Jabra DRIVE Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone - Retail Packaging - Black

I got the Jabra Drive for my wife's car and since she has zero tolerance for anything that takes more than 30 seconds to learn how to use, I specifically chose this model based on it being marketed as simple to use. In that regard, it does live up to it's billing. However ...

The marketing collateral says "...it will connect automatically whenever you get into the car" and this is just not true. Once I read the actual user guide, which by the way has to be downloaded from the Jabra site it makes it pretty clear how it actually works. What the Jabra Drive will do is go into "Sleep mode" when the phones it is connected to go out of Bluetooth range (~50 feet). Then if one of the phones comes back into range within 10 minutes it will automatically connect and go back into "Standby mode" and you are good to make and receive calls. Otherwise, the Jabra Drive will automatically shut off to save battery life. To reconnect, you have to slide the itty-bitty on-off switch to off and then back on again, at which point it will confirm you are connected by saying so.

So the point is that "...it will connect automatically whenever you get into the car" only applies if you get back into the car within 10 minutes from when you left. Good to know ...

That all said; it will connect to two phones simultaneously which is a pretty handy feature in that both my wife and daughter can use the unit together or separately without me needing to reconfigure anything, which is a blessing. Also, pairing was very easy probably the easiest I've experienced with all the various Bluetooth products I've used.

So my recommendation to anyone looking to purchase the Jabra Drive is to understand the caveat regarding Sleep mode and as long as that's not a show stopper for you the product pretty much works as advertised.

Note to Jabra: I suggest once the device goes into sleep mode it could be "awakened" by pressing the "Answer/end" button instead which would be much SIMPLER for the user instead of toggling the itty-bitty on-off switch. Just sayin' ...

The thing about a bluetooth speakerphone or earpiece is that it works best when you actually have it with you. Now, that sounds obvious, and it is, but it's funny how often I'm surprised by how true it is. You see, I have a pretty nice Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece (Black, Retail Packaging) but have gotten out of the habit of using it because it's yet one more piece of technology I need to bring along. Plus, I don't particularly like the whole "bluetooth earpiece in the ear all the time" fashion that is supposed to, I suppose, suggest how so very important you are that you have to have something in your ear every second, like you're a communications officer for Starfleet.

I also have a Garmin nüvi 2360LMT 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with US Canada Mexico Lifetime Traffic & Map Updates, which has a really great bluetooth speakerphone built in. Very easy to make calls using voice activation. The sound quality is great. But, I don't like to bring that everywhere I go, especially when I'm going to or from well known locations. I don't want people to steal it, or break into my car looking for it. So, my primitive security measure is to not bring it when I won't need it.

However, even when I know where I am and where I'm going, I still will get calls while I'm out and about. It is illegal here in California to talk on a cell phone while driving. And it's often far too inconvenient to pull over to the side of the road just to answer a couple of questions, or catch up with a friend. Which has meant, in the recent past, that I flout the law at times by talking on my cell phone, all the while hoping that a cop doesn't see me, and all the while wishing that I had brought by earpiece or gps.

That's why I like this Jabra so much. It does one thing and it does it well. Pairing it with a phone couldn't be easier, even older phones that don't usually have any bells or whistles. As long as they have bluetooth, they connect with ease. Two can connect at once.

The sound is loud and fairly good, though my gps is a bit more clear. The best thing, I think, is that this is fairly small, about the size of a garage door opener. It matches that shape too, so is entirely unobtrusive hanging on my driver's side visor.

Easy to use, unobtrusive, good sound quality, good battery life. All these things combined mean that this is the bluetooth speakerphone that actually gets used because it's the one that always stays in the car.

Though, I've also learned it serves a handy purpose beyond just staying in the car. It also makes for a good speakerphone in general, as it is much louder than the one on my cell phone.

So, it works and it is highly convenient.

That's exactly what I need.

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I'm not a fan of the bluetooth sets that you stick in your ear so the idea of reviewing a speakerphone version was actually right up my alley. I seem to get most of my phone calls when I'm in my car, so this scenario worked our well for me for the most part.

Here are the pros and cons of my experience:

The Good: Easy to use, easy to set up. I'm slowly getting more savvy with electronics but I'm still pretty much a dim bulb as far as set up and everything goes. This didn't really come with any instructions but then they didn't really need to for the most part. My phone connected rather quickly to the Jabra, which was good, and I was soon on my way to making many, many phone calls. I liked that I could clip it to my visor and let it do its thing up there. Also nice was that I could use it to listen to music that I had downloaded to my phone. The battery charge lasts long enough for my purposes and I liked that you could easily replace the cord if you lost/forgot the one that came with the speakerphone. I hate it when I get things with cords that can only be replaced by the company, so this was a nice touch. I also liked that the phone's volume was pretty loud since I sometimes have trouble hearing things as well as others might. I still had to occasionally ask someone to repeat themselves, but that's more my issue than the speakerphone's.

The Bad and Inbetween: While I liked that I could clip it to my visor, I found that unless I wanted to put myself at risk of getting it stolen I had to either take it down after each car ride or flip it around to where the speaker part was hidden along the ceiling. This isn't a dealbreaker for me but it just got a little irritating after a while. For a speaker of this size the quality was decent. Music-wise you'd be better off with some of the other options out there (radio, speakers that hook up to your mp3 player, mp3 radio transmitters,etc), but as far as phone call quality went it was better than my phone's speakerphone ability. (My phone is a LG Envy Touch, so that might not be saying much.)

My biggest gripe was that you really needed to have the mic close to your mouth in order for the other person to really hear what you're saying and you'll need to turn off your radio and anything else that might distort the sound. That might sound like a no-brainer, but I found that my car's AC system was (at full and semi-full blast) just slightly too loud and the mic picked it up. I also found that people were having a little trouble hearing people sitting nearby, so if you're hoping to have conference calls with this you'll probably want to make sure that any passengers speak extra loud so they'll be heard. (Although I'm glad to say that a passenger won't have any problems hearing the person on the other end, which is probably what counts in this situation.) This kept me from giving it as high of a rating as I would have otherwise wanted to.

All in all this is a pretty decent unit. For people like me, who don't like the bluetooth earpieces for whatever reason, this will be a nice thing to have.

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Bluetooth handsfree has quickly become a very desirable feature on new cars, for the obvious safety and convenience it offers. For those of us without a built-in bluetooth capable head-unit, the visor mounted version is probably one of the best alternatives, as its location on the visor so close to the driver's ears and mouth is nearly ideal.

Pros:

Beautiful and beautifully made. I cannot find another visor mounted model with this much quality and design, and the prices is quite competitive for what you get. It doesn't look like a square garage opene, and the shape isn't overwrought. The metal clip with its high grade plastic functional layouts makes this quite pleasant to behold, and should fit in with the best of car interiors.

Sound: the microphone pick up is fairly clear, and the speaker is quite loud. I wouldn't play music on a speaker like that (see cons), but for phone calls and speech (such as GPS directions), it is quite excellent with emphasis on just the voice sound spectrum.

Longevity: the standby time is really quite long. I haven't really calculated precise numbers, but it has been sitting in my car for almost two months without recharge. It still turns right on. It will hibernate/turn off if left on standby for a while, which probably contributed to the battery life.

Operation: other than the power toggle, which you don't really need to bother with most of the time, everything else (volume, the main button) are all very easy to locate and press, with a good tactile feel. The speaker grille is a giant button in itself, with a discreet, phone handset shaped flashing LED indicator. Pairing and call controls have been nothing but reliable.

Voice prompt: simple things like "Connected" just does wonders in putting out doubts that LEDs never can.

Cons:

A2DP: The headset pairs with A2DP, or bluetooth stereo/media protocol with your phone. The problem is that the speaker is really not made out to play music, and it'll sound pretty tinny and ridiculous. Also A2DP is turned off automatically during a call when Microphone is in use. I wonder if there isn't a way to leave just the call to the Jabra and music to the 3.5mm plug.

Sleep/Hibernate: it will turn off after a while, and so when you enter the car the phone won't automatically pair. It will save the battery and makes sense, but one just has to remember to turn it on if if it doesn't respond with "Connected" as you enter the car. If it's within a few hours it seems to be on standby and it works fine, with automatic pairing happening seamlessly.

I really like this visor headset. Compared to similar products owned by my peers, Jabra Drive's industrial design is almost art. There's little that I can gripe about this, and it worked very well with clear sounds, yet unlike many bluetooth products, also transparently and fairly maintenance free. The long battery life has made that possible, and despite my initial doubts, this has exceeded all my expectations. If you are in the market for a visor mounted bluetooth handsfree, this is definitely worth serious consideration.

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For a test, I had my wife set this up. She's not that familiar or comfortable with blue-tooth devices, so I thought doing this would be a good trial. She has a blue tooth capable smart phone, and she had no problem whatsoever connecting it to her phone and using it.

Sound quality is quite good, both for the user of this speakerphone, and for the person on the other end of the call. It fits nicely and securely on the car's sun visor. We found the product quite satisfactory and confidently recommend it.

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Boss CAP10 10 Farad Capacitor

• 10 farad capacitor
• Digital voltage and blue illumination
• Brand New Product
• Full Manufacturer's Warranty

Recently I decided to replace my old car stereo with something a little more contemporary. While researching stereos I stumbled across articles claiming that capacitors would eliminate the dimming of headlights. Since the stereo was going to be installed in an old school muscle car, it seemed that some capacitors would lesson the strain on the battery and alternator. I chose the Boss 10/20 capacitors, since they were economic and offered the most farads. After placing the order I saw the reviews of similar Boss capacitors; talk about bad reviews!! Those other reviews had me regretting my decision, since customer reviews persuade my decisions, more so on unfamiliar products.

Now for the facts:

1. Everything required to install the capacitors was included. I used longer screws to secure the capacitors, since they were installed in a car with a large amount of hp and torque.

2. Boss includes a small transistor to charge the capacitor before being attached to the battery. I read that the voltmeter on the capacitor would increase once the circuit was completed, which didn't happen. I used my voltmeter to validate if the capacitors were taking and holding a charge, which they were. I charged both capacitors to 12 volts before attaching the positive terminal.

3. After attaching the positive terminal I checked the battery volts and the capacitors, all three were at 12.5 volts. I turned the ignition switch to the on position and everything lit up, including the voltmeters. I validated the volts on the capacitors with my voltmeter and all three meters were identical.

4. I installed the 10 farad capacitor to a 400watt amp and the 20 farad capacitor to a 500watt amp. With the engine running and the system at max volume the lights did not flicker one time. With the engine off the lights did not even dim. I biggest test for my vehicle was to start the vehicle after allowing the stereo system to run without the motor running. My motor has a higher compression and needs every drop of power to start, which it did without issue after allowing the stereo to run solo off the capacitors and battery.

5. This is the first time I have ever installed a capacitor and it was way too easy to do the installation. I have only had the capacitors installed for five days and unless they melt down in a week or two, I must recommend them with five stars. They work, they didn't break, all the lights/voltmeter work, and they offer large amounts of farads for a decent price.

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This capacitor was super easy to install. Comes with all the stuff you need. Is really cool when it's lit up and and the digital gauge is pretty neat to. Charging it before installing was really easy too. Just follow the directions. Completely stopped my headlights and gauges from dimming and my subs and all around stereo is much cleaner and crisp. Awesome product at a great price. Just purchase the right size for the amp that you have. Another post and a little research showed me that for every 500 watts you need 1 farad in capacitance. You can't have too much capacitance so being that my amp is a 2000 watt amp I bought the 10 farad, Good luck with whatever product you purchase but I have had good success with this one and believe it's well worth the money.

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I put this in today and wow! What a difference! I've almost maxed out the gain on my system as a whole and it sounds (&feels) great! And the low voltage sensor is a good feature too...if only you could adjust when it starts to warn you... I really recommend buying this item its a great addition to any audio system.

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This really resolved all my H.lights problems. It is larger than it looks but it a great show piece as well.

It also help the punch on my radio I rate this a 10

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I was having issues with running 2-Kicker 750.1 amps in my Tahoe. I was using a 2-Farad capacitor and it just didn't help so I went to the Boss 10 farad and it made a world of difference. If your looking for a good capacitor take time to check out the Boss CAP10 at this link:Boss CAP10 10 Farad Capacitor

Boss offers upto 35 farad capasitors for those who need even more protection.

Schumacher PS-120A Mity-Mite Jump Starter Charger

Want to feel like a superhero? Keep one of these devices in your trunk. The next time you see someone stranded at the trailhead or in the mall parking lot with a dead battery, waiting for dad or hubby or AAA, you'll make their day. Pop the hood, connect the cables, crank the key, unhook the cables, and they're on their way. The whole thing takes less than a minute. If you're the dad or hubby who's always running out to the rescue, this handy piece of equipment will make your job a lot easier. And if you're the one who's found himself stranded, here's a simple, self-sufficient solution to keep it from ever happening again.

The local auto parts places often advertise similar no-name units for lower prices. They're usually bright yellow. I've owned a couple, and have had mixed results. The power switch broke on one the first time I used it, and the battery wouldn't hold a charge either. What's more frustrating than pulling out a portable jump-starter to rescue someone with a dead battery and discovering that the jump-starter also has a dead battery? The other "no-name" model I bought is still working well, but a 50% success rate isn't anything to brag about. You can look at the reviews for similar units sold here on the site and see what I mean.

I grabbed this model because Schumacher is a well-established brand much less likely to sell no-name poorly-made junk. It seems well-built, is very compact, and hasn't given me any problems yet.

I'm surprised more small businesses don't own these. If I owned a bar, restaurant, or retail store, I'd keep one of these charged and ready behind the counter -think of the goodwill they could generate.

One disadvantage to this unit: some models include additional features like a flashlight (which makes it easier to see under the hood in the dark), an air compressor, or a cigarette lighter outlet, which lets you use the device as a portable power supply. I've even seen one model with an integrated voltage inverter, which lets you power standard 120 volt household products. However, these all add size, weight, cost, and complexity to the product. If you're looking for a compact jump-starter that does its job well, this one's a good choice.

This device has saved my old car from a non-start once, and given me peace of mind continuously since I purchased it.

One note: the green "charged" light never goes on the first time it is charged, but will after it's been charged, used at least once, and charged again. It seems to need to "learn" what the full charge is before it can register properly.

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Seems ok at first, charged fine as advertised. Used it 3 times in the first day i had it charged (lucky timing!) and the negative terminal connector flew apart each time. Had to reassemble each time and it still is shakey. Very frustrating in that attaching to anything of any size causes it to self-destruct. Now I've taken to just holding it on to something a la a defribulator and hoping for the best. Would not buy again.

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i wouldn't recommend this product. The positive terminal clamp broke in half the first time i used it... I, as I was stranded, rigged up a method to make contact with the terminal w/ the remaining half of the clamp. Then the charger (which was charged fully the previous night) didn't provide enough power to actually turn the engine over. I will be returning to the store tonight, returning this item, and purchasing a different charger.

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Did a good job, but initial charging took a while. Instructions said to charge it over night but it never switched from "charging" to "charged". After 24 hours, I gave up and used it anyway, no problem. Cables are a bit short (1 ft long) but I had no trouble connecting them to the battery and car. Car started just fine. A couple things to note, although other jump starters may be the same: Instructions say the cables contain lead, so don't lick your fingers after using it. Instructions also say you can extend it's life by recharging it every three months (a bit inconvenient to do/remember considering I probably won't use it for another three years). Over all it did good and I recommend it to others. Good price too.

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Black & Decker JUS500B 500 Amp Jump Starter

I purchased this Jump starter for a vehicle that I rarely drive, and it works as advertised. My only complaint is that it does not come with a power cord. You will need to supply your own quality power cord to charge this unit, not a big deal really. I charged it out of the box and have it used it twice to jump cold dead cars and it does the job. Quality parts and construction are obvious, the clamp cables are a tad short but it was just long enough to reach terminals. It is my understanding that these type of products need to be used, depleted of power, and then charged again several times a year or they will experience problems. I plan to use this jump starter often and now even carry it in my car for that unexpected need.

Every now and then the car I tow behind my motorhome needs a jump to get started and this product eliminates calling a service truck. It's easy to carry and stow but I am totally perplexed about the lack of a power cord to charge the unit. I had to hunt around for the right extension cord with a fitting compatible with the jump starter. You'd think Black & Decker would deal with the extra $1 of product cost to include a cord to charge the unit!!

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The JUS500B is all it is advertised to be. The only drawbacks are that it is heavy for a portable emergency starter battery, it sits on the ground flat and will not store or stand upright at all (round bottom end) and it does not come with an electrical cord for charging. If not for these (non-operational) drawbacks, I would give it a five star review.

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I bought this to replace an older Black & Decker jump starter that was stolen out of my SUV. Seeing the comments concerning the lack of power cord included, I was curious what type of cord it would take to charge it. When I got it out of the box I saw that a simple 2-prong, $3.00 appliance extension cord works fine.

I live in the desert and the summer heat kills batteries; you never know when your car battery is going to give up the ghost and not even respond to an overnight charge. A jump starter has kept me from being stranded a few times, and it's also nice to have if someone else needs a jump.

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It is not too heavy, easy to use. I used it for the first time about 2 weeks ago when my Honda City ran out of battery because I left my lights on. Luckily I have it charged. It was a simple stuff to do. I just pick it up, put it next to my car battery plug it and then start the engine. I few minutes later I was on my way!

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Tsunami Positive & Negative (1) 1/0 Gauge (1) 4 Gauge (2) 8 Gauge Out Battery Terminal BT819C

• Nickel Plated Solid Brass

The tightening bolt on the positive terminal broke before it was even tight. If you buy this, replace the bolt with a harder bolt before you tighten it down.

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This is a high quality terminal kit it actually comes with two terminals when I ordered this I was under the impression it was only for one terminal and received a positive and negative terminal. I originally had purchase a street wire terminal adapter and was disappointed the street wire unit was poorly made and broke when attempting to tighten it onto the batter terminal, this is a solid steal piece.

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Was able to upgrade all my wiring in the car and keep the stock ones and run wiring for my amp. Very versatile.

Soundstream VHD9BG Headrest with DVD Headrest

• Playback System (DVD, DVD-R, VCD, SVCD, CD-DA, CD, CD-R/RW, MP-3,Divx)Active Matrix TFT/LCD3.5 mini front panel Audio/Video input on both headrests
• Selectable DVD or A/V input from other headrest1 Video/Audio OutputBuilt-in 900Mhz. 2-ch Transmitte
• 2 RF 2-ch Wireless Headphones Included in PackageBuilt-in 8-channel FM TransmitterSD Card reader & USB Input
• Touch Screen controls for all features (Monitor & DVD)OSD on Screen Display2 Remote Controls
• Swivel Screen Adjustment for Better Viewing Angle4 Screen Modes (Full, Wide , Cinema, Zoom)NTSC/PAL auto-select
• 8.8-inch TFT LCD display
• Playback System (DVD, DVD-R, VCD, SVCD, CD-DA, CD, CD-R/RW, MP-3,Divx)Active Matrix TFT/LCD3.5 mini front panel Audio/Video input on both headrests. Selectable DVD or A/V input from other headrest1 Video/Audio Output
• Soundstream Pair Pre-Loaded Headrest Monitors

We purchased this dvd player system about 2 months ago and we LOVE it! we didnt put it in ourselves, we took it to shop to get it put in, so we dont know how easy/hard it is to put it in! but all in all i can recommend this product!!!!

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**(1 yr. updated review) So far pretty pleased but there are some issues. One of the headphones died pretty much right away($20-$30 to replace),the RCA audio output does have an annoying whine, but the FM modulator works perfect still. The headphones are the worst thing on these cause when ever the kids want to use them, plan on having a pair of aaa batteries...**

to start Amazon was excellent great packaging and fast shipping!

PROS: These headrests are a perfect match to my 04 Buick Rendezvous tan leather interior I mean PERFECT. Headphones are easy to use (4yr old handles just fine), touchscreen menu, USB, SD Card, tilt headrests, tilt screen, FM transmitter transmits perfect, great picture. Connected the wii and it works perfect. Posts stretch to 8.5". SD/USB will read MPG & AVI files so far, which is better than others, but it doesn't read the larger HC cards.... so keep it under 1gig

CONS: Headphones need to have an "auto-off" feature.... if the kids accidently leave them on overnight, you'll need new batteries. Only 1 hardwired input, the second takes a "jack" next to the screen, which seems like an accident waiting to happen. You loose the headrest "clicks" for height placement and they seem a little loose, but I think I can fix that pretty easily. Touchscreen does not control the DVD, just monitor options.

Buick CON: They are very easy to hook up (30mins for both), my nightmare was getting the OEM headrests off..... the Rendezvous for some reason does not have that little push lever to remove the headrests so you will either have to pay $25 each at the dealer to remove or make your own tools :( took hours to get them off with home-made tools.

heres some images that I'll try to keep up for awhile.

Powertraveller Startmonkey 200 Portable Jumpstarter

This is a really slick and neat device.

Very compact and easy to use and starts your car up no problem.

Don't leave home without it.

Can also be used to charge phones, tablets, and other devices.

Very handy for sure.

As stated I used it twice the first year dident have cause to use it till 2 years later . Well it was dead, could not recharge it. Oh yes, it's out of warranty . So for $100 , $50 per jump its expensive.

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I bought this about a year ago and have found so many uses outside of jumping another vehicle. I use it as a backup battery for several instruments in my work. Highly portable, lightweight, small and keeps most low amp instruments going for hours and/or charges the device battery. It is great if you're a motorcycle rider on long trips...it has saved me and my back country motor riders several times. You'll find many uses for this battery and it jump-starts vehicles!!

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This has been an amazing item. I don't have room for a big jumper unit in my car plus it will be loose in my trunk. This item has it's own case and it's able to jump mt battery that I have in my car. Its a must have for people that don't have jumper cables and need space in thee trunk for other things.

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