Sometimes you just don't want to be riddled with a Bluetooth headset hanging from your ears, especially while driving and listening to the local radio station. The alternative is a Bluetooth speakerphone, which is safer and legal to use on your mobile phone while driving.
Bluetooth speakers are elbowing their way in and we are saying this because of the recent launches that will spoil you with choices.
Here are our top picks, all based on solid sound quality, decent battery life and affordability.
Jabra SP200; price: Rs 3,000
The Jabra SP200 Bluetooth speakerphone has been designed for those on a tighter budget as it costs under Rs 3,000. Its set-up is very simple: take it out of the box, turn it on and search for it using your mobile phone (during the test we used the Apple iPhone), that's all.
Now the speakerphone is connected, and you are all set to go. The SP200 can be attached to your car's sun visors or placed anywhere nearby. Though the thin, prefixed clip on the back of the unit looks a bit flimsy, its clamping mechanism is really strong.
With the SP200, you get basic calling features such as voice-dialling activation, call answer/reject and redial. If you wish to activate voice-dialling, that is if your mobile phone supports it, the SP200 can be set up accordingly with just a press of a button.
In addition, you also get an USB charger (along with the standard in-car charger), so you can charge the device both inside or outside the car. The SP200 will offer up to 10 hours of talk-time and almost 23 days on standby.
The most important part in the SP200 is the built-in DSP voice-processing technology. This ensures that there is no echo or voice-fade during calls, something that enhances the wireless speakerphone experience. Controls are simple, intuitive and large enough to help you drive without taking your eyes off the road.
BlackBerry VM-605; Price: Rs 5,000
For all the BlackBerry users, there's this BlackBerry visor-mount speakerphone VM-605. The device combines Bluetooth with an FM transmitter for transmitting stereo music to your car radio while easily transitioning to a call.
VM-605 is an elegant and handsome device with a glossy finish, and it has a handy visor mounting system, so you can quickly and easily mount it on whichever vehicle you are driving.
Inclusion of noise reduction and echo cancellation technology further enhances the device's usefulness.
In appearance and function, it is a piece of art. The front of the unit is actually both a large button, display panel for four icons and the microphone. But this glossy surface attracts fingerprints and dust, and also has a tendency to reflect glare.
The VM-605 can speak nine languages and also has a voice feedback system that provides you various bits of information. For instance, it will announce an incoming call (with the number, it will give you its status (power on, power off, pairing mode, etc.)
Now the most interesting feature -- an FM transmitter. Most of the recent BlackBerry models accept micro-SD cards of up to 16 GB. You can also get a free software to sync your iTune libraries to your BlackBerry. Once the music is on your phone, you can play it back through headphones and/or Bluetooth devices like this one.
The VM-605 takes this whole process one step further -- it not only plays back the content on itself, but also allows you to press the FM button on the left hand side and select a frequency to tune in on your car stereo. This way your BlackBerry is now broadcasting through your car stereo. How cool is that!
The FM transmitter announces the frequency it is on when you turn it on so that you can tell what to tune your radio to. Research In Motion, the makers of BlackBerry, was smart to include in VM-605 an auto-scan feature that searches for the clearest channel.
Priced at under Rs 5,000, this is a must-have Bluetooth accessory for all those BlackBerry users who spend a good amount of time in their cars and cannot stand those earphones sticking out from their ears.
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