Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones

by Belkin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 4.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B004EHZUYG
• Item model number: F4U037tt
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,392 in Cell Phones & Accessories (See Top 100 in Cell Phones & Accessories)
  • #35 in Cell Phones & Accessories > Accessories > Car Accessories > Car Kits

Product Description

I want to play my music through my car stereo and answer phones call via the built-in bluetooth in my phone."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars So Close, but 2 Major Shortfalls. I bet V2 will be perfect, February 21, 2011

By 

Johnnyloops - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones (Wireless Phone Accessory)

This device is really close to being a great product. The small adapter with a USB port is great, and the single button/mic operation is a clean and attractive design. This works for playing music from your phone via a bluetooth connection without any wired connections, and it works as a handsfree device as a relatively cheap option to factory-installed bluetooth in your car. The main reason I bought this was to act as a handsfree bluetooth device so I could talk/listen on my phone through my car speakers when a call came in. Sound quality is acceptable, echo cancellation works, but there does not seem to be any other noise suppression. So, if you are driving on a highway, placement of the microphone/button is critical.

The first major shortfall is that it does not autoconnect-- you need to press the button so your phone connects. That means I need to press the button every time I start my car. That may not seem like a big deal, but autoconnect on bluetooth headsets has been around for many years and should be standard on this device. Because it does not autoconnect, I rarely remember to hit the button when I get in the car. Whenever a call comes in, I can't answer since I forgot to manually connect my phone. Also, every time I press the button to connect, it starts playing music on my iPhone, that isn't a big deal, but it is worth noting.

The 2nd major shortfall is that it can only pair with one phone. If my wife ever wants to drive my car, she won't be able to use the bluetooth handsfree from her phone. Again, this is another standard feature with current bluetooth headsets and should be standard on this device.

I'll bet that they fix these two problems on V2, and that may make it a perfect device.

One other note for people who are thinking about buying this-- if your cigarette lighter does not turn off when you turn off your car, you will constantly have to unplug it so it does not drain your battery. My lighter turns off, so I don't have that problem.

31 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Handy device - as long as your receiver has an aux input on the front, December 20, 2010

By 

Richard C. Drew "Anaal Nathra/Uthe vas Bethod... (Oak Lawn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones (Wireless Phone Accessory)

(What's this?)

This is one of the easiest blue-tooth gadgets to use, and one of the handiest. Unlike most other hands-free add-ons, this one does NOT use an FM transmitter to broadcast over your car stereo- it uses a 2.5mm jack (mini-headphone size - same as an iPod.) This of course means that your receiver has to have an available jack to plug into. Assuming your vehicle is so equipped, then this is probably the best hands-free add on you could find. One large button controls it all (It also houses the microphone.) There's a plate that gets stuck to your dash - the dash side is foam adhesive tape, the other grabs the button with a magnet.

At one end of the cable is that button/mic combination - this attaches to the dash. At the other end is a standard cigarette lighter style plug. Stick this in the auto's outlet (I guess they are no longer called lighters.) This end also has the plug that sticks into your sound system's aux jack. That's it. Since it's blue-tooth, your phone can be in your pocket, on the seat, where-ever. You can play music via your phone (I use my Droid X) and answer/make calls.

Since the button attaches via a magnet, you can remove the Aircast and store it in the glove compartment when not in use.

One handy feature is the built-in USB charging port. This is located on the end of the outlet. So while it's plugged in it powers the Aircast, but can also power and charge your USB device (phone, etc.) Also included is an extension cable for the stereo jack.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Product, Really shines with an iPhone, February 25, 2011

By 

Herbman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Belkin Bluetooth Car Hands-Free Kit for Apple iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry,and Android Smartphones (Wireless Phone Accessory)

My car has a 12V receptacle and an AUX input inside the center console. I have an iPhone 3GS and had been using a 1st gen iPod Touch to play music through the AUX input. I wanted to consolidate devices, by using my phone to play music, and also be able to make phone calls 'nearly' hands-free. All while using A2DP (over bluetooth). I like to imagine that this is one of Steve Job's strong points.

In researching solutions, there weren't many. Parrot devices were expensive, and would require a separate visor mounted box. Most devices also connected through FM transmitters. There were only two options which answered my specific pain point.

Enter the Aircast Auto. The device was at a mild price point, and seemed to have all the functionality I required. The product was extremely intuitive to set up. I was able to have music playing through Bluetooth in minutes. Will the A2DP protocol provide good quality music? YES! The sound is nearly as crisp as a CD (The 6.1 Standard harmon-kardon speakers in my car probably helped too).

The quality of outbound calls is around a 5 out of 10 I've been told. The calls sound clear in the car. There may be some tweaking of volume controls to increase quality. However, the calls are audible and most important legal (as the city I commute to has adopted hand-free laws).

While this device can make calls and play music for any other bluetooth device, the feature set really shines on the iPhone. Voice Command Control, A2DP quality sound, and control from the microphone unit really make the unit appealing for iPhone users.

At a moderate price point, and with the extensive feature-set, this device is perfect for my specific niche. I'd give it a 4.75/5.00. Well done Belkin!