Plantronics M165 Marque 2 Ultralight Bluetooth Headset - Frustration-Free Packaging - Black

Plantronics M165 Marque 2 Ultralight Bluetooth Headset - Frustration-Free Packaging - Black..

Buy Plantronics M165 Marque 2 Ultralight Bluetooth Headset - Frustration-Free Packaging - Black By Plantronics

Most helpful customer reviews

162 of 172 people found the following review helpful.
Get the M50
By Daniel Will-Harris
I had a Plantronics M50 headset that I called "the best bluetooth headset in the world." It could do many things, but fall into a puddle and continue to work was not one of them (and it never claimed to be waterproof--oh wait, after two days of drying out, it works again!).

Since I use a headset for everything (all calls, GPS, listening to music), I needed one right away so I went to BestBuy and bought one of these. It's small, light, and I was surprised that the earpiece actually fit and stayed in my ear--oh, it just fell out while I was talking, so I guess I need the ear loop for safety, can't have it falling out while I'm driving--that's dangerous).

LIKE:

Pairing was brilliant--it literally talks you through the process for Android or iPhone.

As with the M50, it talks to you when you turn it on, change the volume, lose or regain the connection. It's great to have these plain-English status prompts.

It tells you the approximate talk time in hours, which is convenient (but not entirely necessary, as the battery meter shows up automatically on smart phones--and perhaps not all that accurate--first it said I had four hours talk time, I talked for 15 minutes, then it said I had three).

When the phone rings, the headset prompts you to say "answer" or "ignore" and that actually works.

Holding down the volume button for two seconds mutes the mic, that's handy.

Vocalyst: I used this Dial2Do service in the past when I didn't have a smartphone and found it very useful--it will read your email to you, let you record reminders (it used to transcribe them, now that's an extra-cost option), read news from various sources such as the New York Times. The service normally costs $25 a year, and a free year is included with this headset.

DISLIKES:
My biggest complaint is that despite this having two mics, the resulting sound is tinny--as if it's cutting out. Perhaps this is part of the noise reduction, but when used in a quiet room, it just makes you sound more robotic than you probably are. I compared the sound from my M50 and this M165 back to back in voicemail I left myself, and the M5 is clearly more solid, richer sounding--and louder.

The same is true for listening volume--which was louder on the M50 (perhaps because it fits more snugly into the ear and makes a tighter connection)

The button, which looks like an iPhone home button, is fine--but on the M50, the entire face was the button, and that was easier to press. And pressing The M165's button pushes it into your ear, which is uncomfortable.

It is not as comfortable in the ear as the M50. That fit so well that I'd forget it was there. With this I keep feeling like something's stuck in my ear.

The MyHeadset app is not very useful. It lets you do a sound check and record, and it has pairing instructions but it doesn't have all instructions and I quickly deleted it. Just the documentation in PDF format for iBooks would be more useful.

Now, I'm a fan of Plantronics products--so I don't understand how the Plantronics M50 can be the best bluetooth headset on the planet, and the M165, which theoretically should be 110 "better" is not as good.

I'm so glad my M50 is working again--and I may buy another as a backup just in case, because it truly is the best.

166 of 179 people found the following review helpful.
Another great Plantronics headset
By atmj
I've had the predecessor to this headset the M155 Marque, and several other plantronics headsets. I never intended to replace those as, I was happy with them, but the Vine program has given me the opportunity to upgrade, so well, I just had to see what's new. For the purposes of comparison my phone is an over 6 month old HTC Rezound smart phone.

In summary the short version:
Pros:
+ Headset fits great and doesn't fall out of my ear
+ Headset is loud enough
+ Long battery life and telling me what is left each time I turn it on is nice
+ Headset picks up the phone well. At least to 10 feet (in the same room), reception was good
+ Voice prompts for being unconnected or connected are great..
+ Seamless pairing

Cons:
- Saying Answer to pick up has not worked well. Predecessor was great.
- Pairing instructions were wrong
- Vocalyst is pointless on a smart phone

The long version follows:

GREAT FIT:
This headset fits well and works well. What is unique about this headset over another is the interesting in ear retention feature. The predecessor I owned had something similar and I loved it. It is one of the few that works well with glasses and doesn't get goofed up by long hair. Prior headsets either competed with my glasses for behind the ear space, or the retention arm would be caught by my hair; flipping out of my ear with a simple movement of my hair.

LOUD ENOUGH OR CUTS NOISE ENOUGH:
I find the headset loud enough to use in the car and also to walk over a 2 story non-covered bridge (over 4 lanes of rush hour traffic) that I walk over every day. I don't know if it is the noise cancellation or the good fit that makes this possible. Either way it works.

PICKING UP WHEN I SAY ANSWER HAS NOT WORKED:
The only difficulty I have had, is with the headset picking up when I say "answer" in the car. I'm not sure why I was not understood. I believe this happened a few times. The prior headset was great at this. I will try this some more before I consider this an issue. Instead I had to push the headset button which was no hardship.

LONG BATTERY LIFE AND INFO ON BATTERY DURATION IS GREAT:
Like it's predecessor, this battery lasts a long time. Even longer that the prior headset per the literature. Mine is always in my purse and when I turn it on, it tells me what time is left. That is a great feature, as then I have a good idea when to charge it. I like to run stuff out, before I charge as usually this improves battery life, so this information is important.

GREAT RECEPTION OF PHONE TO HEADSET
Each time I have used the headset, either I had the phone on my belt buckle, or in my car's beverage receptacle. Anywhere from 2 feet to 3 feet from the head set. There was no issue. In fact at home, I have left the phone on a dresser and walked over 10 feet away with only a slight degradation of quality. That's what clued me in to the fact, I had left the phone somewhere.

VOICE INFO IS GREAT
Like many people I don't leave my bluetooth on. I like that this headset tells me that it does not have a phone connected, if there is none detected. It reminds me to turn on my blue tooth. Also, this headset tells me when it is connected and it can be paired to more than one device. This can come in handy.

PAIRING WAS SEAMLESS
Pairing this phone as well as it's predecessor went well. Unfortunately in both cases, the instructions of where to find the settings to pair were wrong. I know Android can be like that and vary with devices and my HTC Rezound might not be in the sets they tested their instructions with. However many smart phone users know how to do this and I was not too concerned.

VOCALYST IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD USE:
For Vocalyst, I had tried that with the prior headset (my view is posted on Amazon) and it is a means of calling into a service to get access to your email, facebook etc. Essentially this service reads the content to you. As this burns minutes in my phone's call plan, it has no appeal to me. I tried it and that was enough for me. Since I have a smart phone, this is easy enough to check on this on the fly anyway. Maybe if I didn't have a smart phone or I needed constant access to my email, this would have more appeal.

MULTI-TASKING DEVICE:
Someone asked in a comment below, if this device could be simultaneously connected to two devices. The answer is Yes. I paired this headset to my iPad and connected it, then connected it to my cell phone. While listening to music on my iPad through the headset, I called my cellphone, which interrupted the music to notify me of the call...This was cool.

CAN REMAINED CONNECTED WHEN PLUGGED IN
Another person asked if this headset could remain connected while being plugged in. I checked this out and it could. I had the headset connected to the phone and then plugged it into the charger, where it remained actively connected. This is a mixed blessing because if you forget the headset is connected and your phone rings and you answer it without the headset in, you might be confused as to why you hear nothing. Once you figure out what is happening, I hope you have a means of switching to speaker (my smartphone does). I once left my headset in my purse connected and wondered why I kept getting these soundless calls...

This series of headsets are great.

78 of 86 people found the following review helpful.
Great Headset
By Amazon Customer
Plantronics M165 Bluetooth Headset / B0093TSSGW

I have owned the Plantronics M155 Bluetooth Headset for over a year now, and love it so much that I bought this M165 version to switch between while the other is charging.

These headsets are light-weight and very comfortable for me. (Whether they will work with your ears is largely a function of the individual, but for me these are the most comfortable headsets I've owned, and I've never had them fall out or slip from my ear.) The power switch is on the side -- you simply slide the switch to turn the power off and on, and a recorded voice informs you how much "talk time" is left on the battery, which is a nice feature, as well as whether or not your phone is connected. The switch also has red and green coloring, so it's easy to tell at a glance whether the headset is on or off.

Having setup with a new phone just the other day, I can also note how delighted I am with the voice-guided pairing instructions -- I'm confident that even non-techies could set this headset up without any problems.

I've never bothered to use the voice-answer option, but I do like the single button that can be pressed to answer. I'e used several headsets in the past, and these Plantronics M155/M165 are the most crisp and clear that I've used; my mother (who has hearing problems) almost never has trouble hearing me on this, outside of the usual limitations like outdoor wind or a bad connection. Mostly I use these headsets to listen to audiobooks, though, and I love the extended battery life on these -- the M155 has 4 hours of non-stop listening time (and idles well), and the M165 has 7 hours. If the big talk button would also work as a Pause/Play button with my Audible app (it doesn't), then I'd be in heaven but I suppose we can't have everything.

The only downside to these headsets is perhaps that the range is not so hot. The product description seems to be claiming 33 feet (!); I'd peg it as closer to 8-12 feet. I have noticed that when I'm walking into work, I have to hold the phone in my hand or purse if I don't want my audiobook to cut out -- if I place it in my pants pocket, the connection seems to skip a little, but if my phone is in my relatively steadier hand or purse then the connection is rock solid.

I've loaded up a picture of the M155 and the M165 on the product images: the M155 is very slightly thinner and lighter than the M165, but my ear can't tell the difference. I'm thrilled with both models and highly recommend them.

~ Ana Mardoll

See all 674 customer reviews...More...

UP 24 by Jawbone - Bluetooth Enabled - Large - Retail Packaging - Persimmon Red

UP 24 by Jawbone - Bluetooth Enabled - Large - Retail Packaging - Persimmon Red..

Grab Now UP 24 by Jawbone - Bluetooth Enabled - Large - Retail Packaging - Persimmon Red By Jawbone

Most helpful customer reviews

711 of 735 people found the following review helpful.
UP24 -- the Holistic Wrist gets better!
By RST
Last November, I reviewed the Jawbone UP, and later compared it to the Fitbit Flex. A year later, Jawbone has now released the UP24. This review will primarily focus on making a choice between UP, UP24 and Fitbit Flex. When I originally reviewed the devices, I thought the main differences would be in the hardware appearance and fit/feel. I was a bit wrong-- the biggest functionality difference was in the quality, function and aesthetic value of the software that comes with it. With the UP24 now having bluetooth syncing, the biggest difference for me is now only the software. I'll let you make your own conclusions.

And now a year later, I will refresh my thoughts about the UP & Flex devices, and how the UP24 adds to the mix of options.

If you want to read my original in depth review of the UP, you can see it here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/RT0KPKVSQD0HI/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm (copy & paste if click isn't allowed)

If you want to read my original in depth review of the Fitbit Flex, you can see it here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1CVXEEYIAIR0W/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm (copy & paste if click isn't allowed)

If you want to read my original review of the Fitbit One, you can see it here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/RU12ENFFFWD02/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm (copy & paste if click isn't allowed)

Hardware Comparison
UP24, UP and Flex are equally easy and comfortable for me to wear. The Flex requires a bit more work to latch, and the UPs both can get in the way when keyboarding on a laptop. Flex is charged by removing a horse pill sized module from the rubber arm band, and plugging it in to USB. UP is charged by plugging the band into an adapter and charging in USB.

In the UP vs Flex, I got about the same battery life in both, slightly leaning toward the Flex. In UP24, I get about 7 days of battery usage, and this includes it automatically bluetooth syncing. On both devices, if you have a bluetooth 4+ device, you should not see any noticeable drop in battery life by staying connected all the time, and I have not seen a difference.

I have worn the UP and Flex in extensive swimming, and while none are rated to track your swimming, none encountered any technical issues from the water. The Flex seemed to get a bit "funky/gross" in the portal where the horse pill goes. UP did not get gunky under its cap. Not a deal breaker on the Flex, but a bit more work to maintain.

From a physical and appearance perspective, the UP24 and UP are identical on the outside. The only difference is that the UP24 has a smaller sync jack inside the cap which is smaller than a standard headphone jack. The UP syncs through a headphone jack of your phone, while the UP24 and Flex use bluetooth.

Charging in both devices takes about at the same amount of time-- 30-60 minutes. I recommend for both that you only use a computer or PC-- not a USB wall charger. Some devices fail quickly when charged with more than 1.5V and while I don't have scientific proof to back it, this is my conclusion from what I've seen in discussions and on forums.

When you buy an UP or UP24, you are committing to a color. When you buy a Flex, you can change the band and can choose any color you can find in a replacement band.

Wearing each isn't terribly different. The UP/24 is more like a slap bracelet or a twisty metal that retains its original shape. You stretch it to put it on and it overlaps again to hold on. You can push it tighter if you want, as the rubber grips itself and lets you adjust the tension. The Flex is a thinner but wider band and feels more out of the way, but the clasp can be a bit difficult to operate. For absolute adherence I would say the Flex stays on better in most normal situations. The UP will stay on on roller coasters and probably even a NASA launch, but it can sometimes get entangled in backpack shoulder straps and pull itself from your arm to the strap. This is the only negative thing I have to say about the design of the UP.

Sleep Function
All three devices are equally accurate for day time walking for me and report almost identical steps. The UP and UP24 are equally good at sleep monitoring, both deep & shallow. The Fitbit didn't give nearly as much detail about sleep, and for that matter about activity, intensity, etc. throughout the day in such a clear simple beautiful presentation. The UP products now can auto add your sleep if you forgot to put it in sleep mode and you give it appropriate sleep and awake times. This is a really nice addition since all devices require you to tell them when you sleep, and sometimes it's easy to forget. Now, you don't lose that data. A great improvement.

One feature I like about the UP is the "power nap" function. It learns your sleep patterns, and lets you make it through one cycle of sleep and slowly begins to vibrate to wake you up. For me, this amount of time is about 26 minutes. It's so uncanny at waking you at the right time that you may almost feel like you didn't sleep-- until you realize you did. It can also use this technology to wake you in the morning.

Software Openness
For some months I wore both the Jawbone UP and Fitbit Flex on my arm, side by side, comparing their use, charging habits, syncing functionality, and software. There were a few reasons that some people would prefer the Fitbit product, and most of those focused on the Fitbit software's openness to sharing data to other third party applications for more intense food tracking (like MyFitness Pal, which now works with both UP/24 Flex), and other types of apps that help you focus on weight loss, etc. Last year, UP didn't have this functionality, but now it does. On the openness of software, there may be some caveats of what is available for each, but both now fully support third party software integration to your data.

Software Usage
Hands down, the UP software is more useful, intuitive, predictive and provides more insight. The software is downright beautiful. The design gets out of the way and lets you really interact with the data and configuration in a way that feels natural and intuitive. It's fun. The Fitbit Flex software is an adaptation of the software they've had for some time for their other devices, so in that I suspect that Fitbit didn't have the opportunity and timing to start with a fresh slate and rethink their software. I didn't like the software enough that I chose to stop using the Flex after a few months. I'm sure a total refresh will come soon from Fitbit, if it hasn't already subsequent to my testing of the Flex.

Social
When I did the original reviews linked above, I received (and welcomed!) a ton of questions. I might expect the same here. From my perspective the UP24 is an incremental upgrade to the UP, which was already neck to neck with the Fitbit Flex, and for me, the preferred choice. With the addition of Bluetooth to the UP, it's my clear and only choice. There may be reasons that you would prefer the Flex, and one reason that could sway you either way is the social aspect-- both support friends, which can provide encouragement both directly, and by your observance of their performance. Hey! My friend did 2x what I did all week, no wonder I am not dropping pounds! Etc. Wherever you have friends already using the platform, don't discredit this as a strong piece of encouragement if you're looking to make this an encouragement product.

In the beginning, Fibit sent weekly email summaries that were quite nice, and the UP strong point was providing real feedback about your data, and telling you in which percentage of performance you are in by all UP users. This area is also starting to commingle a bit with both products nearly covering the bases of each other.

Food Logging
I don't plan to compare some more of the discrete differences in software such as food logging, etc. I tried it originally in both and while I wasn't an expert, I stopped using it in both products. If I pick back up on the habit of food logging, I will update the review with that information. At the time, the UP had a beautiful software which even allowed you to scan bar codes, and Flex had less pretty but more in depth software food database. I would suspect that this is another area where this competition will become more intense and where they will equalize, and since 3rd party apps are supported in both, you could do this in another app if either software is lacking.

So to conclude, if you want me to choose a product for you as the average general interested customer, I would choose the UP24 for you. But if you know more about your needs or you have specific needs that you know the Flex meets and UP/24 does not, it's ok! I certainly wouldn't bash the flex and I think they could make it a quite powerful product again if they could get their software on par with Jawbone UP software app for iOS/Android.

I recommend the UP24 (which comes with bluetooth). I would only recommend the original UP (the one without bluetooth) to someone who doesn't have bluetooth, doesn't want to enable bluetooth, or is purely buying on price but likes the description of software or features of the UP/24. If you choose the UP and not the 24, make sure it is compatible with your phone or device.

I hope this has been long enough to be helpful, but short enough to not bore you. If you have specific
questions, I will do my best to answer them in the comments below. Happy fitness! FYI: I bought mine from jawbone. com.

UPDATE: In the mean time, the Fitbit Force has been released. I have not used this device. From what I can tell it adds an external display and altimeter to gauge stairs, otherwise, I don't have specific feedback on that device. I assume it uses the same software as the Flex.

UPDATE: A commentor pointed out that it would really have been optimal to compare the UP24 to the Fitbit Force. I can't disagree with that. I lost a little bit of steam with the Fitbit product due to their software being lacking at my last use of the Flex. If I can get my hands on a Force, I will add what I can in comparison if any differences are seen in my conclusions.

244 of 261 people found the following review helpful.
My favorite fitness band
By Charlie D
First off, I would like to point out that I own both the Jawbone UP24 and the Fitbit Force and will compare a few features in this review, but if you want a full review on the Fitbit Force I will be posting one on the actual product here soon.

Hardware:

The UP24 features new curved design on the top, has a smaller headphone jack that is only used for charging, and now syncs via Bluetooth. It has two green LED lights indicating day/night mode, a vibrating motor and a physical button for changing modes.
There is no clasp, you just twist it on and it fits fairly comfortably if you chose the right size. It is thin and bulky so it tends to get in the way and raise my wrist when I type or use a mouse and can get annoying, I prefer a wider, flatter design.

The Fitbit Force has a beautiful OLED Screen that shows you all of your stats without having to pull out your phone. The design is very minimalist, and to me is much more comfortable to wear vs the UP. It also does not snag on my jackets or long sleeve shirts and is very thin at the bottom so it is comfortable to type with it on where as the up can be very uncomfortable to type or use a mouse with it on.

Battery Life - Battery lasts me about 7-8 days and takes about an hour to charge. The manual says to charge it only on a USB port on your computer, but I have charged it using my iPhone wall charger and car charger just fine.

Pedometer - The UP seems fairly accurate for tracks your steps. If I wave my arm around or if I'm driving, the UP does not count steps whereas the Fitbit Force seems to count steps for any slight movement I make.

Software:

The App is just plain beautiful and intuitive. It is indeed what makes this product what it is. This is where this product shines over the Fitbit Force in my opinion, and is the reason I chose the UP24 even though it lacks a screen.

Activity Logging - Made extreme simple. You double tap + hold the physical button and it will start logging your work out. Once you are done, do it again and it will add an "activity" to your timeline in which you go to the iOS app and choose what type of activity it was from a preset list [walk, weights, run, cross train, hike, cardio, bike, yoga, stationary bike, pilates, elliptical, basketball, video games, tennis, dance, soccer, ski, other).
Once you choose your workout, you can choose what the intensity was and it will adjust the calorie burn accordingly. What I also like is that if you forget to log your activity, or remember half way through your workout, after your stop logging the workout you can edit what time you began the workout and it will analyze those prior movements and add them to your logged activity.
You can also calibrate your UP to your stride, by logging a known walking/running distance (track preferred) and going into your settings and choosing that activity and it will calculate your future walks/runs more accurately.

The Fitbit Force lacks in this department, it seems very finicky to me, especially after having used the UP. When I log an activity it only shows up on the web app but not on my iOS app (not sure why) and it only lets me name the workout but does not let me choose what type of exercise it was or the intensity level. The only way I have found to do this is to manually add your activity every time which is annoying and not as accurate.

Sleep tracking - The UP does this very well, you hold the button before you go to sleep until you see the LED moon, and feel it vibrate and press it again when you wake up. If you forget to put it in sleep mode, hit manually add sleep and it will automatically fill in your sleep and estimate what times you slept and woke up based on your movements. I've tried purposely sleeping without logging it to test this feature out and it has been very accurate. It also has a power nap mode (double tap 3 times + hold) and you can record your naps throughout the day and it will automatically wake you up based off your sleep cycle.
It will show you a pretty graph with your deep sleep/light sleep cycle, and how many times you woke up based off your movements throughout the night.

The Fitbit Force does at pretty good job at tracking sleep also, but doesn't break down your stats as well as the UP.

Alarms - One of my favorite features, you can set smart vibration alarms that wake you up slowly based off your sleep cycle, I much prefer this over a loud obnoxious cellphone alarm. There is also an idle alarm that will vibrate after you have been inactive for a preset amount of time to remind you to get off your butt (Something the Fitbit Force does not have).

Social - I loove the social aspect of the UP (Something the Fitbit Force also lacks) you have the ability to add your friends or random people (which I did because none of my friends own an UP) and cheer each other on and comment on each other's workouts and statuses. You can set your mood for the day with a status to go with it, you can view people's UP profiles and view their logged activities and goal progress. It makes it feel like a game and really motivates you to get off your butt and compete.

App Support - The UP has plenty of supporting Apps, although the only ones I use are runkeeper and withings. Every time you log a run on runkeeper it will automatically add it to your timeline with a picture of your route and your running stats. Every time you weigh yourself on a withings scale or manually add your weight to the withings app, it will add it to your time line with a picture of a bar graph showing your weight history.

Food Logging - UP has vast database of foods, I was even able to find items off certain restaurant menus. You can also take a picture of your food and type in the nutrition facts manually or use bar code scanner built into the app (what I mostly use). I really like this feature but am lazy at times to log everything I eat so I don't use it as much as id like to.

As for the Fitbit... I'd recommend linking it to MyFitnessPal and use their food database.

In conclusion:
I absolutely love everything about the UP except the hardware itself. Although I do really like the design, it is slightly bulky, lacks a screen, and has no clasp. But the UP software is so well made and fun to use that I am happily willing to overlook that. I don't carry my computer with me everywhere so it is awesome to be able have all my detailed stats available to me. Although I do hope they make a windows metro app for it next! Fitbit already has one!

The Fitbit band itself I actually prefer to wear, love the design, fit, screen, and color, but can't bring myself to like it as much as I'd like to because the steps always seem over counted and the app is way too basic for me. Also the fact that you have to pay 50$ a year for more in depth stats. Should be free in my opinion. Also don't like having to log on to the web app to see more details of my activities.

- UPDATE [5 JAN 2014]-

After extensive testing wearing both the Jawbone UP24 and Fitbit Force on my non dominant hand (left) I have found the Fitbit force to be grossly inaccurate. More so than I had originally thought. On a 10 minute drive to work the Fitbit recorded 126 steps while the UP recorded none. On a road trip back from NY to MD, the Fitbit counted over 400 steps while the UP24 constantly gave me my hourly idle alerts so I knew that no activity was being recorded. By end of each day, the Fitbit force counted 1,000 - 3,000 steps more than then UP24! Now I have also compared this data to the Moves App and the Runtastic Pedometer app for the iPhone 5S that both utilize its M7 motion processor. I started recording an activity on all four apps/devices before I stepped out of my door, and went to the mall with my wife for a typical day of following her around while she shops. I stopped recording when we arrived home and I stepped back inside my house (I was out for about 4 hours). Here are the results of my comparison test:

iPhone 5S: Moves App - 3,106 Steps
iPhone 5S: Runtastic Pedometer App - 3,313 Steps
Jawbone UP24 - 3,269 Steps
Fitbit Force - 3,886 Steps

As you can see, the UP24 fell right in between the iPhone Apps, while the Fitbit Force had counted 500+ steps more. This is due to the high sensitivity of the Fitbit Force as it counts steps for any slight movement (as I mentioned earlier). To test this further, I had my wife wear the Fitbit force while she did her hair and when she gave it back it had counted over 1,000 steps...

Another thing I have discovered about the Jawbone UP24 is that it can indeed be used for cycling/elliptical, although there is a catch. You have to wear it on your ankle (which its coil design somewhat allows, depending on your band/ankle size). Mine is a little stretched when I have it on as the ends don't touch, but it still feels comfortable over the sock and works just the same. I tried it on a stationary bike and it counted two steps/revolution, it also counts steps walking around very accurately as well. So that's something you can experiment with if you do decide to get one and you frequently go on bike rides or if for whatever reason you can't wear it on your wrist.

_______________________________

If there is anything else you guys would like me to add to this review that I may have missed, please let me know and I will update my review.

161 of 173 people found the following review helpful.
Its good buts its bulky.
By kolimit
I was initially given the Up24 as a Christmas Gift. My fiancé saw that I had been searching for weeks trying to decide the right one. She did some research on her own and decided to get me this product. But after a week, I returned it and brought the Nike Fuelband SE. BUT here is my product review.
Pros:
1. Software: The Jawbone’s software is FAR ahead of Fitbit and Nike Fuelband. It was very comprehensive and easy to understand. The Software integrated with all the popular Fitness tracking apps, i.e. Myfitness Pal. Fitbit does too. Nike Fuelband does NOT! That’s a huge negative for me. I digress. The software automatically synced with Myfitness Pal. What I would offer as a suggestion to Jawbone is to improve the software would allow for the individual to put in Calories manually. It allows it, sort of. But you have to do some playing around. ALL, I REPEAT ALL, Fitness trackers are horrible at recording Weight Training and Static Exercise Machines (treadmills). BUT jawbone does better than all to help the user put the actually calories that they think may have burned and sync with MyFitnessPal.

2. Sleep tracking: Another good one. Their sleep tracking and integration was awesome and provided me an insight into how I sleep. I noticed that I do my heavy sleeping early and light sleep as the night wears on. I think that is military training. I digress.

3. Battery Life: 7 days is great. Before I decided to switch, my plan was to wear the device Monday-Saturday and take it off on Sundays for charging. I personally believe that too much tracking and syncing will derail your fitness plans. Need to give it a rest. No matter. This is still a plus.

4. Ease of use. Very easy to remove and expands. This was useful for weight training when I had to put on my gloves (w/ wrist support). My Fuelband, I must replace the links.

5. The Silent wakeup. Great idea. TOO bad the Nike FB DOES NOT have this feature .

Cons: Ultimately, I decided I had to return this product because it did not integrate into my routine smooth enough

1. Software: Jawbone needs to have a desktop app.

2. Feels Cumbersome: I could never find the right position to wear this thing around my wrist. I initially have the thicker piece facing up. Then I switched to it being down. Jawbone needs to be on board and design the next Up24 as something you strap to your wrist, not wrap around. This was the main reason (if not, the only) I returned the product.

3. Need to allow the user to manually input his/her calories burned after a workout. Why does Jawbone care if people cheat. They are only cheating themselves.

4. Need to thin it out. It is too thick and gets in the way. It came off while I was sleep. I believe it’s too easy to lose this item. Por Que $150 es mucho dinero (Because $150 is a lot of money).

5. Where the heck is the heart rate monitor? If it’s too much to put into the product, an idea would be to team up with a popular heart rate tracking company to integrate a HR monitor to link in with the UP to give accurate calories burned. Just a thought.
If Jawbone Up was similar in design to Nike FB SE, I would return the Nike FB SE in a heartbeat.

See all 291 customer reviews...More...

Intel Network 7260.HMWG WiFi Wireless-AC 7260 H/T Dual Band 2x2 AC+Bluetooth HMC

Intel Network 7260.HMWG WiFi Wireless-AC 7260 H/T Dual Band 2x2 AC+Bluetooth HMC..

GET Intel Network 7260.HMWG WiFi Wireless-AC 7260 H/T Dual Band 2x2 AC+Bluetooth HMC By Intel

Most helpful customer reviews

79 of 87 people found the following review helpful.
Older HP Dv7 - Wifi works great - Bluetooth No Go BUT...
By digitalPimple
The card works great and my speeds over AC are a nice improvement. I am still bottle-necked as I'm using an older HP-DV7 1000 series laptop with this card.

For those that may not know; if you receive an error at start-up after install, this means your laptops manufacture has blocked the card from working (Only approved cards). You will need to re-flash your laptops bios/firmware with a modified version that remove this 'blocking' function. (white listed)

You can find a few sites out there that specialize in listing modified bios/firmwares based on your laptops model and bios/firmware version removing the 'white listing' completely. Take your time with this if you're new.

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

Intel now offers the drivers for this card. If you want to use the Bluetooth function be sure to get the Bluetooth Intel software package FIRST before installing the Intel Wireless Drivers.

The Bluetooth works only over G wireless so be prepared for setup issues and some playing. Read Intel instructions on this. This may not just be a plug and play feature for your situation.

Link to Intel Bluetooth package and setup Info: [...]
Intel WiFi driver packages: [...]

Good luck!
If you found this useful please click YES below please!!! Thx

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
Great product from Intel
By J. Bennett
I purchased this card in combination with the new ASUS RT-AC66U where I installed DD-WRT. I installed this card on my Lenovo V570 after removing the BIOS blacklist. The Lenovo V570 has two antennas so that worked well with this card. I downloaded the drivers from Intel and installed them on a Windows 7 x64. It works very well, so far I have not experienced any disconnects as other users have, maybe because I used the latest Intel driver. I have not tested bluetooth.

I have configured my router for 80Mhz of bandwidth at 5Ghz 802.11ac and 40Mhz for 2.4Ghz. I have also checked the settings for the Intel AC 7260 and changed the following:

- 802.11n Channel Width for 2.4Ghz: Auto
- 802.11n Channel Width for 5.2Ghz: Auto
- Preferred Band: 3. Prefer 5.2Ghz band

I also checked multiple channels for the 5Ghz interface. Some channels were pretty bad with connection speeds of 70mbit/sec.

I have my router upstairs and use the laptop downstairs. The connection speed at 5GHz shows in DD-WRT and Windows at 585 mbit/sec. My old 802.11n card was connecting at 144 mbit/sec. After testing some file transfers, the effective bandwidth was around 15MB/sec, which is effectively around 120mbit/sec, 10 times the 1MB/sec that I was getting with the 802.11n. In theory I should be seeing transfers of 60-70 MB/sec but I am happy with my 10x improvement. Now if you are testing this card by transferring some files, your storage needs to be able to handle these transfer speeds. I have a 10TB storage array connected to my server via 4Gigabit Fibrechannel that can do more than 300MB/sec (limited by the 1gbit/sec network connection of the router to 120MB/sec) and I use an Intel last generation flash SLC drive on my laptop that will easily do 100MB/sec, so my backend storage can support true 1 gigabit/sec.

One last thing, be aware that the seller SPICY BOMB is selling fake cards. These cards are Atheros AR9462/AR5BWB222 with a photocopied sticker from an Intel card. These are not even AC wireless cards. If you purchased this card from SPICY BOMB, please look at the sticker and see if you have WFM: 0C8BFD2C745A and BDM: 0C8BFD2C745E. If you do, you have the fake card. You can also identify the fake because the antenna connectors are marked CH0 and CH1 instead of 1 and 2 like the Intel.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Great upgrade for my Dell XPS 17!
By John Platt
My Dell XPS 17 (Model L1702X) was having problems with it's built-in Intel 6230N wireless card, so I finally decided to replace it. After studying on new cards i wanted to get a card that could use the full potential of my new Router (NETGEAR Wireless Router - AC1750 Dual Band Gigabit (R6300) - Manufacturer Refurbished. Mine was purchased from Mobile Computing Solutions and shows up as the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260. It connects at 866.7 Mbps to my netgear R6300 version 1 router using the Wireless AC standard which is amazingly fast, it's almost like connecting with a cable.

Installation:
I downloaded the latest windows 7 drivers previously. You need to first download the Bluetooth drivers which for windows 7 64bit is BT_3.1.1311_s64. Then I had to find the windows drivers. I used the drivers only which is Wireless_16.6.0_Ds64. There is also a newer Wireless_16.7.0_Ds64 that is out as well.

I looked up dissassembly instructions online for my Dell XPS 17 Laptop (L1702X). I took apart my case and removed my Wireless card, which had two wires connected but three available (one was wrapped and not used). It replaced an Intel 6230N. I then put in the new card and used the previous screw to screw it in. The antenna wires were popped back on the same sides. I then put my laptop back together which was hard since I had to remove the keyboard and several small screws from throughout the system.

I then booted the laptop and installed the bluetooth drivers and network drivers again. I then connected to my wireless network using the new card.

Troubleshooting: I was only connecting at 54Mbps at first and I was having connection issues. Here is how I fixed it...
For those with wireless-n and wireless-ac routers you may have to troubleshoot your windows settings if you have "upgraded" your card. In the control panel, go to the Device manager, go to network section, and double-click on the Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260. Now clicked on Advance. Under Ad-hoc choose WMM Enabled, under HT mode choose VHT, under preferred band choose 5.2ghz, under transmit power choose 5 highest, and under wireless mode choose 6: 802.11 a/b/g. Press okay to save changes.

Inside your router go to the QOS section (in my netgear router it can be found in advanced>Setup>QOS Setup). Make sure WMM is enabled. Save changes.

Another thought is to use a program like DNS Bench to find the best DNS server for you. I added my provider's DNS to the generated list and it turned out that Charter's DNS (one of the two provided) was the fastest and a level 3 dns server was second fastest for me. I added both as static dns server's to my router.

Final Thoughts:
I love this wireless card. You'll have to ignore the Windows 7 bug that claims you are connecting to a Wireless N network and the driver bug that states you only connect to a/b/g networks. The one device bug right now is that your router needs WMM enabled. This does not make sense since my wireless AC usb adapters such as the Edimax AC adapter, did not have this problem. Overall the Intel 7260 connects faster than the Edimax EW-7811UTC AC600 Dual-Band USB Adapter, Mini Size Easy to Carry, Supports Both 11AC ( 5GHz Band ) and 11n ( 2.4GHz Band ) Wi-Fi Connectivity, Upgrades your PC / Laptop for Exceeding Streaming and Faster Download. It actually is twice as fast since its 866.7 Mbps compared to 430Mbps , not to mention it fits inside my laptop so I can't break it. Overall if you don't mind opening your laptop this is a great deal for Wireless AC router owners!

If this review was helpful then please click the button! Thanks!

See all 165 customer reviews...More...

HMDX Audio HX-P230RD JAM Classic Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Strawberry)

HMDX Audio HX-P230RD JAM Classic Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Strawberry)..

Buy HMDX Audio HX-P230RD JAM Classic Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Strawberry) By HMDX

Most helpful customer reviews

1057 of 1120 people found the following review helpful.
Don't be fooled by the small package
By haystack
First off, I would like to explain that this may be an ongoing review. I just bought this item last night, and being a person who understands electronics, I usually wait for my reviews. This time, I figured I would start the review, and then I can come back and edit. Therefore, you may see some updates or changes below.

Second, don't let my initial 4-star rating fool you. I was torn on how to rate this product for the value of what you pay, or vs. other speakers. I decided to put this up against much larger bluetooth speakers, and I think it speaks volumes that a $40 item is 4-stars compared to $150 bluetooth portable speakers.

I'm going to start with what most peopls call "cons", but I'm just going to note them as minor nuisances

-The cord is only about 6 inches long....BUT...its your standard android type charger. Since I'm a Samsung Galaxy boy, myself, I have a ton of these cables. It is currently charging with an old LG cable I found

-Some have mentioned a slight hum in the speaker. This is pretty common with most Bluetooth devices. This goes away when you start playing music. There have been some that said, "once you hear the hum, you always hear the hum". I purposely turned the music all the way down just to hear the hum. I listened to it at my desk for 5 minutes, and then played music again. I don't notice any hum, and I am TRYING to hear it. So, although there is, in fact, a hum, I'm not noticing it when in use.

-Its not a great bass machine, but again, is this really a con? Do people buy a prius to drag-race? Cannot really hold that against this machine, so again...that is why I said a "minor nuisance" (and that is a stretch)

-The power switch is on the bottom

-There is an extreeeeeemly loud series of beeps every time you turn it on. You know its coming, so you can try to shield it. Its still somewhat annoying, and not good for starting up in quiet places. There may be a way around this, I just haven not figured it out.

-The controls on the speaker itself are a little slow to respond, but honestly, who is going to use this? It is only a minor delay anyway. I just tested them to see what they were. I control everything from my phone.

I tried this thing out approximately 10 times in Bed Bath and Beyond. I kept messing with their display and was rather disappointed that I couldn not try my own music on their display. So, that kept me from trying it at first. Plus, I am always concerned that the display model is set up differently and it just won't sound as good at home in larger rooms...which takes me to my pros, and what I love about this (so far)

-The sound fills a room. Its not that massive BOSE sound, but its pretty close in how it fills a room. I listen to a lot of 90's acoustic rock and that stuff sounds incredible. Now, if you get to some of the newer club-rap type of music, there is not a lot of power, but it doesn't sound distorted either. Still sounds good, it just is not going to blow your hair back and rattle windows

-I had the phone about 15 feet away from the device and it played beautifully. What is funny is Pandora played clearer than my recorded music...here is why that is a pro. Because, I realized a lot of my recorded music is garbage from the internet and typically poor recordings, which leads me to believe that this device really picks out the clarity of songs. Much like a good set of headphones might actually make some of my bad recording actually sound bad because the headphones are so clear.

-The construction is very sturdy

- (pending a battery test)

- any standard charger that comes with most android phones can charge this.

-line in that will work with non-USB devices

-packaging is actually very nice. I will keep this for storage.

If you are skeptical about buying this, just buy it from a place that has easy returns. Thus far, I have no desire to return it. As far as performance goes, it is a solid 5-star product for the price. Again, I gave it four stars only because its slightly not as powerful as some bigger, more expensive speakers. I realize that may not be a fair assessment, but, again, I think it speaks more to the product that I give it 4 stars in comparing it to the larger portable Bluetooth speakers. I think the only way I would have a problem with this speaker in the future, is if for some reason performance decreases, or I find that the battery lasts a very short amount of time. I will update this, if needed, in the future. If you don't hear from me, that means its still doing well :)

417 of 459 people found the following review helpful.
Great Sound in a Small Package Tested on iOS Devices
By Jorge J. Coelho
I'm always looking for new ways to get portable sound to boost what I get from my iPhone and iPads. I was excited to test out a wireless set of speakers at such a low price point. What I can say is I was pleasantly surprised by all of the following:

+ Nice design to the speaker that just feels like a solidly built product.
+ Rubber bottom on speaker allows it to easily grip onto surfaces.
+ Sound is clear with some decent level of bass for such a small speaker. I tried all types of music including classical and did not experience some of the "humming" reported by others. I'm not sure if this was addressed by the manufacturer in later versions, but I was impressed and saw only minimal distortion at full volume.
+ Bluetooth range was impressive as I saw minimal distortion only when getting beyond about 15 feet. Keep in mind that most Bluetooth devices ranges advertised are maximum with some distortion, so 30 ft is what you get before you just flat out get an abundance of distortion. I did find that solid objects like walls will limit the range, which you find with other Bluetooth products.
+ Pairing was simple with all my iOS devices.
+ Added bonus of having an AUX in and Play/Pause controls on the speaker even though it's unnecessary, since you can use your device as a remote for the speaker. The AUX in is a nice tough for anyone who doesn't have Bluetooth support, but then again I would not purchase a speaker whose main purpose is Bluetooth for a device without Bluetooth.
+ Included packaging is re-usable for storage, which is convenient.

The only thing that was really a small negative for me is that the cable provided for charging is rather short and unless your outlet is close enough to a solid surface you may have to leave the speaker hanging for charging, but this was something I easily saw past.

Overall this is a very solid Bluetooth speaker at a great price point when compared to other similar options. It's a great entry point for anyone interested in a Bluetooth speaker. Keep in mind that all my testing was performed on iOS devices. I tested on an iPhone 5, iPad 1 and iPad 2. iPhone 5 was running iOS 6 and the iPads were running iOS 5.

********* I received this product for free as part of the Amazon.com Vine program. Nonetheless, I review the product in the same manner as I would if I had purchased it myself. *********

410 of 463 people found the following review helpful.
too big for the sound
By Benjamin Rose
I have been seeing so many mixed reviews for different products that I decided to buy a few, try them out, and decide for myself which one I'm going to keep. So I ended up buying the 4 speakers that have high ratings:
Accessorise (tm) Portable Bluetooth Wireless Mini Speaker System,
Alpatronix AX300 X-tra Strong Bluetooth Portable Mini Capsule Speaker,
DBEST London Duo Bluetooth Rechargeable Mini-Speaker Set (PS4003BT-RB),
HMDX Audio HX-P230GY JAM Classic Bluetooth Wireless Speaker,
and X-Mini KAI XAM11-B Bluetooth Capsule Speaker.

Having tested them, I thought I would post my review here in the hopes that it would clear out doubts for others. Here are the results of my testing. In each category, I have ranked them 1-5, with 1 being my favorite, and 5 being the least favorite:

Design:
#1: I have to say Alpatronix speakers claim the spot hands down! Right out of the box, my son was about to steal it from me. He ended up doing so anyway, but I managed to keep him away from it until I finished testing the speaker. The speaker is sleek with rubberized finish and a chrome sleeve on the top and the sides. It's also the most portable onewithout compromising sound quality. The packaging is also very classy (for gifting), and is fun just to open. Kinda like apple products! It looks very sophisticated indeed.
#2 spot goes to HMDX JAM. I have to say I wasn't that crazy about the shape of the actual speaker which is just a cylinder, but the box is like a jam jar, which I thought was cool for children. The speaker is much bigger than the other ones and doesn't fit comfortably in the pocket of my jeans. It's also VERY heavy considering the size, so you'll feel it in your pocket if you are finally able to fit it in.
#3 spot goes to DBEST. It looks like the Alpatronix without the chrome, and also looks like X-Mini KAI. It's not very portable because it has 2 speakers so I can't fit it into my pocket. Even my wife who normally carries a big purse wants to have the smallest possible option, which is definitely not this one.
#4 spot goes to X-Mini KAI. Again, it looks and functions like the Alpatronix, but without the chrome band. Other than that, it looks like a black blob... nothing special. The packaging doesn't look bad. Hard plastic packaging dressed with thin cardboard dressing.
#5 spot goes to Accessories. This looked really cool in pictures but actually the plastic looks cheap. Size is very small, similar to Alpatronix, and KAI but doesn't expand. The packaging is thin flexible plastic and looks cheapish. I don't recommend it for a gift.

Sound:
I tested the speakers with different types of music: Pop, rock, hiphop, house, and classical. Also I charged all the speakers fully before testing.
#1: HMDX JAM. The sound is louder in this speaker. This must be due to the bigger size, which means a bigger and wider speaker in the device. However, I didn't like the bass level relative to the volume level, and the weight and size are a big negative.
#2: Alpatronix. In expanded form, it has a very nice sound and covers both high and low ends really well, with a very nicely developed sound. When I first played it, I thought it was weak until I read the user manual which indicated the speaker turns on at mid volume and that you can increase it to full volume with the little knob that controls most of the functions. Can't believe this little thing makes such big sound!
#3: DBEST. The sound on this speaker is ok. Considering there's 2 speakers, I just expected more! Considering the negatives mentioned in the design, I didn't bother testing it for too long as I was sadly disappointed with the first couple songs I played.
#4: X-Mini KAI. This one just sounds weak. Being about the size and shape of the Alpatronix and DBEST, I was expecting it to perform about the same, but the sound is just really weak even at full volume. It has a nicely developed sound but it just doesn't get loud.
#5: Accessories. The sound is as loud as the HMDX JAM. But the positives stop here. It just covers the highs, and nothing of the lows. No bass at all, and screeching at full blast!

Conclusion:
#1: Alpatronix AX300 was the most well-rounded speaker, meeting everything the manufacturer claims. It's portable, VERY nice sound, great packaging, and good price!
#2: HMDX JAM has good sound, but not very portable. Don't like the shape, weight, or size. The packaging looks cool if you are into jam jars, but I purchased it for portability and sound. It met the sound qualification, but definitely not the other criteria.
#3: DBEST. Like #2, but the sound is not as good. That's why this one receives #3.
#4: X-Mini KAI. I would avoid it if possible. Weak sound, but nice portability.
#5: Accessories. I would not spend money on this. Bad sound, cheap look, and cheap packaging. Like a singer who sings beyond their voice range. No bass at all and screaming!

Good luck with your purchase! I have to go get me another Alpatronix AX300 now that my son has the first one :)

See all 2775 customer reviews...More...

Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red)

Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red)..

Grab Now Iwoo Sports Wireless Bluetooth Headset Headphone Earphone for Cell Phone Iphone Laptop Pc(red) By Masione

Most helpful customer reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful.
Great Value!!!
By Andrew Arnold
This is the first Bluetooth headset I've owned. It's a no name brand from China so I didn't expect much. The instructions included are fairly useless, but I really had no trouble with the set up. I'm no audiophile so I can't speak to the quality of the sound because I use it when I'm walking for audiobooks, plus I've got a little bit of a tin ear. But it sounds clean and clear to me- no interference at all. When I got it, I was on my way for a walk, so I figured I'd try it out right away- no charging first. It lasted through the whole half hour walk. When I got home I charged it, and within a half hour it completed the charge. (I don't know how long the charge will last, if need be I'll update the review). As the title suggests, it's a great value- you'll pay this much for a regular set of wired headphones (Which I hate like Wile E. Coyote hates the Road Runner). So I'm very happy with the purchase.

BATTERY CHARGE UPDATE- I use these headphones for about 30 minutes every day and the charge lasted about 2 weeks before it needed a recharge. When the battery is low, you'll begin hearing 4 quick beeps every 15 seconds and then after a few minutes, it will shut off. Also, I forgot to mention that I'm a 'big and tall' guy so the back of my neck looks like a package of hot dogs, and I would describe the fit of the headset as snug. It's not too tight but almost, so if you're not a Heavy Chevy like me, they will probably fit perfectly comfortably.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
First impression was disappointment, once I got it working, I am happy.
By msn yin yang
Received the headset and was eager to try it out. Looks sharp with the red and black styling. First fit was good for my small neck and ear buds sat comfortably in my ear. The red plastic covering the back of the neck was loose on one side. Tried to push it back but it did not stay. It wasn't a snap joi nt but it needed to be glued in place. No big deal. Will do that if I decide to keep it.

Unfortunately I will have to wait for some instructions before I can review the sound quality and pairing capabilities. I could not truth this unit on. There is one pin hole marked with on/off below it. Tried the usual paper clip method but can't feel any clicks and given the fragility of the product, I dare not pushed too hard. Waiting for others to comment on how to turn this unit on and off. If unable to do that, it is going back.

Update:
Vendor replied with options to return or replace it but I got it figured out and now testing the unit before final decision.

Do not stick anything into the pin hole. It is not a switch but the LED. What's mark as on/off is really the status led.

The instruction in the back of the packaging refers to a Bluetooth key, that's the play button or the center button. Hold that for about 5s to turn it on. This is also the talk and hang up button.

To pair, press the play button and hold it until it alternates between blue and red for paring, this can only be done from the off state.

To turn it off, Press the play button until you see it flash red. Let go of the play button.

To turn it on, press he play button until you see a blue light, let go of the button.

To answer or hang up, press the play button.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
affordable bluetooth headphones
By Michael
simple to use
works well
light wieght
last a few days off of a charge
fits fairly comfortably on most heads

See all 49 customer reviews...More...

Bear Motion for iPad Air - Ultra thin Folio Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple iPad Air

Bear Motion for iPad Air - Ultra thin Folio Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple iPad Air..

Special Price Bear Motion for iPad Air - Ultra thin Folio Case with Detachable Bluetooth Keyboard for Apple iPad Air By Bear Motion

Most helpful customer reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful.
Changes the way I work with my Ipad Air
By D. Perkins
I am rating this 5 stars simply because so far everything promised has been realized. The bluetooth works smoothly although it takes some time to get used to it (I am writing this with the keyboard now), the keys are certainly adequate although if someone has very large hands they could be somewhat small for them, the keyboard can be easily removed when desired, and the leather texture is a nice feature. I suppose the only gripe I would make would be the thinness of the cover (compared to the Moko for example which I also have) without the keyboard but then again the case would be thicker and I have not had any experience where it has been a problem--just an observation and a comparison. The only other "issue" is getting used to the back key since I keep hitting the key above it which turns off the screen but it is becoming less of a problem with experience.

The pull out back so the Ipad Air can stand up works great. I am sitting here at Barnes and Nobles drinking coffee typing away and this is quite a nice experience. It may be that Bear Motion has learned from their past issues and put out a great product. In any case, if my opinion changes I will update this review.

43 of 49 people found the following review helpful.
iPad Air Case - too soft but keyboard is good so far (Day 1)
By review
3.5 stars. I just received my case today. I was so excited to get it, especially because I plan to use it to take notes in class and the onscreen keyboard doesn't quite cut it when you're trying to quickly take notes. The keyboard itself was incredibly easy to connect and I'm very happy with the feel of it. I'll have to adjust to the size and the placement of a few of the keys but I'm sure it will be a quick transition. I'll have to see how long the keyboard lasts given some of the reviews on this page.

However, the major drawback for me is with the design of the case itself. First of all, it is very flimsy. I wasn't expecting real leather at this price so that doesn't bother me. However, the case is very soft as some reviewers mentioned. It would have benefited from a hard insert of some sort. I don't think I could drop my iPad and expect it to survive the fall, which makes me very nervous. In fact, the $10 temporary case I bought will probably serve me better in that regard.

I still think this was worth the buy only because other keyboards were much more expensive. I only hope it stands the test of time.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Almost 5-Stars!
By Blazing Pascal
First, let me give you my typical usage. My iPad Air is almost always in the case. I only attach the keyboard when I am planning on using it (heading to the coffee shop, or otherwise planning to do a lot of writing). When not in use, the keyboard is in my office charging or waiting.

Having said that, let me talk about some negative reviews I have read. I have read a bunch of them and can say that I disagree in almost every case. For instance, 1. my keyboard stays on fine. No, it's not glued in there. It's just a magnet I believe and if I try to make it release, it will release. But in the course of my daily use, I have not had it slip or fall out yet. If I open up the case and shake it, it will fall out. If I am holding it as I always do when carrying my iPad, it's not going anywhere. 2. The kickstand holds my iPad Air up fine. Sure, I can tap the screen a bunch of times and it will eventually tip over, but who is doing that? I open up the case, pull out the kick stand, open up Byword or something, and start typing. The stand works fine for me. 3. It is true that the cut-outs are not perfectly placed. If you need to have your mic or camera centered perfectly, you may have a problem, but not a single thing is even partially obstructed in my case and I'm happy (which is saying something because I am a bit OCD). Now on to more positive things.

- I love the look of the case. The black leather (or whatever it is) with the brown or orange stitching looks great, imo. It smells good too!
- There is a secure flap with velcro holding the device in place and it does the job. How well you place the iPad will obviously determine how well the cut-outs are placed, too.
- The keyboard is at least as good as any other I have used (about five or six) and is my favorite so far. It is sturdy with a good throw and tactile feedback. Of course, that's a personal preference thing.

Basically, I am more than satisfied except for one thing: the top-right key is a lock icon which is used to lock the iPad. Used with the function key, it does the delete function. Below this lock key, and significantly narrower, is the backspace key. Now, if you are used to typing on the iPad or any number of other keyboards, you may expect to find the backspace key in the upper right corner. This is exactly what I expect. This means that every time I naturally try to backspace, I end up turning off my iPad! This is very annoying.

I wish that, at the very least, they would have made the lock work in conjunction with the Function key so that accidental presses merely tried to delete rather than turn the whole thing off. If that were the case, I'd give it five stars without reservation. The good news is that if you just press the lock again, it turns the iPad back on and you're right back where you were. Could be worse.

***** Make a new one with the backspace/function+lock key on the top right and the Delete key beneath that and I will buy another one and tell everyone I can to get one too.

So, if anyone knows of a way to reprogram that key, please let me know! Either way, you will have to decide whether that's a deal breaker for you. I will just keep practicing and hopefully get used to it. We'll see.

See all 329 customer reviews...More...

Pioneer AVHX4600BT 7-Inch USB Bluetooth Hi-Volt Pandora DVD Player

Pioneer AVHX4600BT 7-Inch USB Bluetooth Hi-Volt Pandora DVD Player..

GET Pioneer AVHX4600BT 7-Inch USB Bluetooth Hi-Volt Pandora DVD Player By Pioneer

Most helpful customer reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful.
upgrade from avh-p1400dvd
By Jerry Fang
I've upgrade from the low end avh-p1400dvd to this avh-x4600bt and what a difference it made. The sound is more clearer and my subs hits hard, thanks to the 4v pre-amp. Bluetooth is amazing. I can stream music from my Rooted Note 2 via bluetooth. I can control Pandora and browse media off my SD card. Everything about this deck is awesome. I am saving up to get the dedicated mirrorlink adapter from Pioneer so I can mirror my Note 2 on the screen and have full control. Why spend $400 for a pioneer gps module when you can mirror ur android and use the gps on ur android phone. cheaper. I highly recommend this 7in indash dvd to anyone.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
great unit
By Dan
Works and looks great in my GMC Sierra 2500
Fits well without any extra trim, just needed to fabricate mounting brackets. Would be 5 stars if wiring was not so extensive and a little easier. Also wish pioneer would make their products a little more android friendly. Stop trying to cram apple down our throats. Mix trax seemed really cool...but only works with apple products. Blutooth and hands free phone works well with droid razr max hd.
All in all a good unit

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Exactly what I was looking for!
By Abhijit Pani
I spent a weekend to replace the factory HU on my 2007 Honda Pilot EX-L with this baby. I also installed an ASWC-1 for my steering wheel controls. I installed a wireless backup camera as well. End result is, it's been a fantastic experience for last few weeks.

Pros:
Sound quality is far better than the factory HU even with the factory speakers.
Pandora integration works well.
The bluetooth works flawlessly. It connects to my iphone and starts playing music from where it stopped last time. Making and receiving phone calls is fun (I mounted the mic on the rear view mirror).
It plays DVDs flawlessly and the DVD menu is touch-enabled.

Cons:
Lost active noise cancellation feature from factory HU. (Not a big deal though, I don't feel a difference in road noise level)
You will need an amp to power the factory subwoofer.
Need to spend another $100 on additional cables for AppRadio support.

This unit does NOT come with HD Radio & XM Satellite. I am more a pandora lover so it does not matter to me.

See all 35 customer reviews...More...

Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling

Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling..

Grab Now Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone - Supports Wireless Music Streaming and Hands-Free calling By Kinivo

Most helpful customer reviews

545 of 562 people found the following review helpful.
Keeping it real review
By James Nicholas Harper
Okay for starters I was looking for a Bluetooth headset that I could use at the gym, and ehh basically whenever I needed one. I did quite a bit of research, and then saw the decent reviews on this set. I figured it would be a good entry level device to establish my wants for such a set, and if it totally sucked I'd only be out $30. I'll start this review with the goods, and then move to the bads.

GOODS:

Range: One of the most important things to me was reception. I didn't want something that would break up or act crazy if I was using this thing and put my phone in my pocket or otherwise. This guy is a beast at range. I am currently streaming Pandora on my PC, and to test the range I walked outside my second floor apartment, and went down to my truck in the parking lot (easily 60 feet away). I expected it to break up about half way, but it stayed crystal till I reached my vehicle. 60 ft. meets my needs fine.

Bluetooth Pairing: It is cake. I don't know what else to say. If you can figure out how to order this headset online, you can figure out how to pair it. So far I've only paired it with my Droid phone, and PC (Windows 7), but it pairs like anything else. There is a multifunction button that you hold down while the host device is searching, and Bam, it pairs. One thing to note is that it will only pair with one device at a time, but really? Big deal.

Volume and Sound Quality: I had to put this in the Pros category. This set gets as loud as I would want 90% of the time. Matter of fact, I've had to turn it down a few times. One thing that helps it out is the fact that it blocks out quite a bit of outside noise... I mean really. Now for actual sound quality. The quality I have found has been at the least pleasing. Don't expect these guys to sound like a $300 cord headset because they don't, but if your just a regular person that wants to jam while they work out, these are more than enough. I was gonna make a separate category for call quality but I'll mention it here. During calls I was afraid that either I wouldn't be able to hear, or the other person wouldn't be able to hear me. Nope, phone calls are actually quite good. During my first call, I asked the other person, "Can you hear me ok?," they replied "Yes Sir, I can hear you perfectly." Nuff said.

Comfort: This set is comfortable enough. To be honest I feel like I could likely wear them all day and feel no discomfort. The portion that goes around the back of your neck will grab a high collar jacket and such, but its no big deal. While laying down to bench press or crunch, it is no issue whatsoever. There is really no pinching, or discomfort otherwise, so yeah, good. Oh yeah, on a side note, I generally run quite a ways after my workout and I cant imagine sweat ever being an issue with these.

Now the Bad:

Appearance: I will not lie. These things protrude quite a ways from the sides of your ears. I mean yeah, a ways. If you are looking for a set that will make you look supercool, these won't. Personally, I don't care what I look like while 'getting my swole on' so whatever.

A Strange Rattle: I was running the other day and noticed between songs a strange rattle sound (only audible between songs). I couldn't wait till the run was over to investigate. After I had finished running I found that the rattle was from the Navigation controls that have Skip, Volume, etc. Honestly now that I know where the rattle comes from, I don't much mind it. It is only noticeable while between music selections so... whatever.

Summary: If you are looking for a Bluetooth headset that will deliver the goods without breaking the bank, I would start here. Thanks for reading.

409 of 430 people found the following review helpful.
Pretty solid, great value
By Andrew Craig
What I like:
- Affordable
- Easy to pair
- Decent sound quality
- Folding makes them less likely to break while transporting them
- Nice on the ear cushioning

What I don't like:
- They don't quite fit flush with my ears. The gap tends to leak all of the bass out. If these fit tighter, the sound would be much better
- The volume and track controls rattle a little when moving your head
- Cannot turn off the blinking blue light
- Sometimes the sound quality will be really bad and I'll have to disconnect and reconnect. This does fix the issue though
- A little bit of skipping when I'm at work, but I do work in a room full of servers and electronics and such and there is probably a ton of interference
- Charging cord is only like 18 inches long and doesn't come with a plug in adapter

Overall, a good value.

444 of 480 people found the following review helpful.
I never leave home without them!
By Derek Rowe
First of all Ive owned several pair of headphones in the past. Starting with the 2 pairs of Motorola HT820, 2 of the Motorola 305, and before this pair, the Arctic Sound p311. Ill tell you right now the Arctic Sound is the exact same pair as these Kinivo. Just different colors. Thats not a bad thing at all because I loved the Arctic Sound, except they died before a year was up after heavy usage. Just saying if you are trying to decide between these and the Arctic, Id choose whatever was cheaper. I got these for $19.99 when the Arctic were $30. Again the Arctic lasted about 10 months, but I wore them daily on my mail route which is 4 or 5 hrs easily, plus to the gym. They sound great and the best thing about them is the battery life. It claims 8 hours, but I guarantee you will get 12 hours per charge easy. Maybe more. The Motorola 305 will get 6 hours battery life. I had to charge them every night. The Kinivo I can skip a day or 2. The only thing I wish they would fix, and this covers all manufactures of Bluetooth headphones, is the warning tone when the battery is low. I ran these down on purpose and it gives off 3 tones every 30 seconds when the battery gets low. Problem with that is the warning tones lasted for almost an hour. Thats another hour I could have enjoyed my headphones without being interrupted with tones every 30 seconds. Its so annoying and I dont know why companies dont make a warning when there's 10 or 15 minutes left, or spread them 10 or 15 minutes a part at least. Its like playing Zelda when Links heart level goes below 3 and beeps constantly. That should have been fixed on Zelda 2 for the NES. Other than that the only small gripe I have is I cant fast forward or rewind with these on an iPhone, only skip to the next or previous track. I could with the Motorola 305. Its not a big deal, just a minor thing. The ear pads are comfy and didnt come off like my Motorola 305s did. I ended up super gluing them back on and making a mess using too much glue. The range is great. 30 feet. All in all I gave these phones a 5. They arent perfect, but a pair this great for $20.00 should not be passed up. $30.00 is a steal also if the price jumps back up.

UPDATE!!!! Great news, which pertains more to the Arctic Sound earphones i purchased 10 months ago, and said were no longer working. I plugged them up yesterday to test the charge once more before I tossed them out. They charged for an hour, and Ive been using them since with no problem. My only guess is maybe I got them wet with my sweat or out in the rain on my mail route. Either way now i have two great pair of head phones now. So again just buy which ever is cheaper at the moment and you wont be disappointing. I also recommend the Monster Clarity HD Portable Bluetooth speakers. I just purchased those on sale for $63.00. They are amazing!!

See all 4211 customer reviews...More...

Pioneer DEHX6600BT In-Dash CD/MP3/USB Car Stereo Receiver with A2DP Bluetooth, Pandora Link, MIXTRAX, iPod Support and AUX

Pioneer DEHX6600BT In-Dash CD/MP3/USB Car Stereo Receiver with A2DP Bluetooth, Pandora Link, MIXTRAX, iPod Support and AUX..

Buy Pioneer DEHX6600BT In-Dash CD/MP3/USB Car Stereo Receiver with A2DP Bluetooth, Pandora Link, MIXTRAX, iPod Support and AUX By Pioneer

Most helpful customer reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful.
I'm happy.
By Michele Wieser
I love this stereo, before this all I had was the stock cassette player in my car. So this was a giant step up for me in car stereo world. I'm not totally old school nor am I a car audio geek, but this was a breeze to pair with my Galaxy S4 and links up to Pandora and Bluetooth audio nicely. I've also used the USB and aux ports, which both worked perfectly. I should also add that making calls Bluetooth works quite well with this stereo; it comes with a microphone that you can position how you like in your car. So far I've had no complaints about the sound quality of calls. It also comes with a little remote which is a nice addition to the package, even though I don't always use it, but it's cool to have it. So in short, this is a pretty damn fine car stereo and I definitely recommend it to anyone in the market for a reasonably priced stereo with Bluetooth (for calls and music), and aux and USB ports.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful.
Great Value and iPhone integration in my Subaru. Pair it with a decent pair of speakers.
By swenpaylay
This is a really solid deck for a good price. I was looking for a fairly stripped down receiver that had bluetooth/iPhone integration and little else.

I didn't need satellite radio, I didn't need overly sophisticated EQ adjustments. Just good power, good looks, and Siri.

I researched thoroughly and came up with this Pioneer unit. It's great! It beat out a similar Alpine unit because it supposedly has superior Siri 'Eyes-Free' support.

Note: Does not have SD card slot as description says. USB, though.

I installed this along with a pair of thin Polk Audio speakers in the front of my 2007 Subaru WRX and couldn't be happier. They pair well and sound very, very good. No need for sub or rear upgrades, in my opinion. This is plenty for me and I am a borderline audiophile. I highly recommend upgrading the two front speakers in the car along with the deck or you'll get rattles and blown speakers. At least thats the case with Subarus and most non-luxury brands. With the Polks and the deck, and the fader about 70% to the front speakers, I have barely noticeable distortion at maximum volume. I used the 'powerful' EQ preset along with med loudness and 3 on the bass boost and it's great for hip-hop and house music. For honkey tonk and acoustic stuff, I'll probably turn the bass booster down but leave the rest. Yes, diversity in music taste. I run 320k MP3s exclusively. Haven't tested a CD yet. The FM tuner seems a little on the weak side but it has settings I haven't played with yet. The one AM station i listen to barely came in.

It's also much better looking than last years model both in layout and lighting. The dimmer keeps it from being obnoxious. I don't use the light effects except for when the phone rings. The fact that you can fine tune the lighting effects was a big selling point for me.

Bluetooth audio and phone conversations are perfect. I mounted the mic on my steering column. iPhone synced easily and reconnects when i turn the car on. Seems to be efficient with power compared to other bluetooth systems I've used. All contacts and track titles load on to the deck so when someone calls you know who it is.

No complaints so far. Some complain about it being too dim or too bright. Have you people had an aftermarket deck? it's always been an issue. I had a Clarion deck in my previous car, and I had to put electrical tape over the screen because it was blinding at night. Seriously, dangerous. The dimmer button gives you several brightness settings to match the situation. I keep mine turned down all the way and keep it green to match the Subaru's interior lights, and I can actually see it better in the day time than the factory unit.

I bought a 32gig USB stick, one of the tiny Sandisc ones, to pair with the deck. I plan to format it in FAT32 and load a big chunk of my library and have it dedicated for the car. This will save iPhone battery for music and probably marginally increase audio quality. I'll update the review with that info.

UPDATE: I went on a 10 hour road trip with the unit over the weekend and installed the 'SanDisk Cruzer Fit CZ33 32GB USB Flash Drive.'

The flash drive in the USB slot worked great. Very good quality and the interface for finding music is decent enough. I just made sure I was orderly with the files and deleted 'The' from the names of bands. It plays continuously and picks up where you left off when you get back in the car. It was a pain to get the music on the drive in an orderly way . A lot of my older files were apple AAC (which isn't supported) so i had to manually convert to mp3 and there was a loss of quality there. Other than that, though, I'm glad i got it done. having a 32 gig dedicated flash drive for the unit is awesome.

On the road, I did notice a problem with glare. Some people said the unit is too dim for bright daytime settings, but that's not the case. It's that the screen is too glossy in the plastic and it constantly reflects. I will probably trim an iphone anti-glare screen protector for this issue. Overall, though, it didn't bother me much.

Siri worked great on the road with the unit. Calls were clear and I checked NFL scores since I had to drive on a Sunday. When playing music through USB, the unit switches to the phone and back automatically for calls and Siri.

***A BIG However, if you use iPhone navigation, you have to use Bluetooth Audio for the directions to come through the car. This means that if you want that seamless fade out of the music for Siri to tell you where to go, you have to run BTA and NAV at the same time, which means your battery will last about 5 minutes in the phone. I don't fault the deck though, I'm sure it's an iPhone software thing.

Driving at midnight in the middle of nowhere in pitch darkness, the unit was still too bright even on the lowest setting. It wasn't blinding like other decks I've had, but I wish i could have turned it down a little bit more. Or, if it could be wired into the car's OEM dimmer wire that would be nice.

Overall, I'm very happy. Never had better sound on a road trip.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Bought it for the bluetooth, it is a good replacement to my stock stero
By Alexander M.
I bought this car stereo because I wanted bluetooth in my car (Toyota Matrix). I had a Motorola Roadster and that was not that great. I figured a constantly powered bluetooth unit would be good.

This unit came with a microphone, which is a good thing. I pulled the wire through and it comes out to the side of the driver side visor. I have the microphone clipped on there - on the visor.

Testing out the bluetooth, the sound quality is quite good on the receiving side. In the car, the audio comes out of the car speakers, so there is no problem there.

Overall, for what I bought it for, i.e. Bluetooth, it works great.

As a stereo unit, I would say this is what I would expect. It has a lot of "features" with it, but honestly, I think those are mostly bells and whistles that does not add to the performance of the unit.

Bluetooth audio from my cell phone (Galaxy S3) played without incident. Quick and simple, just connect the phone and select BT Audio as the source. Done.

CD Audio and Radio is simple. I don't have to review these I think. This is such old technology now that they just work.

USB playback had a hiccup. I have a 16GB USB key that I loaded up with MP3s. I used Windows Media Player to sync the MP3s onto the USB key. This automatically created the folder structure on the USB key. In total, I started off with a total of about 570 MP3s within about 530 folders.

What I found was that some folders were not readable. It would report that there are no files to play within some folders.

At first I thought this meant that the player had a maximum number of files and / or folders that it could read from USB. To test this out, I deleted the folder structure on the USB key and manually copied the same folder structure back to the USB key, but a smaller chunk at a time to see if I can find the threshold.

In the end, I copied all the files back to the USB key in the same folder structure I had before and now everything is readable. I do not know why this is the case, but something funny may have happened when I used the "sync" function to copy the files in.

The panel lights need to be selected to your taste. Some colours are too bright for night time and some are too dark for day time driving. I would suggest picking one colour that works for all hours of the day and leaving it. That way, at least you can read the panel / display.

One final note about the display is that the plastic is actually quite polished. That means that it reflects the sun quite nicely. This makes it near impossible to read the screen when the sun is in the right location to shine against the display.

Overall, this unit works and is good for the bluetooth feature that I got it for. It plays my MP3s from USB, CD, radio and even BT audio from my phone. My only complaints are more cosmetic and aesthetic.

EDIT:
I did some further testing of the USB problem and I believe this unit has an upper limit of around 500 folders on the USB device before it starts to fail at reading the directories. I drop the number of folders (by lumping the MP3 files together in a folder) and now everthing is playing properly and can be found - consistently.

It is of course more difficult to "search" for a specific song, as the only way I can see to pick a song is by browsing the folder structure. I had so many folders because I separated the files by artist and albumn. Now I am only doing alphabetical (A - Z).

See all 101 customer reviews...More...

Panasonic KX-TG7743S DECT 6.0 Link-to-Cell via Bluetooth Cordless Phone with Answering System, Silver, 3 Handsets

Panasonic KX-TG7743S DECT 6.0 Link-to-Cell via Bluetooth Cordless Phone with Answering System, Silver, 3 Handsets..

Grab Now Panasonic KX-TG7743S DECT 6.0 Link-to-Cell via Bluetooth Cordless Phone with Answering System, Silver, 3 Handsets By Panasonic

Most helpful customer reviews

396 of 405 people found the following review helpful.
Bluetooth Gateway Telephone
By VA Duck
This telephone is identified as a "Landline Telephone" in the Amazon description. Fortunately, the phone does NOT require the landline connection to work as a cell-phone router, in fact there is a "Cellular Line Only" mode to customize system functionality to cell-phones, otherwise the display will remind you to "Check Tel Line" while the land line port is unused.

The phone accepts Bluetooth connection from most cell phones. Panasonic details the compatible phones (most all) in a table at their site titled (search Panasonic web for...) "Cellular Connection List for Panasonic Products". Once registered via Bluetooth, all of the Panasonic handsets call-out and receive calls wirelessly through the base unit, as though it was a landline phone. It is however a SINGLE line phone - i.e. in or out from any one of its three ports: a) cellphone #1 or, b) cellphone #2 or, c) landline, but ONE call at a time. The phone's 1.9GHz frequency will not interfere with the 2.4GHz frequency typical of routers, home security systems, and other computer wireless devices.

As for performance - very impressive! The handsets are a bit larger than our replaced 12-year old Panasonic phone system, but better designed with a very readable black on bright-white display and larger buttons to reduce dialing mistakes. The newer technology NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries no longer have the old-style proprietary shape, instead they are conventional AAA size, and so could be easily replaced if they ever wear out. The sound quality is excellent, virtually noise free - incoming calls via the cellphones are perfectly clear. The Intercom feature - while nothing new - is still a great help in a multi-story house or office and also delivers excellent sound. The handsets can be "named" (up to 10 characters) allowing room names to appear on the intercom menus. Each handset has a volume amplification control - a useful feature in a noisy room. To review the features and capabilities of this phone, use the following search string to download the Panasonic user manual in .pdf: "KX-TG7745S Owner's Manual (Multi Language)"

-----7 mo update-----

13 November 2012: No complaints, rock-solid performance and excellent audio quality over dozens of incoming and outgoing calls on two cell phones (LG and Motorola). The intercom has been a handy feature in a multi-level home. The Panasonic has allowed me to jettison a $41/mo landline bill. Highly recommended and still worth 5-stars!

-----19 mo later, Nov 2013-----

Just upgraded mobile phones to Motorola Moto Xs. Both connected to the Panasonic Bluetooth with out issue. The Moto X Bluetooth radio seems stronger: conversations through the Pasnasonic can be had at even greater range (distance between mobile phone & Panasonic) with very high voice quality. There is an issue with OUTGOING calls with the Moto X. See comments of 1 Dec 2013. (Moto X - NICE phone BTW)

373 of 397 people found the following review helpful.
Pros/Cons Retiring Vtech LS5145 for Panasonic KX-TG7745S
By Demanding Consumer
After four years with my Bluetooth enabled cell phone linking Vtech LS5145 base station and additional LS5105 handsets, the Panasonic KX-TG7745S appeared to be the answer to resolving my battery pack replacement blues while also leveraging newer "advanced" technologies to hopefully improve my phone configuration while simultaneously retaining a comparable feature set. Going into the exchange, I had high hopes that the Panasonic, with four years of technology advancement, would exceed my expectations in most, if not all, areas of performance compared to my old Vtech LS5145/LS5105 phone set; however, the experience has fallen just a bit shy of what I was hoping for. For what it's worth to others who may be at a similar cross-roads, here are my observations/impression following the "upgrade:"

Pros (with notes comparing to my old Vtech LS5145 + LS5105 handsets):

- DECT 6.0 Digital Enhanced Communications between handsets and base station ( IIRC, my old Vtech model was unencrypted spread spectrum )
- Talking Caller ID ( Pretty cool as my old Vtech phones did not talk... )
- Standard AAA NiMH Rechargeable Batteries instead of custom battery pack ( For comparison, my old Vtech uses custom battery pack BT5872 )
- Link 2 Cell Phones via Bluetooth (Supports one linked cell call and one landline call simultaneously, same as my old Vtech)
- 30 Number Call blocking (No call blocking on VTech, IIRC)
- 18 Minutes record capability (I believe the Vtech did something on the order of 15 min instead)
- 13 Hour Talk Time (Advertised at least... and the old VTechs are nowhere close at an advertised 4.5 hours talk time, IIRC)
- Backlit keypads (Old VTech keypad was backlit as well, though I'm not sure one is better than the other, but back-lighting is good!)
- No annoyingly bright power/charge/locator light (Old VTech lit room up at night with bright blue light...)
- Cellular Only mode if you've gotten rid of your land-line (Must admit I don't know how/if the Vtech handled this scenario as I've always had a land line)
- Base and Handsets have speaker phone capability (Seemingly comparable to my old Vtech model)
- Intercom Capability between handsets (Had hoped functionality would be equivalent to the Vtech, but have yet to figure out how to do a "global" intercom to all other handsets)
- Total feature set somewhat comparable (except, apparently, the Vtech global intercom function, and the Vtech battery backup on base station)
- Big plus: 5 handset set readily available for not much more that what it would cost me to replace the failing battery packs in my 5 Vtech handsets and base station.

Cons (At least as compared to the old VTech phones)

- DECT 6.0 is supposed to provide better sound quality, but I'm not convinced as the new phones seem to have a constant "static hiss/noise" that I'd never really noted in the Vtechs.
- VTech was able to intercom call to all handsets simultaneously as well as 1 to 1... only been able to do 1 to 1 on Panasonic (so far, at least...)
- Monotone handset display as compared to VTech color handset display
- Maximum of 6 possible handsets total compared to, I believe, 12 for the VTech
- Charger Bases and phones feel lighter/cheaper than old VTech, in my opinion at least
- Not as sleek and designer-esque as the old VTech Phones, again, in my opinion at least
- Apparently, No Backup power on the base station... which is odd because the previous Panasonic model (KX-TG7645) apparently had it (VTech has battery backup in base unit)
- Durability compared to old VTech TBD...

So it's really something of a "mixed bag." The Panasonics appear to be, more or less, feature-comparable phones with new batteries and, supposedly, more secure wireless communications than before ( I was previously banking on the spread spectrum stuff making the VTech phones pretty hard to listen in to, but now DECT 6.0 supposedly provides digital encryption, the strength of which might be somewhat questionable, on top of what I can only hope is some form of spread spectrum with frequency hopping communications... though I can't seem to confirm any of this on Panasonic's website, so depending on how mandatory the security features are on any given DECT 6.0 Plus implementation the Panasonics "may" be more secure). I'm just a bit concerned that I can't seem to find any Panasonic literature addressing the security aspects/features of this phone. On the positive side, the cost was not much more than the battery replacement cost would have been for the VTech phones. Biggest disappointment so far is the background static noise that will probably irritate me more the more I continue to think about it. Just might be enough of a reason not to recommend these phones... but the talking caller ID is really cool! The Panasonic model (KX-TG7645) from last year got really good reviews and this year's model (KX-TG7745) simply appears to be a refresh with better iPhone integration, so I figured this year's model would be as good, if not better than, last year's. Perhaps that's where I went wrong? Anyone compared a KX-TG7645 against the KX-TG7745 as regards static/background/hiss noise present on the handsets? Anyway, perhaps I'm being a bit over-critical of the "hiss" as souund quality seems fairly acceptable overall when you're not listening to the hiss during silent moments. It just stands out to me since I don't recall having such an issue with the old Vtech model, though it may simply be a case of better noise reduction circuitry on the old Vtech as compared to the Panasonics. Will see if I can acclimate to the hiss over time or not...

UPDATE/EDIT 09 JUNE 2012: Updated original review to indicate that the KX-TG7745S does indeed support both a landline call and a cell call simultaneously. For example, a linked cell call can be placed from one handset while a landline call is already in progress on another handset. In such a case, both calls proceed simultaneously. There seems to be a lot of confusion online regarding this capability with some reviewers stating that the KX-TG7745S cannot do this; however, I have successfully performed this very exercise with my KX-TG7745S. Having said that, what does appear to be a limitation is that, according to the manual, only one linked Bluetooth device may be "connected" at a time. Unfortunately, the manual author's use of the word "connected" is confusing and somewhat absurd sounding. "What? I can only have one Bluetooth device "connected" at a time???" If true, this would make it almost pointless for the unit to support linking of two phones as the second phone would not be able to "connect" once the first one did. Or, for that matter, neither cell phone would be able to connect if a Bluetooth headset was connected to the phone system first! Anyway, I believe what the author meant to say is that, while both cell phones can be linked/connected simultaneously, only one linked/connected Bluetooth device may be in active use at a time. This means that if a linked cell call is in progress on one handset and you pick up another handset to try making a call from the other linked cell phone, the handset will indicate that the phone is "busy" and you will not be able to access the second cell phone. Furthermore, if the maual is correct in what it states, the use of a Bluetooth headset during a landline call would seem to exclude the use of either cell phone during that time, thus making it impossible to make/receive a linked cell phone call while the Bluetooth headset is in use. If true, that sorta stinks. Will have to hunt down my Bluetooth headset and test this out at some point to see if it is true. Now for one last note: While your cell phone is linked/connected to the base station, it is pretty much worthless for making/receiving cell calls directly through the cell phone itself as, at least with my phones, the speaker and probably the microphone are apparently disabled while linked. I assume this is for privacy and energy reduction while in use through the handset phone system; however, it means you will need to disconnect/de-link your cell phone before you can reasonably use it directly. Would be nice if the cell phones were smart enough to de-link/disconnect automatically when accessed directly so that you could simply pick up your cell phone and use it as normal at any time. The cell phone could then automatically reconnect after you've completed your call and put the cell phone back down. Or, pherhaps the cell phones could simply provide an easily accessible quick-disconnect button to allow you to decide whether you want to disconnect quickly or simply stay connected while you access other non-call related features of your cell phone. Better yet, just have the cell phone automatically disconnect when I go to dial a number or receive a call directly from the cell phone... and then reconnect when I'm done. Sounds pretty straight-forward to me. Perhaps some cell phones are this intelligent; however, mine don't appear to be. Take a "hint" cell phone manufacturers! Here's something you can improve!!!

Also, in investigating possible explanations for the low level background hiss/noise I've previously reported with my KX-TG7745S and in light of the glowingly good reviews everyone seems to have given the older KX-TG7645M, I've been scrutinizing the differences between them to see if there can be any explanation. This evening, while holding boxes for each of the two models, a possible explanation jumped out at me: The KX-TG7645M box touts the units superior sound quality performance due to employing "Range Boost antenna technology;" however, there is no mention of Range Boost antenna technology on the KX-TG7745S packaging!!! The KX-TG7645M box even goes on to note something to the effect that the Range Boost antenna technology can provide up to something like a 20% improvement in talking quality as compared to Panasonic products employing standard DECT 6.0 Plus technology without the RangeBoost antenna! Can anyone confirm for certain that the improved Range Boost antenna technology has truly been left off of this new KX-TG7745S model? If so, I'm becoming even more convinced that the KX-TG7745S is even more of a manufacturing cost reduction stripped down KX-TG7645M imposter than I previously thought. FYI, here's a recap of the features in which the KX-TG7745S currently appears deficient with respect to the KX-TG7645M:

KX-TG7645M advertises Range Boost antenna technology while the KX-TG7745S is apparently absent such technology (If true, could forecast lower quality sound on the 7745 vs. the 7645)
KX-TG7645M provides power backup capability for operating base station during a power outage while the KX-TG7745S lacks this feature and will cease to operate during a power outage.
KX-TG7645M appears to have a voice memo function while the KX-TG7745S appears to be absent this function.

Only new feature I've identified for the KX-TG7745S (other than the obvious aesthetic changes) is the addition of a side mounted volume control rocker switch... which, for me, actually seems harder to use than the front panel rocker volume switch anyway!

I can't say for sure whether the KX-TG7645M is better than this model or not, but the specs are starting to stack up in its favor and I think I'm going to be looking into it. If my suspicions turn out to be true I'll likely be sending the KX-TG7745S back home to mama... stay tuned for the next update!

UPDATE 16 JUNE 2012: Ok, my new KX-TG7645M is now here for comparison against my previously purchased KX-TG7745S and the sound quality of the 7645 does seem somewhat better than that of the 7745, at least in my particular application anyway. There is still some low level white-noise hiss notable in the 7645 during silent moments; however, the more static-like noise present in the 7745 seems to be gone in the 7645. Surprisingly, I'd have to give the ease of use approval to the 7745 over the 7645; however, the 7645 wins the aesthetics competition hands down! I won't bore you with all the details here, but if you really want to know the nitty gritty details of my observations, see the 7745 vs. 7645 discussion thread available below.

Oh, and I don't believe the 7733 has the Range Boost or reversible handset features either, contrary to the comparison chart as it currently stands on the product page. And, despite the charts insinuations, I would encourage you to compare and contrast different model features to arrive at your own determination as to which model is best for you...

199 of 214 people found the following review helpful.
Doesn't work reliably with iPhone 4S
By Gadget Dad
There are many positive reviews here of this product already, so I'll instead just address a major, deal-breaking concern. This device does NOT work reliably with the iPhone 4S. It DOES work as advertised with the iPhone 4 and earlier. But there is a known issue on the Apple Support forums that addresses the simple fact that this phone won't work reliably with the 4S.

I've successfully used this device with a Bluetooth Plantronic Voyager headset, an iPhone 4, a Samsung Galaxy Fascinate, a Samsung Galaxy S3 and even an older LG flip phone. All work flawlessly, just as advertised. If you have an iPhone 4 it will "push" your native ringtones (even custom ones like songs) out to all the handsets in the home and play it through them. Very deep, tight integration and Panasonic is to be applauded for including this.

But the iPhone 4S is a different story altogether. In at least 90% of all the use cases I tried, conversations that originate from the phone handset through the 4S are completely unintelligible to the listener. You will have extreme digital "garbling" that makes it sound like you are talking underwater. Every once in awhile, with no discernible reason as to what caused the difference, the call will work just fine. As a result, if you have a 4S, you may as well not bother to even pair it with this phone. If you do, you'll still be required to answer the phone using the iPhone itself or risk having your callers just hang up in disgust. Its that bad.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars since it does work as advertised with some phones. But the 4S was released several months prior to the intorduction of this product by Panasonic, and it is listed on Panasonic's website as being compatible. Clearly they didn't test this or they'd know this is not the case. I have tested it with 3 different iPhone 4S's now and all exhibit the same faulty behavior.

I hope this helps informed buyers avoid this product if you have a 4S. Otherwise, it works as advertised.

**Revised review notes**

I thought in the interest of fairness I'd post an update.

I've tried almost every possible configuration of the iPhone 4S with this phone to get rid of the garbling that makes the phone useless. I've found that I _CAN_ improve the performance to the point where it will work maybe 2/3 of the time for both incoming and outgoing calls with minimal to no garbling/digital static. Your mileage may vary but hope this helps.

1) Turn off your WiFi when home. Yes, I realize that this makes the iPhone 4S eat up more cellular data so this may not work for you. But apparently when WiFi is enabled and you have WEP security enabled on your router and the iPhone, the signal from the WiFi circuitry on the 4S interferes with the Bluetooth radio. I've found just turning off WiFi improves performance and clarity by almost 80% and makes the phone useable with this Panasonic rig.

2) Once a day, delete the Bluetooth pairing for this Panasonic handset rig, then do a hard reset of your 4S. Re-pair Bluetooth once the phone reboots. Another pain in the butt thing but doing this, along with disabling WiFi, gets you close to full reliability of the 4S for making/receiving calls.

I'm still leaving this at 3 out of 5 stars, but have noted that Panasonic has now remove the 4S from their listing of compatible phones on their website so at least they have acknowledged the problem. And, to their credit, the problem appears to lie more with the 4S than it does with Panasonic since most other phones (including the iPhone 4) work just fine with this setup.

See all 870 customer reviews...More...