Hands-free devices: Cheap to cha-ching

By MIKE TRELEVEN
Register Business Editor

Look ma, no hands.

With a new law barring drivers from putting a cell phone to their ears while behind the wheel, a range of devices are on the market to allow people to talk and drive at the same time. And there is something for just about every budget.

Consumers can spend as little as  $20 to $30 for an ear piece or get a sophisticated, and pricey, system that works through the car stereo system. Throw in GPS tracking and connection to an iPod, and expect to spend at least $850, plus the cost of installation.

 Napan Paul Kochli of Mobile-Tech said an added wrinkle for going wireless is that if your phone is more than three years old, you are going to be forced to upgrade to be capable of using the popular Bluetooth hands-free technology.

 Kochli said he will come to your home or office to install any hands-free device you’ve purchased or buy through him. He does installation by appointment only and charges about $85 per hour. A basic system can take two to three hours to install and the most expensive Bluetooth setup going through the car’s stereo system can take three to six hours.

Here’s what’s out there.

Kochli said the Parrot Mini-kit retails for $89. It clips to the car’s sun visor and offers about 10 hours of talk time before it needs to be recharged.

“The sound quality is not as good as a higher quality car kit — it is for someone who does a lot of talking, but is on a budget,” said Kochli. It requires no installation.

Kochli said the Parrot CK-3100 is popular at $199, and it integrates into auto stereo systems. He charges about $150 to $300 for installation.

For the person who wants it all, there is the Pioneer AVIC-F700BT, which retails for around $850, plus installation. It includes GPS Navigation, touch screen, CD player, iPod control and built in Bluetooth.

“It is very user-friendly system and is jam-packed with all the latest capabilities. It was just released in June. It is an amazing unit,” Kochli said.

Bluetooth and ear pieces can be bought at most cell phone stores in town. Technology that runs through the car’s stereo system should be installed by audio shops — where car stereos are installed.

Alex Cortez, a sales associate at RadioShack in north Napa’s Silverado Plaza Shopping Center, said the BlueAnt Z9 Bluetooth headset is  popular. It retails for $89.99. The Motorola Universal Bluetooth earpiece, at $119.99, features noise reduction that improves the clarity of the phone conversation.

For people on a budget, RadioShack sells an ear piece for $32.99 that plugs into the cell phone. Nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

Juan Puente, with Cellular World on Soscol Avenue, said a Bluetooth that attaches to the sun visor goes for about $129. The Motorola Bluetooth H700 at about $100 is also popular. It is worn on the ear and is wireless.

For someone working at a construction site — the Jawbone, at $149 is the answer. “It eliminates all background noise. People wouldn’t even know if you were riding on a lawnmower,” Puente said.

Cellular World carries a wired ear piece that goes from the phone to the ear for about $29.

At Drapinski Auto Electric on Vallejo Street in Napa, they’ve been busy installing Bluetooth systems that are integrated into car stereos.

Drapinski’s James Gittings said he has installed at least a dozen such systems in the past month, as savvy drivers have anticipated the new law.

Gittings said Sony and Pioneer offer stereos with built-in Bluetooth, which replaces the factory-installed unit. Sony has a unit for about $230, plus $40 for parts and about $80 for labor, according to Gittings. The Pioneer system goes for $330 plus parts and labor.

It takes one to two hours to install.

Customers know a change is coming, but Gittings said many don’t know the details.

“A lot of people seem pretty oblivious ... all they know is they need to do something by July. They come in and ask a lot of questions.”

Gittings said older cell phones “are not always fully Bluetooth-capable.” As a result, some customers wanting certain bells and whistles may have to upgrade to a new cell phone.

“When people come in, we ask them what they want their phone to do,” Gittings said. “We help guide them through the process.”

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