DISQUS

Daniel J. Pritchett · 9 months ago

I wear hearing aids and thus can't really swing an in-the-ear solution. Thanks to my Dad I just use a visor-mounted two-way bluetooth speaker/microphone. It works pretty well for family conversations like say Grandparent <-> two year old.

The brand is Parrot, not sure what it cost as it was a gift.

As for connection problems, they seem to be entirely phone-specific. Last year I had a Motorola Razr and it had the hardest time even finding the parrot, and then it dropped all the time. My new hand-me-down Motorola Que automatically detects the Parrot device as soon as it powers on and I don't think it's ever lost the connection.

Daniel J. Pritchett · 9 months ago

Found a link to the Parrot unit I reviewed above: http://www.parrotshopping.com/us/p_parrot_item....

victorseo · 9 months ago

Louis, I have two bluetooth ear pieces and both work flawlessly with my iPhone. I have a plantronics discovery 665 and a Samsung whose model number is too tiny for me to see. Both are in the $100 price range. (the samsung might have been a bit less expensive). I am really pleased with how well the iphone detects and stays paired. I can walk away from the phone (out of range) with the ear piece in my ear and it is still paired when I get back. Before i got the Iphone I had to hold the discover button down whenever I came back into range, (even then they paired quickly and easily) Unless you have some unusual interference going on, I recommend you try a better quality head set. It is difficult for me to say which I like better, because they are both good, but the Discovery 665 wins out. It is what I would buy if I had to replace one today. (The samsung is more "feature rich" but I don't really care to try to operate the features from the tiny buttons.) (Just found the magnifying glass the samsung is a wep410)

Jmartens · 9 months ago

Sounds like an iPhone problem to me

awilensky · 9 months ago

I guess I have been lucky with my Samsung 1st gen blackjack and less so with BT speakers for my MAc desktop setup. The phone pairs and remembers flawlessly with Motorola earpieces, and stays paired through power off of either device. All I have to do is turn them on and they find each other - and stay that way, even going in and out of range.

On the desktop with Bluetooth headsets for using Skype and recording, ech! My mac mini is happy until you turn off the headset, then you must re-pair. Except for one device which works better than others.

It's probably the headset part of the equation.

Norman · 9 months ago

I experienced the same issues with my Bluetooth earpiece and the iPhone. Many times it took multiple attempts to connect to the iPhone and for no reason it would become unpaired with the phone. The wrong connection status was particularly frustrating for me. I no longer own an iPhone and use the same headset with an older phone and do not have these problems.

chris peoples · 9 months ago

This might be Apple's subtle way of telling you to buy their headset. Not that I can vouch for it. Or the iPhone. But I've been pretty pleased with my Plantronics headset.

robertnelson · 9 months ago

Not sure what model you have been using, but I have used an original Jawbone and now the new Jawbone with my iPhone. Both have worked great, no issues.

pwinn · 9 months ago

I have a cheap bluetooth earpiece for my iphone that worked for a few months, then, after charging, acted much like you describe. However, when I de-synced and re-synced it up, it has worked fine since.

Satya · 9 months ago

I have a Nokia ear piece and it worked great with my blackberry without any problems, it always connected to my phone in just one single click. After I got the iPhone, I am having exactly the same problem as you mentioned, and I have bluetooth in my car as well and it's a pain to pair my iPhone with that as well. It's definitely the iPhone. It fails to recognize the bluetooth devices properly.

freeryan · 9 months ago

I have the Jawbone which seems to work very well. Almost too well. Since I paired it with my iPhone last month it has never become un-paired, regardless of distance or battery charge. Although when I go to answer the phone without the earpiece, it's always using the earpiece, even if it's buried in my pocket or lost in my daughter's room. I have to clumsily push the buttons on the iPhone to switch from earpiece to speaker while the caller waits and listens to whatever sound the Jawbone happens to be is picking up.

Vern Masterson · 9 months ago

I'm sure we all have our own little pet peeves when it comes to technology that doesn't work right, but fortunately I've personally never had to deal with this problem because I'm anti Bluetooth. I find that wireless phone headsets promote bad phone manners and increased call volume because people know they can reach you at any time... Not something I'd like to deal with!