Here in the great state of Illinois we kicked off the new year with a law that prohibits anyone talking on their cell phones (including the iPhone) while driving a vehicle — unless they use a Bluetooth device. Now I am not not sure about your state laws but if you are in the same boat as I am, why not take a look at the Motorola Bluetooth Car Speakerphone T305? [$44.95 - TiPb Store Link

For the full review follow me after the break!

The Moto T305 comes with a sturdy clip that you attach to the device itself, and then slide directly onto your sun visor. Either side of the visor will do – front or back, and during my few weeks of testing it remained securely in place and not once did it come off the visor. Charging the T305 is a piece of cake with the included mini-USB car adapter. Motorola’s claim of 12 hours of talk time and 200 hours of standby time turned out to be pretty dead on give or take.

The controls of the T305 are plain and simple, and that is a positive. It contains a dedicated power button, volume up and down buttons on either side of the device, and a giant call button directly in the center. One thing that may be troublesome to some users is that the call button flashes blue constantly when the device is powered on, regardless of whether or not you are on a phone call. It can be distracting at night and just seems wasteful.

As far as sound quality, based on other car speakerphones I have tested, I’d rate the Moto T305 slightly above average. The T305 contains enhanced echo and noise reduction technologies that help keep both incoming and outgoing call quality clean and crisp. One issue I did run into was if you turn the volume up too far the sound makes it’s way back to the receiver and makes the person on the other line hear themselves (echo effect). You can eliminate that particular issue by turning the volume down a bit. Other than that one problem, I did not experience any other voice quality issues.

If you are looking for a hands-free solution for your vehicle and a headset is out of the question, you can’t go wrong with the low price and good performance of the Motorola T305 Bluetooth Speakerphone.

For more information and full specs, check out the TiPb store!

Disclaimer: The TiPb iPhone Accessory Store provided the speakerphone for this review.

The Jabra SP200 Speakerphone for iPhone 3G/3GS [$59-95 - TiPb Store link] is a great Bluetooth headset alternative that you really have to try yourself to fully appreciate. I can not recommend it enough.

I’ve been using the Jabra SP200 for about a month now and I can honestly say that I’ve stopped using every single Bluetooth headset I own while driving my car. Simply connect the SP200 to your cars visor, flip the power switch and you are good to go. And go you will – Jabra claims the battery life comes in at 10 hours of talk time and 23 days of standby time. I am happy to report that these claims are dead on accurate.

Now to get to the most important part of a Bluetooth device, sound quality. I was pleasantly surprised on how well not only the person I would speak to sounded, but how well I came across to them as well. Volume is definitely not an issue with the SP200 as not once have I had to turn it up to it’s full capability.

As for controls it’s pretty simple. You have a volume dial, power switch, and a answer/hang up button that also doubles as an redial button. A great feature that I enjoyed greatly was the ability to leave my car without turning the device off. If I was gone for less than 15 minutes, as soon as I got into my car the device would automatically detect my iPhone and connect instantly. After the 15 minutes if you do not get back into your car, it will automatically power itself down. A simple touch of the answer button will make the re-connection. Need more specs?

• In-car speakerphone for hands-free calls
• Easy to use with no installation
• Noise reduction and echo cancellation (DSP)

The Jabra SP200 Bluetooth Speakerphone can be purchased for $59.95 from the TiPb iPhone Store.

• Learn More, See More Images, and Purchase @ TiPb iPhone Store >>

Can’t find a Bluetooth Headset that fits your ear? Struggling enough with the headset that it defeats the purpose of being ‘hands free’? Well, the Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone ($99.95) is ideal for you. It is essentially a Bluetooth speakerphone, keeping your hands free and your ears clear while driving your car. Unlike a Bluetooth headset, the Motorokr T505 is meant to be used strictly in a car setting. How does it perform?

Read on for the rest of the review!

Design

The Motorokr T505 looks about the size of your average garage door opener, in fact, Motorola suggests that you clip it to the sun visor in your car. The build quality of the Motorokr T505 is superb. It has great texture to it, feeling soft yet sturdy. The buttons are defined and easy-to-reach, the overall look of the Motorokr T505 is subtly stylish, a gadget that looks more wonderous and mysterious than utilitarian and boxy. It will more often than not blend into your car instead of sticking out like an eye-sore.

Usability

The Motorokr T505 sets out to do a few things which are: keep your hands free while driving, provide a clearer and louder speakerphone than your iPhone’s, and transmit calls (and music) to your car’s stereo system via FM. It certainly can be considered a narrow scope to focus on, if you don’t drive a car you won’t need the Motorokr T505. But if you do drive a car, let me tell you this, I can’t imagine using anything other than the Motorokr T505 again.

Syncing your iPhone with the Motorokr T505 is easy as any other Bluetooth device. And I was able to use the speakerphone in seconds upon powering up. Also, charging is made available through mini-USB. What’s great about the Motorokr T505 is that there is no fumbling for the iPhone or having an earpiece attached to you the entire time you’re driving, it is truly a hands free device.

The speakerphone is clear, loud, and extremely audible. Callers were pronounced and unmistakably clear, this was as good as it gets for a Bluetooth speakerphone. Callers also agreed that I sounded great and hardly noticed that I was talking via speakerphone, they assumed I was on my iPhone the entire time.

When the FM transmitter in the Motorokr T505 transmits the call to your FM, it scans the best available station to broadcast to. Specifically, it searches for an empty signal and broadcasts your call to that transmission. Doing this, it gives your phone call a surround sound-esque platform. Though your mileage may vary with the FM transmitter, I live in Los Angeles, home of a multitude of FM stations and the Motorokr T505 still managed to find a signal that was empty and transmitted the conversation clearly to my car’s stereo.

However, because the Motorokr T505 is a speakerphone meant for in the car use, it can only fill a specific niche. For example, if you are always on the go but without a car, there is little need for a car speakerphone. But if you are a commuter who travels mainly by car, there are few better options. The only downside to the Motorokr T505 is when you are carrying passengers, your conversation is not exactly private since the whole car can hear and participate. For those worried about those situations, a Bluetooth headset might better fit that need.

Final Thoughts

I never imagined a car speakerphone to perform so well. I initially imagined the Motorokr T505 to be nothing more than a glorified speakerphone for the iPhone, but I was completely off base. It is a speakerphone that offers great compatibility, clarity, and flexibility. As a speakerphone it succeeds, but when transmitting to your FM stereo it surpasses all expectations.

This Motorokr T505 is a great solution for anyone who is looking for a hands-free device while driving in the car. I highly recommend it to all people who are in need of talking on their cell phone while driving.

PROS

• Great Sounding Speakerphone
• Transmits to FM stations well
• Stylish Design
• Easy-To-Use

CONS

• For Use in Car Only
• Conversations aren’t exactly private

Final Rating: 4.8/5