Marc Saltzman
Sun
Bluetooth is a smart technology that’s making our high-tech lives less wired.
Most commonly seen in a wireless headset for a Bluetooth-enabled cellphone, it lets you chat hands-free up to 30 feet (about 10 metres) away. Today, Bluetooth can be found in other products, too, including car stereos, portable music players, toys, GPS navigation units, video game remotes (including the Nintendo Wii), headphones, speakerphones, mice and keyboards.
Named after a 10th-century Danish Viking, Harald Blatand (“Bluetooth” in English), who helped unite Denmark with Norway, this short-range radio-based technology was invented by Swedish cellphone giants Ericsson in the mid ’90s.
Whether you want to talk until you’re blue in the tooth or would rather un-tether your music enjoyment, the following are a few recommended products.
Hear it all
Most new cellphones feature integrated Bluetooth technology, and if it offers Stereo Bluetooth (also referred to as A2DP), you can listen to your music wirelessly with a pair of compatible Bluetooth headphones. For example, the comfortable Cardo S-2 ($89.95; cardosystems.com) behind-the-neck wireless headphones can play your favourite songs while your phone is tucked away in your pocket, purse, briefcase or backpack. Buttons on the right earpiece also let you pause, change tracks or adjust volume. When a call comes in, the music is automatically muted so you can chat using the S-2’s built-in microphone. Battery life is about 7.5 hours for music and talk, and up to 150 hours for standby time.
Speak to me
BlueAnt Wireless’s Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Handsfree (US $129.95; myblueant.com) is a clever speakerphone with integrated text-to-speech technology. When a call comes in, the Supertooth first announces the caller’s name (or caller ID) and then you can verbally accept or reject the call. Easily mounted on the car’s sun visor with a two-sided magnetic clip (included), the Supertooth can be paired with up to eight devices and supports voice-dial activation and redial, and can be used with multiple languages including English, French, Spanish, Italian and German. Also built in to the small speakerphone is Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for noise and echo cancellation. Battery life tops 15 hours of talk time or 800 hours on standby.
Even in the loudest moments
Now available in Canada through Rogers, Bell and Telus stores, the new and improved Jawbone by Aliph ($139.99; jawbone.com) is now 50-per- cent smaller than its award-winning predecessor. More important, it features “military-grade” noise-reduction technology. In fact, Aliph claims this 10-ounce wireless headset has 10 times better voice clarity than competing products.
Along with its new funky design and better battery life (more than four hours of talk time or eight days on standby), the new Jawbone also offers streamlined buttons on the outside of the earpiece.
Navigation integration
Many GPS units these days, such as the Garmin Nuvi 760 ($599.99, garmin.com), include Bluetooth wireless connectivity, which turns it into a hands-free speakerphone for your car – so if you must use the phone while driving, at least your eyes remain on the road and hands on the wheel. By pairing with your Bluetooth-enabled cellphone, you can now hear – and be heard – on the GPS unit if your phone is somewhere in the car. The second advantage of integrated Bluetooth technology is the GPS unit can splash the caller’s information on the GPS screen (such as a phone number or name), so, with a quick glance – when it’s safe (and legal) to do so – you can see who’s calling and decide to take the call or not. Bluetooth-enabled GPS devices can also be used to call points of interest (POI), such as restaurants, hotels, banks or gas stations; simply tap the phone number on the GPS screen and you’ll hear the number being dialed.
Party on the patio
If you plan on spending time at the beach, in the park or at the cottage, the Logitech Pure-Fi Mobile speaker system ($149.99; logitech.com) can wirelessly stream music from your Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) cellphone or MP3 player. The compact one-piece speaker system features 2-inch high-excursion drivers, dual 2-inch pressure drivers and two integrated microphones: one to block out unwanted background noise and the other that turns the Pure-Fi Mobile into a speakerphone for when a call comes in. Also included is a protective carrying case and lithium-ion batteries that last about 12 hours between charges. A built-in 3.5mm audio jack also lets you attach other music players.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008
