Nicole Lee,
Associate Editor
July 3, 2008
As of July 1, 2008, California and Washington joined New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. with a hands-free law that forbids talking on a cell phone while driving. That is, unless you use a hands-free device. The conventional wisdom out there is to use a Bluetooth headset of some kind, which we certainly recommend, to comply with the laws. We especially like the Aliph Jawbone 2, the Jabra BT8040, and the BlueAnt Z9i. All of these headsets feature noise-canceling technologies that will be useful in and out of the car.
For those of you who simply don't want the hassle of buying a separate headset and are looking for a cell phone, we highly recommend the LG Decoy from Verizon Wireless, which is one of the first cell phones to have a built-in Bluetooth headset in the back. Finally, you can use Bluetooth speakerphones to make or receive calls as well, and our favorite is the BlueAnt Supertooth 3. If you want a two-in-one device, the Garmin Nuvi 880 is a GPS handheld that can be paired with a cell phone and be used as a speakerphone as well.
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| Price | $65.98 to $74.99 | $14.99 to $87.39 | $44.99 to $84.99 | Check Prices | $79.00 to $103.55 | $736.98 |
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| Review date | May 14, 2008 | February 15, 2008 | July 02, 2008 | June 18, 2008 | June 27, 2008 | June 30, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | Despite its quirks, the Aliph Jawbone 2 is quite possibly the ultimate Bluetooth headset in terms of design and sound quality. | The Jabra BT8040 is a compact yet powerful Bluetooth headset that offers more than enough features for the mobile professional at an affordable price. | The BlueAnt Z9i is a clear upgrade from the Z9, with better comfort, better sound quality, and an affordable price point. | The LG Decoy is an excellent phone on its own, but the addition of a built-in Bluetooth headset puts it over the top. | The BlueAnt Wireless Supertooth 3 is an excellent choice for a portable car speakerphone, especially since it will read out incoming caller ID so you can keep your eyes on the road. | As we've come to expect from the Nuvi line, the Garmin Nuvi 880 offers an impressive feature list and solid performance, but it's the accurate speech recognition that really pushes the Nuvi 880 over the edge and makes it one of the best GPS we've tested to date. |
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