Tired of Your Bluetooth Headset?

by Lori Cunningham

When I heard about the ban on using your cellphone while driving in California, I ran out and purchased two Bluetooth headsets – one for my husband and one for me.  Oh boy, new technology, I thought.  This was the first time I learned to start new “partnerships” between my phone and another device.  Although I loved my new freedom from holding the phone, my friends didn’t appreciate the quality of my conversation (the headset quality — not my conversation topics!)  One friend would always say, “Oh, you’re on that headset again.”   

Other issues began to occur when I realized that I didn’t have my headset charged.  Or when a call would come in when I was shopping and I’d grab my phone to answer it and couldn’t hear anyone on the other end.  Apparently, the caller was there, only s/he was conversing through my Bluetooth headset rather than through my phone.  I’m embarrassed to say it took a long time before I realized what was going on!  I remember one road trip we  took when we were caravanning with some friends and I was in one car and my husband in the other.  I kept calling him to let him know the upcoming exit was our exit, but once connected, he never said anything.  I must have recalled him four times!  Needless to say, he missed the exit.  I later found out that my Bluetooth headset (which was in my purse) heard his conversation instead of me.  Ooops! 

 So what about the headset I gave my husband you ask?  He never opened it.  He was too intimidated by it.  I don’t blame him because I’m the techie and it took awhile before I got the hang of it.  

The BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605 is the Answer!

(for a chance to Win One, see the end of this article)

So when BlackBerry asked me to test out their new BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone, I was delighted, since the car is the primary place I use my headset.  I was eager to try out the device. My husband and I have been using the BlackBerryVisor Mount Speakerphone now for over a month.  I am happy to say that we both are thrilled with it.  It mounts onto your visor and has a good clean sound.  When my husband calls me I don’t even know he’s using the speakerphone. 

Once you set up the Bluetooth partnership between your phone and the speakerphone, you’re ready to go.  I turned on the automatic Bluetooth sensing on my husband’s phone so as soon as he gets in the car, he just has to turn on the speakerphone and he’s ready for any call that comes in.  He no longer has to fish through his pocket to find his phone to see who’s calling. 

Once a call comes through he has the option to answer it or click the speakerphone so it goes into voice-mail.  In fact, many of the inherent phone features my husband’s BlackBerry Pearl has can be used through the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone.  For example, his Pearl has voice dialing.  To my surprise, I found that voice dialing works great through the Speakerphone too.  My husband can say “call Lori” and the Speakerphone will call me or give him choices of names to call if it didn’t understand him clearly.  He can also say “call Voicemail” to easily hear his voice messages.  

Features

During my online research on speakerphones, I saw that there are a number of them out there.  But many of the consumer comments stated that the connection had static or sounded like you were calling from a tin can.  Most of the comments on the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone were very good.  Features of the speakerphone include:  

• hands-free, safer communication
• voice dialing
• announces incoming phone numbers or callers (if in you contacts)
• streams phone conversations through your car stereo system
• redialing, ignoring an incoming call, and muting the phone is a button away
• excellent sound quality – most didn’t know I was on the speakerphone
• stream mp3 music from your phone through your car stereo system
• ability to link to some Bluetooth enabled GPS systems for turn by turn voice instructions 

A Mom’s Perspective

I have to say, I am very impressed with the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone.  I’d even say  it’s one of my mom tech favorites, up there with the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach!  I was skeptical about whether the BlackBerry speakerphone could actually play my phone’s mp3’s and talk me through my phone’s AT&T GPS navigation through my car stereo.  Amazingly, it worked beautifully!  And it was simple to do.  All you have to do is press the FM button on the side of the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone and it tells you which channel to turn your FM radio to.  After tuning into the station requested, you can play your mp3’s or receive voice turn-by-turn instructions right from your phone!

You don’t need to use a BlackBerry phone in order for the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone to work.  The phone I used was a HTC Tilt2 by AT&T, which I’m reviewing for the next several months as a part of their LosetheLaptop.com challenge.  More details on this later.

The The best deal I found to purchase the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605 with free shipping is at Amazon.com  for $61.08.  This is a great deal considering the list price is $99.    

WIN IT!!!

There’s only one thing better than writing about a product I really enjoyed and that is giving one away!  BlackBerry has generously offered a BlackBery Visor  Mount Speakerphone VM-605 to give away to one of our WellConnectedMom.com’s readers!  Trust me, you’re gonna love it!

TO ENTER:

Leave A Comment telling us about your trials and tribulations with Bluetooth headsets or not having anything at all to help you access your phone while driving.  Be sure to leave an e-mail address if not registered.

FOR EXTRA ENTRIES:

• Become a Facebook Fan of WellConnectedMom
• Subscribe to the WellConnectedMom via e-mail or reader
• Follow us on Twitter – @wellconnectdmom (notice an e is missing) and tweet about the giveaway
• Add the WellConnectedMOM.com button to your blog or website
• Blog about the BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone with a link back to WellConnectedMom.com

Contest ends on April 21st @ 10pm PST.  Contest open to all US residents.  Good luck and thanks for spreading the word!  

UPDATE!

To enter the contest you first need to Leave A Comment.  Thank you!