| | |  | iPhone Accessories | Home » » Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones | | | | | | | Description: | | I want to play my music through my car stereo and answer phones call via the built-in bluetooth in my phone." | | | Features: | |
• ?Wirelessly plays music from your iPhone/iPod touch to your car stereo
• Button-less pairing
• Allows you to answer phone calls
• Bluetooth microphone has DSP to help eliminate echo noise
• Multi-device pairing
• Aux-In connects to car stereo
• Bluetooth connects to smartphone
• Embedded microphone mounts anywhere on the dashboard for the best voice pick-up
• Routes calls and music from a smartphone through car speakers
• Seamlessly switches between calls and music
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 5.6 inches | | Product Width:
| 4.1 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.4 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.2 pounds | | Package Length:
| 5.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 4.1 inches | | Package Height:
| 1.4 inches | | Package Weight:
| 0.25 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 72 reviews |
| |
Most "cell phone accessories" shipped worldwide. All "cell phones" ship from wholesale warehouse in USA.
| | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 72 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
101 of 110 found the following review helpful:
 So Close, but 2 Major Shortfalls. I bet V2 will be perfectFeb 22, 2011
By Johnnyloops
This device is really close to being a great product. The small adapter with a USB port is great, and the single button/mic operation is a clean and attractive design. This works for playing music from your phone via a bluetooth connection without any wired connections, and it works as a handsfree device as a relatively cheap option to factory-installed bluetooth in your car. The main reason I bought this was to act as a handsfree bluetooth device so I could talk/listen on my phone through my car speakers when a call came in. Sound quality is acceptable, echo cancellation works, but there does not seem to be any other noise suppression. So, if you are driving on a highway, placement of the microphone/button is critical.
The first major shortfall is that it does not autoconnect-- you need to press the button so your phone connects. That means I need to press the button every time I start my car. That may not seem like a big deal, but autoconnect on bluetooth headsets has been around for many years and should be standard on this device. Because it does not autoconnect, I rarely remember to hit the button when I get in the car. Whenever a call comes in, I can't answer since I forgot to manually connect my phone. Also, every time I press the button to connect, it starts playing music on my iPhone, that isn't a big deal, but it is worth noting.
The 2nd major shortfall is that it can only pair with one phone. If my wife ever wants to drive my car, she won't be able to use the bluetooth handsfree from her phone. Again, this is another standard feature with current bluetooth headsets and should be standard on this device.
I'll bet that they fix these two problems on V2, and that may make it a perfect device.
One other note for people who are thinking about buying this-- if your cigarette lighter does not turn off when you turn off your car, you will constantly have to unplug it so it does not drain your battery. My lighter turns off, so I don't have that problem.
44 of 50 found the following review helpful:
Handy device - as long as your receiver has an aux input on the frontDec 21, 2010
By Richard C. Drew
"Anaal Nathra/Uthe vas Bethod/Doch yel Dienve"
This is one of the easiest blue-tooth gadgets to use, and one of the handiest. Unlike most other hands-free add-ons, this one does NOT use an FM transmitter to broadcast over your car stereo- it uses a 2.5mm jack (mini-headphone size - same as an iPod.) This of course means that your receiver has to have an available jack to plug into. Assuming your vehicle is so equipped, then this is probably the best hands-free add on you could find. One large button controls it all (It also houses the microphone.) There's a plate that gets stuck to your dash - the dash side is foam adhesive tape, the other grabs the button with a magnet.
At one end of the cable is that button/mic combination - this attaches to the dash. At the other end is a standard cigarette lighter style plug. Stick this in the auto's outlet (I guess they are no longer called lighters.) This end also has the plug that sticks into your sound system's aux jack. That's it. Since it's blue-tooth, your phone can be in your pocket, on the seat, where-ever. You can play music via your phone (I use my Droid X) and answer/make calls.
Since the button attaches via a magnet, you can remove the Aircast and store it in the glove compartment when not in use.
One handy feature is the built-in USB charging port. This is located on the end of the outlet. So while it's plugged in it powers the Aircast, but can also power and charge your USB device (phone, etc.) Also included is an extension cable for the stereo jack.
11 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Great Product, Really shines with an iPhoneFeb 25, 2011
By Herbman
My car has a 12V receptacle and an AUX input inside the center console. I have an iPhone 3GS and had been using a 1st gen iPod Touch to play music through the AUX input. I wanted to consolidate devices, by using my phone to play music, and also be able to make phone calls 'nearly' hands-free. All while using A2DP (over bluetooth). I like to imagine that this is one of Steve Job's strong points.
In researching solutions, there weren't many. Parrot devices were expensive, and would require a separate visor mounted box. Most devices also connected through FM transmitters. There were only two options which answered my specific pain point.
Enter the Aircast Auto. The device was at a mild price point, and seemed to have all the functionality I required. The product was extremely intuitive to set up. I was able to have music playing through Bluetooth in minutes. Will the A2DP protocol provide good quality music? YES! The sound is nearly as crisp as a CD (The 6.1 Standard harmon-kardon speakers in my car probably helped too).
The quality of outbound calls is around a 5 out of 10 I've been told. The calls sound clear in the car. There may be some tweaking of volume controls to increase quality. However, the calls are audible and most important legal (as the city I commute to has adopted hand-free laws).
While this device can make calls and play music for any other bluetooth device, the feature set really shines on the iPhone. Voice Command Control, A2DP quality sound, and control from the microphone unit really make the unit appealing for iPhone users.
At a moderate price point, and with the extensive feature-set, this device is perfect for my specific niche. I'd give it a 4.75/5.00. Well done Belkin!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Great for the Prius!Oct 10, 2011
By derf
I bought this kit when I was looking for a way to prepare my car for the iPhone 4s and Siri Assistant. I drive a 2009 Toyota Prius, and it does not come with bluetooth connectivity standard. After reading reviews, I thought that this was the best option. The 2009 Prius has its aux port and a cigarette lighters in the center console, so I decided to place the wiring there. The cable was thin enough to pass through with the top of the center console closed. I mounted the receiver by the "park" button. From reading reviews, it seems the the placement of receiver determines how well the device works.
The device works well at streaming music, and even at phone calls. People on the other side tell me that the quality is good, and even better than that of the Jawbone headsets I have owned in the past. Even my brother wants to buy one after hearing me in one phone call! The pairing process was easy. Even iOS 4 voice control works. To get the reciever to understand that you want to use voice control, simply push the receiver for two seconds, and wait for the "ding ding" from the phone to let you know that it's ready to accept your command. Do practice before you hit the road. If you hold the receiver too long, it will un-pair your phone.
The one downside: there is an audible hum with the system plugged in, and I'm sure it's due to the very thin shielding on the cable. I think I'll be able to better shield the cable using foil tape. Great buy, and you should get one too if you want to get bluetooth in your car.
UPDATE: After much research, I have determined that the humming sound was due to a ground loop. The Prius' radio probably has little grounding, hence the problem. A standard ground loop isolator I got at an electronics hobby shop fixed the problem. I plugged in the aux cable from Belkin Aircast into the ground loop isolator, and the isolator into the aux port of the Prius.
11 of 15 found the following review helpful:
Good sound but no voice control for iPhoneJan 02, 2011
By Robert M
First the good:
- if your car has a 2.5mm audio input jack then you can enjoy high quality stereo through your cars speakers. My 2008 Accord does (it's hidden inside the center console).
- no battery so no need to worry about recharging it. It does require a cigarette lighter jack.
Now the bad:
- it was never able to control my iPhone4 (OS v4.2.1) using the Voice Control despite the user manual implying it should.
- the user manual is terrible. They refer you to the website but the manual there isn't even complete.
If Belkin fixes the voice control issue this is a real winner.
UPDATE 01/04/2010: I finally succeeded in getting the voice control to work. You need to first press the button once quickly, this turns down any music playing. Then press it slightly longer a wait 2-3 seconds for the voice control prompt. Unfortunately it has problems with feedback and squealing so I still give it two stars.
See all 72 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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