Scosche solCHAT solar powered Bluetooth speakerphone

Scosche solCHAT solar powered Bluetooth speakerphone
Reviewed by: Bill Henderson
Bluetooth Accessories Handsfree solCHAT
Price: $99.99

I can tell you right now that this won’t be a long review because Scosche’s solCHAT is a one-trick-pony that wins the race in my view. Anyone who has wrestled with an iPhone while driving knows how awkward – not to mention dangerous – it can be. The solCHAT with bluetooth allows you to talk hands-free.

A lot of companies make bluetooth auto devices. What I like about the solCHAT is that all I had to do was unbox it, place it in the holder, suction it to my windshield and press the ON button. No setup (except on the iPhone to recognize a new bluetooth device), no reading the manual, no charging. How neat is that?

The solCHAT is solar powered. It includes a home and car charger, but they remain sealed in the box. I haven’t needed them. And I didn’t even look at the manual until I wrote this review and frankly, it really didn’t tell me anything i hadn’t already figured out. Once I pressed the ON button, I waited for a beep and then a sexy woman’s voice in a British accent tells me that the power is on and then 5 seconds later, she tells me my phone is ready. What a great way to begin a trip. The only thing better would be if I could program my wife’s voice to say it instead. Also, after ten minutes, if the solCHAT doesn’t detect a bluetooth connection, it turns itself off to conserve energy.

When someone calls you on your iPhone, just press the receive button on your phone and talk. Keep in mind that the reception is bluetooth and all that entails. I could usually hear the other party just fine but sometimes I was told that I sounded like I was underwater. Yeah, that’s bluetooth sound quality for you However, that’s not the solCHAT’s fault.

When you need to place a call, you still need to dial (or speed-dial) your party, but then you can let go of the iPhone and talk. Some phones allow you to import you contact list so it will announce the name of your caller, but sadly, this does not work with the iPhone. Maybe in the future, Apple will allow that.

Like I said, solCHAT is one of many car bluetooth options, but the fact that it is solar-powered makes it even more convenient than most. It’s not cheap, especially considering the lack of caller ID paired with the IPhone. But hey, as long as you have sunlight and don’t talk for hours and hours continuously, you can put the chargers in a drawer. It also comes with a visor clip if you would rather attach it that way.

Is it hyperbole to say that this device could save you from serious injury or maybe your life? Yeah, probably, but every time I hear of an accident involving the use of a cell phone while driving, I’m not so sure.

Score:
7/10

Tags: Accessories, app, Apple, case, iPhone, OS, review

Related posts:

1. New Release: Scosche solCHAT Solar Powered Bluetooth Speakerphone
2. Solar powered iPhones in the future?
3. Scosche Back to School Specials

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