Almost every portable device available today has the capability to play music, and everywhere you look, you’ll see someone with earphones tuning out the world.  Earphones are great, but sometimes you want to listen to music without feeling so isolated or you want to share your music with others.  Many devices have built-in speakers now, but their sound leaves a lot to be desired.  iHome makes a variety of accessories for mobile devices, including clocks, docking speakers, and portable speakers.  I’ve used some of their docking speakers in the past, and I find they sound great.  iHome sent their iDM15 Rechargeable Portable Bluetooth Speakers with Speakerphone for iPad/iPhone/iPod to The Gadgeteer, and I was chosen to give them a try.

Some pictures in this review can be clicked for a larger view.

The iDM15 speakers are portable, and they come with a black plastic box that stores the speakers and cables when they’re not in use.  The box also converts to a convenient stand that’s capable of supporting even the iPad in the vertical position.  When all packed up, the box is heavy, weighing 1.25 pounds when fully loaded.  It measures 5.6″ wide X 3.8″ deep X 3.4″ tall.  The box is hard, so it’s not going to squeeze into a crowded gear bag as easily as fabric bags can.  The front of the box has the iHome name showing on the lid.  The back of the box has some funny ridges that will be used to convert the box into a stand.  Open the box by pressing where indicated, then “peel” the lid off.  The top of the lid has a deep groove that’s part of the device stand.  The inside of the box is lined with a black flocked material.  This flocking comes off easily.  It’s all over the speakers when I remove them from the storage box, and it’s probably getting inside the speakers, too.  It also falls out all over the tabletop when you use it as a stand.  You can see what fell out in the few minutes I was taking a couple of pictures for this review.  Hopefully this will stop soon.

The lid opens up to reveal a storage compartment for the cables you’ll need for these speakers.  You can see the groove used for the device stand at the bottom of the picture.

The speakers pack inside the box for storage and transport.

To use the box as a stand, you invert the bottom and slide the ridged area on the back of the lid over the ridged area on the bottom.  This locks the two pieces together and makes a stable stand that is capable of supporting an iPad.  The stand worked great with my iPad 2, even when it was wearing the Hypershield back cover and the Smart Cover.  The iPad 2 was stable in the horizontal (shown) and vertical positions.

The speakers are silver plastic with a metal grill on the front.  Each speaker has the iHome name at the bottom of the grill.  Each is about 3″ tall X 2.25″ deep X 2.25″ wide.  They are slanted to better direct their sound up toward your ears.

The top of the right speaker has the controls.  The leftmost button (marked with phone emblem, Bluetooth logo, pause/play emblem) is a multi-purpose button.  You press and hold this button with the power button to start Bluetooth pairing.  The button can also be used to pause playback and to answer/end a phone call while the speakers are being used in Bluetooth mode.  The + button raises the volume of playback, but the actual maximum volume is determined by the volume setting on the device.  The – button lowers the volume, and the rightmost button is the power button.

The back of the speakers show that they aren’t truly wireless.  The two speakers have to be connected to each other with the included 3.5mm audio cable.  The cable is only 25″ long, but it does allow enough distance between the speakers that you’ll have a little stereo separation.  Other controls on the back of the right speaker include a 3-position switch to put the speakers in Bluetooth mode, aux mode (for use with non-Bluetooth devices), and a lock position so they can’t be accidentally turned on during transport.  The microUSB jack is for charging the built-in lithium-ion battery.  No specs are given for the battery.

The microUSB cable charges the battery, and you can use it to power the speakers as the battery charges.  One end has the microUSB plug for the speaker.  The other end has a USB plug for the power supply and a 3.5mm plug for use with audio sources that don’t have Bluetooth capabilities.

Bluetooth specs:
- Bluetooth wireless audio profile (A2DP)
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR wireless technology
- Bluetooth hands-free profile
- Integrated mic plus talk and end buttons for speakerphone use with a paired cellphone

As a note, I don’t know why the Apple products are listed in the name.  These speakers can be used with any Bluetooth device that meets the above specs.  They can also be used with any non-Bluetooth device that has an audio-out.

Pairing the iDM15 speakers was a bit of a pain in a house full of Bluetooth devices.  At one point 3 MacBook Pros and 3 iPhones were competing for the speakers.  You press and hold the power button and the Bluetooth button simultaneously until you hear a beep and both buttons light up.  The Bluetooth button blinks until it connects, then it goes on steady.  It took a while before I got it to connect to the particular device I wanted to use.  I did eventually try it with my MBP, my iPhone 4, and my iPad.  The sound was good with all three sources.  The Bluetooth connection was strong; I could carry my device from room to room in my small, one-story house and I never lost the connection.

I tried the speakers with all sorts of music, and I found that it worked well for most any type.  Of course, speakers this small have no bass at all.  No frequency range was shown for the iDM15 speakers, but I’m safe to say the low end doesn’t start at 20Hz.  They worked well with voices, and my husband said they did a good job with the guitars in Boston music.  I’m not a sound engineer, so I don’t know all the terms to use to describe every facet of sound.  Suffice it to say that the music sounded clear and pleasing, although it was missing the thumping bass end.  In any event, the sound was better than I get from the on-board speakers in my computer, iPad, or iPhone.  There was even some stereo separation from these speakers.  When I played my go-to song to test separation – I Only Have Eyes for You by Art Garfunkel – I could even feel the side-to-side panning at the beginning of the song.  I don’t blast my music at head-splitting levels, but I didn’t hear any distortion when the music was loud enough to hear it in other rooms in my small house.

The speakers have a built-in microphone so they can be used as a speakerphone with a Bluetooth-connected phone.  When a call comes in, the music pauses, and you press the Bluetooth button to answer the call.  The sound quality for calls was good, but it did sound a bit more muffled than when I use the iPhone 4′s built-in speaker.  Still, the call was clear and I didn’t notice any noise, echo, or lags.  When the call is complete, press the Bluetooth button on the speaker to end the call.  Music playback picks up right where it left off when the call came in.  You can also use the speakerphone for a call you initiate from the phone.  My iPhone 4 popped up a window for me to select the audio source when I started a call:  the phone, the phone’s speaker, or the iDM15.

The speakers did have a low hiss that was evident during very quiet passages and between songs.  It wasn’t so loud you could hear it across the room, but it was noticeable when you’re close to the speakers.  I wondered if the hiss was an artifact of the Bluetooth connection, so I tried using the speakers with my iPod nano connected via the 3.5mm audio cable end of the charging cable.

The hiss was still present during quiet passages and between songs when connected via the audio cable.  The iDM15 speakers worked just as well with the iPod nano via the audio cable as they did with the other tested devices via Bluetooth.

The iDM15 speakers have decent sound in a tiny package.  The rechargeable battery allows them to go places with no power outlets.  The travel box will protect the speakers from getting knocked about in your gear bag, and it converts into a nice, stable stand for your device.  You can connect to a variety of devices through Bluetooth or audio cable, and it’s a workable speakerphone for Bluetooth-connected phones.  My main complaint with the speakers is the low hiss.  My main complaint with the storage box is the flocking that continually sheds on and into everything.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Portable speakers, speakerphone

iHome iDM15 Rechargeable Portable Bluetooth Speakers with Speakerphone for iPad/iPhone/iPod Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 18, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

We all know that making and answering calls with a mobile phone while driving distracts you from the task at hand – actually driving the vehicle. Solutions to this problem include various hands-free systems like Bluetooth headsets and speakerphones. Plantronics has just introduced a new addition to the last category. It’s the K100 Bluetooth in-car speakerphone. It features dual microphones, noise reduction technology, voice alerts and large, easy-to-locate buttons including a dedicated mute button. It also offers A2DP so that can use it to listen to music through your phone. And if that weren’t enough features to get you interested, it also has an FM transmitter so that you can route all the sounds through your car’s stereo. The K100 is available now for $79.99.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone, Spotlight Gadgets

Plantronics introduces the K100 Bluetooth in-car speakerphone originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 19, 2010 at 1:00 pm.

We all know that due to safety reasons, we shouldn’t talk on cellphones when we’re driving. That’s why some states have instituted laws that prohibit holding a phone up to the side of your head to talk while driving. They require hands-free devices like visor mounted speaker phones and Bluetooth headsets. Today I want to show you another alternative – the Atomic9 Bluetooth Wristband Speakerphone.

Package Contents

Wristband Speakerphone
User Manual
AC Adapter

The Atomic9 wristband is available in White or Black. As you can see, I was sent the White version. It is made of plastic with a somewhat flexible band that is split to slide over your wrist.

The top surface has a speaker, a multi-function button and a status LED. The top button powers the speaker phone on /off as well as pairing and answering/ending calls. You can also use it to redial the last number or transfer audio back to your phone. As with all multi-function buttons, you just have to remember how to do all those commands with one button. I pretty much forget all the commands except the most basic.

One side has the volume up/down button and AC adapter port (which is protected with a little door that is tethered to the wristband with a short piece of plastic.

The microphone is located on the opposite side of the wristband.

The chrome colored parts aren’t anything special, they are just for show. The bottom part of the wristband can pull open so that you can slide your wrist into the slot.

Once on your wrist, the size / fit of the wristband can’t be adjusted. My wrist is pretty thin (5.5 inches), so it kind of flops around a little bit.

Just to note, the way I’m wearing the wristband in these images is incorrect. The microphone is pointing away from me, which is obviously the opposite of what you want.   In my tests of this product, I did have the microphone on the correct side. Let’s hear it in action.

Ok, time for a sound test. Below is an audio clip of the Atomic9 Bluetooth Wristband Speakerphone in action. This will give you an idea of what it sounds like to receive a call from someone using this device. I used the free voicemail / fax service from K7.net for this test. I signed up for a free account, got a phone number and called it using a Motorola Droid X while paired with the Atomic9 speakerphone. The resulting voicemail was then emailed to me. Pretty nifty! At test time, the phone had full signal strength. Click to listen.

atomic9-driving – WAV file (524K)

From the sample, you can hear a little clipping of the audio. In real use, I found that the speaker is just adequate. I could hear the person on the other side of the conversation, but to do so, I would have the volume cranked almost up to max, which would sometimes overdrive the little speaker. In quieter locations, it works a little better, but for driving (even with the windows up and the radio off) it’s not so great. The sound quality could be improved if the speaker was on the side of the device (like the microphone) instead of pointing straight up.

People on the other side of the call complained that I didn’t sound very clear or that I sounded like I was in a can.

For me, the only time I would use a speaker phone like this one, would be in a car. I would not wear this into Walmart and talk into my wrist when someone would call me. I be considered a geek, but I’m not THAT much of a geek

After testing this device for a few days, I’ve come to the conclusion that I prefer visor mounted speaker phones over one like this. They seem to do a much better job as far as audio on both sides of a conversation – and, you don’t have to worry about the fit.

If you would like to check out one for yourself, the Atomic9 Bluetooth Wristband can be purchased for $99.99 from Amazon.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone

Atomic9 Bluetooth Wristband Speakerphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 13, 2010 at 7:20 pm.

The Bluetooth Wristband Speakerphone from Atomic9 is an alternative to wearing a Bluetooth headset or using a clip on visor speakerphone for your car. This one features audio caller ID, voice activated commands, vibration and sound alert options, up to 4 hours of talk-time and 160 hours of stand-by time. It’s available now for $99.99 through Amazon.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone, Spotlight Gadgets

Bluetooth headset not your thing? How about a wristband? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 29, 2010 at 10:34 am.

I’m a big fan of the Moshi voice controlled alarm clock and now they are offering a voice controlled Bluetooth car speakerphone. Just say “Hello Moshi” to activate 13 voice control commands that allow you to set up five speed dials, ask for a list of commands, call back the last incoming call, check the battery and cancel a call with your their voice. The Moshi Bluetooth Car Speakerphone is available now for $79.99 MSRP at www.moshilifestyle.com.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone, Spotlight Gadgets

Moshi Announces Voice Control Bluetooth Car Speakerphone originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 10, 2010 at 8:00 am.

ZOMM is a multi-function gadget that can fit in your pocket. It is a wireless leash for your cellphone, that will signal with an audible alarm when you’re too far away from your phone, thus preventing lost phones. It also functions as a small handsfree speaker phone. The price isn’t bad either at $79.99

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Security, speakerphone, Spotlight Gadgets

ZOMM Speaks, Alerts and Protects originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 5, 2010 at 10:30 am.

Are you ready to go hands free but don’t want to stick a Bluetooth headset in your ear? I feel the same way. That’s why I’m trying to find the best Bluetooth speakerphone. We’ve reviewed different speakerphones here on The Gadgeteer before, but the one I am going to show you today raises the bar a notch. It’s the Novero TalkyOne Bluetooth Speakerphone.

Hardware Specs

Bluetooth: Multi-compatible with devices that support Bluetooth Specification 2.1 with EDR, Handsfree Profile 1.5, multipoint feature, A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and PBAP (Phonebook Access Profile)
Speakerphone weight: 3.3 ounces
Operating range: Up to approx. 33 feet
Talk-time (with fully charged battery): Up to 15hours
Standby time (with fully charged battery): Approx. 180 hours

Package Contents

TalkyOne speakerphone
12V car charger
USB cable for charging and software updates
Dash mount with Velcro stickers
Visor mount
User guide (mini CD)

The TalkyOne looks very stylish with a White plastic casing, chrome accents and wire meshing. I like that there aren’t a bunch of LEDs and labeled buttons.

Instead there is just one large multi-function button on the top of the speakerphone. You can press the center of the button or rock it back and forth to adjust the volume. On one side there is a micro USB connector that can be used along with the included cable to charge with your computer or with the 12V card adapter.

On the opposite side is the microphone.

Although it’s not obvious and not pictured, this speakerphone does have status LEDs. They are hidden under the wire meshing and glow Blue or Red around the large button. It’s really hard to see except in low light though.

One cool feature of the TalkyOne is the keyed base that mates with the included sun visor / dashboard mount.

Here it is on the dashboard mount. You can attach it to your dashboard with one of the included adhesive Velcro disks.

Or you can clip it to your sun visor as shown here. This is my preferred method of attaching the speakerphone.

I had no problems at all pairing the TalkyOne with my iPhone 3GS. It just required that I turn Bluetooth on and search for the new device via my iPhone. I didn’t even need to type in the 0000 passcode. The TalkyOne can pair with up to two devices, which is handy if you and your significant other frequently ride in the vehicle together.

Once paired, I immediately noticed that the sounds from my iPhone (keyboard, taps, etc) started coming through the TalkyOne’s speaker, which was kind of cool. So, I immediately tested playing music via the iTunes app. Nice feature, but I wouldn’t want to use the TalkyOne as my only speaker system for music… It’s ok, but kinda blah. However, it works really well for listening to podcasts or audio books.

The main use for the TalkyOne of course is for hands free phone calls. Making calls with my paired iPhone can be done in one of two ways. Either by looking up the number in the iPhone’s contact list, or by pressing the center of the multi-function button on the TalkyOne and then speaking the command to call someone. For example, I could say Call Jeanne Webster at work and it would do just that. Nice. Not all phones support voice dialing though, so be aware.

As far as receiving calls, when one comes in, the TalkyOne will play a tone and then announce in a female voice who is calling. Too bad that you can’t change the ringtone though.

Ok, time for a sound test! Below is an audio clip of the TalkyOne speakerphone in action. This will give you an idea of what it sounds like to receive a call from someone using this speakerphone. I used the free voicemail / fax service from K7.net for this test. I signed up for a free account, got a phone number and called it using a iPhone 3GS while using the TalkyOne speakerphone. The resulting voicemail is then emailed to you. Pretty nifty! At test time, the phone had full signal strength. Click to listen.

Driving Sound Test .WAV file (660K)

As you can hear, the TalkyOne doesn’t block out the background radio sounds all that well. This isn’t a huge deal for me since I always turn the radio off when I’m talking – just seems like the polite thing to do.

The people that I called using this speakerphone could tell I was using something other than my phone’s build in microphone to talk to them. They said it was no better and no worse than most other headsets and speakerphones that I’ve used in the past.

At $139.00 the Novero TalkyOne is a bit on the pricey side when compared to similar devices.  However, it’s super easy to use, works well in both your car and in your office, looks pretty snazzy and at the moment it’s my favorite speakerphone.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone

Novero TalkyOne Bluetooth Speakerphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 7, 2010 at 12:31 pm.

If you don’t like using Bluetooth headsets, but want a handsfree alternative for your mobile phone while driving, you might want to check out the new solCHAT speakerphone from Scosche. All the typical speakerphone features are accessed by an easy 3 button interface, but the main difference with this Bluetooth device is the integrated solar panel that keeps the solCHAT’s battery charged and ready for use. It can be mounted it on the windshield or visor so that the sun’s rays constantly top off the battery. It’s available now for $99.99.

Filed in categories: Car Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Solar, speakerphone, Spotlight Gadgets

Green speakerphone – Scosche solCHAT originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 27, 2009 at 5:30 pm.

There are dozens of hands-free kits on the market, but the Taurus from Mobilefun distinguishes itself with several unique features, one of which could cause your insurance rates to go up.  I’m going to take the unit for a test drive in my Taurus (the car) and I’ll let you know the results.

Most of the product specifications are similar to  other speakerphones:

• Bluetooth compliant V2.0 +EDR
• Operating Frequency 2.4GHz
• Support Profiles: Headset and Hands free
• Battery: rechargeable Lithium
• Talk Time: 8-10 hours
• Standby Time: 600 hours

This device is a generic speakerphone  that  is sourced from China, distributed by www.elitemobile.com,  serviced by TMTI and sold by various retails outlets.

In the box you have:

• Speakerphone
• Battery
• Visor Clip
• USB to mini USB cable
• 12V USB power adapter
• Instruction manual

The overall fit and finish of the product is very good.  The speakerphone has the feel of a rubberized surface.  The function buttons are large and easy to read.

A nice touch is that there are 2 mini-USB charging jacks, one on each side.  This way you can route the power cable in the most convenient direction in the car.  Actually, I never did need to charge the unit while driving.  The battery lasted for a week with sporadic calling and I just brought the unit into the house on the weekend and hooked it to a USB port on a PC.  The most interesting feature of the Taurus is the LCD display screen.  Here you can see in white on blue/black, phone book entries, caller ids and the status of the speaker phone.  The display pivots to give you a better viewing angle when clipped to the visor.

After charging the battery, I clipped the Taurus to my car’s visor and set about checking it out.  Firstly, I paired the device with my Nokia 6103 cellphone.  It was a simple operation and the connection was confirmed by Nokia 6103 being displayed on the Taurus screen.  Before I took off, I uploaded a couple of phone numbers from my cellphone to the Taurus’ phonebook.  The device allows you to send, via bluetooth, either your phone’s complete phonebook or individual numbers to its onboard storage.  I had no problem uploading individual numbers, but an upload of my phone’s whole phonebook didn’t work.  This was not totally unanticipated because the instructions stated that not all cellphones support a total phonebook upload.  I don’t know how many numbers the unit can store because it’s not mentioned in the documentation.

You can place a call by dialing from your cellphone; using the speakerphone to dial a phonebook entry or the Taurus can dial the number of one of the last 10 calls received.  Having frequently called numbers in the phonebook is easier than fumbling with the cellphone when driving.  Punching the mode button brings up the phonebook and you step through it using the V+ and V- keys.  When you find the correct number, hit the button with the telephone symbol (multifunction button) and you’re good to go.  I also tried voice dialing, which wasn’t very reliable, but that is probably a function of the cellphone.  I get the same results without the speakerphone.

Incoming calls are answered by pressing the multifunction button.    If you hold it for 3 seconds, the call is rejected.  While speaking you have the option of transferring the call back to your cellphone, for example, if you leave you car during a conversation.  And if your cellphone is out of range (10 meters) the Taurus will disconnect and after 10 minutes will power down.  To reconnect, cycle the power switch.

My impression of the Taurus is mixed.  As a speakerphone it worked well.  I did find the unit to be susceptible to background noise which clipped the audio output.  I was able to minimize the cutouts by lowering the speaker volume and turning off the radio and fans in the car.  This only impacted my hearing the caller.  Their feedback was always that they could hear me fine.  The unit can also be used in an office environment and here it would be more suitable because if you buy this speakerphone thinking that it would be safer than using your cell while driving, you may be disappointed.

At the beginning of this I said the Taurus had unique features, one of which could make your insurance rate go up.  Well, I found myself in several near misses while driving because I was looking at the LCD display and not at the road.  To begin with, it is almost impossible to see the display when the unit is attached to the driver side visor.  This provides about 5 inches between the eyes and the unit, which I found impossible to focus on.  I then clipped it to the passenger side visor, however, this limited my field of view of the road to almost nothing.  After a couple of heart stoppers, I discontinued using the device, except as a passenger or as a speakerphone in my office.

From a technical standpoint the Taurus LCD Bluetooth Visor Car Kit and Speakerphone performed well.  You’ll have to be the judge of whether you want to use it in your vehicle.

Filed in categories: Car Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone

Taurus LCD Bluetooth Visor Kit and Speakerphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 12, 2009 at 8:13 am.

The Blackberry Visor Mount Speakerphone (VM-605) is a pretty, slick new device from RIM that combines a hands-free speakerphone with an FM transmitter to let you hear your Blackberry over the car’s speakers. In appearance and function, it is a piece of art.

Besides a hands-free speakerphone, it is also billed as your gateway to ‘Road Ready Tunes’ and as being GPS friendly.

Let’s get the specs out of the way-

• Nine Languages /Variants Supported- U.K. English, U.S. English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, LatAm Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese
• Caller ID Announcement- Audible, Visual — through car stereo’s LCD (RDS)
• Standby Time- 240 hours with Time-out shutdown
• Charging- Micro-USB 12/24V Automotive Charger will also charge Micro-USB BlackBerry^®smartphones
• Battery- 1100mAh Li-Polymer (enclosed)
• Bluetooth Version 2.0, class 2
• Audio Outputs- Onboard speakerphone (3.3 Watts), FM transmission with auto station scanning
• Echo and noise cancellation
• Size- 4.84 x 2.27 x 0.63 inches (123 x 57.6 x 16mm, and 3.03 ounces (86g)

The demo unit I was sent included the Visor Mount Speakerphone (VMO), an auto/DC charging cord, a CD-ROM, and a single page of printed directions. (The PDF on-line has more information.)

Includes: VM-605 unit and charger. (Blackberry not included)

THE DEVICE-

The VMO is a beautifully styled unit that is compact and passes the Creak Test with very minor noise. The front of the unit is actually both a large button, display panel for four icons, and the microphone. The very glossy surface shows fingerprints and dust, and has a tendency to reflect glare. Most of the icons have several states to help you figure out what is going on… if you remember them all or have the guide handy.

VM-605 front view, with 'pairing on' indicator

The sides of the unit have a Volume Up and Down button and covered charging port on the right, and an FM button on the left. The Up/Down buttons serve many functions.

VM-605 right side

VM-605 left side

GETTING STARTED-

To turn the VMO on and off, you press the front button for 2 and 4 seconds respectively. It will say “Connected’ or ‘Pairing Off’. A couple of minor things so far…

1. The instructions say ‘Press and hold front panel’. What they mean is to press the top edge of the panel. The panel is basically hinged at the bottom, so pressing the top gets you the best results. Pressing in the middle was often inconsistent for me.
2. The synthesized voices sound like an English woman and are a bit indistinct.
3. There is a pause between pressing the button and the voice, so there is a tendency to press for too long, turning the whole thing off again.

The instructions for pairing the unit take six steps, but it went exactly as planned and the instructions are well-written for this part. It was up and running in a couple minutes.

The unit was delivered partially charged, and plugging it in to charge is simple enough. I could perhaps wish for a longer cord, but I just charged it on the passenger seat- although an AC charger would have been nice. While there is not a battery indicator, there are indicators for charging, fully charged, and low battery. The battery lasted my entire testing period- about a week just sitting there and about an hour of active use. If your Blackberry uses the Micro-USB connector, it can charge your unit. Mine uses a Mini-USB so I am out of luck- a dual-tipped charger would be nice.

The VM-605 speaks nine languages, and you may have to change the language- but it is easy to do if you have the directions handy.

VM-605 showing that it is connected to a call and FM radio

FM TRANSMITTER-

The heart of this unit is its ability to transmit the Blackberry’s speaker to your vehicle’s FM radio. Pressing the FM button on the side starts the pairing process and it will announce a frequency. Play something over the Blackberry, use the menu to transmit it over the VM-605 (which should be a menu item), and listen. If you hear it over the radio, great! If not, just touch the Volume Up button for a second and it will announce ‘Searching…’, and a new frequency. A couple minor things on this point include…

1. It often sent me to a frequency that had a station on it- the ‘search’ feature seems to be more of a ‘what is on my internal list’ than ‘what frequencies are clear’ search.
2. Omaha is not a big city, but it is hard to find clear channels to use. The unit and I found two of them, both have some static.
3. An undocumented feature is that if you tap the Up or Down buttons, the frequency changes by one step. This can help you lock in a good channel.
4. Overall sound quality is about that of an AM radio or a bit better. Your results will depend a lot on the frequencies. Considering that this is sold as a music device, I was a bit disappointed- but it is no worse than any other FM transmitter I have tried, and better than many.

The FM transmitter function shuts off after a minute if it is not in use. I also noticed that it did not always automatically reconnect when starting the car, but a quick tap of the FM button solves this.

SPEAKERPHONE-

To answer or hang up, you just click the front panel (at the top) quickly. The calls were quickly transferred to the radio and sounded good on my end. The people on the other end usually reported that the quality and clarity was the same as a call straight from the Blackberry- so the microphone is obviously doing a good job of picking up my voice and filtering out the background noise- just as it promised!

You can ignore a call by holding the front panel for a second, or mute a call by tapping the panel while on a call. You supposedly come back from muting by tapping the Up button- but every time I tried it, it changed frequencies.

OVERALL-

This is a nice unit. It has a few minor glitches, but overall works nicely and offers good sound quality on calls. I heartily endorse hands-free devices for drivers who use cell phones (the crash statistics are scary!) and this is a good option. My biggest complaint is the nice, slick front panel.

Besides showing fingerprints and glare, it also acts as a multi-function button with no cues on how to use it. How long do you press it, and what functions can it do again? You would quickly master it in use, but I think that any learning curve or distraction while driving should have been engineered out. I understand that adding buttons makes distractions worse, and I applaud the use of voice cues to make this easier, but I can wish it was a bit less ambiguous.

I do not have voice commands set up on my Blackberry, so I was unable to try them with this unit, but others have noted they work well together to make an even more hands-free experience. I was also unable to test it with a GPS system, but again, other reviewers liked this feature.

At $99.99 suggested retail, it may be a bit high but I would expect the price to drop as other retailers start to carry it.

Filed in categories: Blackberry related, Car Gear, Wireless

Tagged: Blackberry, Bluetooth Gear, Hands Free, speakerphone

Blackberry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 15, 2009 at 7:28 pm.

If you’re not a fan of Bluetooth headsets, but still wish to remain hands free while driving, there is an alternative – speakerphones. One such device is the Parrot MINIKIT Bluetooth speakerphone. Let’s take it for a spin.

The Parrot MINIKIT is a visor mounted speaker / microphone that is available in a Chic and a Slim version. The Chic version, which was sent to me, has a feminine design, while the Slim version is plain Black.

Hardware Specs

Audio

* Full duplex
* Built-in omnidirectional microphone
* Audio output via the vibrating panel
* Advanced Parrot NR3 noise reduction
* AEC-2 echo cancellation
* Voice menus for all menus
* Multi-speaker voice recognition
* Text To Speech: speech synthesis of the names in the phonebook

Bluetooth

* Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
* Profiles supported:
o HFP (Hands Free Profile)
o OPP (Object Push Profile)
o PBAP (Phone Book Access Profile)
* Other profiles:
* SyncML, Synchro AT, Synchro Nokia
* Range: 10 metres
* Pairing: by PIN code (1 2 3 4)
* Updates via USB port

Processor

* Parrot P5+ 208 MHz
* Flash = 256 Mbits
* RAM = 64 Mbits

General

* Number of contacts:
- 1 000 per phone
- total of 2 500
* Language: one language per version
* Pairing: up to five devices
* Battery: lithium-ion, maximum charging time of 4 hours
* Battery life:
- over 15 hours talk time
- over 20 days on standby
* Automatic connection by pairing order

Package Contents

Parrot MINIKIT Chic Speakerphone
USB Cable
12V charging cable
Quick start guide

The MINIKIT Chic is made of Black and Silver / Grey plastic that has a slightly rubberized texture. The face of the speakerphone has one continuously rotating jog wheel, with a button on ether side beneath status LEDs. I didn’t even realize that there were buttons on the front until I could not figure out how to initiate a voice call. I guess instructions can be useful sometimes. The Left button is the call answer and voice call initiate button and the Right button is the call end and power button. The jog wheel can be used to do a phone book lookup, and adjust volume.

The back of the MINIKIT has a wire visor clip and a reset button (the tiny hole next to the sticker).

On one side, you’ll find a mini USB connector that is used for charging the batteries via your computer or the included 12V car charger. There is also a charging status LED next to the connector.

To turn on the speakerphone, you hold down the Right button for two seconds. Pairing with my Pantech Matrix Pro Smartphone was simple. All the phone numbers stored in my phone then automatically synchronized with the MINIKIT. My phone’s contact list has 205 contacts, so the transfer time did seem to take quite awhile.

The MINIKIT is designed to clip to the window visor in your car. The quick start guide shows it in the orientation that you see above, which works fine when the visor is in the upright position.

But not so well when the visor is down as shown here. As you can see, the buttons and jog wheel are not easily accessed when the visor is lowered.

I attached the MINIKIT the opposite way, which makes it much easier to press the buttons when the visor is down.

The only problem is that if I flip the visor up too quickly, the jog wheel will press against the roof of the car and will be activated.

I’ve been using the MINIKIT for a couple of weeks now and I have to say that unfortunately, I’m not all that impressed by it. I’ve encountered two show stoppers during my time using it. First of all, it’s locked up twice now. Each time when I needed to make a call. Both times I either pressed the jog wheel to look up a name in the phone book, or I pressed the Left button to make a voice command call. When the lockup happened, both LEDs turned on and the MINIKIT refused any further input. It wouldn’t turn off by holding down the power button either. Since I was driving, I couldn’t very well reset it. Even if I wasn’t driving, I would have needed a tack or paperclip to access the recessed reset switch. Not very convenient.

The other big issue that I’ve had is that the MINIKIT wants to auto sync my phone book all the time. It seems like 8 times out of 10, when I press the voice command button to make a call, a British female voice will say “Synchronizing phonebook, please wait”. ARGH! When this happens, I am able to use the jog wheel to look up a name and initiate a call, but that’s time consuming when you have 200+ contacts like I do. You have to turn the jog wheel till you get the the first letter of the last name, then you have to turn it till the voice says the correct last name, the you have to turn the wheel to choose between mobile, home or work numbers. Of course, you could use the actual phone to make the call, but the whole idea is for it to be handsfree right?

Other smaller complaints include the fact that the speakerphone powers down automatically, so you have to turn it on whenever you get in the car. After it powers up, you then have to wait for it to re-pair with your phone. The entire process takes about 20-30 seconds or so. Not a huge deal, but kind of annoying. I’ve used a SuperAnt speakerphone, that goes into standby, but doesn’t power off. It always knows when your phone is within range and will auto-pair as soon as you get in the car.

Things that I do like include the the design, size and volume level for incoming calls. I also like the voice dialing command that do not require any training. Just press the button once and when it asks who you want to call, you speak the last name of the contact. If there are more than one person with that last name, it will ask you which one, then which number (mobile, home or work). You can answer the questions with Yes or No. Just be careful. If it doesn’t quite recognize who you’re asking for, it might find one entry that matches, with only one number associated to it and will automatically start dialing that number whether you want to or not.

Ok, time for the sound tests! Below are several audio clips of the Zivio Boom headset in action. This will give you an idea of what it sounds like to receive a call from someone using this headset. I used the free voicemail / fax service from K7.net for these tests. I signed up for a free account, got a phone number and called it using the Pantech Matrix Pro while using the Parrot MINIKIT speakerphone. The resulting voicemails are then emailed to you. Pretty nifty! At test time, the phone had full signal strength. Click to listen.

parrot-driving1 (432k WAV file)
parrot-driving2 (896k WAV file)

Calls on the MINIKIT speakerphone side of the call sounded fine to me. They were clear and loud enough to understand. People that I called sometimes told me I sounded like I was in a can. Other times they would tell me that I sounded ok, but that they could tell I was using a headset.

When it’s all said and done, I have mixed feelings about the Parrot MINIKIT Chic bluetooth speakerphone. I like that it is easy to setup and use, but the crashing and phonebook syncing issue pretty much kills it for me. I did try to update the firmware by installing a special udpate application that Parrot has for download on their site. Unfortunately, Windows kept insisting that I install a driver for the device and I could find no such driver – so the update program was never able to check to see if there was a new firmware version for this particular model.

FYI: I sent a note to the person that sent me the headset, listing all my problems, but so far no response…

If anyone has had the same or a better experience with this speakerphone, I’d like to hear about it. Please leave a comment to this review.

Filed in categories: Wireless

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, speakerphone

Parrot MINIKIT Chic Bluetooth Speakerphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 7, 2009 at 2:00 am.