Using a cell phone in a convertible

Hardware and technical stuff
1

It will be a little while before I can drive with the top down again, but I was thinking about this this morning.

I’ve got a Miata, one of my few big toys. Love that car. And I have to use my cell phone a lot (business.) I’ve discovered that, with the top down and driving any speed at all, the wind noise makes it difficult to hear and be heard.

I assumed one of those Bluetooth headsets - the ones that clip on one ear - would solve the problem. However, the one that I got could not generate enough volume to allow me to hear very well when driving at highway speeds.

Any clever ideas on some type of hardware that would allow me to effectively and safely use my cell phone in a convertible at highway speeds? (Yeah, I know, keep the top up, pull over, etc. - looking for a hardware solution of some type.)

2

A big rubber band over your head to keep your regular cellphone firmly situated next to your ear?

Never drive alone, so that you can have your friend hold your regular cellphone firmly situated next to your ear?

A bluetooth car stereo system that pipes the incoming audio to the car speakers while you talk into the bluetooth headset?

No wait. It think I’ve got it…
Keep using that bluetooth headset, but wear it under a fully enclosed earmuff to keep the wind out of that ear.

3

How well can people hear you when the wind is probably blowing into the headpiece and creating so much noise?

4

There’s an easy answer (although it’s not particularly cheap): Jawbone.

I lost mine and haven’t replaced it yet, since the weather is still frightful outside, but it worked great last summer when I was driving my S2000 around with the top down.

5

That’s much better than my rubber band idea.

6

Just ask your husband for advice!

I kid, I kid.

7

That looks very cool, and perhaps exactly what I’m looking for.

$119 hurts though - wonder if it will show up on Woot for $29.95? (Probably not, LOL!)

8

Not quite that cheap, but $80 is a bit more realistic. Google fu shows a couple places where you can get it a bit cheaper (plus, at ecost, you can get it in stylish red or silver – in case that matches your car). :p

Enjoy – I’m planning on getting another one in March once the roads start to be dry and it’s warm enough to put the top down (while running the heat, of course, to keep from freezing!)

I just noticed they have a virtual demo on their website – it’s actually pretty close to my experience with the jawbone.

9

I don’t have a convertible, but I do have a Jawbone … It’s the only headset I’ve ever used, so I don’t have a terrific frame of comparison. I was loving it at first, but recently I’ve noticed it just isn’t very secure on my ear at all. If I’m even walking around or moving my head very much, it gets loose and starts to “sag.” Since noticing this, I’ve heard other people complain about the same thing. The default earbud is on the big side and doesn’t really lodge itself in my outer ear (is it supposed to?). But at least it’s fat enough to support the headset and keep it in position when I’m not moving around to omuch. The other earbuds that come with it are all much smaller, and provide no support against my ear, so the headset won’t stay in position; it just dangles. If anyone is extra interested in this description of how things fit – or don’t fit – me, I could go into a lot more detail! But first, any options for making the Jawbone fit better?

10

Don’t drive while using the phone! I hate those people who endanger me with their self absorption!

(Even if your hands are free, is your mind?)

11

We all failed to see the bear, so clearly, no.

12

Hey, I need something to be able to listen to while I’m texting while driving while eating a sub sandwich and reading the map!

13

The Jawbones are on sale at Amazon at the moment for ~$75 for red, silver, and black.