Yada Car Mount And Bluetooth Headset Review
Though I’m not driving nearly as much as I used to, I still like to use my phone in the car, specifically with Nokia Maps running, or for phone calls. When I’m in the car, obviously I like to use a Bluetooth headset, for the full hands-free option. Previously I’d linked you to this in-car mount as a solution to hold my phone while driving. However, the problem then becomes, where do I put my Bluetooth headset?
Along comes Yada with an all-in-one solution, for about the same price. I’ve recently been testing the Yada Universal Phone Holder + Bluetooth Headset kit, and I have to say, it’s pretty much everything you need, in a great little package. In the sales box, you get the universal holder, with adjustable side-arms, the Bluetooth headset, and a car charger. Both vent and bolt-on mounting equipment is included, so that you can use either one. I used the vent mount and found that they gripped the little vent slats really nicely.
The universal holder has little feet on the bottom, to make sure that your handset doesn’t fall out the bottom when you hit a pothole, and offers a grip range of 41mm to 83mm (1.6″ to 3.3″), wide enough for nearly any handset, even the BlackBerry Curve. Unfortunately, there isn’t a real locking mechanism, so if you jostle about too much, the arms can loosen their grip slightly. The design of the arms could also use some improvement, as well as a thick layer of grippy foam. Currently, the arms simply curve inwards at the ends to hold the handset in. While this works great on my N95-3, other handsets such as the Motorola Z9 and BlackBerry Pearl 8120 were a bit too loose.
The included Bluetooth headset has its own perch attached to the right side of the universal mount, and this is where the Yada Universal Phone Holder + Bluetooth Headset gets innovative. The headset sits on this little mount, and clips in, for a secure storage. There is also a car charger included in the sales package, which plugs into the bottom of the holder to charge the headset. Placing the Bluetooth headset in its resting spot will also end any active calls automatically.
Thus, when you get in the car, you set your phone in the holder, and then when the phone rings, all you do is pick up the headset and put it in your ear (or you could do this when you get in, I suppose). When you get out of your car, put the headset back on the cradle and pick up your phone. Easy peasy. You always know where the Bluetooth headset is, and it’s always got a full charge. Brilliant.
The Bluetooth headset itself is rather small, and fits in your ear, with no over-the-ear loop or anything. Small and clad in matte black, the headset offers a multifunction button on top, with volume buttons located on either side of the headset. There is a small indicator light in the middle of the headset, with blue and red lights to indicate the headset’s current status.
The speaker column sticks up at a slight angle and has a soft eargel at the end to hold it in place. There are 3 different sized eargels included in the package, and they’re very easy to swap. This eargel solution, while slightly intrusive, offers a snug fit, and works well. I was able to wear the headset continuously for several hours without any soreness or discomfort.
Audio quality is rather good, with callers reporting that I sounded very clear, when driving with the windows rolled up. With the driver’s side window rolled down, callers stated that they could tell there was background noise, but it wasn’t bad enough to affect the phone call. Walking through a busy supermarket, callers did report that the background noise was distracting, and covered my voice at times. In an open area with wind, callers were not able to hear me clearly, and said it was obvious that I was outside in the wind.
The headset works just like most; you can answer an incoming call by pressing the multifunction button once. If the Bluetooth headset is powered on and paired to the phone, you can also use the auto-answer function by leaving it on the holder, and simply putting it on when a call comes in. Voice dialing is activated by pressing and holding the multifunction button for a few seconds, if your phone supports it. You can also conveniently mute the headset by pressing and holding both volume buttons simultaneously, until the headset beeps.
Yada claims that the headset’s battery will last for 6 straight hours of talking before it needs a charge. In my testing, I found this to be quite accurate, coming in right under 6 hours.
The Yada Universal Phone Holder + Bluetooth Headset kit is definitely a great all-in-one solution for the road warrior that needs to stay safe and connected. If you do alot of driving, and need a convenient, affordable solution to being able to safely talk on the phone, I’d suggest you take a look. However, given the audio quality in noisy/windy environments, I’m reserving my recommendation to those of you who *only* use their headset in their car. If you’re one to wear it into the supermarket, you’ll likely be disappointed with the call quality. The universal cradle also leaves a bit to be desired if your phone is too thick or too thin.
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