I can't believe how many people I see driving TLs int he LA area that continue to drive and talk on their hand-held cell phones at the same time. And I can't believe that they don't have bluetooth-enabled phones either. Especially since I've seen plenty of folks talking on BlackBerries and other late-model phones.

Since the HFL is so easy to use and so easy to set up, why in the world wouldn't people be using it?!

Are there that many people out there that have that many problems with HFL?

 

I think that the problem is that people are stupid and either don't know the technology exists or refuse to learn how it works. Even when I had problems with my HFL didnt stop me from using it. I love feature of our cars.

 

Lazy or Stupid or Both.

I will say, though, of the 3 phones we've got, only mine has Bluetooth. When we upgrade the phones, we'll get Bluetooth capable models.

Otherwise, with my phone, I ONLY use it with the HFL. If I have to dial a number that's on the phone, but not in the HFL phonebook, I'll do that then "TRANSFER".

Then again, in my car without a built in hands-free system, use an earpeice. Yes, I have to handle the phone to answer and dial, etc, but I don't like holding the phone to my ear while driving.

So many people don't even use this "old technology" solution, which offers *some* improvement in safety.

 

I have had a bluetooth phone for about 2 1/2 years now so I would imagine that people have got to be catching up with technology and it should be used more and more. Plus other car companies are now offering this feature and should help make more people aware of the technology they already have.

 

I think allot of people are afraid of technology and refuse to get with the times........or too cheap to get a phone with BT capabillities.......either way......

 

I don't use my handset, it's either the HFL or my Bluetooth Headset.
The problem with using HFL is that I can't transfer the Phonebook because I have Verizon.
So if I don't know the number, I have to manually find it and dial it from my phone.
Yes, I do know the Transfer function, but a lot of the time it will disconnect or won't transfer at all.

 

the bluetooth cuts out often leaving the call active on the phone and me scambling to pick it up ... plus I get a lot of alternator 'hum' through the HFL. It's good .. but not great

 

I use the bluetooth on incoming calls only. I'm to lazy to set up my phonebook. Guess I'll have to take the time to do that.

 

I got an 06 TL and a Blackberry Pearl... They drop in and out when paired.

I don't know whether the car or the phone is FUBAR???

It pairs and works... But the connection will drop and pickup and drop and pickup when I'm not using the phone. Instead maybe reading a short text and then the phone is all like "BT connection lost." Then it reconnects and has to tell me again... SOOOPER annoying when I'm trying to text back something as simple as "OK" and the stupid BT connection keeps interrupting. It's dangerous enough trying to type two letters while driving much less having to acknowlage a BT connection 28 times while trying to do it!

FWIW - I have the latest BB software and like I said my TL is an 06 so no HFL upgrade available.

Stumped and still using a phone like a phone.

 

I only use HFL if I'm going to be driving for > 30 minutes and am alone in the car- this is a somewhat rare event for me. My normal commute to work is < 8 miles so I don't have a great benefit using HFL on such a short drive. So I'll be one of those people using the phone on my way to work- it seems much easier.

Here are some other reasons people may have:

1. My phone's battery depletes faster while in bluetooth mode. It is a great feature when I'm on a major road trip but then I connect the phone to the charger to compensate.

2. If I'm in the car with others I find the speaker phone as unhelpful. My family either gets bored hearing my work-related calls or my friends/coworkers get to hear my home related calls like 'What do you want for dinner?' or other mundane calls I have with my Wife. I know I can transfer to the headset and all, but heck I'm lazy and transfer defeats one of the main reasons for using HFL in the first place.

3. Setting up the phone book on a 2006 or older car is tedious. I wish you could just enter the data via the Navigation keypad for those of us with Navigation- that would be MUCH faster than the voice scheme we have. I have about 10 numbers only in my phone book because of this- again I'm lazy.

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone. We're about to walk to our local grocery store to pickup our Turkey dinner for today- it's become a family tradition now. You see a theme yet? We LAZY- at least in some mundane things anyway.

 

When my girlfriend calls I don't want my wife to know who I'm talking to! Just kidding!

Actually I use it as much as possible but the battery does die faster with blue tooth enabled.

 

I have the same setup (2006 w/ 8100). Be sure to download the latest handheld software from your carrier to make sure it's always up to date. I work for BlackBerry and these things always work better with the latest software on them!

 

well when you leave your phone on the bluetooth function, it waste a lot of battery, so when im not in my car, i try and remember to turn it off. sadly when i come back in the car, i dont always remember to turn it back on so thats why i sometimes still talk w/o the HFL.

 

Just having the car detect the HFL doesn't seem to hurt my battery. I still get a couple of days between charges while talking on the phone for an hour or so a day. That works for me.

 

Currently running "4.2.1.96_ATT" in my 8100... Which I believe is the latest.

I like the convenience of the BB, having all of my communication channels centralized, the battery time is great... But it's a quirky device, and that I don't care for at all, it makes me stop using the product... And I might soon with issues like this.

 

i dont use it most of the time because i like to have the radio on while i am talking on the phone....not blasting or anything, just enough so i dont have to hear all the rattles that my 2007 type s has..

 

I just chalk it up to the usual. People say they want the technology and then never RTFM. If I had a dollar for every time someone said "Really? I didn't know it could do that" I'd be driving an RL, not a TL.

 

maybe people are not paying to get a bluetooth ready phone =)

 

At least 9 out of 10 new phones have bluetooth. People will start paying attention to the importance of using a handsfree device while driving when cops finally start cracking down.

Too often I see people paying more attention to their conversation than the road while holding and talking on their phones .

 

Only thing that pisses me off about HFL is that it wont import my Treo 700p contacts. Anyone know if its been updated to allow this phone?

 

I didnt want people to think I'm talking to myself.
















To be honest I was lazy, but I have it set up now.

 

I would use it, but my Palm Treo 680 doesn't work with it. My TyTN II which I should be getting soon will hopefully work.

 

Actually zax, I have the Palm Treo 680, and it mates just fine with my HFL. The one problem I do have, like joerockt, is that the HFL won't import my contacts.

 

prince,

I see you have the '07... I'm thinking they probably updated quite a bit since the '05

 

I have the treo 650 with verizon. Why do you want to import your contacts when you can just hit the contact on the phone and dial? The treo fits well in the compartment in front of the shifter.

My issue is the first call NEVER goes to the hfl. I have to dial voicemail, hit the talk button on the steering wheel.....have it not connect.....hang up and then its ready to dial out. Once the key goes off, I have to repeat those steps.

 

Neither does mine the 1st time after starting the car. Initiate the call and when the MID screen retreats to what was on it just before you started the call, just press and release the HFL button on the steering wheel and say "TRANSFER".

 

Frankly....I NEVER use it. Reason....it sux! I used it for a solid year....I got tired of repeating myself over and over. Plus...sun roof open.....HFL is a waste. Also....my car is somewhat louder than the average stock TL. When I upgraded to a new phone (also BlueTooth phone) I didnt even bother mating it. All I ever used it for anyway was to prompt me that there was a phone call. Soon as I answered it...I almost always transferred it back to the phone so I didnt have an issue. PLUS...privacy is an issue when I am out on "work withs" with clients....so it just didnt work well in my specific scenario. I believe in the technology....but it just doesnt work well in my application. It was ALWAYS dropping the first call....then work right...and them hearing me was always an issue or visa versa. As soon as I had to fight it...it became more of an irritant to me than an asset...although I still believe in the technology and its application to safety. As I am sure you have seen....SOME PEOPLE CANT MULTI TASK WHATSOEVER.....HFL OR NOT! Soon as they start to talk....their foot comes off the accelerator or they start to drive like an asshat and get in everybodies way. I truely believe they need a test to see if you can multi task or not before allowing you to talk on the phone and drive at the same time. Many people out there have NO business doing it (ladies in our area mainly) as they cant walk and chew gun at the same time let alone carry on a conversation and drive.

 

What year is your car? If it is an 04 you might be able to get the new bluetooth module replaced for free with the TSB and that would take care of several of your problems.

 

Mine's an '05 and I have lotsa problems. I guess I can't get the TSB applied to me right?

 

My HFL is defective so I don't use it, Acura of Dayton says my TB # does not exist and Acura NA says it does exist but is incompetent at replacing their own defective product. All three of my phones are on the compatable list.

 

I love it when I am driving alone, but not so love it when I have people in the car.

 

I have a 2004 (early) and love the HFL. I use it all the time and have good success with two different phones. Is it perfect, nope... Glad to see more vehicles are getting it.

 

I don't use my cellphone much at all, but when I do I always use the HFL. Love the feature, and I think it's quite unsafe NOT to use some sort of handsfree device when your car is the 6MT, as mine is. I also find that the HFL is a lot easier to use than the Motorola H500 earpiece I bought for use in my other car.

With that said, I'm fairly some people don't like to use it because it is a speakerphone and they probably get complaints from people on the other end. I HATE it at the office when colleagues use their speakerphones out of laziness, as it sounds like you're talking to someone in a cave, but it seems to me that if someone is driving you just have to suck it up and deal with it because driving should trump the phone.