Parrot MINIKIT Smart Bluetooth Hands-Free Kit with Holder for Smartphone

From start to finish, I completed set-up within 45 minutes. It was not the easiest system to use, but if you're slightly technologically minded or stubborn, you'll be able to do it without too much problem. Setting up so it recognized my contacts via voice command was the longest part of the process. Overall, it's great in the car (voice recognition works well, the caller can hear well, decent call projection); it's helpful for using the phone navigation (mounted on dash instead of in my hand or precariously placed on dashboard), and it projects the voice directions; and it charges your phone while driving, so you don't have to worry about running out of battery on long calls or for a long navigational drive.

I tested with two HTC Touch phones and an iPhone. All worked equally well with the exception of an inability to automatically export contacts from the older HTC Touch.

You'll want to keep their main website handy in order to address questions. The manual is all but useless. In fact, I found that using the page and clicking on your phone will give you hints in how to correctly set it up if you are having difficulty.

Summary:

Pros:

* Relatively fast charge (1.5 hours from my computer USB port, while I was playing with the system).

* Adhered to my windshield better than any of the GPS tools

* If your phone automatically exports contacts, the set-up is super easy (iPhone). See "cons" if your phone does not.

* Bluetooth works well callers were able to hear me.

* Background noise reduction works pretty well. You can tell that you're in the car, but it doesn't have the same level of road noise that my Motorola in-ear bluetooth does, or the wired connection.

* Voice recognition was good. It correctly dialed 93% of the the numbers I tested. The voice that repeats who the phone is calling is a little odd, though very mechanised.

* You can pair up to 10 phones with this system. I tested 3 with no problem.

* Includes regular and mini-USB connectors.

* If worried about extensive exposure to radiation, keeps the phone and bluetooth away from your head.

* Includes a car charger with a USB connection useful for more devices than just this one!

Cons:

* The enclosed manual really stinks. It basically only covers set-up, but not the functionality. You have to want to play with with the system to see all the bells and whistles. That also means that you can't say, "How do I do 'x'?" and look it up. They attribute it to being "green" and send you online, but that manual isn't much better. It also requires being somewhere you can access the internet in order to properly set it up (e.g. if you purchase from a b&m store, and try to set it up in your car, good luck!)

* They refer you to the website to see if your smart phone is compatible. However, there is no "compatible" option from their menu I was unable to locate one from their main page or using the smart function. I needed to Google "parrot phone compatibility" to get the page:

* Occasionally, it does dial incorrectly using the voice function. However, it is easy and fast to cancel *if* you are paying attention to the number that is being dialed.

* If your phone is older and not set up to automatically sync contacts, you may need to export them one at a time. I had to do that with an older HTC phone I tested.

* It allows you to scroll through your phonebook in alphabetical order, saying the name of the contact in case you're not sure how you named them.

* Comes with a detachable microphone and a clip that you can pin to the visor for better sound.

* Really needs a case to keep it all together. The online manual suggests that if the swivel that holds the phone feels loose to use the attached Allen wrench to tighten it. It's a small wrench and could easily be lost. While we have many size Allen wrenches in our house (thanks Ikea!), I've never used one that has such a small diameter and wouldn't have anything that would replace it.

Best for those:

* driving cars without bluetooth ability allows hands-free calling.

* who want to use their GPS functions without having to hold the phone in their hand and keep their phone charged

I received the Parrot Minikit for free via the Vine program. It's a device I would not have purchased on my own, but now that I've used it, I love it and think it's brilliant. I still knock it down a star for the unhelpful manual and difficulty in navigating their main site. I'll certainly be continuing to use this nifty device and am likely to purchase one for my parents to use.

I'm still looking for the right solution for me, having recently moved to a state with a hands-free law. I don't think this will ultimately be the one for me, though. The speaker is good, even if it could have been a bit louder for me. I drive an SUV, and the sound level in the cockpit isn't as low as in most sedans.

There is no manual other than a quick-start guide, which isn't nearly clear enough in my opinion. It reminds me of a cross between Ikea instructions and the set-up brochure you get with most computer games. The detachable microphone is a great idea, but it was confusing for me personally. The guide just shows a picture of drawing of the microphone already several inches from the base and attached by a wire. It took me several minutes of searching the box to realize that no microphone was with all the cables they included. I then took several more minutes to realize that the microphone is attached to the base already by a retractable wire. You have to pull the mic (which is on the side of the base across from the power connections) and pull it to unwind the cable.

For me, the biggest drawback is partly my own fault, though. I'm rough on phones, so I bought the OtterBox Defender Case iPhone 4 (Blue/Black, Fits AT&T iPhone 4). Unfortunately, that adds a good deal to the dimensions of my phone. The clip they use to adjust the fit for phones is a great idea, but it isn't quite expandable enough. to get my phone in, it's an extremely tight fit, and I have to drag it hard against the bottom layer of padding to do so. This foam padding isn't going to hold up to that kind of abuse for long, I'm afraid.

So, If you're tech savvy, have a phone smaller than the Otterbox Defender, and drive a quieter car than an SUV, this should be a great solution. For me, I'll keep looking.

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It looks like a good idea, if you don't like headsets and/or can't pony up for one of Parrot's completely integrated systems. The kit comes with almost everything you need, the missing part based on which phone you have. My Sprint Samsung Epic was good to go, but iPhone owners and any others with a phone that doesn't use a standard mini/micro USB connector will have to bring their own charging cable. The mount is sturdy and allows the cradle to detach so you can store it away when not in use. The cradle itself holds my phone nice and tightly, with no worries of it falling out and hitting the floor while driving. The mic on a string design leaves something to be desired, and could potentially be an easy point of failure, (mount loses its grip and falls, retractor breaks, object gets snagged on the cable, etc).

It's advertised as working with any smartphone, but the manual clearly states that if it doesn't work with your phone that you should check the compatibility list. On my phone though everything went fine, Pairing it with my phone and syncing the contacts was no problem. Using the voice commands to make calls was hit and miss, requiring some retraining of the Minikit to get it to work more consistently. The little green and red LED lights that denote which button is which don't stay on while the unit is powered on, which can make hitting the right button and knowing if it is on or off confusing. I found myself just leaving it plugged in and on all the time, not relying on the battery power whatsoever.

Finding a spot in my minivan to install the Minikit that was within reach, did not break the law, and was convenient for GPS use took a little time, but I eventually found one. The mic was installed along the top of the instrument cluster, directly in front of the driver's seat. According to the User's Guide, this was the ideal area. During road trials, I found it a bit difficult to hear the Minikit at highway speeds (windows rolled up, no music, no fan blowing), but around town it was just fine. As an alternate, I may try plugging my phone's audio into the car stereo and see how that goes. Results from the people I was calling were hit and miss, some saying that they could hear me fine, which others I had to shout at.

When it's all said and done, I am not sure the Parrot Minikit Smart was the best option, compared with Parrot's integrated products that can be had in the same price range (CK3100, CK3000, and CK3200). It does fulfill a need though, and works well enough. Using with my phone for charging and navigation is a sure plus, and would be more so if it were louder. I'd just prefer the cleaner look of the integrated parts and their ability to tap directly into my van's sound system.

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I LOVE THIS MACHINE. The sound quality is pure and clear. This is the ONLY device I have ever used that doesn't bother my callers. (Didn't that sound romantic and old fashioned? It's also 90% untrue, as I make most of my phone calls while I am in the car.) I have some devices that some of my more picky friends (Reg!) don't like and others that no one likes. Since my neck injury a couple of years ago, I find it almost impossible to use a cell phone holding it next to my ear. I can't capture it in my shoulder very well either. It kind of leaves me in an awkward position.

Another benefit of this machine in this time of not including anything extra in packages, (I once received an iPod without any kind of power cord), is that it comes with a bunch of cords for every possible use. It was like finding the jackpot of connections. I can charge this with devices I don't even own!

The problem? I find that I don't carry it anywhere. It's too heavy. It's like putting a brick in your purse.

On the other hand, you always know if you remembered your phone and speaker phone or not. And it turns a purse into a great weapon.

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I was pretty excited to finally get bluetooth in my car. The unit feels pretty solid and has a quality feel to it.

The included instruction manual is a complete joke. It barely covers basic functionality of the unit, but nothing in any great detail. Which button do I hit? What does the red and green mean? How do I connect? None of these questions were answered with any detail in the manual. I eventually had to google a manual in more detail to learn how to use this kit. And I'm already a tech savvy person can't imagine how the average user will figure this out!

Once I got my phone synced (that took more time looking on their website to see if my phone was compatible), it worked well for the most part. I still accidentally call and hang up on people, mainly because there's only one main button that controls everything. If you press a long while, it does one thing if you press briefly, it does something else. Frustrating to use, especially while driving!

The sound quality was mediocre. At low speeds, I could hear the caller pretty well. On the highway, however, at max volumes I was still constantly saying "what'd you say?". It just doesn't get very loud, so if you do a lot of highway driving, stay away from this unit.

Callers said my voice sounded good, however, and had no complaints about the sound quality. It is SO nice not to have to fumble with a phone while driving!

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