Bluetooth speakerphone recommendation

[jmcrae]

Anyone want to recommend a bluetooth speakerphone? Not interested in playing music through it (iPod is hardwired into the stereo), but "decent" sound levels are a plus (F350 pickup). I'd like something that would voice dial (outgoing) and let me know who's calling (name from contacts preferable to phone number)

I know a headset would be better sound quality, but I'm done cramming a Jawbone into my ear....

iPhone 4 on Verizon if it matters

Thanks

 

[DaveM]

I've been using the Jabra Freeway for several months now. It clips onto the visor directly above my head and is basically about a foot from my mouth when I speak. The sound is excellent, and I'm told that my voice is very clear to people on the other end. Lots of volume available. My biggest complaint has been that I couldn't voice dial. My iPhone 4 (also Verizon) would invariably dial a different contact than I had said. However, this was the phone's fault, not the Freeway's, and I was told that the voice recognition was greatly improved in iOS 5 so, having just upgraded, today I spent some time testing it. I was very pleased to find that it responded correctly to 3 out of 4 contacts. The 4th one had the name "Marge" in it and I suspect that it couldn't figure it out. At any rate, it was encouraging enough that I'm going to start using voice dial to see how it works out. If it announces that it's dialing the wrong contact you can always reach up and press the cancel button. When a call comes in it announces the caller by name if it's in your contacts, and all you have to do is tell it "Answer" and start talking. You can also say "Ignore" and it will stop ringing, like you had pressed a button on your phone. It uses a rechargeable battery, but it's good for like 14 hours of talk time and a whole bunch of standby time. One of my favorite features is that it senses motion in the vehicle and turns itself off automatically 10 minutes after you leave the vehicle. When you reenter it fires up automatically and announces "Connected." Since it's only on while I'm in the vehicle the battery lasts me a long time. YMMV. If you want, it can play music over your bluetooth, and it can also send an FM signal to your radio (although the quality on the latter leaves much to be desired).

 

[jmcrae]

Dave, you're using the iP4's voice dial software, correct? That was the one thing I could NEVER get my Blackberry to do worth a damn. I'd tell it to "call Princess" (my wife ) and it would respond with "calling TSA Terminal 6"

 

[andgmart]

I use blueant in my car, it take voice comand and pairs with your phone easly, it download your contacts so you can dial by voice to without toching your phone at all, well I don't know if siri can do that, with siri you still need to touch the home button, if you wan more info about this let me know. I have it for 6 months and still good.

 

[DaveM]

Dave, you're using the iP4's voice dial software, correct? That was the one thing I could NEVER get my Blackberry to do worth a damn. I'd tell it to "call Princess" (my wife ) and it would respond with "calling TSA Terminal 6"

Haha...yep, been there, done that. Yes, using the IP4 voice commands, but it's only looking promising since I updated to iOS 5 last week. Today's testing went well, but I haven't really had a chance to give it a good workout. I can make a point of posting back here after I've used it for a while, or you're welcone to PM me. I couldn't get it to work at all with iOS 4.xx. There was another thread that I posted in a while back where I mentioned that my old LG-VX8300 "dumb phone" had great voice recognition. I could voice dial with it almost without issue. My iPhone was a terrible disappointment to me in this regard.

The way it works with the Freeway is you press a button and the Freeway responds with "Say a command." You respond with "Phone Commands" and the Freeway automatically starts the voice command function on the phone and gives an audible "ding" to indicate that it's ready. Then you can say "Call Princess" or "Call Princess Mobile" for example. The phone responds by telling you who it's dialing and if you decide that it's calling the wrong number you can press another button on the Freeway to cancel.

 

[jmcrae]

andgmart - which Blueant?

Dave - part of my problem appears to be the way I'm saying things. I tried voice dialing this morning (just on the phone) - it dialed "office" just fine for me. When I tried "princess" - I got "Rizzo's Pizza". When milady tried "princess", her phone rang. I suggested that I change her contact name to "the old lady", they say I might see out of my left eye in a week or so once the swelling goes down...

BTW - pizza is great for breakfast

 

[DaveM]

andgmart - which Blueant?

Dave - part of my problem appears to be the way I'm saying things. I tried voice dialing this morning (just on the phone) - it dialed "office" just fine for me. When I tried "princess" - I got "Rizzo's Pizza". When milady tried "princess", her phone rang. I suggested that I change her contact name to "the old lady", they say I might see out of my left eye in a week or so once the swelling goes down...

BTW - pizza is great for breakfast

Hahaha...How about naming her "Sweet young thing"? Are you using iOS 5?

 

[jmcrae]

Thanks - NOW you come up with that

My IT guy is coming by in about an hour. He did the iOS 5 upgrade on his phone, will probably do mine then.

 

[DaveM]

Thanks - NOW you come up with that

My IT guy is coming by in about an hour. He did the iOS 5 upgrade on his phone, will probably do mine then.

It doesn't surprise me at all that you can't get the voice commands to work with iOS 4. I think you'll see a big difference once you've upgraded. Keep us informed.

 

[jmcrae]

My wife has always maintained that I have a "bit of nasal" in my voice, as well as a bit of a southern accent (Southern California?). I told her it's the Gentleman Jack.....



Jeff @ LAX

 

[andgmart]

This is the bluant I have in my car, it works great all my voice dial, not need to touch anything once is pared.
S4 True Handsfree Voice Controlled Car Speakerphone - BlueAnt Wireless

 

[jmcrae]

Thanks

Played a bit last night with trying to pitch my voice different. If I say PrinCESS (emphasis on the second syllable), seems to work almost 100% (which should help in the truck when I get a speakerphone). Good thing too - I'm getting tired of pizza....

 

[DaveM]

Out and about today and had an opportunity to use the voice commands in iOS 5 with the IP 4 and Freeway. Results were excellent. No misunderstood contacts, no misdialled numbers. I'm very pleased.

 

[jmcrae]

What kind of vehicle Dave? Curious to see what your ambient noise level is like. Does the car stereo ever trigger a "voice prompt"? I listen to a lot of audiobooks...

 

[DaveM]

2001 Buick LeSabre (old folks car ). Ambient noise level is not high. You have to press a button on the Freeway and then say "Phone Commands" before the voice commands function activates on the phone, so no, no outside noises will trigger it.