The new California hands-free cellphone law went into effect July 1, 2008. Months ago I bought a bluetooth ear piece, but I can’t stand having something sticking in my ear, especially when I’m driving. Plus, it makes me look like I’ve been assimilated by the Borg. (You see them EVERYWHERE. All part of the Collective. I won’t go there.) So I was very pleased to find bluetooth speakersphones that you clip right onto your car’s visor.
The BlueAnt visor speakerphone is very easy to setup and operate. Just charge it up and then pair it to your bluetooth phone. It comes with both a USB electrical outlet charger and a car adapter for your cigarette lighter/power outlet. Not many bluetooth anything comes with a car charger.
When you hop into your car, just turn on your cellphone’s bluethooth and then push in microphone “button” on the lower right side of the unit and the extend-o-matic mic pops out. You’ll hear your phone’s bluetooth sound to acknowledge the connection. Then when someone calls, just press the green talk button on the unit which is just to the right of the very large speaker out hole. To end the call, press the red hangup button.
The volume can be adjusted by pressing the rubber + and – buttons shown on the top of the unit.
It also comes with an adjustable cell phone holder that fits into the grill of your car’s a/c vent. I don’t use that. I just keep my cell phone in my pocket or put it in a cup holder hole in my Expedition’s console.
To turn the unit off when you leave the car, just push the mic back in.
There’s the standard blue bluetooth indicator light and a red charging light on the bottom of the unit.
So how does it sound? Brilliantly clear. I used it today for the first time. My daughter called just as I was getting into my ride from coming out of a store. I already had my cell’s bluetooth on so all I had to do was I extended the mic when I got in the car and press the green talk button on the unit. I adjusted the volumed and asked my daughter how I sounded. She said it was fine and believe me, when she says I sound OK, she means it because she’s always complaining about phone quality.
I, likewise, could hear her loud and clear. I was very impressed with this unit.
I shopped around before I bought it, and the lowest price I found was $66.99 right here:
BlueAnt Supertooth Light Compact Bluetooth Speakerphone — Black
Hey, just thought I’d let you know that I took your advice and bought the this visor speakerphone thingy. I love it. It’s been sitting in my truck for about 3 weeks now and I still haven’t had to recharge it yet. My wife keeps stealing it from me to use in her car. Now I have to get her one, too. I’m like you, I don’t like anything in my ear, either. The sounds quality really surprised me. I have no complaints. Thanks for the tip.