Why is the supported bluetooth phone list so small? None of the Palm phones are supported. What the hell is up with that?

I ordered the convenience package based on safety reasons. I don't like driving and talking/holding on to a phone and besides its illegal to drive while talking on a non hands free cell phone in NJ (where I work).

If they're instituting laws for talking while driving (which I'm in favor of) then they should force auto manufacturers to support all bluetooth phones, which would force all phone manufacturers to standardize.

You can buy a parrot hands free kit that supports a bazallion phones but Mini/BMW can get their act together to support more then a handful of phones?! How embarrassing.

And yes, I could purchase another Parrot (which I highly recommend) but I want something integrated. I need LESS wires/devices stuck to my dash, not more. That was my primary reason for purchasing the option.

This just sucks.

 

It's more to do with the limited testing that is done for the system. You might find the Bluetooth Compatibility thread helpful? https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=129431

 

Yes, I've read that thread. That list is terribly small and NO Palm OS phones are supported. While I don't expect them to support every phone, that list should be much more encompassing. And who is supposed to be doing the testing, we are or their engineers?! **** poor execution.

 

i'm with ya. but i gotta point some blame at palm too. why is it that the treo's don't work??? i wish i had the technical savy to know. i gave up and bought a jawbone....which works well. i'm taking it for a top down test tomorrow to see how well the noise cancelling feature works.

btw, i think the bluetooth compatability thread is a wonderful example of internet goodness .......just wish i saw before i sprung for the bluetooth

 

I want to hear how the top-down jawbone test goes!!

 

The jawbone is great. Although, it doesn't fair too well in windy conditions. So in the drop top it may not fair too well. I don't think any will. Still, it's better then most out there in background noise suppression.

The jawbone is good but annoying for hands free in the car, look at the parrot for hands free. It syncs fine with the palm and it sounds great through the factory audio system. I installed one in my wife's Jeep. I've read that it can work through the multi function steering wheel in the R56. The parrot can also take up to 4 phones I think. I know it can do 2 phones without issues. That looks to be the route I'll be taking.

 

I for one think the "Bluetooth compatability" is fine. As with any blue tooth device, they work on some, not on others, just becuase the design of Bluetooth software is so bad in the first place. The MINI works with a lot of phones.

Where I DO have a problem, and feel ripped off is, the LACK of armrest snap in adapters, and/or the lack of a generic fantail connector for the armrest, so we can make our own connections, with ANY phone. Worse, MINI won't even tell us the pinouts on the connector in there, so we can make our own. So basically I wasted $500 for a useless connector in the armrest, and can't charge my phone or use the external antenna for better reception which is why I bought it.

 

I understand your frustration!

I did a bit of research on this issue, and I discovered (don't recall if it was on NAM or a BMW forum, sorry) that "non-supported" Bluetooth phones (such as the Treos) will work to dial and so on. Where the problem comes in is with the address book. Apparently the MINI/BMW implementation of the address book doesn't store the fact that you have synced your phone's address book with the car, and will attempt to sync the address book each time you link your phone. Over time (depending on the size of the address book on your phone) is that the Bluetooth module gets overloaded and barfs (technical term). There was quite a lengthy discussion about this, and a few very knowledgeable Bluetooth folks chimed in that this was indeed the problem.

If I'm relaying this incorrectly I apologize, and perhaps someone else will chime in with more details.

So I would try using your Treo with the Mini, and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I don't think there's anything about voiding your warranty if you use a "non-supported" Bluetooth phone, is there (I don't know...)?

Hope that helps a little. BTW, I switched to an iPhone a while ago from a Treo 650, and love it.

 

Yeah I read that thread about the Treos. I believe it will void your warranty if you use a non supported phone and you fry your electronics.

Thanks for the reply. It must be driving you crazy since It's getting closer and closer to the delivery date of your Mini I ordered mine a week ago so I'm trying to forget about it as much as possible.

 

well, this is what i have to say:

1. i have a cabrio r52, so my bluetooth may be different.

2. the verizon treo 700p DOES NOT WORK! i have updated software, increased memory, paired and unpaired. the best i've had was a pairing where the favorites loaded, was able to make a call....but the bluetooth connection would end right before the call went through. i initially had bluetooth issues with my e46 m3, so i've got some experiences in dealing with bmw/bluetooth/phones.

3. I would NOT get the bluetooth option without trying it at the dealer first. i listened to someone at the dealer who said it (treo) worked. he had an r56.

4. a compatability list that shows few phones, some of which are outdated and can't even be purchased is not "fine"...........unless you have a phone on that list. in which case you may feel fortunate, but doesn't help many of us!

5. the "bluetooth compatability list" sticky, on the otherhand, is just awesome.

p.s. the jawbone did not fare well with the top down yesterday . i'm going to tweak it and try again today

 

Amen to #4 and #5! Its a shame that Mini elected its buyers to perform bluetooth R&D for them.

 

You ain't kiddin'! Once I got word the car was on a boat here... arghh. Now I'm doubly anxious.

We stopped by the dealer yesterday (a month or so after we ordered) just to take a spin in the base Clubman with the manual transmission. I have to say, it is one of the sweetest-shifting manuals I've ever driven. Very, very smooth. But it also made me happy I ordered the S, as I think the extra oomph will be most welcome!

Best of luck getting the Bluetooth/phone situation sorted out...

 

Yes, I've read that the clubman weighs in excess of 200 lbs extra yet it retains its hatchback like feel and the extra weight goes unnoticed.

 

Yeah, Bluetooth's open-ended-ness is a two edged sword. Nobody thinks of anything but cell phones when they hear Bluetooth- I wish somebody would have bit the bullet and made some real standards necessary for certification. Ah-well, they probably would have screwed it up anyways

I'm sad about the lack of availability for pinouts too. I've toyed around with a multi-meter in there, but I'm no EE and pulling current off of something that just happens to put out voltage is worrisome enough to make me think twice about it.

It would be nice to come up with something that works with a pre-existing set of charger adapter tips, like the iGo.

 

EXACTLY!!! There is no reason they shouldn't be selling something like that to us. OR, at least give the pinpouts to a 3rd party so they can make one and sell it to us.

 

I believe that is an OLD problem. I read that somewhere on here last year, but it was only one or 2 owners, who ended up having a defective Bluetooth module. If I recall correctly, the dealer replaced the bt module and all was good.

If re-syncing the phone, or different phones "filled up" the BT modules db, mine would have been "full" long ago. Mine syncs a couple times a day, 550 contacts with 3 numbers each. In addition, I've synced about 25 or 30 different phones in my mini. I go thru alot of phones for testing purposes (I'm in IT).