according to MINI ( called ask MINI today), only 4 phones actually work with ATT service and their OEM Bluetooth. 3 of these 4 are not even currently in production or available.

THIS IS RIDICULOUS. We pay $500. for this OEM setup and have little or no options to use it with. My old RAZR V3 better not die or I am in trouble.

 

Who is your cellular carrier? That seems to be at issue, too.

 

Called Motorola today and after a long wait to actually speak to a tchnician, I was informed that if the RAZR V3 works w/ MINI bluetooth, the Z9 would be backward compatible. His tech people told him the carrier does not matter, its all about the phone compatibility with the car's system. He was very confident I would not have any problems using the new Motorla Z9 in my R56.

GUESS WHAT--Motorola was RIGHT and ASK MINI is clueless regarding their Bluetooth system.

I am very happy with my new phone. Dealer paired the system for me in 3 minutes.

All functions exactly like old RAZR. The search for the phone may take a few seconds longer after turning on the audio system, but nothing bothersone. Hopefully it will continue to work. I still have 30 days to reurn the Z9 and go back to the RAZR V3 if it glitches.

 

Eek, Ask MINI really is clueless about their Bluetooth compatibility, but the person you spoke to at Motorola was pretty much just making an educated guess. When carriers have their own specific firmware revisions, the phone's compatibility can be different. Glad to hear that it worked out in your favor though

Good news. I'm guessing you at least know the address book transfer works, did you try voice dialing too?

 

all functions incl. voice dialing. However, I think that function was loaded into the car phone memory finction before the phone changeover.

 

Yeah, if you manually create voice tags they aren't phone specific and would stick around. If you didn't make voice tags for each number, then it's just working

Thanks for the follow up!

 

Has anyone tried this new firmware version? I'd love to know if it works with newer MINIs bluetooth better than the previous version

 

FYI my Blackjack II synced up perfectly with minimal effort. I'm now bluetooth capable in my MCS!! Very nice phone as well...I highly recommend it for those who aren't going to by an iPhone. Small enough to carry in my pocket but still has a full qwerty keyboard.

 

Has anyone paired a Verizon Chocolate 3 (LG VX 8560) with the bluetooth?
I am due for an upgrade and this phone looks like it will meet my needs. The LG VX 8500 is one of the "official" Mini bluetooth phones so I am hope the the functionality carries over.

 

I second that. Mine synced perfectly, the only little problem is that my phone will light up and go out every now and then.

 

Actually I think that the requirement is only for the BB. There are two basic pricing schedules for PDA's it seems though.. $30 and $45.

I have been on a marathon phone testing spree with Verizon

First tried the Dare - I don't like touch screen only.

Next used the voyager for a couple weeks. Really liked it but couldn't open attachments for email when I was out of town and away from WiFi.
I think I reported these first two already (works with MINI - no phonebook transfer)
Data on both of these full web browsing phones is $15/month add $30 if you want to tether your laptop. Both of these can be added and removed at will.

Next I tried the BB Curve 8330. Sweet little device. Plays well with MINI -Transfers phone numbers - no auto voice dial. $30 mandatory data charge, $15 extra to tether to laptop - remove this part at will.

Currently I have the XV6800. Works with MINI - does not transfer the phone numbers. Data is $30 - add $15 for tethering (remove at will)

The data for a Blackjack is $45 so they have told me ...

I need to have my final answer by this Monday ... hmmmm

 

I was doing some browsing on the WDS (Wiring Diagram System) and found some information about "Compatability Checking for Telephone Systems"

If you go to http://www.mcaw.info/wds/mini/us/r56/index.htm and type in "Compatibility check for telephone", you'll see this information:

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Procedure for compatibility check of the present telephone system

1. Download the current version of the compatibility matrix from PuMA.
2. Compile mobile phone data:
   • Mobile phone model
   • Read out the mobile phone software version from the mobile phone (procedure: see compatibility matrix)
3. Compile control-unit data:
   • Variant of control module (TCU or ULF)
   • Control module software version (BMW part number)
   This data is displayed at the start of the test module ”Fault pattern catalogue, telephone system”. It can be also be read out at the DIS tester at Control-module functions --> Identification.
4. Use the mobile phone data, control-unit data and the compatibility matrix to determine whether the present telephone system is BMW-approved.
   Note: The diagnosis functions offered on the DIS tester apply to recommended mobile phones. If the mobile phone is approved in the compatibility matrix for restricted use only, the restrictions of the mobile phone have priority over the diagnosis instructions.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Does anyone have any idea where we might be able to get the compatibility matrix (from PuMA)?

I guess, worst case, we could ask our SA to do this for us? I'm looking to get a new phone (VX10000) but would like to know if the new version V09 fixes some of the existing VX10000 problems?

THanks
William

 

I have spoken to mySA and ohters in the know at MINI USA and that test means nothing. All it will do is tell you if the phone and the car actaully toak to each other and see each others phone data. It doe not actually tell you wether the phone is fully compatible or not.

It a whole lot easeir to take the phone out to the car and turn the bluetooth on in the phone. go thru the pairing process and if it pairs then that is a start. At that point you then may have to wait up to about 5-10 minutes and if the phone book transfers then you are good to go.

If the phone does not pair then it is NOT compatible with the car. Period no mater what the above tests show.

If the phone pairs and the phone book does not that is ALWAYS a problem with the the phone and the software from the phone manufacturer.

Please carefully read this thread as this data has been shared many many many times in this thread alone as well as others.

I have tried all of the previous versions of the LG software for the LG Voyager, but have not tried this one. From what i have read about this new version is that it is still crippled for phone book transfer becuase LG has onlyl allowed a portion Object Push to be impleimented. This is the exact problem with the previous versions of the firmware. They roke it in version V5 and what ever they did does ont allow it to be fixed by back trackiing to V3 which did work as long as the phoen has never been upgraded.

Again all this inof is in this thread already.

 

As stated many many times in this thread in the past it is NOT a problem with the MINI. The Mini software for bluetooth is designed to the BLEUTOOTH STANDARD.

It is the phone manufacturers that do not meet the standard. Mototrola is the best at meeting the standard and has only a couple of phones that do not work with the MINI.

Samsung is hit or miss depending on what options the phone has.

LG is the worst. They do not design the firmware in their phone to be universaly compatible. They are trying to make peope buy thier products only ie ear pieces etc.

Please read this entire thread as it will give you great insite as to what parts of the BLUETOOTH Standards carriers worry about and what they do not. there are also links to other sites that expalin some of this stuff.

 

As I am on the verge of getting a new phone so I can pair it with my bluetooth, I called Ask Mini today to try to get the latest information. I was told that should I try to pair a phone other than one of the 5 phones listed on the miniusa/bluetooth website, I could crash the car's computer and if that happens I, not Mini, would have to cover the cost of getting it fixed. The advisor I spoke with said that things could go along okay for 6 months and then mess up the computer. Three of the 5 phones listed on the website are no longer available! I was going to get an LG Chocolate 3 which is the latest version of a phone (2 iterations ago) that was/is on the official list. But now I am thinking that: 1) If something screws up I could be out of a lot of money, and 2) The Mini people know who I am and can assert that I have been warned that if the TCU messes up it's my fault. That leaves me with the choice of a Blackberry device which I don't need, or a Motorola V9m which is more phone than I need. I am eligible for my upgrade on 8/21. Do I dare get the Chocolate 3 for $50.00 (not yet on the official list), or do I suck it up and get the Motorola V9m?

Lord, help me.

 

So far, there's only been two phones that cause the module to lock up, so the likelihood of that happening is pretty small. Even then, the longest of the two cases I've seen was in two months. It's still a risk though- personally I'd go with more than I'd need as long as it won't be much difference in cost.

 

Is the list keep by Dominicmini in the original post up to date? Looks like the last edit to that list was 5-15-08. ajm

 

You can click on the link in nicknbecka's signature or find it here

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?k...HjCm-AfA&hl=en

 

I just tested out my motorola W385 from verizon and it works perfect. Below are the details.

Service: Verizon
Mini: 2008
Voice dial: yes
Phone book: yes

The only issue was getting the phone book to load. I had to make one call and then it loaded up fine.

 

Some info to update the matrix:

Verizon xv6800 address book did not sync. (I tried with only a few contacts.)

Verizon blackberry 8330 (Curve) CDMA (crippled GPS )
Works
Pairs
Dials
Address book syncs
Voice dialing - no (manual only)

Thanks again, Nicknbecka, for taking on this project.

 

So I went ahead and got the RAZR2 V9m for Verizon and it works well. I am okay with the phone so far. The battery does not last very long, but I was told up front that this is the case. I figure if I get the the armrest cradle I can charge it as I drive.

My thanks to all who contribute to this thread. It has been most helpful.

 

Thanks for the specifics! All updated

Aww, sad. This is the first HTC that doesn't work completely...

Just to clarify, voice dialing works, just limited to making voice tags, right?

You're welcome! Thanks for the detailed info, it makes it easier.

 

Great spreadsheet. Any way to set the print area on the excel spread sheet to make printing more friendly?

 

Not that I know of, but I'll fiddle with it a bit when I get the chance and see what I can come up with...

Long-term, I've got something in the works for this, but it's a few weeks out yet at the pace I've got going.

 

Yes I can voice dial with the bb but I have to set up the tags.

I had high hopes for the HTC but alas it has been Verizonasized
Another thing on the HTC was that it always showed the indicator for the network connection even when I was clearly out of range. That is the only phone that did that. It was also harder to get it to disconnect

The voyager and my old Motorola would show the triangle when I was roaming and it would disappear when I was out of range.

The BB shows the same connection symbol even when I am roaming (but disappears as I go out of range).

I noticed that in the Verizon Bluetooth car info sheet they indicated whether the phone will report the roaming status as well as a host of other functions like caller ID, Voice Recong, etc. Of course the MINI is not on their list (nor is BMW)