Bluetooth Phone Recommendations?

[patt]

I've gone to http://lexus.letstalk.com and checked the list of phones compatible with the RX Bluetooth. The good news is that with my Cingular service there are a lot of phones to choose from. That is the bad news too, so I'm looking for recommendations on a phone from those with experience.

I don't care much about having a lot of features. The most important things for me are weight, comfortable to use, reliability, coverage and a good vibrate mode. I almost never turn on the audible ringer because I'm in meetings to often and with my current phone, I can hear it buzz if I put it on a hard surface with vibrate on. As a road warrior, it is a constant struggle to not end up traveling with "50 pounds of light-weight gear". :)

The Motorola Razor looks pretty good to me - any experience with that one? I've always had Nokia in the past and been reasonably happy with them except that it is a pain that they don't use a standard jack for the headset - I guess with Bluetooth I could just get a bluetooth headset. Do others find interference a problem with those?

[gtfrench]

The Motorola Razor looks pretty good to me - any experience with that one? I've always had Nokia in the past and been reasonably happy with them except that it is a pain that they don't use a standard jack for the headset - I guess with Bluetooth I could just get a bluetooth headset. Do others find interference a problem with those?

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I have had very good luck with my Moto RAZR V3 using Bluetooth in the 400h. The pairing goes smoothly and it easily connects every time I start the car. The sound system works great with no noticeable delay. It's so sleek that I can just leave it in my pocket and use the Nav interface for everything. I also successfully transferred my phonebook to the 400h (although you need to do it one at a time). You can then put 17 names on the 1-Dial feature. These are the only numbers you can dial when moving. It works well and is easy to set up. So far so good.

I also used the phone over in Europe a couple weeks ago and it worked flawlessly. Coverage on Cingular should get even better as they consolidate AT&T towers.

I am using the Moto HS850 Blutooth headset and it works very well. I haven't experienced any significant interference. I wear it around my neck on a lanyard while traveling and place it on my ear when a call comes in.

Good luck.

[jgr7]

I use the motorola v710 and HS850 headset, my RX 300 doesn't have blue tooth but this phone is great. voice dialing that is intelligent and doesn't have to learn your voice to work. With the bluetooth headset you push the button on the headset and the phone ask for a command, name dial or digit dial. It will recognize any name you have programed to a number just using the spelling of the name. If the phone is not sure what you said it will ask did you say, and then it repeats what it thinks you said, if it is right you say yes, if wrong you say no, and it will prompt you to say the name again. In digit dial you just say the number with no pauses and it will repeat it and dial, if it is not sure it will ask did you say, and repeat the number it thought it heard. Very nice for hands free in the car or when you need to write down information. The company I work for bought the phone and headset for me as they have a hands free policy and I couldn't stand those ear buds.

Jeff

[BillT]

Our family usually has 2 cell phones in the car at a time and might switch to bluethooth phones for the 400H . Can you switch between the phone with the 400h in motions? Any problems with 2 phones in the car at one time?

[jerryray]

Can you switch between the HS850 and the Lexus Hands free?

[Phyl]

I have a Motorola RAZR with Cingular, connected to my '05 RX 330. I love it! It connects every time I get in the car, I could easily transfer my phone book (albeit one at a time) and the reception is great.

The phone is very cool, too.

Good luck!

Phyl

[gtfrench]

"Can you switch between the HS850 and the Lexus Hands free?"

I guess the answer is Yes. In my experience the phone can only be connected to one Bluetooth device at a time. So for example, if you are already talking on the headset (RAZR connected to HS850) and you start the vehicle, the call will continue on the headset because the phone cannot connect to the vehicle as long as the headset is on. You see on the Nav screen that the bluetooth connection failed. However, if you close the headset while the vehicle is on, the phone then looks for available bluetooth devices and it will find the vehicle and connect. You can then continue the conversation using the vehicle audio system. It's a little complicated, but it works.

"Our family usually has 2 cell phones in the car at a time and might switch to bluethooth phones for the 400H . Can you switch between the phone with the 400h in motions? Any problems with 2 phones in the car at one time?"

Similar answer to above. I believe the system can be set up to pair with multiple phones, but only connected to one at a time. Each phone would need to be paired initially. I've never tried two phones, but I think you can connect with one phone, then turn it off and connect with a second phone while in motion. The system also allows you to have two separate phonebooks.

[patt]

I have just found out that my company is using T-mobile rather than Cingular for GSM service (and one has to switch to GSM to get a Bluetooth phone). Unfortunately, lexus.letstalk.com doesn't show any T-Mobile phones as compatible with the RX Bluetooth.

Is anyone out there using a T-Mobile Bluetooth phone with the Lexus Bluetooth? They don't have any phone that I like as much as the Motorola Razr. Most of their Bluetooth's are more internet phone oriented and kind of bulky. The one that looks best to me is the Motorola A630. Any experience with that?

[ctrx]

I"m planning to buy the Motorola v710 from Verizon. I know that I won't be able to transfer my phonebook, but will I be able to do most other functions. And will I be able to do voice activated calling? e.g. just say "Home" and it will dial home?

[pinzabu]

PATT

Thanks for the info on T mobile. Maybe that is why I can not get my phone to conntect. I have an HP IPAQ 6315 - very new technology and often very squirrely.. challenging... I thought it was the phone but maybe there is a basic incompatibility. Makes not sense to me, bluetooth is bluetooth.

Lydia

[cosimoto]

I"m planning to buy the Motorola v710 from Verizon.  I know that I won't be able to transfer my phonebook, but will I be able to do most other functions.  And will I be able to do voice activated calling?  e.g. just say "Home" and it will dial home?

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No. Once you connect to the Lexus's bluetooth, you can't use voice dialing. If you want to dial, you either have to use the i touch dial on the NAV screen (difficult since it dims out the numbers when you are moving, plus you have to push at least two buttons/screens to get the speed dial screen) or you have to manually dial using the phone, which, besides being dangerous completely invalidates the whole reason to have bluetooth in the first place. If you want to really get the most out of a bluetooth phone, I wouldn't recommend the V710, even though at the moment, it's the only bluetooth phone Verizon offers.

[lexus ls430]

handspring treo 650

[ctrx]

Are you sure that you can't use 1-touch calling when the are is moving? The manual says you can, but unfortunately I can't say for sure since I haven't gotten the phone yet.

[SKperformance]

www.howardforums.com

I find the Razor a crappy phone like most of the world does.

It looks great but has garbage reception.

the site above talks about everything about cell phones to systems and hardware upgrades and all.

Best investment in time to get a good phone.

[gtfrench]

Are you sure that you can't use 1-touch calling when the are is moving?  The manual says you can, but unfortunately I can't say for sure since I haven't gotten the phone yet.

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Yes, you can use 1-Dial while moving. That is the whole point of the 1-dial feature. When you press the phone button on the steering wheel the first 1-Dial screen appears. You can have a total of 18 numbers on 1-Dial, although #6 position is always the most recent incoming or outgoing call. I simply transferred my most frequently dialed numbers from my phonebook. It works very well.

[pinzabu]

handspring treo 650

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What cell carrier are you using for your treo 650.

I currently have a blue enabled ipaq 6315 which works fine with a Jabra 250 headset, but I wanted to sync with the car obviously, but apparently there is an incompatibily.

I have now gone through 4 tech folks at t -mobile and hp ipaq.

My next phone was going to be a treo 650, but do not see it listed in the lexusletstalk page.

So what service are you using. thanks in advance, Lydia

[ContactPro]

PATT

Thanks for the info on T  mobile.  Maybe that is why I can not get my phone  to conntect.  I have an HP IPAQ 6315 - very new technology and often very squirrely.. challenging... I thought it was the phone but maybe there is a basic incompatibility.  Makes not sense to me, bluetooth is bluetooth.

Lydia

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I sell Lexus vehicles via the Internet and am the proud owner of a ThunderCloud RX 330 with Nav & Bluetooth. As a current Treo 600 (T-Mobile) Smartphone user, I anticipate the arrival of a the new Treo 650, but I'm not holding my breath. After much research and trial and error, I have two solutions in one for a number of those out there seeking to upload their entire phonebook(s) into the Hands Free Link in a Lexus.

Sony Ericsson T610, T616, T630 (Unlocked), T637 (Cingular) or T68i (discontinued)

1) Transfer your entire phonebook from your current BT or conventional cell phone to a desktop (laptop?) PIM or database app for editing. 2) Edit out all phone numbers EXCEPT the one(1) that is most critical for reaching that contact. The Lexus HFL will accept only one(1) phone number per contact record. If you leave multiple numbers in each record, the system will probably grab the wrong one or none at all. If you have another number that is important to have in the vehicle's phonebook, create a separate record with that unique number. Ie., John-Cell: 555-123-456 vs John-Home: 555-654-321. 3) Upload the newly edited phonebook database to your bought, borrowed or stolen :) Sony Ericsson BT phone (above) via Bluetooth dongle, Infra-Red (IR) or data cable. 4) Set up the phone and car to pair. Then transfer the entire phonebook in one fell swoop. If you do not have instructions to assist you with the pairing procedure, try:

http://lexus.letstalk.com/bluetooth/lexus/t637_bt.pdf

You can add new individual contacts one at a time with your Motorola, Nokia, Treo or Siemans phone later. Never, ever select "Overwrite" on the Lexus setup screen or you'll wipe out the phonebook you just created.

Now you can add your new phone and have the multi-contact database to dial from on-screen. If you buy the Sony Ericsson, keep it as a backup.

Good Luck,

ContactPro

[pinzabu]

Contact Pro and Patt

After spending an hour on the hour with tmobile and hpipaq, it is clear my smart phone will not pair. My contract with t mobile is over in Sept. In researching, the only other smart phone wiht BT that t mobile currently carries is the Motorola A630, but its pda features do not look strong. Supposedly they will be start to carry the palm treo 650 in the next few months.

Any other ideas..,TIA, Lydia

[pinzabu]

Patt,

After many hours and disappointment, I had resolved to get a new phone - from T mobile as my contract is still ongoing.

However, today as a lark, a co worker had a BT ear bud that I did a fast and easy sync with. When I got home tonight, I thought, one more try, even though the HP IPAQ-T mobile guys said yesterday it was not compatabile. And low and behold it worked. Beats me as to why. I did nothing different tonight.

I was not able yet to sync my phone book, will leave that task for tomorow when I am more alert.

I was looking last night at the V630, but it does not look like it has real pda functions which I need. Maybe now I will not have to. What have you decided to do?

Lydia

[markatty]

Given the problem with just getting contacts with a single phone number into the car phone system, I'm assuming that you can't do something as exotic as uploading and syncing the calendar from a Palm to the car's calendar, but thought I would check if anyone had tried to do that.

Assuming you can't import a calendar from a Palm, is there any fast way to get info into the calendar?

As to editing you phone book down to a single contact, before uploading to the car system, the way I've done this in the Palm O/S is to:

1. Export the Address book (File|Export) to a .csv file (comma separated values)

2. Make a back up copy of this file in case something goes wrong.

3. Open the .csv file in Excel using Excel's import system

4. Eliminate the numbers and fields you don't want. Make duplicates records where you need two numbers

5. Save it as a .csv file under a different name.

7. Delete your address book in your phone and import the new .csv file (File|Import).

7. Transfer the new phone directory to the car via Bluetooth.

8. Delete the new address book in cell phone and reimport your old address book from the original saved .csv file

Not counting the time for changing the phone numbers you can do the whole thing in 10-15 minutes.

[RDKJ]

My phone connects perfectly to the Nav system via Bluetooth, but it seems after I dial a call I miss the first 3-5 seconds of the conversation. Any suggestions? Does everyone else's phone do this? Everything is fine when I receive calls or originate calls from the touch screen, I only seem to have a problem when call from my actual phone. Thanks.

[fourfishes]

I've had the Verizon Treo 650 for about 4 days now and have experienced no problems. The only issue was my own fault. I mistakenly transferred the wrong number to the car and had to change it. I thought I could hit the "replace #" key and I was very wrong. The whole directory deleted and I had to start over. What a pain!!!!! :chairshot:

The bluetooth almost always automatically connects and everyone can hear me very well. Very easy to set up!!!!!!

[henry1234]

Our family usually has 2 cell  phones in the car at a time and might switch to bluethooth phones for the 400H . Can you switch between the phone with the 400h in motions? Any problems with 2 phones in the car at one time?

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I have 4 phone paired with my RX400h and it works well.

You can use one phone at a time and paired up to 4 phones. YOu can switch within all the phones that had been paired. If you like to switch phone, you have to choose from the menu.

Every time when I start my car, it paired up and ready to go. I am not using my Boluetooth headset any more because I don't have to flight to put it over my ear while I am driving and I don't have to charge it at night.

[henry1234]

My phone connects perfectly to the Nav system via Bluetooth, but it seems after I dial a call I miss the first 3-5 seconds of the conversation.  Any suggestions?  Does everyone else's phone do this?  Everything is fine when I receive calls or originate calls from the touch screen,  I only seem to have a problem when call from my actual phone.  Thanks.

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I have the same problem when I use my phone to dial out, I think it is because it is waiting for the bluethooth connection. If you dail from you car Navi system, it doesn't have that problem.

[ctrx]

I have the Motorola v710 from Verizon. As everyone knows, I can't transfer my cell phonebook over to my RX330. I've been told by someone at Motorola that the software will work and it's not a Verizon issue.....that it's a Lexus issue and they are working with them on it. Is that what anyone else hears??