Bluetooth is one of the hottest new features in GPS receivers, primarily because you can use them for hands-free cell phone calls, via the GPS receiver’s built-in microphone and speakers. Yet this technology can do so much more.
Address book syncing allows you to look up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or your phone’s call history log. Plus, you can look up points of interest (POI’s), find a restaurant and have your GPS call to make a reservation!
Each of the units listed below offer Bluetooth for hands-free cellphone use. Except where noted the links go to our own auto GPS reviews:
- Garmin nuvi 310 (Garmin link) – This is the European version of the nuvi 360.
- Garmin nuvi 360
- Garmin nuvi 660
- Garmin nuvi 670
- Garmin nuvi 680
- Garmin StreetPilot 2820
- Garmin StreetPilot c550
- Garmin StreetPilot c580
- Garmin zumo 550
- Magellan RoadMate 6000T
- TomTom GO 510
- TomTom GO 700
(Amazon link)
- TomTom GO 910
- TomTom ONE
Bluetooth GPS and cell phone compatibility
Before you buy a GPS, make sure it is compatible with your phone. The links below will help. GPS manufacturers are continually testing additional models for compatibility, so if you don’t see your phone listed, come back occasionally and check the links again:
- Garmin GPS Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
- Magellan GPS Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
- TomTom GO 510 Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
- TomTom GO 700 Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
- TomTom GO 910 Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
- TomTom ONE Bluetooth cell phone compatibility list
Speakers and sound quality
Read the reviews of these units carefully. How is the sound delivered? Through the unit’s speakers? If so, how good are they? Some units use an FM transmitter to deliver voice through your stereo. That might not work so well in an urban area with few open channels. The technology on this is improving all the time. TomTom has a new Bluetooth accessory coming out — Car Connect — that will route calls and MP3’s to your stereo. Which ever route you go, pay attention to the details of sound delivery.
About Rich Owings
Cell Free Number Phone Search
The use of cell phones has reallly become controversial and sometimes even hampering personal communications. By the way I don’t cary mobile phones. I think there was a recent study that said it may have negative effect on brain after usage of 10-20 years. I am not sure, but the reason we don’t hear about these things very much is because the cell phones have not been around that long. But there is a study which says that CELL PHONE USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINE IN FERTILITY. It appears in today’s HULIQ at http://www.huliq.com/338/cell-phone-use-associated-with-decline-in-fertility and is from American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Thanks Danka. I guess that’s one of the advantages of this sort of BlueTooth application. You get the antenna and power away from your body.
There are so many awesome cell phone cases and other cell phone accessories coming out right now, I don’t know which to get first.
There are so many awesome cell phone cases and other cell phone accessories coming out right now, I don’t know which to get first.