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Friday June 20, 2008
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Road noise ruins a lot of cell phone conversations when you're driving about, unless you've got an ultra-quiet vehicle. Plus, you really should have a headset that makes your cell phone hands-free, so you're not a distracted danger to others when you're behind the wheel. The Bose Cell Connect kit is a useful accessory for Bose headphones with one big exception - it works great for passengers on commuter trains and in cars, but the headphones seal out so much noise you shouldn't use it while driving. Still, $40 on top of $300 for the larger, around-the-ear Quiet Comfort 2 or $350 for the smaller, on-the-ear Quiet Comfort 3 isn't a bad premium. The kit comprises a cable with microphone that fits in-line in place of your headphone cable, and several adapters that work with a wide array of phones.
In use, the kit was mostly a positive experience. In noisy areas, it was much easier to hear callers than with a cellphone held to your ear, or with a Bluetooth headset. But if there's a lot of ambient noise, the party on the other end heard that. The mobile communications kit, as it's called, as well as the Cell Connect kit (same thing), is for Bose headphones only. If you find the sound quality of Bose headphones is worth their upscale pricing, you'll probably find the cellphone adapter is worth having, too. Suggestion: If you're ordering the kit and you've got the Quiet Comfort 3, also get a spare rechargeable battery for the headphones. I've been stranded a few times when the battery gave out on a week-long trip and I'd neglected to bring the dedicated charger.
If you're the driver dealing with especially noisy conditions and you aren't going to stop to make your calls, also check out wired or wireless headsets from Etymotics Research that stick into the ear canal, effectively blocking outside noise in one - not both - ears.
Mobile Communications Kit
Bose, www.bose.com
Price: $40 direct
Posted By:
Bill Howard
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