1. Bluetooth Speaker Phone
Many of us have Bluetooth enabled cell phones and have discovered the ease (and safety) of hands free calling. As use of Hands Free Devices becomes state law in many states in the US, we need to find an easy and effective solution for talking when we drive. One of the great things about small, hands free speaker phones is that they can double as a hands free in the car and a speaker phone in the office. Enter Spracht's new Aura Mobile BT. Is this a single device that can serve "double duty" for all your Bluetooth needs?
About Spracht
Spracht is the acoustic division of parent company ODI, a recognized leader in digital imaging, acoustics, LCD image display, and other consumer electronics. Founded in 1993, Silicon Valley based ODI has developed best selling products, such as the Connectix Quickcam, for both Fortune 100 companies and technology notables such as Palm and Kensington.
The official line from Spracht is:
Conference on the Go! This lightweight Bluetooth speakerphone turns your mobile phone, PC/Mac (for VoIP calls), or cordless home phone into a high quality conference phone, yet is small enough to fit into your shirt pocket.
Its dual speaker system provides crisp, clear audio, loud enough to use in your car, your hotel room, at your client's office, the beach or anywhere your day takes you!
FEATURES
HIGH QUALITY CONFERENCING
- Echo cancellation and active noise reduction.
- Clear and natural two way communications (full duplex).
- No dropped words or clipped audio.
- Optional external microphone for large conference rooms or noisy areas.
- With a full with a full 3 watt amplifier and dual speakers generating a whopping 95 dB,
it is the most powerful mobile product on the market. It generates enough sound to fill a
huge conference room!
CONNECTIVITY
- Integrated Bluetooth™ Technology for wireless connection to your mobile phone.
- Connects to PC or Mac through wired or Bluetooth™ connections for VolP.
- Connect through the headset jack to a cordless phone.
- Use in the car, office or home for instant conference calls.
USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE
- Separate volume up and down, mode and mute buttons.
- Clear, understandable color and icon coded status LEDs.
MOBILITY
- Charge anywhere with home or automotive charger.
- Talk time is typically up to 4 hours on one battery charge.
- Versatile disappearing clip attaches to a car visor or closes for desktop use.
- Weighs only 9 oz , and is small enough to fit in a shirt pocket!
Regulatory Compliance FCC, CE, IC, A-TICK Meets 1.2 Bluetooth® Standard
Supported Profiles Hands free, Activating handset, Answering incoming call, Turn off handset
Operating Range Up to 33’ (10 m)
Talk /Stand-By Time 4 hrs/ 24 hrs (Typical)
Microphone Noise canceling internal and external, 47 dB ± 4 dB sensitivity
Speaker/Amplifier Output Dual 1.5” (38 mm) speakers, output 95 dB at 2 watts, 3 watts maximum
output into 4 ohms
Operating Temperature 0-50° C
Storage Temperature -20 to 85° C
Controls and Interfaces
- Buttons Volume Up/Down (16 step range), Mode, Mute, and Power
- LED Indicator lights Green, Amber, Blue
- Status Mode BT Active, BT Standby, BT Deepsleep, Battery Charge, Low Battery, Mute, Volume Min & Max
- Operating Mode Full Duplex with active noise and echo cancellation using DSP
Electrical Specifications
- Power AC 120V AC to 9V DCwall adapter
- Power DC 12V DC car adapter
- Speaker Output 3 watts
- Battery Single Cell 1100 mAH Li-ion rechargeable battery
- Charge Time (Typical) 3 hours
- Microphone Sensitivity 44 dB ± 4 dB 360 degree coverage
- Optimal distance to Mic 24” (60 cm)
Mechanical Specifications
- Product dim. (main body) 5.5” (13.97 cm) x 3.125” (7.93) x 1.0” (2.54 cm) Weight 9 oz.
- Connections Inputs: 2.5 mm jack for phone in/ 1.3 mm DC
- Included Accessories External microphone: P/N AM-103, Sensitivity 44 dB ± 4 dB, 40” (1 m) cable with 2.5 mm
- jack and visor clip
- VoIP cable: P/N AM-104, 2.5 mm jack to 3.5 mm jacks (2), 6’ (1.8 m)
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Design of the Aura Mobile BT:
The Aura Mobile BT is a wonderfully designed Bluetooth Speaker phone/Car kit. At the center of the unit are two, visible speakers. A large power on/off button sits at one end of the unit and three LEDs on the other. The LEDs are green for power, Blue for Bluetooth connectivity and Amber for charging and pairing. Volume up/down buttons are along the right hand side and a Mute button and Bluetooth connect button are along the left hand side.
The back is very clever in that the very back of the unit pulls away from the chassis and becomes a very secure clip for the visor of the car.
Ease of Use:
The Aura Mobile was very easy to set up and use. Pairing was a snap - just charge the device, power it up and hold the Bluetooth button until the LED flashes amber and blue. Follow the typical Bluetooth setup on your phone, put in the famous 0000 pass code and you are ready to go.
I found that once paired, I never lost connectivity to the Aura Mobile. Each call I initiated from my mobile phone went right to the device. Similarly, incoming calls were routed right to the speaker phone. Ending calls, switching between calls, adjusting the volume and muting calls were very simple and straightforward.
Options:
The Aura Mobile BT really excels at giving the user a range of options for this device. It functions as a simple speaker phone for your desk or car - but this is really just scratching the surface of its capabilities. When the device is plugged into your pc with the included cable to the mic and headphone jack - you can use the Aura Mobile for initiating VoIP calls over the Internet. The Aura Mobile is compatible with Skype, Yahoo Messenger and other programs as well.
Sound Quality:
This is, as always, the make or break issue for Speaker Phones like the Aura Mobile. Fortunately, the Aura Mobile gets high marks for its call quality. Because of the echo cancellation and noise reduction using DSP technology, the Aura Mobile is as clear as any bluetooth speaker I have ever tested. Callers on the other end could not tell that I was on a speakerphone - let alone a cell phone. When I tried the unit in my car, I didn't have to turn down the radio or close my window in order to be heard.
On my end, calls were very clear. This unit can be quite loud (if that is what the user needs or wants.) Calls were very clear - there was no reverb, echo or static as sometimes is the case on bluetooth speaker phones. There is little more any user could ask for with regards to sound quality - it is simply excellent.
Overall Conclusions:
The Spracht Aura Mobile BT is one of the finest Bluetooth Speaker Phones on the market. Call quality is very clear. DSP technology filters out background noise like wind, radio, etc. The controls are large and well placed and easy to use whether in the car on the desk. The thin design makes for easy portability - and the included wall can car charger mean that you will never run out of power when you need it.
Pros:
- Great sound quality
- nice design
- well constructed
- DSP technology
Cons:
The Aura Mobile BT is available for US$149.00 at www.spracht.com