OK, OK, I know I am late to the party on this one. I have used Bluetooth devices off and on for about the past 15 years. That is hard to believe in itself since it seems like it has not been around that long. However, the telephone company, Ericsson, originally came out with it in 1994. It was invented to replace RS-232 data cables with a wireless alternative. It did not quite succeed there but it did in a big way in other areas. Today it is the standard for wirelessly sending and receiving data over short distances.
One of the first Bluetooth devices I came into contact with was when I owned a Blackberry phone (yes, I had one of those too.) The phone had Bluetooth built into it so you could use a headset with it. You know the disturbing little blue blinking light in many people’s ears, then and today. I really think it is supposed to be a status symbol of some sort. The light was designed to help users know things; in standby mode waiting to receive a call (blue flash), fully charged (steady blue), needs charging (steady red), receiving a call (fast blue flash), etc. But come on folks, once it is in your ear you cannot see the stupid blinking, so it is obviously for others to see. But enough of that.
The Blackberry/Bluetooth combo was not that good. I am not really sure if it was the phone’s fault or the Bluetooth headset. Regardless it was not a pleasant experience for me. So ended my dance with Bluetooth for a few years.
A few years later a friend spoke of one he had bought and how great it was. So, I figured ok, let me try again. I got a Motorola H700 Bluetooth headset and it was great. At one time I even used it in a convertible and I could hear you and visa-versa during a call. I used it so much that I wore it out and am still using another generation of that one.
Next, I got a Bluetooth headset for listening to music from my computer or phone, etc. Fantastic! I use earbuds, which I like, and listen to music from my phone, table, wherever BT is available and it sounds great.
As fate would have it a month ago the radio on my car went to radio heaven after 14 years of service. I thought oh, gee, this is going to be expensive since I want to have a USB port in the radio. For less than $100 I got a replacement at one of the big box stores in town – with not only USB but Bluetooth built in.
I have been amazed to learn what it can do. I can clearly call and be called on my phone through the speaker system, although my wife says it sounds “different.” My audible directions from Waze come through the speakers now, much better than before. Another surprise for me: (well not really, I saw it in the manual) if I play music or listen to an audiobook on my phone it sends the signal to my radio and I hear it there loud and clear. When I cut the car off the phone stops playing and then restarts later at the same point.
WOW, I am a Bluetooth fanboy now!
