For my previous post on Bluetooth speakerphones, please click here.
I received my Jabra Freeway right on schedule from Amazon and have had some time to check it out while driving. First, I was quite impressed by the sound quality. It is quite a step up from the BlueAnt S4. Volume is quite loud and not tinny. I love that you can keep the Freeway in standby mode and when it detects vehicle movement, such as the drivers side door opening, it automatically attempts to connect to my phone. While it was a minor inconvenience to turn on and shut off the S4, the Freeway makes this one less hands on device.
The buttons are well placed, but I did find the fact that they did not light up a bit of a disadvantage, especially at night. I’m sure with time I will become familiar with the location of all the buttons and this will become a non issue, but perhaps some selective lighting would be a welcome addition when requesting it from the device.
Music sounds great from the Freeway. It doesn’t sound the same as a great in car sound system, but it makes voices and music pleasing to listen to and has a little punch to them. The FM transmitter is a nice function, but I am concerned with privacy. Since it broadcasts whatever is going to the speakerphone to your radio using a small FM transmitter, it is possible that people within close proximity to you can listen in on one side of your phone conversations and anything else you are playing through to it. I found the default station of 88.1 unsuitable for my location, as I had a nearby station bleeding over and competing on my radio making listening difficult. You can choose any range of frequencies by pressing the Vol+ or Vol- buttons when in FM transmitter mode. I have not had a chance to find a suitable frequency yet. People who travel large distances often may also receive interference in one part of their commute, but not in others. It’s a nice to have feature, but I would not want to rely on it for both security and quality.
All in all, this is a nice upgrade for me. Is it worth over $100? Perhaps not, but I do not think you’ll be disappointed with the purchase. I bought mine from Amazon during a daily deal special at $75.