Ever since New York became the first state to enact a law banning the use of hand-held cellular telephones while driving, consumers have been left to figure out the best combination of technology to make wireless calling a hands-free experience in the car.
After testing a variety of products, from simple headsets to kits that turn a cellphone into a car speakerphone, to more complicated systems built into some cars, I think this law may be an example of the legislative system actually outpacing technology.
From my experience, none of the products I tried actually made it significantly less distracting to talk on a cellphone while driving. In many cases, I found myself straining so hard to hear the caller that there was no way I could have concentrated on the road. Instead, I enlisted friends to do the driving so I could plug in equipment, dial numbers, take notes and shout, "Can you hear me?" and "How does this sound?"
One of the main problems with laws banning the use of cellphones while driving is that they ignore some of the realities of using a wireless phone, even with hands-free technology. Namely, callers still have to look down to dial numbers on ever-shrinking keypads. Moreover, answering a call with many of these hands-free gadgets requires more fumbling than just flipping open a phone -- and the more complicated the technology gets, the more likely drivers are to take their eyes off the road.
For those who want to comply but who don't want the expense of having a hands-free system professionally installed, here is a roundup of choices and products available. Fortunately, the New York legislation does not take effect until Nov. 1 this year, with violators merely receiving a warning from the police until Dec. 1. (After that, a judge could impose a US$100 fine.) So with any luck, most drivers can at least find the combination that works best for them and, in the longer run, the technology will continue to improve.
The cheapest way to switch to hands-free calling is to buy a simple headset for US$15 to US$60. For this option, the two main considerations are compatibility and comfort. Since there is no such thing as a universal headset jack (or, indeed, anything universal in the world of cellphones), you need to make sure whatever headset you buy works with your phone. If your phone does not have a headset jack, you may need to buy an adapter, which runs about US$30.
In general, the more expensive the headset, the better its sound quality. So once you do decide on a comfortable and compatible style, it is worthwhile to spend a bit more for a better model.
As for comfort, the various headsets available include over-the-head headsets (the type used in most offices), over-the-ear models and in-ear headsets generally known as an "ear bud" (think Secret Service agent).
For starters, I found it much harder to hear callers while wearing a headset, compared with holding the phone to my ear. Some of the Plantronics models include helpful volume controls for your voice and the caller's.
In terms of style, I found the ear-bud solution worked best -- the over-the-ear models did not work well with glasses, and the ear bud was generally easier to put on and less likely to get broken when jammed into a bag. Among the ear bud headsets I tested, I preferred the Plantronics and Motorola models to the Jabra "ear gels." Although Jabra's headsets include several sizes of ear gels -- colored pieces that fit into the ear -- I didn't find any of them particularly comfortable and they seemed to block more outside noise than seemed safe in a car.
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