Rossini Chat2U
Price £69.95
Tel 01332 290833
Web www.carparts-direct.co.uk
Comments Even the most technically inept couldn't struggle to install this unit, as it simply clips onto the driver's sun-visor. A fold-out leg allows use on a tabletop but this wouldn't allow it to cope with a vehicle's continually moving dashboard. In terms of sound quality, this is not quite as clear as our 'Best Buy' (p102) but in reality it's more than adequate, as is the battery duration of ten hours of talk time between charges. Our biggest issue is price, which seems too high for a relatively basic unit. Facilities such as call waiting, and transferring the call back to the handset, are supported but basic facilities such as last number redial and call reject are not.
Verdict Other budget models are less expensive and better equipped.
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Parrot Hands-Free Headset
Price £38.99
Tel 0870 112 5872
Web www.parrot.biz
Comments Parrot claims that this is one of the few headsets on the market which is aimed specifically at drivers. The reason for this is the nattily designed holder which sits in your cigarette lighter socket and permanently tops up the unit's charge. It also illuminates and buzzes when it receives an incoming call and that is the time to yank the earpiece out of its cradle and install it in your ear before replacing it in the cradle once the conversation has ended. The concept is pretty clever and it's backed up by sterling performance. Sound clarity even exceeds that of the four Jabras on test here, and an impressive battery life allows plenty of usage time away from the cradle.
Verdict One of the only headsets designed specifically for drivers.
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Rossini Chat2U ICU
Price £79.95
Tel 01332 290833
Web www.carparts-direct.co.uk
Comments You might have to do a double-take to tell the difference between this and Rossini's lower-priced model (left). If you do, you'll soon spot the larger display which can show the caller's number. Less obvious, though, are the many extra features built in. You now get call reject and last number redial included. Also, the battery has been significantly boosted, offering 15 hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby time. We think the sound quality has been improved, too: in our tests, the microphone seemed to pick up less background noise and the speaker also seemed clearer.
Verdict Much better than the basic Rossini Chat2U. Definitely worth spending the extra tenner.
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Argos 546/3790
Price £19.99
Tel 08706 003030
Web www.argos.co.uk
Comments At last, a system for those of us who don't have Bluetooth phones. Compatibility with the vast majority of current mobiles is ensured by a selection of adapters which clip on to the bottom of your phone and provide a jack-plug socket for the system's earpiece. A neat bracket, designed to clip into dashboard vents, adjusts to easily grip most phones. In terms of sound quality and comfort, this product is rather 'old school': you're always aware of wearing the earpiece, as it sits deep in your ear; and the restriction of movement imposed by the wire is a stark reminder of why Bluetooth was invented.
Verdict Basic, but the only real option for non-Bluetooth phones.
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Jabra BT150
Price £22.95
Tel 08000 327026
Web www.jabra.com
Comments Be prepared for the "here's Mr Spock" comments when you wear this because, unlike the other Jabra headsets, this fits very visibly over the ear rather than behind it – but this, combined with its lightness, make it so comfortable that you will forget you're wearing it after a while. The low weight seems to have compromised battery performance, though, which only offers six hours' talk time between charges. Sound quality is excellent and the unit boasts last-number redial and call reject. Our biggest niggle is that a 12V charger is not supplied – charging is via USB or mains socket only.
Verdict Lightweight, reasonably comfortable and boasts Jabra's usual impressive sound clarity.
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Jabra BT250v
Price £29.94
Tel 08000 327026
Web www.jabra.com
Comments There are so few differences between this and our 'Best Buy' Jabra's BT500v (overleaf), that you may well ask why this is a tenner cheaper? Well, the main factor that affects its rating is a much reduced battery life. However, you still get a respectable seven hours' of talk time between charges. There are also fewer buttons on this model, which means you have to occasionally press more than one at a time to activate less-frequently used functions such as pairing the device to your phone (which you only do once, when you first use it). But the comfort, sound clarity and versatile mobile control remain, as does the vibrating call alert.
Verdict Very similar to the winning BT500v, but smaller, and with a reduced amount of talk time.
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Parrot Hands-Free Speaker Phone
Price £49.95
Tel 0870 1125872
Web www.parrot.biz
Comments Parrot is obviously keen on innovation: this speakerphone has a clever feature that no other current Bluetooth kit possesses; built-in voice recognition. Big deal, you might think because most phones, for several years now, have had a voice recognition function. But it's often rather unreliable, especially when used in a vehicle with road noise added into the equation. Unfortunately, this function only works with the very latest Bluetooth mobiles which can send contact information via Bluetooth. If you can't use it, this unit offers few advantages over the cheaper Jabra BT500v (far right), which also lasts much longer between charges.
Verdict Brilliant voice recognition built-in, but only accessible if your phone is an advanced model.
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Jabra SP500
Price £41.95
Tel 08000 327026
Web www.jabra.com
Comments Those opposed to wearing Star Trek-style, in-ear, hands-free kits can sigh with relief because this standalone system is the best all-rounder here. It sounds good and picks up your voice clearly. The volume automatically adjusts to compensate for background and road noise, which is great if you drive a more noisy, classic motorhome. A couple of brackets are supplied that enable the unit to be mounted on the sun visor or, more conveniently for most motor-caravanners, on the dashboard topa. And with 20 hours' talk time per charge, call waiting, call reject and last number redial functions, it all helps notch up the points.
Verdict The brackets and dashboard mounting facility make this the best and most usable speakerphone.
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Motorola HF850
Price £99.99
Tel 08457 626625
Web www.halfords.com
Comments This is a serious hands-free system that comes with a separate speaker, mic, and control panel. As you've probably guessed, this system has to be hard-wired into your motorhome, which brings with it pros and cons. On the positive side, its sound performance is superb and you'll never have to worry about its battery life. Your cigarette lighter socket is freed up, too, so you can keep your sat-nav system permanently topped up. However, installation is rather involved and you cannot easily transfer the system between different vehicles. Extra features are rather sparse, too, and are limited to call waiting, call reject and the 'transfer active call back to handset' function.
Verdict Expensive. Unless you're a dab hand with electronics, this hands-free kit will need to be installed by a professional.
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Jabra BT500v
Price £39.95
Tel 08000 327026
Web www.jabra.com
Comments This may look like a large cybernetic prawn, but it's one of the easiest-to-live-with, ear-based kits we've ever seen. Despite the size, most of the unit fits behind and above the ear. When worn, you can only see the small black arm trailing across to the centre of the ear and an annoyingly shiny mic protruding underneath (chaps – get ready for people asking why you've started wearing earrings). It's actually amazingly comfortable so it's very easy to forget that you're wearing it at all. The impressive features list includes excellent sound clarity, 12 hours' talk time, call waiting, last-number redial, call reject and even a vibrating mode to alert you to incoming calls.
Verdict Clever design makes this large, ear-based system comfortable and well hidden.
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