Mobile Edge Lehighton Mobile Electronics Experts » Bluetooth

NAV-TV Tooki Bluetooth Interface for Porsche Vehicles

Mitch — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:51:13 +0000

Mobile Edge recently installed a NAV-TV Tooki Bluetooth interface in a 2008 Porsche Cayenne. As many Porsche owners are fully aware of, there is not a factory Bluetooth solution available in the US. There is a mobile phone solution available, but it is very costly and cumbersome. NAV-TV has come to the rescue with the Tooki!

The Tooki is a Porsche MOST network interface which adds Bluetooth calling capability to many Porsche’s. The MOST network is a fiber optic communication system that resides inside many new Porsches. When properly installed properly, the Tooki joins this network and allows true handsfree capability all while you phone is tucked in your pocket or purse.

Voice dialing is supported on many phones as is dialing from your phonebook. Of course, you can dial the number on the keypad on the dash. The Tooki allows for maximum flexibility and user friendliness.

So if you are a Porsche owner looking for a high end solution, Mobile Edge can help. Give us a call or stop by our store. We love this stuff and you will be able to recognize that the moment you walk in the store.

Click on any of the pictures below to go to our Flickr page and see larger pictures with descriptions.

Mobile Edge One of Top 3 Vote Getters for Retailer of the Year 2010

Mitch — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:53:56 +0000

About a month ago, we found out that we had once again been nominated for Retailer of the Year. We were nominated last year and finished in the Top 5 nationwide. Getting nominated 2 years in a row made us all extremely proud. It says that we are in a group of 100 retailers nationwide that are viewed as the best of the best.

Like last year, we immediately started campaigning. This was pretty straightforward. We contacted our friends and associates within the industry and asked for their vote. It looks like most of them voted because a few days ago we found out that we are currently in the top 3 nationwide! What an honor for a small shop in a town of 10K people in Eastern PA! Voting ends on April 15th and we are hoping to again be a finalist for the Retailer of the Year!

Thanks to all who voted and if you are in the industry and reading this, click HERE and vote for Mobile Edge!

NAV-TV Barracuda Unlocks the Full Potential of Your GM Radio

Mitch — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 16:14:03 +0000

1st to respond will save big on NAV-TV Barracuda

If you or someone you know owns a late model GM vehicle with indash DVD, you have to check out this device. The NAV-TV Barracuda unlocks the full potential of your vehicle’s AV/Nav system. Video in Motion, feature unlock for trailer/baby cam, On star dialing in motion, FLIR night vision camera input and control, and much… much more. Mobile Edge is proud to offer products from NAV-TV, the world’s foremost OEM integration company. Normally, this device costs between 400 and 500 installed. We have teamed with NAV-TV and will be featuring a new NAV-TV promotional product every two weeks over the next several months at a substantial savings to the first customer that makes an appointment to have the featured product installed. Call Mobile Edge or email us for details. Better yet, Stop in!

2004 Chevy Corvette Gets a New Radio and Sub Without Taking Up Much Room

Mitch — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:32:26 +0000

A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to do an install on a mint condition 2004 Chevrolet Corvette. The factory system was a Bose and the customer mainly wanted a better in dash unit and some bass. Bob designed a system that did not require the replacement of the factory Bose speakers (at least not yet!).

We swapped out the deck for a sweet Eclipse CD5030 and used an OEM interface to connect properly to the factory Bose system. Not only does this deck give the customer A2DP Streaming Audio capability, but it is also a complete Bluetooth handsfree setup that works through the speakers.

The customer wanted to take up as little room as possible so Bob designed a sub box/amp rack that utilized the factory well that exists near the rear of the hatch. Very little of the usable space in the hatch was taken up.

The end result was a system that sound good, has a lot of “bump” and tons of capability and flexibility from the head unit. Next step will be to replace the factory Bose speaker with some true high end Hertz speakers!

It’s Your Vehicle – Why Trust it to the Lowest Bidder?

Mitch — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 04:05:56 +0000

They say that the 2 biggest purchases that most people make are their house and their vehicle. Because people are willing to part with large sums of their hard earned money for these things, they must be very important. So why do some people want to trust these items to the lowest bidder? Does that make any sense?

We hear it often: “I can get a remote starter installed for $50 bucks less.” Well of course you can. Shops charge what they are worth. They charge what the market will bear based on the quality and expertise that they bring to the table. Mobile Edge brings 15 years of experience and numerous industry awards based on our installation quality and customer service to the table. There is a value to that. Let me explain.

We have grown to achieve national recognition in a small town. As of the 2000 census, Lehighton had a population of 5537. Within a radius of 10 miles, the population is not likely more than 25,000. Obviously, we are in a somewhat rural area. We have not only survived, but thrived over the past 15 years. I guarantee you that we would not have been able to survive for even 2 years in this market if we did not do exceptional work. Word travels fast in a small town.

Are there shops that are cheaper than us… Short answer…. Yes. I started this business in 1994 with one goal: To run the very best mobile electronics shop possible. I’d like to think that I have succeeded. To do this, I have had to hire great people. I know that I have succeeded in doing that. My guys have talent and their talent makes them valuable. They are paid a wage that is well about average and worthy of their talents. I do this so that I can keep them working for me. My employees are my most valuable assets.

On top of this, we handle only top brands. Vendors look at Mobile Edge and want their products in our shop. We do not just accept what we can get. We are sought after by our vendors. We test everything that we sell. We don’t carry anything that we wouldn’t sell to our own family or friends. In short, we sell the best. The best costs more.

Mobile Edge sells the best stuff and employs the best installers . We do cost more. We don’t apologize for that and we don’t make excuses. You spent a lot of money on your vehicle. Do you really want to trust it to the lowest bidder?

I welcome all feedback and comments on this post.

Bluetooth Part 2 – Handsfree Devices

Mitch — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:05:28 +0000

In part 2 of our series on Bluetooth, I will cover the various types of handsfree devices that are available. Mobile phone use while driving is becoming a national issue. Many states have passed laws banning the use of mobile phones while driving unless a handsfree device is being used. There is currently a law working its way through Pennsylvania’s legislature that would mandate the use of handsfree devices while driving within the borders of the state. I will cover several of the options that are available and the pros and cons of each.

Portable Earpieces and Headsets

These are the most common Bluetooth handsfree devices. If you have a pulse, you’ve seen someone with a Bluetooth earpiece walking through the mall and appearing to talk to themselves. These devices are relatively simple to use. You pair them to your phone and then when your phone rings, you press a button on the unit and start talking. Depending on your handset, in many cases, you can place calls by pressing a button on the earpiece and then “voice dialing.” Either way, you keep your hands on the wheel for the vast majority of the conversation. Prices on these devices range from $29 to several hundred dollars.

Many of these earpieces also support the A2DP audio streaming profile. This allows you to stream music directly from your A2DP enabled device right to your headset wirelessly. More on this in part 3 of this series.

Pros: Prices range from very affordable to insane. Basic models are within the budgets of most mobile phone users. Units can be taken anywhere and are not limited to just one vehicle.

Cons: Can be uncomfortable or clunky to wear. Sound quality is usually decent at best in the lower end models.

Handsfree Add-Ons

A good quality Bluetooth Handsfree device can be added to most any car. There are many different types of these products available. Some fit seemlessly into the dash and look virtually stock. Others attach with a mount much the same way a satellite radio tuner would. Both options will usually have an outboard microphone that can be mounted up high near the rear view mirror. This allows you to sound quite a bit better to the person on the other end.

Different systems play their audio through different methods. Some have an integrated speaker built into the unit. This is usually the least desirable because you are limited to where the speaker will be placed. Others offer a separate speaker that will mount under the dash. These sound a lot better than the integrated speaker setups. The best option is to tie directly into the vehicle’s audio system. When a call is in progress, the audio from the radio is muted and the caller’s voice is played through one or more speakers in the car. This tends to work out the best but is more costly and requires professional installation.

These add on devices offer a wide variety of features. Some are just a basic button mounted into the dash. Press it to place or receive a call and press again to end the call. Others offer video displays that indicate caller ID, show a picture of the caller and can even stream video from certain handsets. Most systems today will interface with the phone book on your handset giving you voice access to all of your contacts. Voice dialing is the norm on almost all of these devices.

Many portable navigation units currently feature Bluetooth Handsfree functionality. This eliminates the need for an additional device on your dash. These units typically play the callers voice through an integrated speaker.

Add on handsfree devices start out around $50 for something extremely basic and can exceed several hundred dollars on some high end models that require professional installation.

Pros: More feature rich and better sound quality in the better units

Cons: The better units tend to get pricey. Some can appear bulky on the dash.

Vehicle Integration Interfaces

New vehicle’s electronics are designed around a data bus. This can be looked at in much the same way as a computer network. Various devices are all interconnected and can talk to one another. You can add additional devices by simply plugging into the network. Several aftermarket manufacturers have come out with Bluetooth handsfree interfaces that tie directly into a vehicle’s data bus. Caller information is displayed on the factory in-dash screen along with full phone book access on screen (on most phones). When a call comes in, the radio is muted and the caller’s voice is played through the factory sound system.

While this is ultimately the best alternative, these setups are currently only available on certain vehicles and are relatively expensive. Undoubtedly, more applications will become available as time goes by. These systems require professional installation.

Pros: 100% seamless integration without any additional controls, buttons, or cosmetic changes to the vehicle

Cons: Limited vehicle applications and cost

Replacement In-Dash Radios

The most popular form of Bluetooth handsfree that we install and sell at Mobile Edge is the Bluetooth equipped aftermarket head unit. These units take the place of your factory radio and often give you much better sound and a larger feature set than your factory radio. In addition, they serve as a fully functional Bluetooth handsfree kit.

After installation, you simply pair your handset to your new car radio. When a call comes in, your radio will notify you and, if you answer, it will mute the audio and play your conversation through one or more of your vehicle’s speakers. Depending on the handset that you have and the in-dash unit selected, you can access your phone book from the in dash unit and read incoming text messages on the display. The sound quality at both ends or the conversation is generally very good.

These units tend to be affordable when you consider that you are gaining a great deal of other benefits. Most of these units have the ability to interface with your iPod, play satellite radio and HD Radio, and offer a better sound quality than the factory radio. Some units also have the Bluetooth A2DP profile which allows you to stream music directly from your handset into your vehicles audio system.

There are several quality head units (replacement radios) that are available with Bluetooth handsfree built-in. We recently did a post on the CD5030 from Eclipse. For the money, this unit is hard to beat.

Pros: Improves the sound and functionality of your audio system while adding Bluetooth handsfree. The better units offer excellent in-call sound quality.

Cons: Vehicle dash is no longer 100% stock. In most cases though, a trim kit is available that looks excellent in the dash.

Shameless Plug

Whatever your budget is, there is a Bluetooth handsfree solution available for you. Mobile Edge sells and installs everything that was mentioned except for earpieces. As with anything that we sell or install, we offer only good quality equipment. If you are in the market for a Bluetooth handsfree solution, please take the time to visit us. We will assess your needs and recommend the best solution that is available. Hope to see you soon!