The Santok SP-500 speakerphone

 

I am always looking for a better Bluetooth solution for my car and here is a cool looking hands free speakerphone that caught my eye today. 

Besides its good looks, I was impressed with the location of the controls, the LCD screen and most importantly the pivoting arm, which can be positioned for optimum voice pick-up.  The unit does feature Caller ID.

Check it out here at Santok

BlueAnt Z9i Bluetooth Headset Review

Let me cut to the chase:  This is the best headset I ever used.  If you want to read on to see why, feel free, or you can stop now and just buy one.

[Read more]

Comcast Faces The Music

Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, violated fed guidelines when it blocked and degraded web traffic by blocking peer to peer (file sharing) traffic, which it called “reasonable network management.”

Consumer rights groups fought this big brother approach to managing the internet, and the FCC investigated them and found that they viloated FCC Principles.

Kevin Martin of the FCC said, “The commission has adopted a set of principles that protects consumers’ access to the internet,” he told the Associated Press on Thursday night. “We found that Comcast’s actions in this instance violated our principles.”

Comcast faced further public outrage after it admitted to paying people off the street to sit at a public hearing at Harvard, while members of the public were prevented from attending. 

This decision should serve as a warning to other internet providers, and will hopefully prevent them from meddling in internet traffic.

Thanks to Wired for the story.

Don’t just go…Boingo!

It’s the 4th of July weekend and Boingo  wants to help you celebrate by offering you complimentary Wi-Fi. 

Head over to Boingo! and get the complimentary Wi-Fi software and get a FREE day pass at any one of 100,000 hotspots worldwide.

Chrysler to Offer WiFi in 2009 Vehicles

Gina Hughes, the Techie Diva has just posted a great story about Chrysler.

Safety advocates be damned!  Chrysler is adding a new in-dash system called UConnect to all it’s 2009 models.  This will bring Bluetooth, iPod integration, satellite TV and a mobile hotspot to your vehicle.

Passengers will be able to connect laptops, handhelds and even the web-connected Nintendo Wii.  Chrysler is the leading seller of minivans, and I’m sure parents will really appreciate all this multimedia goodness.  Keeping those little ones contented is far better than listening to, “Are we there yet?” over and over.

As of yet there is no mention of pricing, but expect to pay an annual or monthly fee.

Safety advocates will be up in arms.  California has just started their new handsfree phone law, but there are no laws against playing Wii in the car.  Expect other car companies to eagerly wait in the wings to see what the backlash will bring.  I predict some law will be passed barring drivers from surfing the web, but adding multimedia capabilities to automobiles will only get more popular.

The New Aliph Jawbone: Bluetooth Headset

The Original Jawbone 1                                            The New Jawbone

Aliph’s first generation Jawbone Bluetooth headset generated tons of interest when it came out three years ago.  It was so unique looking that people took notice.  It featured a futuristic, stealth-like design with a curve that followed one’s cheekbone.  It was attractive in a borg-like way.  You would expect those wearing them to have a battery compartment on their backs. 

It also featured noise canceling technology approved by DARPA, which resulted in excellent audio quality. 

The buttons were hidden within the design and some found them hard to press.  It had no volume rocker so one had to cycle through the five volume settings.

Aliph just announced the New Jawbone, which is slimmer, lighter, and more fashionable.  In fact, the designer of the Jawbone, Yves Behar, said,

“The Jawbone strategy we set-out to follow three years ago has proven that products that live on our face need to be designed differently than typical technology wares; we regard them as personal accessories or even jewelry, and, as such, believe they need to be a complete departure from the gadgetry of the mobile and headset industry.”

The new Jawbone is 50% smaller, features best in class noise elimination technology, “invisible buttons”, Touch-surface technology and a clutter free look, according to Jawbone.

So how did it fare in the real world?

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Remove Toshiba Bluetooth Drivers and Install Microsoft Bluetooth Stack

One of the biggest issues we always here about are those folks that just cannot connect their device via bluetooth to their PC or laptop.  Well you are not the only one and “fyiguy” from BostonPocketPC has experienced the issue too.  It really was not a major issue for him since he generally syncs mostly over the air with Exchange but Steve was was recently trying to use SideShow to setup for the Boston Pocket PC meeting and it wouldn’t work so he tried a few “work arounds” and finally got it to work.

This is a MUST READ and definitely an item to BOOKMARK for later reference. 

Check it out here at the BostonPocketPC

Supertooth 3 - Better than you can imagine

BlueAnt Wireless Launches Next Generation ‘Text-to-Speech’ Speakerphone Ahead of Changing Handsfree Driving Laws

BlueAnt Wireless announced the general availability of the Supertooth 3 Bluetooth® Handsfree – a sophisticated, portable speakerphone device incorporating advanced ‘Text-to-Speech’ technology.  Providing a truly handsfree experience, voice prompts provide guidance and assistance to help users pair the device and upload their cell phone’s address book. 

When a call is received, the Supertooth 3 announces the incoming caller’s name or Caller ID.  The user is then invited to verbally accept or reject the call.  With a selection of six different languages including American English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and British English, the Supertooth 3 provides an advanced handsfree solution for a broad spectrum of dialects and languages native to the U.S.

(more after the break)

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BlueAnt Z9i Bluetooth Headset

BlueAnt’s Award Winning Z9 Bluetooth Headset Gets Features Upgrade

New Z9i Offers More Comfort and Voice Quality Features

BlueAnt Wireless today announced the release of an enhanced version of its highly successful and award winning Z9 Bluetooth® Headset.  The new Z9i incorporates a number of new features and packaged accessories with a focus on comfort and wearability.

New to the Z9i is the inclusion of both large and small interchangeable ear gels, as well as two types of ear hook: the original translucent style and a more ergonomic, rubberized metal ear hook.  The Z9i also has a new casing color, soft touch red, in addition to gloss black.  Weighing only 0.35 ounces and measuring just 1.5 inches in length, the Z9i continues to be one of the smallest Bluetooth headsets on the market. 

(more after the break)

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Tritton AX Visor Universal Bluetooth car kit

Reviewer:  Jack Cook
Product:  Tritton AX Visor Universal Bluetooth car kit
Manufacturer:  Tritton Technologies, Inc
Price:  MSRP $119.99 (significant discounts can be found on the web)

The devices we choose to use in our everyday mobile life are generally pretty cool and for the most part satisfy our needs but it is the “peripheral” devices that enhance the enjoyment of the device. One such “peripheral” that is fast becoming mandatory for all of us to have is a Bluetooth hands free car kit .  Most states today already have mandatory laws on using cell phones while driving and each month, another state joins those ranks. I would expect that soon we will see all states will have some sort of law on the books regarding the use of cell phones while driving.

In April, TRITTON Technologies announced the arrival of their AX Visor Universal Bluetooth car kit. It is a state-of-the-art speaker phone with caller ID display and had both unidirectional and omnidirectional microphones making communication while on the road seamless. I liked the device and posted a news item referencing its characteristics.

Shortly after that news item, a representative from Tritton called and referenced several of the previous reviews I had done and asked if I would be interested in getting a review unit to look at. I indicated that I was interested and within a few days the AX Visor was at my door waiting for me to experience its capabilities.

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Review: Tritton AX Micro BT Headset

Reviewer: Andy Mason, aka Warthog
Product: Tritton Bluetooth Headset TRI-BH200, AX Micro
Manufacturer: Tritton Technologies, Inc.
Price: MSRP $59.99 (some online retailers offer significant discount)

Bluetooth headsets have been available for a number of years now. However, several states have enacted laws that make hands-free headsets less of an optional ornament and more of a necessary accessory. Tritton Technologies Inc. is known mostly for their USB devices, but they are venturing into the headset market with the AX Micro.

“The TRITTON AX Micro breaks the mold of traditional Bluetooth headsets by providing innovative features in a discrete stylish design. The AX Micro incorporates a new design with flexible finger grips that rest on the in-curve rim of the ear. This headset offers great stability and comfort whether used in an active or corporate environment.”

What’s in the Box?

My AX Micro arrived in a fairly plain black box that displays the headset through a clear, plastic window. Also included in the box are one small and one large sized rubber ear grippers, a lanyard and clip, an AC/DC adapter, and a charging cradle that can be powered by AC/DC or a mini USB.

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Callpod Dragon Bluetooth Headset Review

In 2005 the City of Chicago banned cellphone use while driving.  The fines are between $75 and $200.  Bluetooth sales have skyrocketed in the Windy City since then. 

Most Bluetooth devices are categorized as Class 2, meaning they have a range of about 10 meters, or 30 feet.  This is perfect for automobile use, but if you use your phone in a home or office, 30 feet may not be enough distance.  Callpod’s Dragon is a Class 1 bluetooth device and has a range of up to 100 meters, or 328 feet.  In addition, it contains dual microphone noise suppression, the ability to simultaneously connect to a phone and computer, up to 8 hours call time, and a walkie talkie feature that will work with other Dragons.

[Read more]

Freedom Bluetooth Keyboard

About a year ago there were a couple of posts talking about the Freedom folding keyboards (one Bluetooth and one USB).

While the USB one seems to have come and gone the bluetooth option is alive and kicking. This is good news as other alternatives (such as the iGo Stowaway) have been discontinued so it’s good to see at least one option out there for folks who need a better experience.

While I’m happy enough to knock out a quick email reply on my smartphone it’s not easy to be as productive as I’d like when I’m away from the office. That however was nowhere near as frustrating as trying to type on the split keyboard on my Samsung Q1U which I’ve not been able to get comfortable using.

So I finally ordered a Freedom Universal Bluetooth keyboard to try it out for myself.

[Read more]

Jawbone 2 Review On the Way!

As Jack Cook stated in his Aliph Jawbone announcement last week, the new Jawbone bluetooth headset is indeed smaller than the original and even better looking.  It is extremely light and good sounding.  I’ll post a full review shortly.

It is not just a headset, it is EarWear!

There is a NEW Jawbone that has been released by Aliph and Steve “fyiguy” Hughes has had the chance to test it out and write a nice review that is worth reading.  At CES this year, there were no new announcements but they did say that there was a new innovative design with even better sound cancellation than the first version coming soon.  Well, “soon” is here and it looks to be a pretty good revision of the original.  It is smaller, looks good and works great.  In part, fyiguy said:

I was always hoping for a smaller version of the Jawbone and got just that. I really despised the loop on the Jawbone and hated the fact that it wasn’t easy to put on. The newer version is 50% smaller and lighter with an Earloop that goes on easily. Better yet I found that I don’t really need to use it at all since the fit is so good. The other version I had broke a few of the Earloops due to the fact of getting caught on things in my pocket or my pocket liner. I do wish that they included a carrying case with this headset, but my makeshift version works fine. If you are looking for a new Bluetooth headset that has great sound quality and is comfortable to wear I highly recommend the New Jawbone. It is not just a headset, it is EarWear.

Check out the review here at the BostonPocketPC