Hands free phone for car reviews
Generally, I've found that Bluetooth performance on the Treo 650 is pretty poor, so I was very pleased at how well the NeoCar worked with the Treo 650, including call hand-off. Depending on which system you choose, you’re either going to have to sacrifice your accessory-power outlet or get something that needs to be recharged regularly. Two buttons on the end of the Kinivo BTC450 skip songs during audio streaming. That can present a problem for cars that keep power running to their 12 volt power points when the engine is off. The first thing you'll need to figure out is which type works best for your needs, then go from there. The skip buttons worked as expected, with a just a slight delay typical of sending commands over Bluetooth. Most FM transmitters are only so-so at best, but the FlexSMART X2 is different. Simply pair the car kit and your phone up and you're good to go. This is the first time I bought such a unique yet impressive product. However, the new kit does lack something important from the original - the GPS receiver. And therein lies its biggest limitation. If you do not have an aux-in port, and value music more than call quality, our FM transmitter is a solid option. The suction is strong on the windscreen and the green suction holder is excellent in gripping to my phone. It’s not only less distracting than trying to juggle a phone while steering but it’s also the only legal way to do it in many states. The mounting system is versatile, capable of holding your phone in portrait or landscape mode and as it support phones up to 127. Not that the latter was flimsy - far from it - but this goes even further to house your beloved Apple smartphone in the manner it deserves. Easy pairing Testing the Kinivo BTC450 with an iPhone 5. There’s also quite a bit of overlap within these three categories, so you do have some flexibility. This last point is important because using your phone's GPS will rapidly run down your phones battery on even a modest journey. The TomTom Start 20 is a stand-alone sat nav offering lane guidance, spoken street names and access to TomTom's maps. The main button on the Kinivo BTC450 serves a number of functions. Useable with or without its app and either iOS or Android devices, it's a good choice for those who can't afford a complicated stereo overhaul for their car and need to support multiple phone operating systems. Attachments The phone attaches via its 30-pin dock connector at one end, and a rubberised bracket at the other, which secures with friction. GripGo with HTC Sensation GripGo Hands Free Cell Phone Mount has drawback , the GripGo started to lose its gripping strength when My HTC Sensation is heated up. Finally, there are speakerphones, which don't connect to your ear, but instead project voices so you can hear without a device attached to your head. The HB01 offers easy setup and works well, automatically connecting to your smartphone as soon as you start the car. The right side of the NeoCar is home to the volume controls and microphone jack, and on the left side there is a small power switch. However, I never managed to pair with its advertised NFC compatibility – I couldn't determine if it was my phone or the Neo 2 to blame. There is no built-in microphone, which would have been nice, as it would look a lot better without a small microphone plugged into the side of the unit. In the past, we’ve recommended getting a cassette and plug adapter, then using an aux kit if your car has a tape deck, but this time around, we found an FM transmitter that offers sound quality (for music) that’s just as good as that of an aux kit. Short on features The Kinivo BTC450's chassis makes it easy and practical to install in a car, and the 12-volt plug with built-in USB charging port is a nice addition, as is the ability to skip songs. Not all of them are for Apple devices, either, in anticipation of the TomTom for Android app version due in October. Leaving the Kinivo BTC450 plugged into a car that sits parked for an extended period of time may end up draining the car's battery. This unit plugs into your cigarette lighter via standard USB cable and charger, while a pass-through cable can be used to charge your phone while you're out and about too. I started my test of the device already owning an aftermarket car stereo that similarly uses a microphone and speakers (the car's) to create an ad-hoc hands-free speaker phone, yet I never want to place calls through it. Of course such bargain solutions don't have the Bluetooth cleverness that TomTom has used, but then having used it, we're not convinced that such features add enough to warrant the price hike anyway. I received a lime green and black version, but it's also available in other vivid shades including red and blue, or simply all black. However, I found that I was pleasantly surprised with the build quality and performance of the NeoCar kit. The NeoCar has a silver faceplate with a large rocker button for answering and disconnecting calls that also activates Bluetooth and initiates pairing. While the Neo 2 can theoretically connect with 10 devices and hold their address books, for those with big families or lots of gadgets, it can only simultaneously sync and direct calls for two phones. Advertisement However, as magic words for outgoing calls relies heavily on battery use to always be listening, the user can turn off magic words for outgoing calls, instead just initiating a call by pushing the green button. Just don't bother with this. I tested the NeoCar in a couple different vehicles with both a Treo 650 and a Sony Ericsson T616 and it worked flawlessly in every scenario. So any remaining users of the original iPhone will be better off getting the first Car Kit, if they want to use a satellite navigation app, although this point is a bit moot as the lack of recent iOS updates will probably be more of a hindrance. It rotates, too, so you can have your phone in portrait or landscape orientation, the latter being preferable for satellite navigation. You could use the kit to transform your phone into your in-car music player, but the speaker quickly shows its weaknesses here, and well, basically you'll only try this once and then never murder your music collection like that ever again. A sun visor clip, so you can attach the microphone there, and another clip to attach it to an A pillar. These hands-free mobile companions allow you to carry out a safer conversation while driving, or any other time you need to keep both hands free. If you want to makes calls or listen to music from your phone while driving (and remaining hands-free), and you don’t want to replace your entire stereo unit (either because of cost or hassle), then you should get one of these picks. None of these are perfect—depending on which system you choose, you’re either going to have to sacrifice your accessory-power outlet or get something that needs to be recharged regularly—but they are portable, inexpensive, and hassle-free. The Kinivo BTC450 lacks any native voice command features or a caller ID display. These kits are small, easy to use, and let you control music and phone calls right from your phone with just one or two buttons. The design allows you to see which station you’re tuned to and manually (but easily) find a new one if necessary. Our picks, from left: iClever Himbox HB01, Motorola Roadster 2, Mpow Streambot Y. However, like many other automobile owners, I haven't found an aftermarket stereo solution for my other car whose stereo panel is more awkward and tricky. In fact, I have never found the iPhone to work particularly well as a handset, so I actually preferred using the Kinivo BTC450 in a car for calls. It streams music wirelessly and supports hands-free phone calls. Many others are also available. The HB01’s small plastic circle mounts to your car’s dash and draws power from an included two-port charger that plugs into your car’s accessory-power port. Above: side view of the NeoCar with swivel joint bent downward. It's worth noting that, physically at least, the TomTom Hands-free Car Kit will only fit future iPhones so long as the use the same docking connector, as such this might rule out the iPhone 5 onwards with Apple seemingly set to do away with its 30-pin dock standard for a new 9-pin option. Call quality won’t be excellent because the microphone can’t be moved to an optimal location, but music or podcasts are better sounding through a powerful FM transmitter than through the tiny speakers or weak FM transmitter of a Bluetooth speakerphone. These commands primarily center around initiating and accepting phone calls, with a sample conversation starting with saying "MINIKIT" and when prompted, responding with the name of the person you'd like to call. The associated app, available for free for either iOS or Android, adds additional features to the hands-free kit, many relying on the information available from the proximity between the Neo 2 HD and its connected mobile devices. The music playback sounded fine, with no interference from the Kinivo BTC450. The MINIKIT Neo 2 HD is available for US$99. Which kit is right for you will depend mostly on your needs and your car’s setup. CNET review The advent of Bluetooth systems in cars became a boon for drivers, enabling hands-free phone calls and wirelessly streaming music from a smartphone. In the end, while I was happy to have a convenient and more appropriate solution for hands-free calling, I couldn't give up my car speaker system. Table of contents Who is this for? Unlike the GoGroove SmartMini Aux. It can also connect with two devices at once, which makes it a great pick for families that share cars. We'd pick that up over this every time. Physical controls include two buttons, green and red, that light with LEDs when interacting with menus while accepting or canceling actions. It is easy to use, pairs without any problems, and performed well in many tests to both landline and mobile endpoints. In most instances, replacing the entire car stereo will be a cheaper and better option. Blue and red LEDs, shining through the surface of the main button, serve as indicator lights for pairing and other functions. In this category, we once again recommend iClever’s Himbox HB01 for its superior sound quality (as good as, or better than, the sound from the competition) and good microphone performance. So I was curious what I would think of the Neo, knowing that I could only have one Bluetooth connection active at a time. Just clip the Neo HD 2 onto a visor and have access to a fully voice-activated system that's operating system-agnostic. I was pleased that the Kinivo BTC450 automatically reestablished the Bluetooth connection when the phone was in range. There’s an extension cable, so you can reposition the microphone where you want. It's a great accessory to complement your Bluetooth phone, as long as you don't have a convertible or monster truck! The kit itself is made up of several parts, but the main unit is a reassuringly robust holder for your phone, boasting an integrated 2W speaker, an extendable microphone and a charger. Each can be paired with a cell phone or portable music player so that you can carry on hands-free phone conversations and listen to music. MINIKIT Neo's 1,000-mAH battery is described as lasting long enough for 10 hours of talk time, or enough to standby for six months. The two smaller buttons on the side let you skip forward or back a song when streaming music. The pricing hangs heavy over this kit as a value proposition too, coming in as it does so close to TomTom's own budget sat nav, the TomTom Start 20. The disc end of the Kinivo BTC450 includes Bluetooth electronics and a microphone for making hands-free phone calls. If you have a car with an auxiliary-input jack (basically a line-in headphone jack), get an aux-in kit. GripGo Hands Free Cell Phone Mount in my Vios GripGo Hands Free Cell Mount is one excellent product. If you have an older car and want Bluetooth without the hassle or cost of a brand-new stereo or professionally installed kit, then you basically have three options: an FM transmitter, an aux-in Bluetooth, or a Bluetooth speakerphone. I had to hold the main button down to put the device into pairing mode, then simply found it under the name BTC450 on the phone's list of found Bluetooth devices. But this hugely successful gadget could be supplanted by the evolution of what it replaced - the smartphone - as the power of the mobile increases. While it will work for voice calls, this FM transmitter is best suited for music streaming. We broke it down into sections, since Bluetooth headsets primarily fall into three major categories. Considering the lack of an internal battery, however, an off switch would have been nice so as to ensure that it does not become a drain on a car's battery. Small enough to attach surreptitiously to a car's dashboard or console with the included Velcro pads, the device features a large button on top, and two smaller buttons on one side. The NeoCar has all the standard features one would expect in a plug-in Bluetooth hands-free kit. We did find it quite a bulky mounting system though, requiring locating higher up the screen that we'd want with a dedicated sat-nav, and thus obscuring more of the windscreen. The new kit is designed to accommodate every iPhone from the original version up to the latest iPhone 4S. But their different designs affect how easy they are to use. This is not a re-pairing and only takes a couple of seconds, but for cars where the power lead to the outlet is not always on, this means that it is necessary to use the Bluetooth button to reconnect the NeoCar to the phone every time the car is started. This product is very convenient for us, because we can just put our phone on it and we are ready to go! If your car’s audio system doesn’t have aux-in and you value music over call quality, get the GOgroove FlexSMART X2 FM transmitter. To confirm your device’s compatibility or view pairing instructions, please use the Lexus Mobile Link to the right. The NeoCar plugs directly into a 12v vehicle cigarette-lighter jack, so installation is a snap. Some features to consider in a headset: call quality, noise cancellation, battery life, style and design, comfort, range, bonus features, mono vs. That 12-volt adapter conveniently holds a USB port for charging phones or other electronics. Who wants the whole car to hear a phone call in full stereo? Below is Parrot's video highlighting the features of its improved hands-free audio kit for the car. However, it also picked up cabin noise, as any microphone would. A clickable jogwheel scrolls through menu choices and adjusts volume. Lacking its own speaker, it is designed to plug into a car stereo's auxiliary input. But the MINIKIT Neo 2 is perfect in that second car, as it might be for many other mobile device junkies who find it difficult to stop touching their phones while driving. The speaker is large and provides adequate volume for most vehicles. A thoughtful feature that SouthWing included is a small power switch, which is a handy feature for vehicles with a power plug that is enabled even when the vehicle is not running. This means you can enjoy hands-free calling, even when you're phone isn't docked. TomTom has clearly seen this one coming, and launched a range of car mounting kits including this, the new TomTom Hands-free Car Kit for iPhone. I only connected two phones, a Nexus 5 and an iPhone 5s. It's reasonably priced and it works very well right out of the box. In our testing, it consistently provided a radio signal as strong as or stronger than any of its competitors. The bottom line The Kinivo BTC450 is a good and inexpensive choice for adding Bluetooth to cars with an auxiliary input, but it is short on features. With a phone call initiated, the microphone performed well in picking up my voice. And while they might not always sound as good as built-in Bluetooth, one of these will more than suffice until you’re ready to upgrade your car or your stereo. To view a list of features compatible with your specific device, please use the Lexus Mobile Link. Even spend more on a proper sat nav, or a little less on a cheaper mounting system. And unlike some competitors that are permanently connected to their power supplies, the Himbox can work with any USB power source. The majority of cars equipped with an auxiliary input but no Bluetooth system were made between about 2004 and 2010, so the Kinivo BTC450 is not likely to work with even older cars. For example, the app can warn you of how long you've been driving, automatically note how long you've been parked at a parking meter, or save the location of where you parked. If you have a car with no aux-in port and you value call quality more than music, get a dedicated speakerphone. Among its many benefits, you can easily transfer phone numbers to the system, conveniently place and end cell-phone calls with the touch of a button and communicate hands-free through the vehicle's speaker system. So we don’t think it’s worth dealing with the extra cables. While two phones are connected, the Neo 2 HD is in "dual mode. In addition, there were no stutters or gaps in the stream, which can sometimes happen with Bluetooth streaming audio. The better ones, like our pick, will also give you a built-in FM transmitter (though not a very good one) and the ability to control music, answer phone calls, and send text messages without having to touch your phone. It doesn’t have auto-scan (the capability to automatically tune to what it believes to be the most open station in your area), but it does have an easy-to-turn tuning dial that we found worked much better than any of the auto-scan features we tested on other units; we were able to find a better frequency manually Plus, it sounds as good as an FM transmitter can. The HD sound of the MINIKIT Neo 2 produces clear phone calls, for both sender and receiver, and map directions and podcasts were handy to have projected louder than my phone's own speaker. They’re powered by plugging into a 12-volt socket or USB port. Then there are stereo headsets, which use both of your ears; these are good if you're want to make calls, but they also double as earphones or headphones for listening to music in stereo. Which type should I get? That's why I welcomed the chance to try out the Parrot MINIKIT Neo 2 HD, a sleek hands-free calling and speaker system that uses either Bluetooth or NFC to connect up to two mobile devices at a time. The little disc The main component of the Kinivo BTC450 looks like a thick disc. The small size of the Kinivo BTC450 makes it easy to mount in a car. The device performed well for both phone calls and streaming music. Since there isn't much of an opportunity to try before you buy, it's important to pay attention to reviews and understand what factors matter most to you in a Bluetooth headset before buying. As such, when I got into a car equipped with the device, music would begin streaming to the stereo automatically, starting from the track that was playing when I was last in the car. The Bluetooth connection between a phone and the Neo 2 allows – nay, forces – all of your phone's audio to be streamed over the Neo 2's speaker, treating your car to the sounds of map navigation, game sound effects, or notification sounds. But if your car is more than five years old, it likely does not feature this technology. But rest assured, each one will serve you well for its intended purpose: Freeing your hands while you're on the phone. Our top 10 highest-rated headsets below span all three categories. Overall, the NeoCar is an excellent unit at a great price. A 2 Watt speaker is located at the rear of the mount to assist with the hands-free capabilities. Most new car models offer Bluetooth technology, which frees your hands by wirelessly connecting your phone to the car’s audio system. TomTom is capable of much more than this, but as it stands it just doesn't do enough to warrant the high price tag. There’s a microphone connected to the mount, but it can be detached, with a number of accessories to help you reposition it. However, the one we are reviewing here is still focused on the iPhone. Worth mentioning is the inclusion of a DSP feature which helps cancel out background noise and reduce echoes in an effort to make the outbound audio much cleaner. We recently bought four Bluetooth kits from Belkin, GoGroove, Jabra, and Motorola, which ran about $35 to $60. The design of the NeoCar kit is very simple yet functional, and it will fit most vehicles' dashboard design with no problems. This hands-free kit meanwhile relies on your mobile phone to do the hard work and merely holds your phone at the right angle. And, because they connect directly to your car’s stereo, aux-in kits offer the best sound quality for both phone calls and music. Below: the Audiovox SMT5600 Smartphone and the NeoCar. You can still get the original Car Kit, although now it is being marketed for the iPod Touch only, as it's not designed for the iPhone 4 body. The flexibility of the securing mechanism means that the Hands-free Car Kit will fit a phone even if it's inside an unusual cover. Pairing over Bluetooth and importing my contacts into the Neo 2 was simple, as was initiating and receiving phone calls. However, music was not made better by playing it over such a tiny speaker. In operation we found the TomTom Hands-free car kit for Smartphone to be lacklustre. But if your vehicle doesn’t have it, you can still take advantage of the technology without spending a lot of money. What started out as a peripheral and software add-on package for the PDA then became a standalone device in itself. Some folks may not recognize the SouthWing name - certainly this reviewer had not heard of SouthWing before receiving the NeoCar Kit to review. The Kinivo BTC450 makes for an easy and inexpensive way of adding Bluetooth to an older car. HTC Sensation heated up very fast especially when I running intensive applications during I am during, moreover the casing of the phone is aluminium which is an excellent heat conductor. The Hands-free Car Kit is of noticeably sturdier build than the original Car Kit. The GripGo will grip our phone and we can turn angle of the GripGo holder to almost any direction that we wished. Finally, a mini-USB port both charges the device through an included USB cable and charger for your car's auxiliary power port (aka cigarette lighter) and provides a connection to a computer for software updates. It initiates phone pairing, works as a Pause and Play button for streaming music, and also answers or hangs up phone calls. Typically speaking, FM transmitters are far from ideal and are susceptible to static and interference, but this time, we found a great-sounding one that offers an unusually strong connection. That's where Bluetooth headsets come in. There are the traditional, mono, single-ear headsets; these are the ones that most people think about when they hear the word Bluetooth. It supports full duplex operation in both hands-free and headset profiles, and supports voice dialing and last number redial. The Kinivo BTC450 is a Bluetooth adapter. And Bluetooth headsets are better than ever, with improved designs, stronger performance, better battery life, and more compelling features than you'd find just a couple of years ago. Both the finish and construction of the Neo 2 felt familiar after playing with Parrot's Bebop quadcopter. It lacks a display or any internal voice command functions. The audio quality is exceptional in a well insulated vehicle, but in vehicles where a good amount of road noise is audible inside the cabin such as a convertible, the volume must be turned up to the maximum level, and the clarity of the call is degraded at such a high volume. The app also allows you to send automated SMS messages (Android) or play a personalized voice message (iOS) if you reject a call while driving informing your caller that you're unable to answer. There are also three adhesive clips you can use to route the cable neatly to the microphone location. The NeoCar's mounting arm plugs directly into the cigarette-lighter jack and has a joint that allows adjustments to be made in order to best fit the dashboard or console layout. Speakerphones are super portable and come the closest to creating a true hands-free experience, making them ideal for phone conversations. Listening to the other party on a call, the sound came through the car's speakers unhindered or otherwise not degraded by the Kinivo BTC450. Having never heard of the brand before, I was a bit apprehensive about the quality and performance of the Neo Car Kit. The same holds true for SouthWing. What the TomTom Hand-free Car Kit for iPhone loses with the GPS it gains in other areas, primarily revolving around the facility to use your phone safely whilst driving, as implied by the device’s name. The big selling point for the TomTom Hands-free car kit is that despite plugging in to your phone and holding it in place, the communication is actually handled over Bluetooth. The speaker volume was a little louder than the phone itself, but still too quiet to have your radio on at the same time. If your address book is a jumble of incomplete entries as is mine, you'll need to do a little reorganization to make the interaction easier. The bad With no internal battery, the Kinivo BTC450 only works when plugged into a car's 12-volt power point. Which brings me to my multiple Bluetooth audio device dilemma. It's easy to be negatively biased toward unfamiliar brand names, but companies like Nextlink and Cardo prove that a company need not have a big name to make a very popular and well designed product. In fact, after doing a side-by-side comparison with a direct aux-in connection, my ears struggled to hear a difference. Our list below is comprised of headsets that excel in all of these areas. We found the suction mount provided a more secure attachment than the previous kit. The Kit has a regular windscreen suction mount, with an adhesive disk so you can make a permanent placement for it on your dashboard. Actually it does a little more, but we're not convinced it really does enough. It will work in any car with an FM radio and an accessory-power (nee cigarette lighter) jack, and automatically connects with your phone when you turn on the car. If MINIKIT got confused by my contact request, it stopped interacting with me rather than prompting for a follow-up clarification. An aux-in jack on a Toyota Prius C. The Neo 2 has a motion sensor that wakes it up when you enter the car, as well. However, there are ways of adding an auxiliary input to cars that don't have them, but that means adding more cost and complexity to this solution. The Neo 2 is an upgrade over previous MINIKIT Neo models, with always-listening voice commands, a new smart phone app, and sound improvements over its speaker which takes up most of the flat front surface. It should be noted, however, that this is true for many hands-free car kits and not necessarily isolated to the SouthWing NeoCar. That means you can power it using a charger with more ports.