Howdy,

Has anyone found a good solution to allow you to chat on cell phones while driving topless? I bought a blue tooth earpiece, but the wind noise (even with windscreen in) drowns out the sound on the earpiece. Has anyone tried the handsfree bluetooth system? Of course, if worse comes to worse, I guess I just won't be available for calls from work while motoring....

 

How does being topless affect your ability to talk on the phone? You certainly shouldn't do both while driving as it is a distraction to both you and other drivers.

(Sorry I couldn't resist)

 

I had a Sebring convertible for 8 years before recently getting my MINI - and I've been through about a dozen headsets (bluetooth and wired) attempting to find the ultimate solution.

Best thing I've found so far is what I'm using now - Plantronics Voyager 510. The speaker goes in-ear and is reasonably loud (though I wish it were just a tad louder). It has built in windscreen and noise cancellation. I add a small soft foam windscreen over the boom that I got at Radio Shack (for other headset microphones). It looks a little (not a lot) goofy - and it actually works. I actually DO carry on calls with top down. I mute if I'm on a concall and not speaking. And there's no magic solution for big trucks driving by... but it IS workable, at least for me.

 

As the recipient of calls made from convertibles, boats and other moving, open vehicles as well as the caller, the best thing to do is stop and then talk. There is just too much noise that turns the conversation into a WHAT?fest for both parties.

 

I have the Plantronics Voyager 510 that I recently purchased to replace my motorola ear piece and they are like night and day and it has the wind reduction too and I have had great luck so far. Picked mine up at Best Buy at a reasonable price too for a quality product

 

According to the Tappet Brothers, "Hang up and drive". Alternatively, "park and talk".

 

Yeah, well, 3 hours of conference calls where I actually have to say about 12 words and listen the rest of the time = 200 miles of motoring. Or 3 hours of sitting in a parking lot and 3 hours less time in my life for other things. Hmmm. I think I'll motor and listen at the same time.

 

Have you guys seen this Motorola H5 MINIBLUE it's a earbud only. It picks up your voice via your ear canal, not thru your mouth. Wondering how this will work topless. Here's a picture



Here some info. from a website:


Motorola H5 MINIBLUE Bluetooth Headset is designed around the way your body works, the in-ear microphone and speaker of the Motorola H5 MINIBLUE pick up your voice through the ear canal so conversations come in loud and clear even in a noisy environment. And measuring only 33x41 millimeters this H5 MINIBLUE barely there headset fits perfectly inside your ear for pristine, unobtrusive communication. SUMMARY OF FEATURES:

• Revolutionary technology designed around the way your body works
• Built-in speaker and microphone routes voices through the ear canal, reducing outside noise
• Tiny size at only 33 x 41 millimeters
• Talk Time: headset up to approximately 1.5 hours, system up to approximately 7.5 hours using the included portable charging base.
• Works up to 30 feet (10 meters) away from a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone
• Comptible with any brand of Bluetooth-enabled phone that supports headset and handsfree profiles
• Comes with a chic, metal portable charging base

 

Yeah, I got all excited about the miniblue when I read another post about it a few weeks back - but all the info I could find said that it was delayed indefinitely or possibly cancelled by Motorola due to problems???

 

I used to own a Motorola HS810 (lost it a week ago ) I picked up a new Moto H700. It's smaller and the sound quality is so much better

as far as wind noise... I haven't had a problem. At highway speeds, you can't hear anything for obvious reasons. But for regular commuting, I simply roll up the windows and turn down the radio

 

Thanks everyone! Does anyone have the bluetooth phone installed in their cabrio? Does it work well?

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

 

Not me. I'm curious if anyone's tried this. I'd be SHOCKED if it worked acceptably with ANYTHING open on the cabrio. All closed up, should work OK. But hey, you only drive that way like 10-20% of the time, right?

 

Looks kinda like the thing Lt Uhuru used to wear in her ear. 'Captain, I'm picking up a signal from Starbase!'

 

So far, yes - 90 - 95% top down..... Of course "winter" will be here soon enough!

 

Lucky b*tard - it's 40 and raining and 30 degree winds here today...
Today was a top-up day...

 

You know, I'd like to put that universal hands free system in my cabrio, but I've worried about the sound as well. Do you guys think that the windscreen would cut the sound level much? I've been using the windscreen for about the last month and it really does seem like there is less whooshing when you pull up the windows. I just don't know if it would cut the sound enough to let the universal hfs work properly.

Chuck

 

You never really know until you try...

But with my previous convertible experience - IMHO the combination of wind noise (even with the wind screen) and the road noise (engine, other cars, etc.) will probably overwhelm any wind/noise cancellation that might be built in... I really wish this wasn't the case, as a fully functional, non-noisy handsfree in a convertible would be fabulous - but there's a reason they don't use hands free speakerphones in blackhawk helicopters...

 

{THREAD HIJACK} Compensating I gotta ask you something. One of your signature badges is driving me crazy cause I don't get it You have a "Yes I'm Compensating" badge. I thought when males drive a Mini the motto is "I drive a Mini what are you compensating for?" thus meaning that the guy in the ginourmous SUV or the 400HP sportscar is the one compensating for his errrr shortcomings vs the Mini driver who doesn't have to compensate. Please splain

 

Has anyone tried the Etymotic ETYCOM headset? It was designed to handle high noise environments.

 

It's a joke-on-a-rope so to speak.

If you have small equipment, you need a BIG SUV or V8 Corvette, or Ferrari, or whatever to compensate....

If you have BIGGGGG equipment, you need a tiny little clown car to balance things out....

So it's a sideways brag that I don't NEED a big 'ole Escalade and in fact NEED to drive a MINI because...

And it's an inside joke because those who know - my wife - can attest that it's a joke within a joke within a joke....

 

I was hoping to find someone that had installed it already to make sure it is a good thing before making my credit card yelp some more.... So far it sounds like some form of "in the ear" device will be the best bet.

 

I bought the parrot system and had it installed. The mic is mounted by my rear view mirror. It's horrible for the person I'm talking too. I love listening to the conversation via my speakers. Honestly, not sure where in the car I could put the mic that would be better for the wind noise. And with the top up, there is only one person I talk to on a regular basis that seems to understand what I am saying on the first try.

So, I love it, no one else seems to. And next year, since I get calls for my business all the time, I need a good solution other than always drive my SUV.

One other thing about the parrot. Every so often it will beep, turning off my radio to beep and then resume back to normal. Kind of annoying at times.

So, if someone has a better place to try the mic...maybe they will have better results.

 

Homer...

Well, I've done all I can do to be the poster child for irresponsible spending when it comes to outfitting my Minis...I may still throw caution to the wind (no pun intended! ) and install that universal hands free system in my cabrio. I really do love it in my MC. And to be honest, a LOT of my cabrio miles are put on around town. I'm still hoping against the odds that the combination of relatively low around town speed coupled with a windscreen may do the trick. Should I install it, I will, of course, get out on the interstate to see what happens and report back here pronto.

But hey, I've got to make it through a JCW install in a week...so it may be another month or so!

Chuck

 

Sounds good Chuck! I have been able to use my bluetooth ear thing around town, but still lose conversations when the spead gets up over 50 or so. I think the obvious solution might lie in the fact that you can either enjoy motoring topless or talk on the phone.... I know what I choose! I would like to know if you upgrade, and how it works.

Thanks!

 

80mph on the phone no problem...
Jut 2 days ago, while talking to my work colleague, and asking him - "can you hear me ok?", to which he ansewred - "yeah, fine"...I responded..."80mph with the top down, and we can talk jsut fine - I LOVE this car...!"
(I of course then immediately moved to the right, slowed down to 60, and continued our brief conversation.)

I use either a basic plantronics or the handfree that came with my Blackberry 7110. Most of the time, no one complains about the noise. If I MUST talk and drive, I try to keep it brief, and keep the speed at 60. I rarely get complaints.
The obvious exceptions:
Driving under overpasses is way too noisy.
Disadvantage to driving slower - the trucks pass you, and THAT is noisy.

Please - if you DO talk and drive, slow down a bit, AFTER safely moving to the slow travel lane. I hate being behind someone whose speed wavers by 20mph in the left lane, only to see them with aa phone held up to their ear...