This technology is that clever that is eliminates all background noise and auto-adjusts the incoming call volume to the surrounding environment; meaning that no matter where you are you can hear and be heard perfectly.

Jawbone ERA Motion Controlled Bluetooth Headset

Inside the headset, there’s a 10mm speaker with full HD audio performance, making it Jawbone’s most powerful speaker to date.  The Era is also the first Bluetooth headset to include a built in accelerometer and MotionX technology.  This means it’s completely integrated with the MyTALK platform, which allows the headset to function with motion application such as ‘TapTap’ to answer phone calls.

Sound good?  Well we’re giving you the chance to win one over on our Love Your Mobile Facebook Page.

All you have to do in order to be in with the chance of winning the headset is:

1. ‘Like’ the Love Your Mobile Facebook page.
2. ‘Like’ a product on the MobileFun.co.uk website
3. Tag ‘Love Your Mobile’ in a status telling us why you love the product you liked.
4. Write on the ‘Love Your Mobile’ wall telling us which product you love and why.

e.g ‘@Love Your Mobile – I love the Stuckbuddy because not only is it small so I can carry it around, but it also stands up my iPhone 4 and even hangs my keys!

Good luck to all those entering and we’ll announce the winner soon!

What’s the StuckBuddy?

The StuckBuddy is a clever little suction cup that’s designed to use as a desk stand for your mobile phone or other electrical device.  It’s small, portable and works with virtually any device – whether it be smartphone, tablet or mp3 player – it’s even strong enough to use as an iPad 2 stand.

But that’s not all – it’s so versatile that we reckon there are probably a ton of different uses for it.  That’s where you come in.

So what’s the competition?

We just want to know how you’d use the Stuckbuddy.  We’re looking for the most unique answer, so don’t be afraid to be as silly, quirky or funny as you like.  Nothing too rude though, if you please – there might be kids watching!

How do I enter?

The entry process is as simple as 1-2-3

1. Do a bit of brainstorming until you’ve come up with an ace idea.
2. To tell us your idea, simply join our Facebook page Love Your Mobile and post your idea on the wall.
3. Share the competition on your Facebook profile to let your friends know about it too – to do this, just click on the Facebook icon at the foot of this blog-post.

What can I win?

The prize is the absolutely fantastic Samsung YA SBR510 Bluetooth Speaker System, which normally retails for around £100.

Samsung YA-SBR510 Bluetooth Speaker System

Compatible with any Bluetooth-ready device, the Samsung YA SBR510 is the world’s first hyper 3 channel surround Bluetooth speaker, boasting three impressive speakers to give you a surround sound experience that will blow you away.  It also features integrated motion sensors, built-in USB and 3.5mm aux points, auto-pairing and a slim-line infra-red remote control.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday 20th April 2011.

Here are some of our ideas on how to use the StuckBuddy to get you started!

Let’s take a look at what it’s got to offer…

It’s teeny-weeny
Stunningly small and startlingly stylish, the Jawbone ERA weighs just 10.2g and measures a miniscule 51.3 x 24.1 x 14.5 mm, making it small and light enough to use all day without getting earache.

It looks great
The ERA is a marvel of architecture, with a layered exterior and a sleekly textured finish.  It’s available in four elegantly low-key colours: Midnight, Shadowbox, Smokescreen and Silver Lining.

It sounds great
The ERA has the largest and most powerful speaker of any Jawbone headset so far, measuring in at 25% larger than other models.  It also offers high-quality, full-spectrum HD audio, so your caller’s mellifluous tones will be music to your ears!  The ERA is the first Bluetooth headset to feature NoiseAssassin 3.0, a noise-cancelling technology that was originally developed by the military for use by helicopter pilots and tank controllers. So it can certainly handle a bit of background traffic noise!

It’s technologically advanced

This is the first headset to feature a built-in accelerometer and MotionX technology.  Jawbone are in the process of developing a range of exciting motion-based apps for download via their MyTALK platform, and the first two have already been released: ShakeShake, which lets you go into pairing mode just by shaking the headset, and TapTap which lets you answer phone calls with just a tap.

Perfect for the car

Bluetooth headsets are a great way to stay safe whilst chatting on the road, and the Jawbone’s motion apps make it easy to take calls on the go.  Team it with a USB car charger to make sure you stay powered up and in touch no matter where you are.

It’s a great fit for all

No matter what size your lug-holes are, Jawbone cater for you – the ERA comes with eight different size/shape earbuds and an optional binaural earloop, making them the perfect fit.

The Jawbone ERA is available over on the main site, along with many more Bluetooth accessories.

Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone

So when presented with the opportunity to try yet another Handsfree Bluetooth in-car visor product I did not climb over the office furniture or rugby tackle fellow colleagues to be first in the queue.  However  on this occasion a particular feature of the Jabra SP700 caught my imagination – it claimed to offer  both voice and stereo music streaming direct from my Bluetooth enabled mobile phone to my in-car entertainment unit.

In the Box

The compact and stylish Bluetooth speakerphone also comes supplied with a visor clip that is already fitted, a USB charger cable, USB car charger and ‘plain English’ and compact user guide.

Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone Box Contents

Getting Started

Just connect the USB charger cable to a spare USB port on your computer and up pops an illuminated  red battery icon to indicated that it is charging. When fully charged this icon then changes to green.  If you do not have easy or regular access to a computer then think about  purchasing a USB Mains Charger and use the USB charger cable  provided in the box when not in the car.  On the front of the unit are a range of icons that illuminate to indicate what status the speakerphone is in.  I will discuss these in detail later.

There is no dedicated off/on button, and although not immediately obvious, this function is activated by  pressing  and holding the front of the speakerphone; 2 seconds to switch it on and  4 seconds to switch it off.  If like me, you tend to exit your vehicle and forget to switch the speakerphone off then do not worry, the SP700 has an auto-power off when the phone is out of its Bluetooth range.

Pairing the SP700 to your mobile phone couldn’t be easier; when you switch it on for the first time it automatically enters its pairing mode which is clearly indicated by an illuminated Bluetooth Status icon appearing.  Next, just activate the Bluetooth function on your phone and set the phone to “discover” the SP700, enter the pin code (0000), mount it to your car visor and you’re good to go!

The Jabra SP700 clips neatly to your sun visor in the car

Controls

Now the SP700 is not big on controls, I have already mentioned the lack of an on/off button and it does not have any audio adjustment controls aside of a volume up & down button on one side of the unit, and there is also a FM transmitter button located on the opposite side.

Features

Now the SP700 provides the basic functions like any other like handsfree kit, as well as supporting extended features of some phone models like voice dialling – which as you may have already experienced is a potential Olympic Linguistic event in its own right.  Also the SP700 features advanced noise reduction and echo cancellation that insures excellent sound quality on both sides of the call.

When using the SP700 the current status is clarified by a clear voice announcement – available in 10 languages – a treat no doubt for those multi lingual potential users out there or those wanting to practice some basic phrases before arriving at their international holiday destination this summer!

The voice announcer switches from a female to a male voice for different status alerts.  However the announcement that caught me by surprise was the one that announced the caller ID of an incoming call – brilliant – and by pressing the front of the speakerphone I could answer or end the call.  The announcer also confirms when the speakerphone is switched off and also when it has made connection with your mobile  phone.

I found the clarity of the incoming call to be excellent by comparison to other Bluetooth visor speaker phones that I have used in the past, and I can confidently say that my voice was clearly received by my caller.  I must admit that my vehicle  suffers from very little cabin noise generally – however I also tested it in my wife’s 1.4 about town vehicle which isn’t a tractor by any means – but with mischievous and noisy kids in tow I still found the SP700’s speakerphone to be equally as impressive.

The Jabra SP700 has a classic, slim line design

The best feature is the FM transmission -  A simple press of the FM transmission button illuminates the FM transmission icon and speakerphone mute icon, then kicks the voice announcer into action as she clearly tells you the FM frequency to tune your car radio to.  If this frequency is congested by existing  radio stations then you can make adjustments by 0.1MHz at a time using the volume keys, the announcer will recite the new frequency selected each time you make a change.  My radios’ RDS function displayed the word JABRA to indicate that I had sourced the correct frequency and I promptly saved it to a spare preset number.   This remains the fixed FM frequency unless you make a change as previously mentioned or reset the unit to factory settings.  The only thing I did not have time to test was how the selected FM frequency would stand up to long journeys whereby you may drift into localised radio stations sharing the same frequency; however, the ease I found in changing frequencies leaves me quite confident that such an event occurring would not be a major problem to resolve.

The Nokia E71 phone was used to test the SP700 for streaming music to my car stereo, on hitting the play button on the phone, music came belting out almost immediately through the car speakers.  The quality was fairly good, however I found that the SP700’s lack of audio controls came to haunt it as the volume controls previous used to adjust the FM frequency remain set to this function while in FM transmission mode,  so you have to rely on your in-car audio controls to equalize the sound and adjust the volume.  This sometimes is a problem when you switch back to the radio or CD mode as the volume can sometimes be far too high for those built in sources.

Taking calls using the FM transmission mode was a delight, however be aware that your calls may be picked up by a stranger who is tuned to the same FM frequency and in close proximity to your vehicle, so keep this feature just for music or calls that are not of a private or sensitive nature.  On a final point if you turn off your radio or forget to change the status of the SP700 back to its own speakers, then the SP700 automatically disconnects from its FM transmission status following a period of non-use.

The SP700 boasts up to14 hours talk time & up to 255 hours standby however after a week of testing I am yet to re-charge.

Conclusion

I must admit the SP700 has not changed my preference which is to avoid taking calls while driving if I can, however when circumstances dictate that this is unavoidable or for those of you or where this is a day to day necessity then the SP700 does not disappoint, mainly because of its ease of use, functionality, portability and quality.  The Ace up its sleeve however is the FM transmission that adds a more practical and up to date feature for all music lovers who have migrated their favourite playlists into the fashionable multi-media Bluetooth mobile phones that are currently available – a smart move by Jabra.

If you’re anything like me, user manuals get thrown in the back of a drawer, never to be seen again, so figuring out how to get your new phone to work with your Parrot car kit could be quite a challenge. To help you out, We’ve put a quick guide together on how to pair your phone with some of the most recent car kits. So as long as you know how to search for Bluetooth devices on your phone you should get connected again in no time at all.

View the Pairing Guide for Nokia Car Kits

View the Pairing Guide for Parrot Car Kits

If you’re anything like me, user manuals get thrown in the back of a drawer, never to be seen again, so figuring out how to get your new phone to work with your car kit could be quite a challenge. To help you out, I’ve put a quick guide together on how to pair your phone with Nokia’s most recent car kits. So as long as you know how to search for Bluetooth devices on your phone you should get connected again in no time at all.

You’ll find instructions below on how to pair your phone with the following car kits: CK-7W, CK-15, CK-20, CK-100, CK-300, CK-600 and Nokia 616.

Nokia CK-20:

1. Switch on the device and the car kit.
2. Activate Bluetooth on your phone, and search for Bluetooth devices.
3. Select the car kit from the list of found devices.
4. Enter the Bluetooth passkey 0000 to pair and connect the car kit to your phone.

Your phone has now been paired with the Car Kit and is ready for use.

 

Nokia CK-300:

If you are have a Nokia phone running S60 Software (mainly N-Series) you can download the car kit application for your phone from the Nokia Support Site.

1. Switch on the device and the car kit.
2. Activate Bluetooth on your phone, and search for Bluetooth devices.
3. Select the CK-300 from the list of discovered devices.
4. Enter the Bluetooth passkey 0000 to pair and connect the CK-300 to your phone.

Your phone has now been paired with the Car Kit and is ready for use.

As more and more of us are using our mobiles as our MP3 and Video players, and while the headphones that come in the box aren’t bad, they’re never the best. We’ve already put together a Headphone Buyers Guide, but what if you want to leave the wires behind and get yourself a set of Bluetooth Headphones? Well, to help you decide, here’s our top ten Bluetooth Headphones & Stereo Bluetooth Headsets.

Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800 Bluetooth Headphones:
These are without doubt my favourite Bluetooth Headphones, hence they’re at number 1 in my top ten. Although it still has a wire, the IS-800 is pretty much the only headset that doesn’t feature a fairly bulky control unit. Instead this has a small, simple in-line control that allows you to answer and end calls. Battery life is impressive at upto 270 hours – especially considering how small this headset is! The only slight downside is that the IS-800 doesn’t have any music controls on, so you will need to control your music on your phone.

Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Headphones:
It’s another one with some cables, but in a different way to the IS-800. The Jabra 3030 is a Bluetooth receiver that lets you use your own headphones. It hangs around your neck on a chain (or can clip to your belt or pocket) and has full music control, play, pause, track skip and volume. The BT3030 is a Multipoint headset, so you can connect it to your pc or MP3 player to listen to your music, and when a call comes in, it will pause the music and answer the call from your mobile.

Sony Ericsson HBH-DS220 Bluetooth Headphones:
The DS-220 is designed to hang around your neck, and like the Jabra BT3030 gives you the ability to control your music – play, pause, track skip and volume. Again you can use your own headphones with it and battery life is great with upto 300 hours stand by and 6 hours of music play back.

Sony Ericsson HBH-DS980 Bluetooth Headphones:
The DS-980 is the bigger brother of the DS-220. Same style of headphones, but they’re fixed on this one. In addition to everything that the DS-220 has got, there is also a discrete OLED display hidden beneath the mirrored surface that shows you track information or your callers ID. The other difference is that the DS-980 is Mulitpoint, meaning it can connect to two devices at the same time.

Samsung SBH-500 Bluetooth Headphones:
These are the first headphones in my top ten that are more of a regular headphone design. They’re a headband style that goes around your head rather than over it, and are extremely comfortable as they sit on your ears, rather than in them. Battery life is great, and as with most Bluetooth headphones, you can control your music and calls using the buttons mounted on the outside of the earpiece.

Nokia BH-604 Bluetooth Headphones:
These are probably the most normal looking headphones of the bunch. They’re solid, comfortable and well built and have the best battery life out of all the headphones listed here with up to 19 hours of music playback, 18 hours of talk time and 2 weeks standby. Sound quality is excellent and set up is incredibly easy.

LG HBS-250 Bluetooth Headphones:
LG HBS-250 won an award at the IF Design Awards last year. Its a lightweight and compact set of headphones that clip over your ears and is the only one here that has the ability to connect to non Bluetooth devices using a 3.5mm line in cable. Music control is made easy using a jog dial to let you skip backwards, forwards and pause your music.

Plantronics Pulsar 260 Bluetooth Headphones:
Plantronics make some great Bluetooth Headsets and this is no exception. The design is similar to that of the Sony Ericsson headphones, but slightly smaller. The Bluetooth unit is designed to hang on a lanyard or clip on to your clothing. The headphones are chang

Nokia BH-501 Bluetooth Headphones:
The baby brother to the BH-604. A smaller more compact design that goes around your head rather than over it, and folds away neatly when not in use. The controls for music and calls are mounted on the outside of the earpiece and are easy to use. One of the more comfortable headsets thanks to the large, padded earphones.

Qstik EVOQ Stereo Bluetooth Headset:
Strictly speaking, this isn’t a pair of Bluetooth Headphones, Its a Bluetooth Headset with headphone functionality, but given the price and all the features that this headset has, it would be wrong of me to leave it out of my top ten. As a mono headset, its not the worlds smallest, but as it doubles up as Bluetooth headphones this doesn’t matter. Simply plug in the headphones and you can carry it in a pocket or clip it to your clothing. The Qstik includes a Bluetooth dongle so that you can use the headphones with your PC or Laptop.

Now obviously if you’re walking down the street trying to email, this is going to be of no use to you what so ever, but what if you’re out of the office and need to reply to that email or maybe you’ve plugged your phone in to the TV to watch back your photo’s and want to be able to control your phone remotely?

We’ve put together a short guide that tells you how you can set up your phone to work with almost any Bluetooth keyboard. Read More…

UPDATE: Apple have confirmed that the iPhone 3.0 software update will be available to download on the 17th June and will be free for iPhone users and there will be a small charge for iPod Touch users. More Information

In case you may have missed it, yesterday, Apple announced a new version of its iPhone software (iPhone 3.0) that also runs on the iPod touch. While a lot of the new features will only be available on the iPhone, there are a few new features that will make it onto the iPod Touch.

Applications will be smarter and able to do more, Copy & Paste will be added for email, but probably the most exciting addition to the iPod Touch (and iPhone 3G) is the introduction of Stereo Bluetooth that will allow you to listen to your music using Bluetooth Headphones, Bluetooth Car Kits and Stereo Bluetooth Speakers.