When it was a younger technology, Bluetooth seemed to have a hard time living up to the hype and didn't achieve the mass acceptance that was expected. I guess it was just a matter of time, as Bluetooth has definitely come of age and is featured and used just about everywhere.


The Sungale Your Bluetooth Link! Car Kit is one of many Bluetooth based products available from Geeks.com, and is one of thousands of products I had to hoped to see when I said the technology wasn't quite there yet, back in a February 2005 Tech Tip.

The Sungale kit is basically a one piece unit that provides a speaker and a microphone connected to a automotive cigarette lighter for use with a Bluetooth phone. For some more information on the finer points, have a look at the features, specifications, and control data taken from the Geeks.com website before we jump into the actual review...

Features:

» Compliant with Bluetooth V1.2
» Wireless connectivity up to 10 m (32.80 ft)
» Excellent sound quality
» Powered by your car's cigarette lighter
» D.S.P Solution for Echo Cancellation & Noise Suppression
» Voice dialing function to support your mobile phone
» LED lights indicators
» Allow for hands-free and cord-free functions
» Automatic connection after the first successful connection
» An answer/end button supports voice activation

Specifications:

» Frequency band: 2.4 -2.48 GHz ISM band
» Bluetooth Specification: V1.2
» Support profile: Hands-free
» Output power class: class ll
» Sensitivity: -80 dBm @ 0.1% BER
» Piconet: Point to Point
» Link mode: SCO
» Voice coding: 13 Bits linear
» Security: pairing, encryption, authentication

Controls:

» DC plug
» Speaker
» Volume switch
» LED
» Function key
» Built-in mic

The information provided seems to cover the basics, and I assume it is actually a Class 2 device (says class 11) given the operating range and what I assume would be the necessary / appropriate power level for such a device.