Fixed mobile phone in LS430

[pgrier]

I'm looking at buying a new LS 430, but understand that there is no Lexus-approved option to have an integrated hands free kit.

This seems strange given that this is an option offered by the car's competitors from BMW/Mercedes et al and given both the spec and the target market of the car.

Is this right? If so, does anyone know of a way around it, other than having an ugly bracket screwed to the passenger-side footwell by a third party?

Thanks!

Paul

[Matthew_McNally]

Look into Bluetooth technology - the wave of the future!

I had a similar problem when I bought the IS (will only use the mobile if hands-free).

I got a T68 from Orange for free, and £160 on a headset gives me a full, handsfree, wire free car kit, with voice dialling etc, with no ugly brackets screwed anywhere.

AND I get to keep it if I change car (NB - big IF)

There are now also Bluetooth car kits which are basically a dot on the dashboard.

This is very cool and exciting technology - I also have a Bluetooth PCMCIA card in the laptop, which couple with GPRS on the phone, give me pretty fast internet access (esp email) anywhere I like!

[pgrier]

Many thanks for that suggestion.

Bluetooth is certainly the future - the concept of getting into the car and the integrated hands-free, audio-linked, factory-installed, fully integrated telephone system picks up the SIM in the phone in my pocket and immediately ensures that all my phonebook entries are available through the voice-activated dialling system is very attractive.

Unfortunately the idea of having to wear a headset to get round this is a bit of a turnoff!

I'm keen to see if there's a solution that, for example, links into the audio system, or at any rate is just a bit more integrated into the advanced electronics of this obviously-amazing vehicle. For example, BMW's new 7 series has a built-in phone system as standard, even with a cordless handset that can be passed around the car.

I'm not assuming that Lexus will have something similar, but it seems astonishing that a car costing more than £50,000 that is aimed at the executive market doesn't have an option for a factory-fitted handset.

[LSMark]

An intergrated LS430 phone is now available in the USA. I guess it wont be long until it is over here. It uses Sat Nav display and steering wheel controls. It even dials the number in a POI item direct from the Sat Nav, now that's what I call intergated. Check out the following link

http://www.phonedemo.com/splash.html

[LSMark]

Forgot to mention, I use a Bluetooth earpiece which is the only option for privacy with passengers on-board. It is not uncomfortable to wear all the time and the phone can be anywhere in the car. Call is answered by pressing a button on the headset, also volume controls are there. There is really no need for car kits anymore. The sound through a Bluetooth earpiece is as good as holding the phone to your ear.

[Rodders_UK]

Nokia makes a Bluetooth car kit for the 6310i

[trevorx]

I've got an Ericsson T39 which has Bluetooth. Where have you guys got your handsfree sets from ?

[Matthew_McNally]

I had to mail order mine - got it very early on.

But my brother said they had them in stock in Carphone Warehouse when he was up there the other day.

[LSMark]

Got mine mail order too when they first came out. Doesn't matter the make of phone all Bluetooth devices work with each other device. I started with the Motorola earpiece which was comfortable but Battery didn't last a normal day's talking despite the spec. stating that it has 2.5 hrs talk time. Changed to SonyEricson earpiece with 4 hour talk time. Not quite as comfortable but at least the bettery has not run out on me. Both are good quality sound. Carphone Warehouse does stock them now, but you may save a few pounds and order on-line with http://www.expansys.com/expansys.asp

[pgrier]

Well, my new LS430 arrives on Monday, and I'm just a little excited!

As far as phone kits go, I've upgraded my Nokia 6210e handset to the Sony/Ericsson T68i (free upgrade as I've been with Orange for 30 months with no upgrade in that time).

I've had the Parrot Bluetooth hands-free kit installed. This seemed to be the best option, as (a) it is completely hands free (the Nokia requires a button to be pressed before dialling a number, even using voice tags), and (B) the Ericsson stores up to 150 numbers with voice tags, as against the Nokia's 10 or so.

The kit cost £400 to buy and install (which is on the expensive side, but read on), and is completely invisible (not even a microphone to be seen). Integrates with the stereo as well so that volume dips on an incoming or outgoing call.

The price also includes a properly mounted charging bracket located in the huge central armrest storage bin between the front seats, so the phone can charge while I'm driving.

I'll let you know what the quality is like after I pick up the car on Monday!

:-)

Paul

[Matthew_McNally]

Originally posted by pgrier

I'll let you know what the quality is like after I pick up the car on Monday!

please report back on the quality- I am seriously considering this sort of kit

[pgrier]

OK, here's some feedback on the Parrot CK3000 Bluetooth carkit.

The system is fairly awesome. It consists of a microphone, a box of tricks that does all the work, a speaker, and a small (2 cm wide by 1 cm high) two-button switchbox with a "dial" and a "hangup" button.

It works pretty much seamlessly with the Ericsson T68i. First thing to do is set up the "in-car" profile on the T68i with specific words for "activate phone", "home", "work", "mobile", and "end call".

Then pair the phone with the carkit, which was dead easy and outlined in great detail in the instruction manual.

Then set up voice commands for all the numbers you want to be able to dial or recognise as incoming calls. The advantage of the Ericsson is that you can have up to 100 of these I think, as opposed to a much lower number on the Nokia.

Finally configure the "in car" profile on the phone to use Voice Assisted commands.

The way it works on a day to day basis is:

Get into the car, and switch your phone to "in car" and "Bluetooth on" (assuming it's not always on).

Turn on the engine of the car. After 10 seconds or so, the speaker beeps to indicate it's paired with your phone, and the phone list in the car synchronises with the list on the phone.

To dial, you say the word that you've associated with the "activate phone" setting (in my case "voldemort" :) ). The radio then turns off, and the speaker beeps to say that it's heard you. You then say the name of the person you want to call, which causes the car to repeat the name if it's understood it, or say "name not recorded" if it hasn't, and then beep again.

If there's only one number stored in the phone for the contact, it then dials the number. If there is more than one, you say "work", "home" or "mobile" to choose the relevant number associated with that contact in your phonebook (another advantage of the Ericsson is the ability to store multiple numbers against each phonebook entry).

The car then repeats the number type you've chosen. and dials the number.

At the end of the call, you just say the phrase that you've associated with the "end call" function.

The two-button keypad in my LS430 has been mounted just in front of the main central armrest (photo to come soon), and acts as an alternative to the "activate phone" and "end call" voice commands where needed. I've only once needed to use the "activate call" button, which was when my radio was so loud that I couldn't hear myself speak, so the phone system had no chance!

I've used the "hang up" button a few times, when for example I've been leaving an answerphone message for someone, and don't want the message to finish with me saying "terminate call". :)

The sound quality from the speaker is good and clear, if ever so slightly muffled. On the LS430 it can't be put through the sound system for some reason, although on other models it can apparently. Similarly the quality as heard by the person you're calling is perfectly clear.

On an incoming call, the radio turns off automatically, and if you've recorded a name associated with the incoming number, the speakerphone says that name. If not, it just rings. You can then say "end call" to move the call to answerphone, or say nothing for the call to be answered automatically.

Finally, an initial concern of mine about the phone itself not being charged, which it would be under normal circumstances in one of those nasty phone brackets, has been sorted by mounting a charging bracket in the main armrest compartment, using the power socket that is in that compartment.

To sum up, I'm dead chuffed with the system, and would recommend it to anyone. How it works in noisier cars than the LS430, I don't know, but I wouldn't think that this would be a problem. It's certainly the safest model I've used, with no handset in sight to distract.

The install cost me £420, though I'm sure this can be done more cheaply. I'm very pleased with the way that it integrates with the car though, so don't regret having spent this amount of money.

Hopefully I'll make it to a meet sooner or later so that anyone interested can have a play with it.

If you have any questions, post them here and I'll try and answer them asap. A review of the LS430 as well as some photos will be up on the site some time in the next two weeks after my holiday in Scotland (cue photos of car against barren highland wilderness :) ).

Paul

[Matthew_McNally]

sounds like a really cool set up.

Some pics would be absolutely ace!

Can you put a matchbox or something similar in the photo - just for scale?

I would be looking at putting it in my IS - so would need to know sizes to help work out were to put it.

Photos of the charging unit would be nice too - I tend to keep my phone in the centre armrest - would be nice to see if it would fit in there.

[LSMark]

Wow, that's lots of feedback. I like the sound of it. I have had good old wired car kits over the years, right from the early days of the wood effect corded phone in the early LS400, however, the greatest weakness of hands-free kits is 'privacy'. I frequently have visitors/customers in the car and I need the privacy of conversation that the ear-piece offers. Years ago before using only the earpiece, I had a wired in earpiece kits from a company called Speakeasy and it could switch between hands-free and the earpiece. That's what I need from your Parrot CK3000. Maybe the CK4000 will do it for me. Still looking forward to the pictures though and thanks again for taking the time to describe it so thoroughly.

p.s. took delivery of my second LS430 on Monday the 2nd too. Happy motoring.