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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
139 of 143 people found the following review helpful.
Smart use of solar tech
By Andy B
I was looking for a bluetooth speaker unit to replace an old Motorola headset. I was tired of always charging the headset and I rarely used it outside of the car, so when I found this car kit I thought it would be perfect. It uses a standard micro USB port to charge (the same as my phone) which is handy, and the solar panel idea made a lot of sense. I charged the unit initially using USB, and then stuck it on my windshield below the tinted area at the top, sort of behind my rear view mirror. It's small enough that it is discreet; the controls are simple and easy to use.
Pairing my phone was very easy and it has had no problems connecting each time since then. Incoming sound quality is good and the speaker is plenty loud. People I talk to also report that I sound clear on their end, so I think the noise cancellation works well.
As far as the effectiveness of the solar charging, it seems to be working although it's hard to say - I've only had it for two weeks. After the initial USB charge, I haven't had to charge the unit again via USB in that time. We've only had a few sunny days lately, but it does seem like the unit must be getting some power from the solar panel; I always use Bluetooth for my daily commute and I have yet to receive a low battery warning. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on the amount of actual talking you do while in the car.
Overall, I've found this car kit to fit my needs extremely well.
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful.
Just a few limitations
By Amazon Addict
I purchased this to replace a Jabra bluetooth handsfree speaker that was being redeployed to another vehicle. This IOGear unit is smaller than the Jabra but the interface is very similar. One difference is that the Jabra will announce the phone # of the incoming call. This unit does not have that feature. Also the sound quality on the Jabra is a little clearer and louder. At the highest setting, the volume on this unit is adequate but you may need to turn the volume setting on your phone to it's highest setting. I have an iPhone 3G and the highest setting was required to get a reasonable volume. I don't think this would work well in a moving convertible with the top down.
This was easy to pair with two phones simultaneously which is nice if you have 2 drivers for the vehicle as I do for my SUV. This eliminates the need to pair the device with each driver's phone when they use the car. You pair it once and just turn it on when in the car and either or both phones are paired automatically. You must read the instructions closely to make sure the multi-pairing setting is selected first.
The Visor clip does not work with a thick visor (Visors with lighted Mirrors built in are usually thicker). The suction mount is OK but not legal in all states. Check your state laws for compliance. Tech support said they do not offer a solution for clipping the unit to the thicker Visors. The suction cups is holding up so far but I am worried about the unit falling off as outside weather conditions and temperature change. IOGear does provide an extra set of suction cups and the unit seems robust enough to survive a fall but it might be better to remount it periodically.
So far the Solar charging seems to be working well. Also because of the compact size, the unit is easy to travel with.
The Volume and Visor clip issues prevent me from giving this 5 stars. Also, it would be nice if it announced the # of the incoming call as the Jabra does. If you don't want to hassle with charging monthly (my Jabra lasted over a month on a charge in typical usage) then this is a nice solution. If you want the best voice quality and added features, I would recommend the Jabra for about $10 more as an alternative.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful.
Great sound quality, practically charges itself
By Ryan
PROs
+ Loud speakerphone: I have no problem hearing the callers, even on the highway. It is a lot better than the iPhone's built-in speakerphone. Also, people I talk with say I sound crystal clear on this device.
+ Solar charging: My car is parked out in the sun while I'm at work, so why not put all that sunshine to good use? This device keeps itself charged without having to keep yet another cord in the glovebox.
+ Auto-Off: If your phone moves outside of the bluetooth range (20-40 ft), it will turn itself off after 10 minutes or so.
CONs
- Power button: You have to hold the button for 4 seconds to turn this device on. I wish you could just tap it quick when you hop in the car to power it up.
- The range is too good: With my car parked in my attached garage, the bluetooth never disconnects when my phone is in the house. Therefore, the speakerphone never turns off. I have to remember to manually power it down with the 4 second button press (or disable the bluetooth on my phone) when I get home.
Some reviewers commented that their device doesn't charge when it is in the sun. Basically, this device knows when it needs charged. The battery has to be low enough before the red charging light will come on when charging via solar power. It's kind of like your cellphone; your phone won't charge when you plug it in if it's at 100% already.
UPDATE: 1 year later and this bluetooth speakerphone is still going strong. I've never had to plug it in other than the initial charge when I first got it. The solar charging works great.
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Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Enjoy true hands-free freedom with IOGEAR's solar Bluetooth hands-free car kit. This road-companion enables you to wirelessly place and receive calls on your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone while keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel when driving. The kit's integrated solar panel harnesses the solar energy to help it recharge on the go. The Bluetooth hands-free car kit is compliant with Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR specification and supports headset and hands-free profiles.
Features
- Enjoy hands-free talking with the solar-powered Bluetooth speakerphone
- Multi-point connection: Switch between two phones and answer the phone that rings
- Windshield* and visor mounting bracket included
- One full charge provides up to 11-13 hours continuous talk time
- Superior echo cancellation and noise reduction
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR provides easy pairing and robust signals
- Dedicated volume and mute buttons provide intuitive user experience
- Micro-USB cable and vehicle charging adapter included
*Before mounting the car kit on your windshield, please check the state and local laws and ordinances where you drive.
Requirements
IOGEAR's solar Bluetooth hands-free car kit requires a Bluetooth-enabled cellular phone/PDA/smart phone with support for headset or hands-free profile.
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