Hands-free freedom - Review Jabra SP 700

At last, a device that lets you talk and drive the safe way
NO, I am not in favour of anyone using the phone while driving, but then at times you just need to. There are a lot of Bluetooth options, which let you do this safely, but then, some people don’t really like a device plugged into their ear, and most Bluetooth hands-free speakerphones are just not worth their salt.

The other day, my Jabra SP 5050 speakerphone died on me. It was about three years old, irreparable and out of warranty. So, I got in touch with Faxtel India, the local distributors, and was told that they would be coming out with an SP 700 model in early November and I should wait for it. Last week, the wait ended and I finally got my new car speakerphone kit.
So what is so nice about the gadget that I decide to write a review?

My earlier Jabra was great, but it had its share of problems:
The battery time was less than two hours, so I had to keep it plugged into my car charger.
Power on and Power off were lengthy processes—at times when you were actually trying to switch off the hands-free, you ended up dialling a number.
In case you left the car with your speakerphone on, it used to stay on till the battery ran out. So at times my calls would be ringing inside the car, while I was in my bedroom.

So what makes the SP700 better?

Well the unit is small, beautiful and all black. The speaker and microphone are integrated— the earlier model had a separate microphone, which made more sense as it could be turned around for better reception. The new one will only listen to the person in front, and that is also good in many ways.

It can now play music over Bluetooth. But, why would you want to do that in the car which already has a stereo. Well, with all the music phones around, it is better to have options. Moreover, the speakerphone can even link to the car stereo using the FM transmitter. When a call comes in, the music actually goes off on its own. All you have to do is press the answer button on your hands-free.

The new Jabra also gives great voice quality and an extended battery life of about eight hours. It even announces the number you are getting the call from, though most often you don’t remember any phone number. It is still a cool feature.

I also loved the voice prompt feature. The moment you get into your car, and press the power on button, it connects to your phone and says “connected”. Similarly, when you power it down, it says “power off”.
The coolest feature, however, is the auto detect, which uses advanced acoustics to detect if you are in the car or not and switches off the device in less than two minutes, thus saving battery time, and making sure your phone is disconnected when you exit the car.

Though the listed price is Rs 5,499, I picked it up for Rs 4,999. I believe the device is available for as low as Rs 4,500. So think about it, do you want to keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel, or hold a phone and put yourself and others in danger.

For more information visit Jabra Website

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The above article appeared in the Indian Express on 7th December 2008