Bluetooth or Hands-free options?

What options exist to have handsfree use of my cell phone in the truck?

I know there is a recent thread on the Blue Logic but I don't necessarily need something hardwired into the vehicle like that and, with installation, that is expensive.

Currently, I open my flip phone, turn it on speakerphone and stick the screen side into the sleeve on my visor. Works well as I can hear and be heard but I would like to know other options.

Do headunits have bluetooth capabilities?

What do others do?

 

Something like this...


Iqua miniUFO — $74.95
(IQ-MINIUFO)
The Iqua miniUFO is a portable, lightweight and mini-sized handsfree kit with an elegant design. It provides a clean wireless audio connection with your Bluetooth mobile phone or PDA, and, with a special consideration placed on driver's safety and user convenience.

 

There are also options from Jabra, Motorola, BlueAnt etc...

These are sub $100 units that are portable and have good to great reviews

Jabra SP700

Blue Ant Supertooth

Motorola T505

 

This looks good, too.

MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone

$65.99

http://www.amazon.com/MOTOROKR-T505...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1238013039&sr=8-2

 

I like the bluetooth ear piece.

 

I use a Motorola H500 unit. It clips to your sunvisor and has a pretty loud speaker with a mic built in. When a call comes just tap the flashing blue button on the unit and the call is routed through it, voice commands work well through it also. You can buy one for about $80.00, I only charge it up weekly.

I had considered the Blu Logic but the expense is hard to justify when my $80.00 unit works fine. I move the unit to my Yaris when needed, thats a nice feature also.

 

Great feedback...thank you! I think a unit like this is more logical for my needs. It can be transferred across vehicles and is not too expensive. It is, however, in plain sight and an easy lift. I usually lock up with the windows up but this is so easily seen. I would likely look for an out of the way place to mount.

I would also like to find one that can plug into one of the DC outlets. I may even add an outlet to the left of the steering wheel for this reason. That would give it more power and probably produce a better signal.

 

I have a BlueAnt ST3. Press a button to make a call (uses my phone's voice dialing). You can also answer by voice. The unit rings and then asks whether or not to answer. If you reply "OK" it'll pick up. You can also just press the answer button.

On some phones, you can download your phonebook into the unit and when a call comes in, it'll tell you who is calling. If you can't get your phonebook into the unit, it'll tell you the number that's calling.

There's a clip that attaches to the visor and the unit itself has a magnet that attaches to the clip. It's about $90-100 http://www.headsetbros.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BLU-ST3

 

Me too.
I like that it turns its self off when you walk away from your car (when the BT connection is lost for a few minutes). And it has a motion sensor, so when you get back into the car it turns its self back on. The battery lasts for about a month for me.

 

I also have the Blue Ant ST3. I like the caller ID feature. The unit downloads your contact list too.

 

It depends on the phone. I've had two phones where it didn't work.

 

a lot of the new car stereos have integrated blue tooth. i have the kenwood DNX 8120 and it works great with my iphone.

 

I used the Blue Ant for a year prior to buying my 09 that came with blue tooth. Outstanding product for the price, I paid like $70.00. Built in mic and speaker, left on, battery would last for a week or more with out a charge. Sound was very good also.

 

Do you have a GPS unit? Want to get one? I have a GPS (Garmin Nuvi) that has Bluetooth built in and I like it a lot. It's portable, and has battery back-up so taking to another car for short trips means just carrying it along... no power cords required.

It's a little more than the $65-80 stuff mentioned above, but it's dual-purpose. A Garmin Nuvi 360 is $157 at Walmart.