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Cell Phone Headsets?
stm42 asks: "I drive 45 miles to and from work each day and I have found that a great way to spend the time productively is to use it to make the phone calls I have to make to employees, co-workers, bosses, etc. I want to be safe, however, and would like to find a headset for cell phones (with a regular headphone jack) that works and is fairly comfortable. I currently use a Plantronics over the ear style and it will stay on my head but I usually have to push the earphone to my ear to hear the other person and that pretty much eliminates the usefulness of the headset. Any suggestions?"
"Should I wear white or green socks with these pants?"
"Oven ranges: Olive or Off-white?"
Must be a really slow day over at Slashdot HQ...
I forget what 8 was for.
I like the earbud one that I have that came w/my Nokia phone. It's just a simple earbud with a mike on the line, and a clip so i can clip it to my shirt. I tried the jabber ones, but didn't really care for the gel earpiece... much too hard to get in and out of my ear. This simple little nokia one works great for me.
:)
(personally I like to be unproductive during my 45 min - hour drive in though. I like to take the time to relax and enjoy the drive rather than working every second of the day. but that's just me
oh yeah... FP?
Place sig here.
Recent studies have shown how unsafe it is for people to be talking on the phone while driving, a number of states and cities have banned the practice.
We all know that holding a cell phone while driving is illegal, but I recently was made quite unpleasently aware of the fact that wearing headphones while driving is illegal too. My suggestion to you is to get a speaker phone system for your car. Unfortunately, I don't know of any seeing as how I don't use cell phones.
You're right, I wouldn't steal a car. But if it were possible, I sure as hell would download one!
Using a headset does make using your cell phone safer (it frees up a hand) but the real danger lies in the fact that you're attempting to have a focused conversation while driving at 60 mph.
I wouldn't have piped up at all had you not said "I wanted to be safe." But based on that, my best advice is to use the cell phone as little as possible while in your car.
I drive 45 miles to and from work each day...Any suggestions?
Yes, move closer to work or work closer to home.
I drive 45 miles to and from work each day and I have found that a great way to spend the time productively is to use it to make the phone calls I have to make to employees, co-workers, bosses, etc.
I hate you.
I want to be safe, however, and would like to find a headset for cell phones (with a regular headphone jack) that works and is fairly comfortable.
So you're one of those people who think that the problems with cell-phone driving are solely because of not having both hands on the wheel, eh? Or maybe you are just tired of holding that little gizmo up like that for 45 minutes straight and are just using the safety angle as an excuse. Here's a tip, bub: using cell phones makes you a menace to us all. It has nothing to do with how many hands you use to hold the phone. It has everything to do with not paying attention to driving.
Any suggestions?
Sure! Here are some alterntive ways of using your commuting time productively that don't involve increasing the danger you pose to the rest of us: listen to books-on-tape or music, brainstorm about problems at work, carpool with someone from your office and get to know them as something other than "CubicleDrone #038A", fanasize about Pamela Anderson, etc.
If you have a bluetooth enabled phone they make devices where it plays through your car stereo and they mount a mic. on the dash.
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1) You are still minding your conversation instead of driving.
2) The cellphone is still right there in the car with you, usually next to your genitalural area and still emitting dangerous electromagnetic radiation.
In short, you shouldn't be talking on the phone at all while you drive. If you are that lonely, just carpool.
Driving while on a cell phone is only illegal in NY state as far as I have heard. It's certainly not illegal in even most places.
(That does not mean it's safe however)
I want to be safe, however, and would like to find a headset for cell phones
Let's be clear. Part of the danger of using a cell phone while driving is the distraction caused by having to juggle the phone, having to look down at it to dial, and having to take at least one hand off the steering wheel to hold it.
Getting a hands-free headset will mostly remove these distractions.
But the majority of the distraction is caused by having the conversation in the first place. That the degree of distraction is similar to that caused by talking to someone physically in the car is often offered as a justification of using the phone while driving, but even if both equal distractions, the cell phone conversation is an additional and unnecessary distraction.
So don't fool yourself: headset or not, you'll be distracted, and you'll be driving less safely. Drive this way once or twice, and your number probably won't come up. Do it every morning, five mornings a week, 50 weeks a years, and eventually your number -- or the number of some kid darting across the road on his way to school -- will come up.
Opinions on the Twiddler2 hand-held keyboard?
check out the Bluespoon if your phone supports Bluetooth. Glorious.
I don't know how anyone can call this parent link "Informative" or in any way appropriate.
I clicked on it expecting to be taken to something germaine to this discussion, and ended up wanting to throw up at what came across my screen.
If I still had my mod points from this morning, I would mod this down by -2 for disgusting and unhelpful and troll.
I just remembered why I left the US. Sorry mate...
Your calls can wait. Drive the damn car.
No sig? Sigh...
As others have mentioned, studies indicate that the fact that you are concentrating on something other than driving is the real safety factor, not the fact that you are holding a phone.
t ml
Studies also indicate that cell-phone use is unfairly singled out as it is generally less of a safety factor than other things drivers are known to do. (IIRC, adjusting the radio/changing tapes or CDs was #1. Others included eating, checking maps, shaving, getting distracted by kids or pets.) Cell phones aren't worse, just more visible.
Having said that, my sister has a very nice speakerphone that attaches to the rods on the headrest. It is a horizontal rod with a speaker on each end and a flexible microphone holder. I generally can't tell that she is in the car (well, except for the squealing tires, screaming passengers, shattering glass and other side-effects of Cell Phone While Driving Syndrome). I don't know if this is the exact model but it looks similar:
http://www.herringtoncatalog.com/m112.h
~~~~~~~
"You are not remembered for doing what is expected of you." - Atul Chitnis
Shut up and drive.
I'm not advocating that conversation should be illegal while driving, but as other people have pointed out, the act of holding it is secondary to the distraction of having an intense conversation. So, having a discussion about what flavor Grape Nuts you had for breakfast won't likely distract you as much as, say, your new crypto scheme you're designing in transit.
Even worse, wearing a headset will probably make you feel like you have to be talking on the phone.
Honestly, have you ever noticed what happens when you're driving and you get a call? You slow down. And while that may seem to be a perfectly logical thing to do in your mind, it bugs the shit out of most everyone else. Think about it. Traffic is not only composed of cars, but it's mostly the space between cars.
If you leave three car lengths between you and another car, you get a call and suddenly it's four car lengths. Multiply that times just about every car you see, and what do you get?
Don't get me started on the fact that you have to add another car length if you're in an SUV. If you've ever looked around and noticed a guy in a zippy little 4 cylinder, "tailgating" - because he's not 5 car lengths back, driving "aggressively" (at least in the American sense, not European), passing whenever possible, and generally annoyed with cell phone talkers, that's probably me.
But seriously, try listening to a book, the news, learning a language on disc, using public transportation, riding a bike (45 miles a day is totally doable)...hell, I bet even driving a sporty car will show you that driving should be fun, and not your fucking couch with wheels.
"Is this shirt clean enough to wear again?"
/.
Oh, I forgot...this is
ABSTRACT
Background Because of a belief that the use of cellular telephones while driving may cause collisions, several countries have restricted their use in motor vehicles, and others are considering such regulations. We used an epidemiologic method, the case-crossover design, to study whether using a cellular telephone while driving increases the risk of a motor vehicle collision.
Methods We studied 699 drivers who had cellular telephones and who were involved in motor vehicle collisions resulting in substantial property damage but no personal injury. Each person's cellular-telephone calls on the day of the collision and during the previous week were analyzed through the use of detailed billing records.
Results A total of 26,798 cellular-telephone calls were made during the 14-month study period. The risk of a collision when using a cellular telephone was four times higher than the risk when a cellular telephone was not being used (relative risk, 4.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 3.0 to 6.5). The relative risk was similar for drivers who differed in personal characteristics such as age and driving experience; calls close to the time of the collision were particularly hazardous (relative risk, 4.8 for calls placed within 5 minutes of the collision, as compared with 1.3 for calls placed more than 15 minutes before the collision; P<0.001); and units that allowed the hands to be free (relative risk, 5.9) offered no safety advantage over hand-held units (relative risk, 3.9; P not significant). Thirty-nine percent of the drivers called emergency services after the collision, suggesting that having a cellular telephone may have had advantages in the aftermath of an event.
Conclusions The use of cellular telephones in motor vehicles is associated with a quadrupling of the risk of a collision during the brief period of a call. Decisions about regulation of such telephones, however, need to take into account the benefits of the technology and the role of individual responsibility.
Also many employers are prohibiting employees from using cell phones on business related calls while driving because the employer can be held liable if the employee has an accident.
Just google for Cellphone+drunken+driving and this story comes up a few times.
PARK CITY, Utah, July 22 (UPI) -- A new study says if you are given a choice of talking on a cell phone while driving or driving while intoxicated, you would be safer driving drunk.
And the University of Utah study says it makes no difference whether the telephone is hand held or is being used hands-free.
Newsday says the study, presented Tuesday at an auto safety conference in Park City, Utah, was based on the performance of 41 test subjects on a driving simulator. The subjects "drove" on a multi-lane highway, with and without hand-held and hands-free cell phones and with and without a 0.08 percent alcohol level
Researchers said they found a 50 percent reduction in the processing of visual information when people drive and talk on a cellular telephone.
Researchers said, "When drivers were conversing on a cell phone, they were involved in more rear end collisions
But seriously, try listening to a book, the news, learning a language on disc, using public transportation, riding a bike (45 miles a day is totally doable)...
When referring to "doable" athletic feats, please keep in mind this *is* slashdot we're talking about.
watch this
I don't understand why cellphones have become such a scapegoat. I can dial without looking at the phone and dont even have to take my eyes off the phone. A comversation with a passenger is just about as distracting. Personally, I've found myself driving into the other lane a *LOT* more often when playing with the navigation system, or changing CDs in the CD changer. I don't hear anyone talking about making it illegal to listen to CDs in the car, though.
I know you're asking about headsets, BUT...
I just purchased an 2004 Acura TL. It's the first car that has internal Bluetooth... which means I can use voice activated dialing (available on the TL w/Navi model) to call people while my SonyEricsson T616 stays in my briefcase.
Once the pairing is done it's simple to use and the sound quality is exceptional.
Hang up and drive the car.
The rest of us sharing the public roads with you do not care about your 'increased productivity', or multitasking.
I have been using a sony ericsson HBH-60 bluetooth headset with my sony ericsson T616. The HBH-60 is an over-the-ear type with a short, stylish boom (my manger calls it my Borg implant.) The bluetooth combination has worked well for me. I have a '94 Corvette coupe which I drive with the lid off most of the time (I love this Arizona weather!) and the radio cranked. I used to miss voice calls from friends and collegues, and text pages from my servers on a regular basis. The wind noise made it impossible to hear the phone ring. Road vibration and stun mode were pretty much indistinguishable -- more than once I thought I felt it vibrate and tried to answer when there was no call. With the headset, however, the alerts for calls and pages are transmitted directly to my ear. My friends and collegues say they can tell I'm in the car, but can hear me fine. It is very comfortable to wear (23 grams) though I sometimes wonder if it is going to fly off my head when I'm cornering hard. I can feel it pendulum a bit, but it hasn't fallen off yet. The wirelessness is absolutely fabulous. I tried a wired headset with my last phone and gave it up after yanking the headset off my head or the phone off its clip numerous times as I extricated myself from my seatbelt. I know you mentioned you wanted a set with a standard plug-in, so I would recommend you get a bluetooth headset with a separate phone module if your phone doesn't have bluetooth onboard.
It's dangerous to have any kind of headset while driving. You need to be able to hear sounds from the traffic around you, and using any earpiece (even an earpiece that covers only one ear) will block those sounds.
I suggest installing a real handsfree kit.
It typically includes a dedicated speaker aimed directly at you (not going through your car radio), and a handsfree microphone near your head. The microphone should have a built-in echo canceler, tuned to match the speaker, so you can talk without the "hollow barrel" effect of traditional speakerphones.
Then, you can leave the cellphone in its cradle, and freely talk without being encumbered by any wires or doodads around your head. If there's an emergency on the road around you, you will still hear it. And, the cellphone will stay charged up while it's in the cradle!
Getting a dedicated handsfree kit is definitely the way to go. I don't have one, because I don't plan on keeping my phone or my car for very much longer. Because of the expense involved, it's wise to only install a dedicated handsfree kit when you know you'll be getting a lot of use out of both the phone and the car, since they become a matched set after the kit is installed.
Dr. Demento On The 'Net!
... at least you have an additional pair of eyes scanning dangers.
Cell phones should be banned on cars, Period.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
What would be your opinion of somebody using a cellphone while using a gun?
Well, let me brake these news to you, your car is a lethal weapon that can cause death and destruction for many people in one go (actually it can be far more devastating than a regular gun).
I don't want you or anybody else using a potentially dangerous contraption while distracted discussing why your marketing department screwed up.
There is a point where you have to draw a line, a line that your job responsibilities should not cross. This seems like an ideally suited ocassion.
In regards to talking to passengers you are right, conversation is also a distraction and should be avoided, specially if the subject is taxing. Nevertheless, in this situation at least you have more eyeballs looking at the road, which makes it a tad less dangerous, but that can still be reckless.
In regards to the other activities I tend to agree with you, I think it would be time to check the wisdom of including all these gadgets in cars.
IANAL but write like a drunk one.
As for the actual question at hand, I've had great luck with Plantronics headsets. Unfortunately, a decent one (that isn't cheaply made and won't fall apart) will run you at least $40. The cheap ones are quiet, and don't work well in noisy environments. I bought mine at Radio Shack, and spent $50 on the headset, plus $15 on the extended warranty. This was absolutely worth the added cost. Over the course of the three years covered by the warranty, I replaced that headset about 15 times.
In my experience, the headsets that have a boom-style microphone offer superior sound quality to your listeners. Your voice will appear to be less distorted, not as ear-splitting loud, and more specific to you, without as much background noise. Also, as you approach the $30-40 price point, you'll see features like an inline volume knob, and a mute switch. This is often much more convenient (and safe) than using the mute function on your phone, as it's usually hanging right in front of you. Some models also have a volume adjust switch for the microphone, should people complain that you are too loud/quiet. I had a Plantronics P110 (later replaced by the P175, under warranty), which was about $50, and supported all of these features.
Since my phone does not yet support Bluetooth (at least, not until a Palm OS SD/IO Bluetooth card comes out. Hurry up, SanDisk!), I haven't tried out these cool-looking toys. But everyone I've spoken with who has owned them has loved them. Then again, they did spend $150+ on them, and might feel kind of stupid for not loving them, even if they don't deserve such a review. This is pretty common, so I'm not going to assume anything about their quality until I test them for myself. But so far, people seem to like them.
[rant]
Hey you safety fanatics: get off your high horses.
I am so sick of hearing everyone whine about how "unsafe" driving while talking on a cell phone is. Wake up! This is not rocket science. Some people shouldn't be on the phone while they drive. Some people shouldn't even drive. But there are plenty of people out there who have the mental facility to be able to do this, and talk on the phone, safely. Ever heard of multitasking? Many people are capable of either A) giving enough attention to both, or B) focusing on the road more than the conversation. This is adverse to the person on the other end, but people will usually be reasonable about waiting while you negotiate traffic, particularly if the issue is important and the only other option is to deal with it later.
I've been "safely" driving while on the phone for years. I've never had an accident, or even come close. This is not just blind luck; I'm smart enough to know when to tell the person on the other end to hold the line, or to just get off the phone when dealing with intense traffic situations. Then again, I've seen people who can't even walk safely when on the phone. This is not so cut and dry. There are plenty of people that I would trust to do this and plenty that I would not, just as there are plenty that I would trust to drive emergency vehicles, perform surgery, or fly planes, and plenty of people that I would not trust to do these things.
When I'm on the phone, I don't slow down. I don't speed up. I don't stare off into space and think about nothing but the conversation. As many of you are responsible for keeping the machines in your home and businesses running and up to speed, accomplishing your other duties at work, as well as juggling the tasks of your everyday life, I'm assuming that keeping track of more than one thing at a time is not a new thing for you. And when you're debugging some code on your website while you're waiting for an OS update to install, and reformatting a drive on another machine, it's not terribly difficult to keep track of all of these things, shifting your attention as necessary to the one requiring the most focus at a particular time. For those of you in the medical field, or on missi
I've been quite happy with my Jabra. I like that teh mic and peaker are all in one and I'm told by those I con call that voice quality is good and that the background/road noise isn't heard by others on the call. It comes with diff. size gel ear pieces for either ear so there's flexibility and comfort too. Leaves me hands free to manage the wheel and pay attention to the road. Only gripe? I wish the wire between the phone and my ear was longer. /bm
From 1st December, it will be illegal to drive in the UK whilst holding your phone (or using a PDA etc. to access the 'net). Handsfree kits are allowed (AFAIK including headsets) as long as the phone is held in a cradle, not your hands. See here for the FAQs.
..is a sms-to-web client so you can send your trolls to slashdot from the car.
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