when you activate the bluetooth, there is that little icon that shows on your screen. i thought that i'd just have to turn it on when pairing my phone, but now i don't think the bluetooth picks up unless the "bluetooth on" is selected on the "more" menu. is this true or am i missing something?

also, if this is the case, does this mean that bluetooth is in discovery mode? in another post, someone said this was a possible security problem. am i doing anything wrong?

 

The bluetooth radio of the phone must be turned on in order to use the handsfree link in the TL. Therefore your first statement is correct.

You only need to leave the phone in "discovery" mode when you are initially pairing the phone with other bluetooth devices (like the handsfree link in the TL) for the first time.

Bluetooth is not completely secure, but since a bluetooth device can only communicate with one other bluetooth device at any given time (therefore while your phone is on in your car), you wouldn't have to worry too much about unauthorized access. Besides, bluetooth range is extremely limited.

 

I turn the T616's Bluetooth "on" when I'm about to get in the car and turn it "off" when I get back home. If I'm making runs around the neighborhood and in and out of the car a lot, I leave it on. At work all day I turn it off. I've read (somewhere, probably the SE owner's manual) that when "on" it uses up the battery at a higher rate as it is always searching for another Bluetooth device. I have Bluetooth in our MDX and TL. I just turn Bluetooth "on" and each car's system recognizes the phone when I get in. The TL shows that little phone icon if it recognzies the T616. In the MDX, the bluetooth device beeps when it recognizes the phone. Either way, it is a great reminder. As for the security issue, I believe that, just like a computer that is wirelessly connected to other computers, there is a possibility that someone from outside your home could link into your home wireless network and get onto the internet through your connection. Maybe Bluetooth is susceptible to that also. There are software fixes to block that.

 

That's the way I'm using my T616. How do I know if the phone is still in 'discovery' mode?

 

Does anyone with the SE T616 have the
crackling problem from the cars speakers when using the HFL? Also, anyone with a Siemens S56 have any problems? I' m trying to decide between these two phones so any info would be appreciated.

 

I've got a Siemens S56 and get no crackling.

I leave the Bluetooth on all the time since I sync up the contact info with my PC through a Bluetooth dongle as well as using the HFL in the car, and having to manually turn BT on/off frequently would really be annoying.

Another plus to the S56 is that it apparently does not have the security problems that some of the S/E and Nokia phones have, most importantly susceptibility to "BlueSnarfing", which is where someone is able to access and download the data (phone numbers, IMs, etc.) from the phone over the Bluetooth link.

I did have to set the phone to be invisible to the environment after I went to San Jose and someone spent some time "Bluejacking" me. Bluejacking is where some little loser sits there and sends messages (these said "You've been Bluejacked!") to a Bluetooth device while giggling stupidly to himself.

The only knock I've seen on the S56 is that it's got a relatively short battery life (not a problem for me; I put it on the charger every day or two), and that it's very small. I think it's a very effective device with excellent sound quality through the HFL.

Mike

 

I get crackling when it dials out but not on the call. I posted in the Sticky Bluetooth thread wondering if anyone else was have the dial out crackling but then decent quality upon pickup. Are you having the prob the entire time, intermittently or what?

 

Discovery mode should automatically shut off after 3 minutes or so.

 

I leave my bluetooth on in my SE610 all the time. Battery lasts a full day+. The range is suposed to be 30ft so security is not much of an issue. No crackling here.

 

I use a SE T608 and leave BT on while in the car. If I will remain in the car for any length of time, I plug in the charger. For short trips, I leave the phone in my pocket and disable BT when I get where I'm going.