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Come July 1, expect to see lots of drivers in California and Washington talking hands-free on their mobile phones. Or else being handed a ticket by a cop if they choose to hold a phone to their ear. That’s when a handheld-phone ban for drivers will go into effect in the two Western states, and they’ll join New York, New Jersey and Connecticut in allowing only hands-free phone use behind the wheel.

Because California has by far the most licensed drivers of any state — almost twice the amount of number-two Texas — Bluetooth device suppliers are looking at a potential bonanza as millions of Golden State drivers go hands-free. That explains why Motorola plans to roll out a car-specific Bluetooth headset in the next month or so.

But what makes it better than a portable Bluetooth car “kit”?

 

Motorola claims the H620 Bluetooth headset, which will be available soon at a price that’s to be determined, has noise reduction and echo-canceling technology, and that volume is automatically adjusted to compensate for road noise. The H620 also comes with a car charger so you don’t have to worry about draining its battery on a long drive, and it has a dashboard holder so you don’t have to search for it between the seat cushions or in a cluttered center console.

The new headset also has voice-dialing for totally hands-free calls, which could be the device’s saving grace since calling a headset or any Bluetooth device that requires taking your mitts off the wheel “hands-free” is a misnomer. Even some embedded Bluetooth solutions, such as Chrysler’s UConnect, require removing a hand from the wheel to activate them.

Bluetooth is now built into everything from portable navigation systems to car stereos, so drivers in California, Washington and other places with handheld-phone laws have plenty of options. And with Bluetooth available as standard equipment even in economy cars like the Sentra and with Ford’s Sync system standard on all but the lowest trim levels, if you’re buying a new car it’s best to go with a built-in hands-free system. But if you drive a beater, a Bluetooth headset like the Motorola H620 may be just the ticket for not getting a ticket.

Then there’s always your handset’s speakerphone.

TAKEN FROM blog.wired.com



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