Cell Phone Law and the Hands-Free Bluetooth Solutions

Did you know that California will the 5th state (if you include District of Columbia) to pass the cell phone law? This will present a problem for most of us in California since we depend on it so much. The law was passed Fall of 2006 and will go into effect July 1, 2008. What exactly does the legislation entail? It prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile phones while driving. Drivers who are caught chatting away on their cellular phones will be fined $20 for the first offense and will receive $50 fines for any ensuing offense.

So what's the solution? Well, the law does give room for mobile phone chatters to use hands free kits when talking on the phone. However, older cell phones tend to lack Bluetooth technology and thus rely primarily on wired handsfree kits that come standard with the purchase of most phones.

Bluetooth Earpiece

This is probably the cheapest solution for most people. The earpiece is a simple headset that is usually placed over one ear, consisting of both the microphone and the earphone. It allows you to use it in and out of the vehicle, so you are free to go wherever you please while speaking wirelessly on the phone. Depending on its features and quality, you could find Bluetooth headsets for as cheap as $40 and as expensive as $200. The great thing about is its role as a standalone accessory. All you have to do is connect it (AKA "pair) with your Bluetooth capable mobile phone.

This hands-free device has a few disadvantages. These units contain small power cells that would need to be charged after about 6 to 8 hours of talk time. Additionally, some users complain that earpieces tend to be more uncomfortable over a long period of time. Some earpieces even give off a sort of echoing effect and could be hyper-sensitive to noise in certain road conditions. Of course, this complains may vary per brand and model-so be sure to try each one of them out, especially because there are a ton of companies now that make these.

Plug-N-Play Hands-Free Bluetooth Car Kit

These kits simply attaches to either the top of your dashboard, an air conditioning vent, or sometimes even your windshield. The plug'n'play Bluetooth kit is a device the size of your palm and usually gets power from your cigarette lighter. The palm-size kit contains both the microphone and a tiny loudspeaker. With this you don't have to attach anything to your ear and is often loud enough to hear, even through traffic noise.

The price range on these stay pretty consistent since there are not as many variations of this type of Bluetooth interface. As of early 2008, they cost anywhere from $55-$125. The disadvantage of plug and play kits, however, is its volume. Though they may be loud, there is no sense of privacy if you have other passengers in the vehicle. Another thing to keep in mind is the quality of the speakerphone built in the mounted kit. Some speakerphones tend to blare rather than sounding clear. This occurs when you overload a small speakerphone with a ton of volume, and this is quite common with this type of devices.

Some companies who sell plug-n-play Bluetooth car kits include Parrot, Clarion, and Raytel.

In-Dash Receiver with Bluetooth

Because of advancements in Bluetooth technology, car audio companies began integrating Bluetooth technology in standard head units. This allows Bluetooth cell phones to be paired with the Bluetooth ready headunit. A phone call would mute whatever music or radio is playing and would channel the call through your vehicle's sound system, resulting in the clearest sound from your phone. Depending on the kit, the microphone could be built in the headunit or wired (with hidden install of course) to the sunvisor. But just like the plug-n-play units, it offers no privacy since it could be heard by anyone in the vehicle.

This is probably the best solution for you if you are looking for a clean install without messy wires and if you feel uncomfortable putting something on your ear. It would also offer the best solution for you if you are looking for the best sound quality for a Bluetooth unit. If you want a built-in Bluetooth headunit, it will cost $200 or more. If you have an aftermarket stereo that is Bluetooth ready, you may just get the Bluetooth kit for that receiver. It is pricey though, costing you about $150 for just the Bluetooth interface.

For more information about Hands free car kits, please visit: Hands Free Kits - HandsFree Bluetooth Car Kits

Top 10 Bluetooth Cell Phone Car Kits

Most of today's cellular phones are bluetooth enabled. Among the most popular models, you must have heard about the PalmOne Treo, the Motorola RAZRs, the Samsung T509, to mention a few. There are literally hundreds of Blue Tooth cell phone models in the market today. Chances are, you own one.

One of the advantages of bluetooth accessories is their ability to connect to any cellphone as long as it is bluetooth capable. And there is more to it. Regardless of the manufacturer, one can pair a Motorola bluetooth headset with a Nokia bluetooth cellular phone.

For those of you who like the comfort of handsfree conversations in your car and do not want to spend an extra $200 for a new car kit every time you change your cell phone, here's what is available.

Bluetooth Car Kits can be portable or full installation.

The portable ones usually plug in your vehicle's cigarette lighter plug; some even come with rechargeable batteries and can be moved around, not only in your car, but also used as home/office speakerphones.
Full Installation blue tooth car kits require a professional installer, but this is the last time you will pay for that service. Most of these kits come with a dashboard display in addition to all other hidden components. Most of them have a simple, multi-functional button, which allows to accept, finish, and reject calls as well as voice dialing capabilities. The latest generation of Bluetooth Car Kits now features color screens as well as GPS receivers to be used in conjunction with software like Wayfinder, TomTom, Route 66 etc.

Here is the top ten list of best Bluetooth Car Kits.

1. Parrot Easydrive EasyInstall Cellular Phone Kit

2. Parrot RHYTHM N'BLUE CD MP3 AM FM Bluetooth Stereo Deck

3. Blue Ant Supertooth 2 Sun Visor Mounted Bluetooth Speakerphone

4. Nokia Bluetooth Speakerphone (HF-6W)

5. Jabra Handsfree Bluetooth Speakerphone (SP500)

6. Motorola Bluetooth Car Kit (98675)

7. Motorola Bluetooth Self Install Car Cellular Phone Kit (HF820 / 98666)

8. Samsung Bluetooth Car Kit (HKT100BDEG/XAR)

9. Raytel TellPhone 5000 Bluetooth Voice Recognition Car Kit

10. Parrot 3200 LS-COLOR Bluetooth Car Kit

Paring any of the models above phones is easy and indicated in any phone user manual. All you need to replace when changing your cell phone is a dashboard phone holder. However, most holders now have universal expandable grips so that the same accessory will work with many of your future phones.

Marcello De Luca
Chief Editor of
www.cellularaccessories.com

Accessorize Your Phone With Bluetooth

Bluetooth is one of the most in-demand technologies right now and is fast expanding to serve a variety of applications. Its current applications are itself numerous and the future is only looking brighter. If you have a Bluetooth enabled phone, then there are a lot of things that you can do with your phone. Bluetooth gives your phone an expansive gateway and this can be utilised with the Bluetooth accessories. There are a variety of accessories to meet a variety of requirements and budgets. One can choose what they need from the mind boggling number of gadgets available.

The most commonly used of all Bluetooth accessories is the hands-free earphone. Available from a multitude of manufacturers, it is the best option for having conversations while keeping your hands free. Higher end devices come with two high quality earpieces and allows for music playback too. Car kits are available for use during conversation in the car. These Bluetooth accessories are more feature loaded so that drivers can keep their eyes and hands directed to the road. Bluetooth dongles are in vogue as not all desktops and laptops are Bluetooth enabled. They allow for file transfer between two Bluetooth enabled devices and some amount of virtual control as well can be done via Bluetooth.

Tripping anytime soon? Then the Bluetooth GPS device is for you. You can access GPS using the device which connects to your phone via Bluetooth giving you unlimited access to directions and roadmaps. For the more fanciful, exist wireless PC speakers and even some other designer Bluetooth accessories as well.

To read about bluetooth headset and other information, visit the bluetooth headphones site.

Comfortable Conversations With Bluetooth Phone Headsets

Folks walking around with compact headset earpieces are an increasingly common sight today. They look trendy, but these headsets go far beyond trendy. They include such great quality and functionality that they are genuinely useful, and they aren't just for looking hip and stylish. While they are most popular in the business segment, consumers can get in on the action as well. For as little as twenty dollars, you too can purchase a Bluetooth phone headset which will allow you to talk on your cell phone (provided it is Bluetooth compatible) without using your hands.
A Comfortable Fit
Bluetooth phone headsets fit comfortably over your ear with a microphone slightly protruding down the side of your face towards your mouth. Because they are much lighter than normal headsets and fit inside instead of over the ear, they are much, much more comfortable, meaning that you can wear them for longer than ever before. Their battery charges last from about 7-10 hours for talking to 150 hours while on standby, and then you can recharge them in just a few hours. Bluetooth technology is designed to use as little power as possible, unlike some other technologies which emphasize performance over power savings, but mobile technologies should always emphasize the opposite.
If you want to get even more bang for your buck, then you ought to check out a variety of Bluetooth phone accessories. Gadgets like hands-free kits and speakers add additional functionality at little cost, and they can complement Bluetooth phone headsets admirably. The entire purpose of Bluetooth is to standardize the wireless signals that gadgets use, so all gadgets will work together. As such, gadgets like GPS devices with Bluetooth capabilities can display your GPS profile right on your phone, and you could use your phone to control a Bluetooth enabled stereo system, for example.
Beyond the simple gadgets though, Bluetooth phone headsets simply make sense for most consumers today. When you're driving or walking around the mall, it's useful (and safer in the former case) not to have to hold a phone to your head. Proper posture will always be more comfortable in the long run, even if it doesn't bother you after several minutes. All you need is a Bluetooth phone, and you're good to go. Configuration is painless and automatic, so anyone can easily set up a Bluetooth connection. If you're tired of neck cramps and sore arms, then a Bluetooth phone headset is right for you.







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