Need advice: cell phone hands-free device (I'm clueless) (1 Viewer)

[Todd K]

I have never done an ounce of research into anything that will let me talk on a cell phone hands free. I know absolutely nothing about them.

I'm going on a solo car trip tomorrow and thought it might be nice to have one.

So what's the deal? Is it all bluetooth, or are there still ones with cords out there?

Is there one particular model brand that everyone goes gaga for?

In case it matters, I have a Samsung M510 for Sprint.

Thanks for looking!

 

[andrew markworthy]

I will probably instantly get howled down by 'experts' who use hands-free sets and have never had accidents, but I've got to say this - DON'T. Driving and holding a phone conversation, even hands free, is not very safe. If you really need to be on the phone whilst travelling, then take the train or a plane. Or switch the damn thing off and check for messages when you stop for a rest. And if you don't believe me, try the following couple of papers in respected academic journals. These are the first two I found in a search, but they're just the tip of the iceberg:


Just, M.A., Keller, T.A. & Cynkar, J. (2008) A decrease in brain activation associated with driving when listening to someone speak. Brain Research. 1205, 70-80


Neyens, D.M. & Boyle, L.N. (2008) The influence of driver distraction on the severity of injuries sustained by teenage drivers and their passengers.
Accident Analysis & Prevention, 40(1), 254-259


And before you say 'I suppose you'd ban talking in cars or listening to the radio as well' - no I wouldn't. The evidence squarely points to the fact that speaking to someone whose only presence is their voice and where it's unrelated to the immediate task is seriously distracting. Other combinations of these factors are far less distracting.

 

[Todd K]

Fair enough. Cell phone kind of combines the radio and conversation thing, so I could see how it's worse than either of the two. Maybe.

I may not even get one before tomorrow's trip.

But I am also interested in getting a handsfree device for everyday use. I live in a city and often do miles of walking, so it would also be nice to not have to have my hand on my ear the whole way.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Totally agree with that, and also I'm not saying don't have one in the car for emergencies. I'm definitely NOT anti-phone.

A couple of friends have them because they do a lot of walking around stores and similar but need to keep up a running conversation with base, and they say that above all else, get one that's comfortable for you. Apparently it's a case of some will suit some individuals better than others, but as no two people's ears are the same, there's no hard and fast rule on this. I don't think they have a brand preference beyond this.

Sorry to have sounded draconian in the first post, but a colleague did the pioneering work on the dangers of driving and phone use and I've become something of an over-zealous convert as a result. Plus, a couple of stories in the UK about a couple of families wiped out because some moron was too busy talking on the phone to notice the danger ahead didn't exactly help matters.

 

[Buzz Foster]

I use an Aliph Jawbone. In fact, I just got a molded earpiece for it through averysound.com and it fits amazingly well.