Best Bluetooth phone to use on Verizon Network

[09522]

Just got my new Prius 2 days ago and it is awesome along with the chatroom. I've already saved hundreds by reading about the discounted warranty pricing (which I declined at the dealer but was planning to purchase later)

my question concerns a new bluetooth phone. any recommendations as to which phone to use currently being sold by Verizon?? Toyota recommends a Razr on its lets talk web site. A Motorola E815 is what I was looking at, but don't know if it will fully integrate. don't want anything fancy, just a small folding phone for my wife. thanks for any advice

[aaf709]

I have an e815 with my 2005 and it works great. It pairs quickly. The ringing is from the phone and not from the car's speakers. I can't transfer my phonebook but I've got a workaround. With a 2006 you can enter them manually.

[DougSlug]

Aside from the functionality that Verizon disables (ability to transfer contacts), my RAXR V3c seems to work just fine in my '06. The Verizon RAZR can also be hacked to get around the limitation for transferring files (ring tones and media), but that hack doesn't seem to affect how it works with the Prius. In my case, the ringing comes through the car speaker as well, and the stereo cuts out automatically when you connect.

One sort of funny drawback with the RAZR is that it is thin enough to slip easily into the gap between the driver's seat and the center console. This is guaranteed to occur if you forgot to turn on the Bluetooth and you get a call while driving, and you're trying to fish it out of your pocket. The only way to retrieve it is to get out of the car and reach under the seat.

The downside of the Bluetooth link is that you have to turn on the Bluetooth every time you get into the car...the RAZR disables it automatically when it no longer detects the car (if it didn't, it would drain the battery much faster).

Another annoying thing is that the Prius disables many of the touchscreen keypad functions when the car is moving, so if you find yourself needing the numeric keypad during a call while you're driving, you have to try to use the voice recognition system to enter the numbers. Although it works, the problem is that the voice prompting lengthens the process to the point where some systems disconnect the call because they're not getting any input while you're waiting for the voice to finish up (FRUSTRATING). I don't believe there's any way to disable the voice prompts. In those cases, you really need to pull over, which sort of defeats the whole purpose of having a hands-free system in the first place! If you're just making regular calls and you have the frequently used numbers set up for speed dial, then the hands-free system works great.

- Doug

[Tcrwfrd50]

Just got my Treo 650 to work the other day. I really don't know how I did it other than playing around and clearing out my old profile in the car. Now it works perfectly. If it unpairs and I get it to work again I will ppay closer attention to how I did it.

[ttabbal]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DougSlug @ Jun 30 2006, 10:51 PM) [snapback]279540[/snapback]</div>

The downside of the Bluetooth link is that you have to turn on the Bluetooth every time you get into the car...the RAZR disables it automatically when it no longer detects the car (if it didn't, it would drain the battery much faster).
[/b]

Either you don't have auto-connect turned on in the Prius, or your phone it set to disable the bluetooth. I have a RAZR V3c and it doesn't do this. If I get in range of the Prius while the car is on, the phone and car auto-connect and everything works as you would expect. I just jump in, turn the Prius on, and the phone links up all without me touching anything else. The phone's BT has a built in sleep mode to keep power use minimal while still looking for a BT link. Check your settings out, I'd bet you will be pleasantly suprised.

[aaf709]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DougSlug @ Jun 30 2006, 09:51 PM) [snapback]279540[/snapback]</div>

Another annoying thing is that the Prius disables many of the touchscreen keypad functions when the car is moving, so if you find yourself needing the numeric keypad during a call while you're driving, you have to try to use the voice recognition system to enter the numbers. Although it works, the problem is that the voice prompting lengthens the process to the point where some systems disconnect the call because they're not getting any input while you're waiting for the voice to finish up (FRUSTRATING). I don't believe there's any way to disable the voice prompts. In those cases, you really need to pull over, which sort of defeats the whole purpose of having a hands-free system in the first place! If you're just making regular calls and you have the frequently used numbers set up for speed dial, then the hands-free system works great.

- Doug
[/b]

What I did was take off the A/C vent cover to the right of the MFD. Under that is a bunch of wires. There are two purple wires that controls the speed sensors for the NAV (upper one) and the phone (lower one). Cut them and put a switch on each (or a DPDT to control both at once). The one for the BT should be switch back when finished dialing as it also sends the signal to the Consumption screen so you loose the bars for that time (the computer thinks you've stopped). A 30-second time won't matter.

Got to here in order to see what's to be done.

[DougSlug]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ttabbal @ Jul 1 2006, 11:29 AM) [snapback]279682[/snapback]</div>

Either you don't have auto-connect turned on in the Prius, or your phone it set to disable the bluetooth. I have a RAZR V3c and it doesn't do this. If I get in range of the Prius while the car is on, the phone and car auto-connect and everything works as you would expect. I just jump in, turn the Prius on, and the phone links up all without me touching anything else. The phone's BT has a built in sleep mode to keep power use minimal while still looking for a BT link. Check your settings out, I'd bet you will be pleasantly suprised.
[/b]

The Prius' auto-connect is on, and it definitely checks whenever I get in the car, but if I don't manually turn on the RAZR's BT power, it won't connect. I definitely looked...there is no setting in my Verizon RAZR V3c as far as I could see. If you could give me details, I'd sure appreciate it. Is yours a Verizon? I know they definitely screw with some of the useful features, and I'm annoyed and frustrated about that.

- Doug


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jul 1 2006, 06:17 PM) [snapback]279799[/snapback]</div>

What I did was take off the A/C vent cover to the right of the MFD. Under that is a bunch of wires. There are two purple wires that controls the speed sensors for the NAV (upper one) and the phone (lower one). Cut them and put a switch on each (or a DPDT to control both at once). The one for the BT should be switch back when finished dialing as it also sends the signal to the Consumption screen so you loose the bars for that time (the computer thinks you've stopped). A 30-second time won't matter.

Got to here in order to see what's to be done.
[/b]

Sounds easy, but I'm not quite ready to go modifying anything yet. I don't use the phone that much, but if that changes, I may consider it. Thanks for the details.

- Doug

[Wayne]

I've used an e815 on my 2005 for many months now with zero issues. There was one time I couldn't understand a caller, but they said "wait a minute", took their phone out of speakerphone mode, and all was well again. So their fault. I can't transfer my phonebook, but that was a Verizon issue, and I worked around it with a PDA. I leave my phone on 24/7, and my battery lasts 4 to 5 days at a time.

I'm happy. :-)

[09522]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wayne @ Jul 2 2006, 04:19 PM) [snapback]280196[/snapback]</div>

I've used an e815 on my 2005 for many months now with zero issues. There was one time I couldn't understand a caller, but they said "wait a minute", took their phone out of speakerphone mode, and all was well again. So their fault. I can't transfer my phonebook, but that was a Verizon issue, and I worked around it with a PDA. I leave my phone on 24/7, and my battery lasts 4 to 5 days at a time.

I'm happy. :-)
[/b]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wayne @ Jul 2 2006, 04:19 PM) [snapback]280196[/snapback]</div>

I've used an e815 on my 2005 for many months now with zero issues. There was one time I couldn't understand a caller, but they said "wait a minute", took their phone out of speakerphone mode, and all was well again. So their fault. I can't transfer my phonebook, but that was a Verizon issue, and I worked around it with a PDA. I leave my phone on 24/7, and my battery lasts 4 to 5 days at a time.

I'm happy. :-)
[/b]

thanks for the detailed reply

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Jul 1 2006, 12:14 AM) [snapback]279525[/snapback]</div>

I have an e815 with my 2005 and it works great. It pairs quickly. The ringing is from the phone and not from the car's speakers. I can't transfer my phonebook but I've got a workaround. With a 2006 you can enter them manually.
[/b]

will it ring with a 2006??

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wayne @ Jul 2 2006, 04:19 PM) [snapback]280196[/snapback]</div>

I've used an e815 on my 2005 for many months now with zero issues. There was one time I couldn't understand a caller, but they said "wait a minute", took their phone out of speakerphone mode, and all was well again. So their fault. I can't transfer my phonebook, but that was a Verizon issue, and I worked around it with a PDA. I leave my phone on 24/7, and my battery lasts 4 to 5 days at a time.

I'm happy. :-)
[/b]

I am having a hard time figuring out how to post so bear with me. some one else said that the e815 will not ring over the radio it is on. will it do it in a 2006?? also, do you have to sweitch anything on the phone to allow the car to recognize it as a bluetooth?? that would be a pain.

marty

[aaf709]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DougSlug @ Jul 2 2006, 10:27 AM) [snapback]280136[/snapback]</div>

Sounds easy, but I'm not quite ready to go modifying anything yet. I don't use the phone that much, but if that changes, I may consider it. Thanks for the details.

- Doug
[/b]

Hey, no problemo. I waited a year or so before I cut the wire. 95% of the calls I make can easily be handled by the One-Touch. 4.5% can be done using the NAV and the POI settings (I have a 2005 so I can do the NAV override), so this will take care of the remaining .05%