following example www.boysstuff.co.uk/product.asp?id=10086
|
I have been offered a handsfree kit called "Mr Handsfree". This comes with a speaker, mic and plugs into the cig lighter. Has anyone experienced these? Blurb says the output from the speaker is 3 watts which doesn't sound that great to me?
Also I have seen another one that has one of these cassette things that you put into the cassette slot in your stereo and then the car speakers act as phone speaker. Its only about £20.
Anyone got any experience of these - I only have a Nokia 3410 so bluetooth no good!
|
I have used a 'Jabra' successfully for several years. This is a moulded rubber earpiece which fits over a Walkman type in-ear headphone and mic combination. I connect it to the phone prior to setting off and leave the Jabra on the passenger seat. The advantage of this is that it's extremely simple and quick to insert on receipt of a call (although like all these devices, it does still distract you momentarily). Once in your ear it works surprisingly well and quality of both transmitted and received speech is excellent - better than plumbed in car kits IMHO. The other advantage is that you can move it from car to car (I hold my mobile in a cradle that clips to one of the air vents on my dashboard). Cost of the Jabra is about £20 I think.
I really try and not make or take calls whilst driving however.
Regards
RM
|
I use the Nokia Cark 112 Bluetooth wireless car kit, it works brillianty.
No messy cradles or wires, and it connects to the phone even when it is in my pocket, and, on one occasion, in the boot.
You use voice dialling to call someone, and there is just one small button on display, you can either use the kits speaker or have it wired into the car stereo. I chose to have it wired in becuase the sound is much more powerful.
If I didn't have this kit, I would probably go for a cradle kit, but a proper manufacturer one, not one of those mega cheap generic jobbies. My friend has one and it doesn't even have a microphone, you have to shout at the phone in the cradle to make yourself heard, it's only an good for listening to the callers really.
Blue
|
£5 from comet will get you a plug in earphone with a microphone built into a bulge along the cable.
I used one for months and found it fine.
|
|
|
|
Hi all
Can anyone tell me what bluetooth is all about?
Thanks in anticipation
Alyn Beattie
I'm sane, it's the rest of the world that's mad.
|
non-technically it is a form of wireless communication. It is not particularly great but it has the advantage of having been adopted by virtually all makers of mobile computing or communication hardware.
It allows two devices - for example a mobile phone and an earpiece - to communicate with each other without using wires. Since it also pairs those two devices it prevents interference from other similar devices.
|
|
|
It's a sort of wireless connection that allows a mobile phone to connect to other devices such as headsets and hands free kits without wires. Sort of like an infra red connection but with no need for any line of sight and works over much longer distances.
I think they're making the little clip on earpiece jobbies illegal soon, and only proper hands free kits will be allowed, but I could be wrong, that's just the rumour on the street.
Blue
|
|
|
|
|
|
£50 ? That was a bit pricey. I've seen 'em on the market stalls for £7.99 or even less. That is of course if you're refering to the following example www.boysstuff.co.uk/product.asp?id=10086
I bought £6 of petrol at my local filling station and it entitled me to buy such a kit for £4.99
It clips on the air vent.
I have not tried it yet but for that price I am not too concerned about the performance.
|
I got a handsfree kit for £15
The way it works is that it clips to the phone and you then tune your car radio to 88.9FM and the phone goes through the car speakers.
This uses the ordinary microphone on the phone and the reception (so I've been told from people I've spoken to) is the same as any other hands free kit.
The only niggle I've noticed is that you have to be careful where you place the phone or you get feedback from the car speakers.
I got mine from a trader at a car boot sale. I'm not sure where else you can pick them up from.
|
I've tried full in-car installations, plug-in cradles with speakers, cheapy in-ear with mike on a wire and bluetooth and find the latter to be by far the least distracting.
For some reason, when using any handsfree with a speaker, I find myself talking to the speaker, so taking my eyes off the road. It's as if the person I'm talking to is in the ashtray and I'm trying to make eye contact!
The cheapy ones with an earphone and a mike on the same cable are limited as the cable tends to snag or pull, so limiting your natural movement, for example, stopping you from doing an over-the-shoulder check on a slip road.
With Bluetooth headset, I can have a natural conversation and have full head movement, and yet feel quite comfortable on pausing the conversation as the road conditions require. An added benefit is the clarity of the call (for both parties).
Hope this helps.
ND
--
If I don't reply it's nowt personal, I'm just working!
|
|
|
|
|
|
