Phone Question

BrianS · 08-31-2007

I know this has probably been beaten to death, but I am a new SLK owner. The car came prewired for the phone. I now have to decide between bluetooth and craddle. I think that I am leaning more towards the craddle because it supposedly has better integration. My question is, do I have to buy the MB version of the phone or can I just match the phone to the craddle and buy it at a phone store. It is considerably cheaper to purchase the phone at a phone store. Is there anything special about the MB phone? Thanks.

DansSlk · 08-31-2007

If MB sell a cradle for your phone and you have the full phone system not just the wiring then you can just get an ordinary phone

mtiede · 09-01-2007

The nice thing about the Bluetooth cradle is that it automatically works with a lot of Bluetooth phones.

And there is a nice convenience feature that you don't have to take the phone out of your pocket or whereever. Just get in the car and it will soon be connected and ready to use

**alroumi** · 09-01-2007

Go for the Bluetooth cradle, settle for new technology more convenient and many phones to choose rather than changing the whole wired system if you get a new phone as an example.

DansSlk · 09-01-2007

No doubt Bluetooth is the latest and greatest but unless you buy the most expensive BT unit and have one of only a small number of phones it will work just like a headset.

That means no signal boost and no charging and since a lot of the in car units play on the RF interference issue i don't really see the point of going with BT until you have a phone that will allow the car to assume its identity.

Corkscrew · 09-01-2007

I have Bluetooth and a cradle in different cars. I much prefer the Bluetooth operation as I don't have to keep attaching it and detaching it. Of course, if you are going to get a cradle phone and dedicate it to the car then that is different.

dodman · 09-02-2007

I had a MB wired phone in my 2001
SLK and now have a bluetooth puck in a 2006. The only benefit I saw with the hardwired phone was the signal boost. If you live in an area where reception is weak, the wired phone will provide better performance. If that is not an issue, the bluetooth solution works great and is very convenient.

**reallife** · 09-02-2007

I have both the Motorola 810 cradle and phone and it worked very well. Signal was boosted, charged in the cradle, phone book transferred and was accessible on the COMMAND and steering wheel, Text messages were displayed on COMMAND. Only problem is the phone was bulky and had to turn in the seat, open the console (not always easy, you will see) and then very very carefully install the phone on the cradle, aligning the fragile communication pin and snapping the phone in place without snapping the pin off. That was the bugaboo.

As soon as the BT puck came out I switched to a new BT phone. There are three differences. The phone no longer charges. It is in my pocket. If I am on a longer trip or it needs a charge, I bought a car charger and plug it into the outlet in the passenger footwell. It doesn't get the signal boost. I don't know that this has ever been an issue for me. The text messaging (SMS?) function is not available with BT so text messages no longer appear on the COMMAND. Other than those three things the phone and the puck work just as well as the cradle but there isn't any risk of snapping off the communication pin and I don't have to mess with it everytime I get in or out of the car.

Go for the BT. Get any BT phne you want. It will save you money too.

**reallife** · 09-02-2007

http://wireless4mb.com/HandsFreeOptions.htm

Check this out if you want the advantages of both a charging cradle and BT functionality. It works with Motorola RAZOR and you'll need the V3 or V3i version to be able to display SMS text messages on the COMMAND.

ShortShift · 10-13-2007

Hi Reallife,

SMS messages are available via the BT module (certainly in the UK). To access you have to select the SERV button on the Command and then select the mail option tab. SMS messages which are received while the phone is in SIM Access Mode, are then received by the Command, The downside is that these messages are saved only in the Command and not in the phone. Using the same menu, SMS messages can also be sent directly from the Command, but again these are stored in the Command, and not saved by the phone. I hope this works for you too.

Cheers.

08-31-2007	#1 (permalink)
BrianS SLK World Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Posts: 26 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Phone Question I know this has probably been beaten to death, but I am a new SLK owner. The car came prewired for the phone. I now have to decide between bluetooth and craddle. I think that I am leaning more towards the craddle because it supposedly has better integration. My question is, do I have to buy the MB version of the phone or can I just match the phone to the craddle and buy it at a phone store. It is considerably cheaper to purchase the phone at a phone store. Is there anything special about the MB phone? Thanks.

08-31-2007	#2 (permalink)
DansSlk Dude Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wales Vehicle: 05 B55S (Brabus 6.1 S) Posts: 6,752 Country: Thanks: 96 Thanked 221 Times in 173 Posts	If MB sell a cradle for your phone and you have the full phone system not just the wiring then you can just get an ordinary phone __________________ One thing you will learn with German cars - If it's simple it ain't happening.

09-01-2007	#4 (permalink)
alroumi Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kuwait City, Kuwait Vehicle: 2006 Kleemann Designo Mocha Black SLK55 AMG Other Toys: 2007 Ebony Jaguar XKR Coupe' and 06 Black Cayenne S Posts: 6,271 Country: Thanks: 288 Thanked 231 Times in 145 Posts	Go for the Bluetooth cradle, settle for new technology more convenient and many phones to choose rather than changing the whole wired system if you get a new phone as an example. __________________ 06 Kleemann Designo Mocha Black SLK55 AMG 06 Porsche Cayenne S 07 Jaguar XKR Coupe' I use the Torque and keep the HP for my Steak Sauce!

09-01-2007	#5 (permalink)
DansSlk Dude Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wales Vehicle: 05 B55S (Brabus 6.1 S) Posts: 6,752 Country: Thanks: 96 Thanked 221 Times in 173 Posts	No doubt Bluetooth is the latest and greatest but unless you buy the most expensive BT unit and have one of only a small number of phones it will work just like a headset. That means no signal boost and no charging and since a lot of the in car units play on the RF interference issue i don't really see the point of going with BT until you have a phone that will allow the car to assume its identity. __________________ One thing you will learn with German cars - If it's simple it ain't happening.

09-02-2007	#7 (permalink)
dodman SLK World Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 17 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Bluetooth Phone I had a MB wired phone in my 2001 SLK and now have a bluetooth puck in a 2006. The only benefit I saw with the hardwired phone was the signal boost. If you live in an area where reception is weak, the wired phone will provide better performance. If that is not an issue, the bluetooth solution works great and is very convenient.

09-01-2007	#3 (permalink)
mtiede Founding Member #7 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Western New York Vehicle: 2006 SLK 350 Posts: 1,645 Thanks: 101 Thanked 55 Times in 45 Posts	The nice thing about the Bluetooth cradle is that it automatically works with a lot of Bluetooth phones. And there is a nice convenience feature that you don't have to take the phone out of your pocket or whereever. Just get in the car and it will soon be connected and ready to use

09-01-2007	#6 (permalink)
Corkscrew Banned Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Vehicle: 2008 S600, 2006 SL55AMG, 2005 SLK200k, 2004 280S Posts: 696 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I have Bluetooth and a cradle in different cars. I much prefer the Bluetooth operation as I don't have to keep attaching it and detaching it. Of course, if you are going to get a cradle phone and dedicate it to the car then that is different.

09-02-2007	#8 (permalink)
reallife Senior SLK World Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gig Harbor, WA Vehicle: 2006 SLK 55 Posts: 154 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	All of the above... I have both the Motorola 810 cradle and phone and it worked very well. Signal was boosted, charged in the cradle, phone book transferred and was accessible on the COMMAND and steering wheel, Text messages were displayed on COMMAND. Only problem is the phone was bulky and had to turn in the seat, open the console (not always easy, you will see) and then very very carefully install the phone on the cradle, aligning the fragile communication pin and snapping the phone in place without snapping the pin off. That was the bugaboo. As soon as the BT puck came out I switched to a new BT phone. There are three differences. The phone no longer charges. It is in my pocket. If I am on a longer trip or it needs a charge, I bought a car charger and plug it into the outlet in the passenger footwell. It doesn't get the signal boost. I don't know that this has ever been an issue for me. The text messaging (SMS?) function is not available with BT so text messages no longer appear on the COMMAND. Other than those three things the phone and the puck work just as well as the cradle but there isn't any risk of snapping off the communication pin and I don't have to mess with it everytime I get in or out of the car. Go for the BT. Get any BT phne you want. It will save you money too.

09-02-2007	#9 (permalink)
reallife Senior SLK World Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gig Harbor, WA Vehicle: 2006 SLK 55 Posts: 154 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Update... http://wireless4mb.com/HandsFreeOptions.htm Check this out if you want the advantages of both a charging cradle and BT functionality. It works with Motorola RAZOR and you'll need the V3 or V3i version to be able to display SMS text messages on the COMMAND.

10-13-2007	#10 (permalink)
ShortShift SLK World Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Scotland Vehicle: SLK350 Posts: 29 Country: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Reallife, SMS messages are available via the BT module (certainly in the UK). To access you have to select the SERV button on the Command and then select the mail option tab. SMS messages which are received while the phone is in SIM Access Mode, are then received by the Command, The downside is that these messages are saved only in the Command and not in the phone. Using the same menu, SMS messages can also be sent directly from the Command, but again these are stored in the Command, and not saved by the phone. I hope this works for you too. Cheers.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Phone	nelli	General Discussion	3	07-14-2008 12:40 PM
Question for those with Bluetooth Phone Install	SLacK	SLK R170 General Discussion	6	08-06-2007 03:41 PM
need phone interface	rollinshultz	Where to get R170 SLK Items	0	07-12-2007 09:19 PM
Phone Kit	N4PWJ	General Discussion	11	03-23-2007 04:32 PM
What mobile phone do you have?	N4PWJ	Off Topic	21	11-01-2006 04:14 PM