Hands on Review of the Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone

I have used a few Bluetooth Visor Car Kits in the past only to find sooner or later (more sooner), I retire them to the Bluetooth graveyard located in a dark corner in the spare room at home. It always begins on a high with a promise to provide a Hands-free but safe, convenient , compact, foolproof and law abiding way to receive and make calls while sitting in the comfort of a stationary or moving vehicle… However, eventually the honeymoon gloss fades and cracks appear to what first seemed a win, win situation.

Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone

So when presented with the opportunity to try yet another Handsfree Bluetooth in-car visor product I did not climb over the office furniture or rugby tackle fellow colleagues to be first in the queue. However on this occasion a particular feature of the Jabra SP700 caught my imagination – it claimed to offer both voice and stereo music streaming direct from my Bluetooth enabled mobile phone to my in-car entertainment unit.

In the Box

The compact and stylish Bluetooth speakerphone also comes supplied with a visor clip that is already fitted, a USB charger cable, USB car charger and plain English and compact user guide.

Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone Box Contents

Getting Started

Just connect the USB charger cable to a spare USB port on your computer and up pops an illuminated red battery icon to indicated that it is charging. When fully charged this icon then changes to green. If you do not have easy or regular access to a computer then think about purchasing a USB Mains Charger and use the USB charger cable provided in the box when not in the car. On the front of the unit are a range of icons that illuminate to indicate what status the speakerphone is in. I will discuss these in detail later.

There is no dedicated off/on button, and although not immediately obvious, this function is activated by pressing and holding the front of the speakerphone; 2 seconds to switch it on and 4 seconds to switch it off. If like me, you tend to exit your vehicle and forget to switch the speakerphone off then do not worry, the SP700 has an auto-power off when the phone is out of its Bluetooth range.

Pairing the SP700 to your mobile phone couldnt be easier; when you switch it on for the first time it automatically enters its pairing mode which is clearly indicated by an illuminated Bluetooth Status icon appearing. Next, just activate the Bluetooth function on your phone and set the phone to discover the SP700, enter the pin code (0000), mount it to your car visor and youre good to go!

The Jabra SP700 clips neatly to your sun visor in the car

Controls

Now the SP700 is not big on controls, I have already mentioned the lack of an on/off button and it does not have any audio adjustment controls aside of a volume up & down button on one side of the unit, and there is also a FM transmitter button located on the opposite side.

Features

Now the SP700 provides the basic functions like any other like handsfree kit, as well as supporting extended features of some phone models like voice dialling which as you may have already experienced is a potential Olympic Linguistic event in its own right. Also the SP700 features advanced noise reduction and echo cancellation that insures excellent sound quality on both sides of the call.

When using the SP700 the current status is clarified by a clear voice announcement available in 10 languages a treat no doubt for those multi lingual potential users out there or those wanting to practice some basic phrases before arriving at their international holiday destination this summer!

The voice announcer switches from a female to a male voice for different status alerts. However the announcement that caught me by surprise was the one that announced the caller ID of an incoming call brilliant and by pressing the front of the speakerphone I could answer or end the call. The announcer also confirms when the speakerphone is switched off and also when it has made connection with your mobile phone.

I found the clarity of the incoming call to be excellent by comparison to other Bluetooth visor speaker phones that I have used in the past, and I can confidently say that my voice was clearly received by my caller. I must admit that my vehicle suffers from very little cabin noise generally – however I also tested it in my wifes 1.4 about town vehicle which isn’t a tractor by any means – but with mischievous and noisy kids in tow I still found the SP700s speakerphone to be equally as impressive.

The Jabra SP700 has a classic, slim line design

The best feature is the FM transmission – A simple press of the FM transmission button illuminates the FM transmission icon and speakerphone mute icon, then kicks the voice announcer into action as she clearly tells you the FM frequency to tune your car radio to. If this frequency is congested by existing radio stations then you can make adjustments by 0.1MHz at a time using the volume keys, the announcer will recite the new frequency selected each time you make a change. My radios RDS function displayed the word JABRA to indicate that I had sourced the correct frequency and I promptly saved it to a spare preset number. This remains the fixed FM frequency unless you make a change as previously mentioned or reset the unit to factory settings. The only thing I did not have time to test was how the selected FM frequency would stand up to long journeys whereby you may drift into localised radio stations sharing the same frequency; however, the ease I found in changing frequencies leaves me quite confident that such an event occurring would not be a major problem to resolve.

The Nokia E71 phone was used to test the SP700 for streaming music to my car stereo, on hitting the play button on the phone, music came belting out almost immediately through the car speakers. The quality was fairly good, however I found that the SP700s lack of audio controls came to haunt it as the volume controls previous used to adjust the FM frequency remain set to this function while in FM transmission mode, so you have to rely on your in-car audio controls to equalize the sound and adjust the volume. This sometimes is a problem when you switch back to the radio or CD mode as the volume can sometimes be far too high for those built in sources.

Taking calls using the FM transmission mode was a delight, however be aware that your calls may be picked up by a stranger who is tuned to the same FM frequency and in close proximity to your vehicle, so keep this feature just for music or calls that are not of a private or sensitive nature. On a final point if you turn off your radio or forget to change the status of the SP700 back to its own speakers, then the SP700 automatically disconnects from its FM transmission status following a period of non-use.

The SP700 boasts up to14 hours talk time & up to 255 hours standby however after a week of testing I am yet to re-charge.

Conclusion

I must admit the SP700 has not changed my preference which is to avoid taking calls while driving if I can, however when circumstances dictate that this is unavoidable or for those of you or where this is a day to day necessity then the SP700 does not disappoint, mainly because of its ease of use, functionality, portability and quality. The Ace up its sleeve however is the FM transmission that adds a more practical and up to date feature for all music lovers who have migrated their favourite playlists into the fashionable multi-media Bluetooth mobile phones that are currently available a smart move by Jabra.

Tag Heuer to release Bluetooth Headset

Quite a few big brands are trying to get in on the mobile phone market. Tag Heuer have already tried once with the launch of their Meridiist Mobile phone, and they’re about to follow it up with a Bluetooth headset.

Tag Heuer Bluetooth Headset

The headset will come with its own compact and stylish portable charger, that also doubles up as a portable storage device with 4GB of internal memory. Charging of the headset will be done using a USB port, and can be charged in the car or from the mains using a USB mains adapter. The charger has its own built in battery that will allow it to charge the headset even when not connected to a power source.

The Tag Heuer Headset features:

• voice dialling
• call answer/end/reject
• volume up/down/mute
• call hold
• call waiting
• last number redial
• 4GB Memory (In portable charger)

No information has been released yet on when we’re likely to see this headset released, but I’d say we’re looking at early 2009.More photos below.

Extend your Mobile Phone's battery life

Want to use less energy and get more battery life out of your mobile phone? Here are our top 5 tips on how to reduce your mobile phones carbon footprint.

Turn your phone off!
It may sound silly, but how many times do you turn your phone off when you go to bed at night? Chances are you’ve not had many phone calls in the middle of the night, so by turning your phone off when you go to bed, and back on again in the morning, you’re saving 8 hours a day of battery life and could extend your battery life by a few days.

Turn off Bluetooth.
Bluetooth only needs to be turned on when you need it – by leaving it turned on all day your phone is constantly looking for other Bluetooth devices and draining your battery.

Turn off GPRS, 3G & WiFi.
If you never use the internet on your mobile, you won’t notice any difference by turning GPRS and 3G off – other than having to charge your phone less! If you do use Internet on your phone through either 3G or WiFi, turn them on as and when you need them, other wise they’ll be consuming power searching for networks when there is no need.

Adjust the display.
Manufacturers normally set the screen to its brightest setting to make it look clearer. This only drains power, adjust the settings and dim the screen to a level that you can still see, but is no brighter than it needs to be. Change the screen saver settings too, set it to come on sooner – reducing the time the screen is lit up for.

Leave it alone!
We’re all guilty of it, we get bored, nervous, need to look busy, so we pick up our phones and start fiddling with them. We’re not doing anything on them, only draining the battery. Put it down and find something else to play with!

Solar Powered Bluetooth Carkit

These days we’re all trying to reduce our carbon footprint. Turning things off when they’re not needed, getting more efficient cars, recycling waste, but what can you do to reduce the footprint of your mobile phone?

The one source of power that is all around us, completely free and has no damaging effects on the environment is the sun, and thanks to a new range of accessories, you can now harness the power of the sun to help reduce the power your mobile phone uses.

Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kits
LG and Iqua have both released a Solar powered Bluetooth Car Kit.

The LG HFB-500 sits on the inside of your car windscreen and charges itself using energy from the sun. While its in sunlight it will charge constantly, and can provide upto 16 hours of talktime, and 1100 hours stand by time from a full charge! LG also provide a car charger, just in case the battery does run out, but as you’ll no doubt be leaving this in your windscreen all day, everyday you’ll probably never need it! If you have an LG handset, you can use the HFB-500 as an emergency charger and charge your phone from it.

The Iqua Vizor Sun is a slightly different concept and is designed to be mounted on your sunvisor. You’ll need to have your sunvisor down in order for it to charge, but its clear keypad makes answering calls easy. Talk time is even more impressive than the LG Handsfree, and it has unlimited standby times when in sunlight.

Solar Powered Bluetooth headset
Iqua are certainly leading the field with environmentally friendly mobile accessories – In addition to their Solar Powered Bluetooth Car Kit, they also offer the worlds first Solar Powered Bluetooth Headset – the Iqua Sun BH-603. Despite having a solar panel built in, the headset weighs just 14g and provides upto 9 hours of talktime in darkness, even more in daylight. As the Iqua Sun draws its energy directly from the sun, it gives you complete freedom from wires.

Solar Chargers:
These are a must have accessory for anyone with an MP3 player, Mobile Phone, Handheld games console, or any other gadget that can be charged using a USB Charging Cable. The Solar Chargers have an inbuilt battery that draws its power from the sun. A range of charging tips are included for most devices. Solar Chargers are ideal for trips away, days out or down on the beach!

Using the Sun to charge your mobile phone and accessories may not be the biggest change you can make, but its certainly a step in the right direction. To help you save more energy, read our post on How to extend your Mobile Phone’s battery life.

Jabra BT4010 now available

In recent times Jabra have released many different headsets, and most are still in the shadow of the all conquering BT250V. Amongst all the recent releases is a little gem – the Jabra BT4010.

It is really small, measuring a mere 5.1 x 1.7 x D 2.8cm. It has the auto pairing feature meaning it is really fast and simple to connect to a phone. The final standout feature is a Smart Display, which is a really useful feature which shows battery life, Bluetooth connection status and call status.

All this plus a really competitive price point makes the Jabra BT4010 one of my favourite Jabra headsets.

The Jabra BT4010

Choosing the right Bluetooth Headset

When choosing a Bluetooth Headset, its easy to become overwhelmed by the vast range of headsets available. They all look the same, do the same basic job, so whats the difference and what should you be looking for when choosing a Bluetooth Headset?

Design

Design:
Bluetooth Headsets come in a range of shapes and sizes. They range from the more conventional “over the ear” with a boom microphone, to small “in the ear” headsets that are barely visible. Each style has its advantages – In ear headsets can be more comfortable, especially for those who wear glasses, where as “over the ear” headsets can be a bit more secure, with less risk of them falling off. All headsets can be adjusted to be worn on either the left or right ear.

Weight

Weight:
The smaller the headset, the lighter it should be. If you’re going to be wearing your headset for long periods, a lighter headset will be more comfortable, but with less weight and smaller size, you may have to compromise on battery life. The weight of a Bluetooth Headset ranges from around 9g to over 20g.

Battery Life

Battery Life:
Battery times on headsets have improved significantly over the last few years. It’s not unusual to find headsets with upto 12 hours talktime and upto 300 hours standby time. If you’re going to be using your headset more for making regular calls, talktime will be more important to you. If you don’t really make that many calls, but need a headset for when you do get the occasional call, then opt for one with a longer standby time.

Music Capability

Music:
Bluetooth Headsets aren’t just for taking calls. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets allow you to listen to your music in stereo (if supported by your phone). They work in the same way as a normal Bluetooth Headset, and will automatically pause your music when a call comes in. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets aren’t recommended if you’re driving, but are ideal for using at the gym, or during sporting and leisure activities. Most Stereo Bluetooth Headsets have music controls on them, allowing you to control your music without having to touch your phone. In order to stream music to a Stereo Bluetooth Headset you will need to make sure your phone supports the A2DP profile. Read my Bluetooth Guide for more information.

Charging

Charging:
How your headset charges can be quite important. A lot of headsets charge using the same connector as mobile phones, so its normally a good idea to opt for a headset that’s made by the same manufacturer as your phone. By using the same charger as you use on your phone, you won’t have to purchase a second charger for in the car, and you will only have to carry one charger around with you when you travel. Some headsets also support USB charging, making it easy to charge using a USB cable connected to your laptop if you’re out and about.

Multipoint

Multipoint:
Multipoint is a relatively new technology in Bluetooth Headsets. Standard Bluetooth Headsets normally allow you to pair with 2 or more phones, but only one can be active at any one time. Multipoint Bluetooth Headsets allow you to connect and use two phones at the same time – ideal if you carry a work mobile and a personal mobile. With Multipoint, both phones are connected, and when a call comes in, the audio is transferred to the headset automatically. If a call comes in on your other phone, you can easily switch between calls, just by pressing a button on the headset.
For more information on Multipoint and how it works, check out my guide to Multipoint.

Call Alert

Call Alert:
There’s nothing worse than leaving your phone on silent in your bag or pocket, it’s very easy to miss calls, especially if you’re in the car. Some Bluetooth Headsets now have vibration alert, so when a call comes in the headset will vibrate gently on your ear to alert you. Some headsets now have a discreet LED light that flashes when you have an incoming call.

Voice Dialling

Voice Dial:
Most current handsets support voice dialling. Activating voice dialling with a Bluetooth Headset is a case of simply pressing a button and saying the persons name that you want to call. Depending on your phone and the headset, it is possible to answer, end and reject calls all through voice control. For the best compatibility for voice dialling we would recommend a Bluetooth Headset made by the same manufacturer as your handset. Mobile Fun offer a great range of Bluetooth Headsets, so now that you know what to look for, why not take a look at their range of Bluetooth Headsets.

New Vodafone Handsets coming – 625, 730, 830 rumoured

Vodafone & Huawei - New handsets coming?

We just heard that Huawei, the company behind the ever popular USB Mobile Broadband Dongle and some of Vodafone’s own handsets, (710, 716 and 810) are set to announce the Huawei U5800 as the Vodafone 730. Details are sketchy, but the handset is thought to be a “WCDMA/GPRS/GSM Mobile Phone with Bluetooth.” The handset is expected to be a simple candybar design as with the current 700 series.

Also in the pipeline are a Vodafone 830 and Vodafone 625. The Vodafone 830 will support HSDPA/UMTS/GPRS/GSM and Bluetooth and is thought to be of a sliding design.

The Vodafone 625 (aka Huawei U1100)is a WCDMA/GPRS/GSM/EDGE Mobile Phone with Bluetooth. This phone can operate in virtually all countries, automatically switching between WCDMA 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 networks.

Watch this space!

How to install your Bluetooth Dongle

Installing a Bluetooth Dongle to a PC Running Windows XP SP2:

Windows XP Service Pack 2 and 3 have generic Bluetooth drivers built into the operating system. While these drivers will provide you with basic Bluetooth functionality, you will only get the most out of your Dongle by installing the drivers that are supplied with it.

Installing generic Windows drivers:

Before beginning installation we would recommend that you visit the Microsoft Windows Update web site, to make sure your PC is up to date with the latest driver and security updates. Bluetooth drivers are built into Windows XP Service Pack 2 so an installation CD is not necessarily required.
To begin installation, insert the Bluetooth Dongle to a free USB port on your computer.

After a few seconds, you should see a yellow notification bubble by the clock. Windows will automatically begin to search for the necessary drivers and after a few minutes, the hardware will be installed and ready for use.

If Windows doesn’t have the necessary drivers, the add new hardware wizard will prompt you to insert the disc.

If this happens;

• Place the disk into the CD drive.
• Click next.
• Follow the on screen prompts to install the drivers.
• Restart the computer.

Your new Bluetooth Dongle is ready for use.

Installing specific drivers using supplied disc:
To install the drivers that are supplied with your new Dongle, follow these steps.

It is very important that you do not plug the Dongle into your computer until prompted to do so.

• Insert the CD into your CD drive.
• Disc should run automatically.
• Follow the on screen prompts.
• Insert the Dongle when prompted.

A series of yellow notification bubbles will appear by the clock as the drivers are installed. When installation is complete you will get a notification to say that the hardware has been successfully installed and is ready for use.

Installing Specific Drivers using downloaded drivers:
If you don’t have the software disc anymore or it has been damaged, you can download the drivers from the internet. The drivers needed vary from device to device. Download Bluetooth Dongle drivers. Once you have downloaded the file. Double click the Icon to begin the setup process. Follow the on screen prompts, and only insert the Dongle when prompted to do so. A series of yellow notification bubbles will appear by the clock as the drivers are installed. When installation is complete you will get a notification to say that the hardware has been successfully installed and is ready for use.

How to solve A2DP problems with the Jabra BT320s

If you are experiencing issues while trying to listen to your music on your Jabra BT320s, this troubleshooting guide should point you in the right direction.

On some handsets, users may find that although they can make and receive calls perfectly fine, they may not be able to hear music in stereo if at all. In order to resolve this there are 2 possible fixes:

Fix 1: Hard reset of BT320

• Delete the pairing from your phone. If you are not sure how to do this, please consult your phones user manual.
• Turn off the headset.
• Plug the charger into the headset 3 times, keeping it plugged in for 4 seconds each time before unplugging it.
• Pair the headset to your phone.

Fix 2: Software Update
If the Hard reset hasn’t solved your problem you may need to update the software in your headset. The cable required to update the headset is not included with the headset and is not currently available from Mobile Fun. The cable is the same as a Sony DSC-S650 Digital Camera.

• Download and install the Jabra Software Update Tool.
• Follow any on screen prompts.
• When the update is finished, pair the headset to your phone.

It is extremely important that you do not turn off your computer or unplug the headset during the update process as this could cause irreversible damage to your headset. Mobile Fun will not accept any responsibility for any damage caused to your headset during a software upgrade.

How to pair your Jabra Headset to your phone

Before you can start to use your Jabra Bluetooth Headset or Bluetooth Car Kit you will need to pair it with your phone. Pairing is the name of the process that allows your phone to find and connect with another Bluetooth device. In order to pair your devices you will need to put your headset into pairing mode and enter a passkey.
For detailed instructions on how to pair your Jabra Bluetooth Headset or Car Kit, select your device from the list below.

Apologies in advance for how badly laid out this post is – I’ve moved from a self hosted blog to a wordpress blog and can’t lay it out how i’d like at the moment.. will try and get round to tidying it up soon.

This will take you to the Jabra Pairing website and guide you through how to get your devices working. If you can’t see your phone listed on the second stage, select the closest available model.

• 
  Jabra BT135
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT 2020
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT125
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT530
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT5020
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT4010
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT2010
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT3010
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT2040
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT8040
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT2050
  Pairing Instructions

Stereo Bluetooth Headsets:

• 
  Jabra BT620s
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra BT3030
  Pairing Instructions

Bluetooth Car Kits:

• 
  Jabra SP500
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra SP700
  Pairing Instructions
• 
  Jabra SP5050
  Pairing Instructions