Hands free with Package 3

[Roger3125]

As you may have read all cell phones in California must be hands free. Everyone is to switch now but the public won't be ticketed until '08 to allow us time to look around and chose out options. I say they should have addressed this years ago.

Nonetheless, on behave of all pkg 3 Prius owners what are our options? I've been told Pkg 3 does not have Bluetooth (whatever that is) and I won't have something stuck in my ear while driving.

For whats its worth I have a Nokia 6101 cell phone.

Thanks all

[miwaku]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Roger3125 @ Sep 16 2006, 05:40 PM) [snapback]320604[/snapback]</div>

As you may have read all cell phones in California must be hands free. Everyone is to switch now but the public won't be ticketed until '08 to allow us time to look around and chose out options. I say they should have addressed this years ago.

Nonetheless, on behave of all pkg 3 Prius owners what are our options? I've been told Pkg 3 does not have Bluetooth (whatever that is) and I won't have something stuck in my ear while driving.

For whats its worth I have a Nokia 6101 cell phone.

Thanks all
[/b]

Bluetooth is wireless technology that (in this case) allows a cell phone to connect with a Bluetooth hands-free device (either a headset or a car system). I have a T-Mobile MDA (HTC Wizard) PDA phone, and I carry around a Logitech Mobile Traveller BLuetooth headset. I can leave the headset on my ear (though that's the dorky way to go) and place & answer calls on it without touching my phone. When I'm in my 06 Prius (also pkg 3), that's how I use the phone. Georgia hasn't gone totally hands-free yet, but Fort Gordon, where I work, has, as have all federal areas.

If you & I had bought a pkg 5 or higher, we'd have Bluetooth, and when you start your car, a Bluetooth phone would connect to it, and receiving calls would be as easy as hitting the ANSWER button on your steering wheel (it wold've been right above the Air Circ/Defrost buttons on the right side).

Your phone, however, does not have Bluetooth, and neither does your car, so you don't have any of those options. You have four choices if you want to use your phone while driving.

1. Use the wired earbud that probably came with it. Depending on the CA law, you might not be able to legally call anyone unless you use the integrated voice dialing (which DOES come with your phone).

2. Use the integrated speakerphone. Same issue as above.

3. Buy a Bluetooth adapter for your phone and a Bluetooth headset.

4. Get a phone that does have Bluetooth, then buy a Bluetooth headset.

Have fun, and drive safely.

[glenhead]

If you have/get a Bluetooth phone, you can get a Parrot adapter (do a search on Parrot here in the forums) that'll integrate with the stereo system pretty much like the multi-zillion-dollar Toyota version does. In another thread I gave the name and number of the Parrot technical service rep at the national headquarters here in Austin - he said the Prius isn't listed on their site or docs, but they do have several installed in second-generation Prii. He can give you the number and company for the exact interface cable you need, too. I'm going to get one installed myself once we scrape together the spare funds.