Do Bluetooth Handsfree kits improve road safety?

There are more cars on the road now than ever before. Combine this with new technology & the need to be in contact with everybody every minute of the day, and it could spell disaster for 1000's of road users daily.

Some new statistics state that more than 50% of road users in the UK have illegally used their mobile phone when driving more than once in the last week, and a figure around 85% have used their phones while driving in there life time.

Ipod FM Transmitters Improve with the times. New changes to suit iPhone

Technology is continually improving, The design of the iPhone 4 is a perfect example of this. Although it has a few teething problems the improvements in terms of hardware is much greater that the previous iPhone 3GS. It was only a matter of time before manufacturers of iPod car kits & Fm Transmitters developed better ways of offering more from their products.

Problems with Legitimate Parrot products in the UK.

Its a well know problem that parrot have major supply issues of parrot bluetooth goods in the UK, The genuine stock is readily available and ready to distribute through the correct channels. However this side of the business is not the problem. The problem is there is so much grey stock in the UK at the minute it is very difficult to recognise genuine items from the Grey stock which is generally priced extremely low online.

So why does this matter?

Well if you purchase Grey stock the UK warranty is void & you don't have technical support from parrot. This is obviously a big issue if you run into any problems with the installation or further down the line with the product. Maybe this is not a big issue for some of those willing to take the risk. But consider this, over 50% of the Grey stock is being purchased from channels with Europe who deal with faulty and returned products then import to the UK when fixed, and a considerable amount is imported from china when its debatable whether its genuine parrot stock at all. As you can see the odds are not in your favour if and when you buy them.

The Performance of the Grey stock is the same as genuine Parrot stock (assuming it is a working unit). You get the same features and functions, In fact you wouldn't necessarily know if you have purchased Grey until its too late.

Genuine Vs Grey Parrot Kits

Both parrots kits are technically the same, one a new product manufactured and distributed to the UK through reliable sources. The other you could be getting a second hand product which has been re-flashed with software. You could get the grey stock up to £30 cheaper than the genuine product online however without warranties.

Parrot are aware of the problem of illegal importation of their products and have launched an new initiative to reduce the fraudulent products entering the UK market place. This consists of a unique serial number containing the number “55” added to the exterior packaging on the box. From now, If your parrot product does not have 55 in the serial number I would be worried about the quality and return to the retailer as soon as possible.

With this system the Supply of Genuine parrot bluetooth stock is improving, however keep when ordering the parrot online the cheapest is not necessarily the best deal. You don't want to be stung by an immoral retailer.

Parrot are leading the field, but are they the best?

If you want a bluetooth car kit most people automatically think of the brand Parrot, it has the brand awareness that most companies would die for. Almost on the same level as google. You've heard of the phrase “Google it” haven't you. Well most people contact us think parrot is bluetooth, and are unaware that other brands are available. Even though there is a competitive market for bluetooth car kits. Brands such as bury, motorola, nokia and many others are readily available most people only relate to parrot.

For all there dominance, do parrot produce the best bluetooth products especially over competitor brands that offer a very similar version?

From our experience parrot do offer very competitive kits, each kit providing something different to the other variations of parrot kits. For example the new parrot range the MKI, has three versions. The MKI9000, MKI9100 and the MKI9200. Each offers the same bluetooth and additional functions such as iPod. However each of the upgrades offer a better screen, which allows for better integration of bluetooth phone book, ipod music library and other functions. However there are other extremely good kits that offer the same level of integration and functions.

The Bury cc9060 provides excellent voice recognition software which in our opinion is second too none. Simply select voice on the screen and speak the commands you want it to perform. Its such a simple feature that really improves the functionality of the kit and adds additional safety features and value for money.

Parrot MKI range do also have this feature, although we find it a little more difficult to use.

The parrot does have some negatives, firstly the systems are difficult to use unless you purchase one with the screen & there is a lot of grey stock sold online without UK warranties. Be sure to check the parrot is genuine before hand and return it immediately if you purchase one that isn't.

We find the Parrot brand best for several reasons including style & integration, functions & features and easy of installation. The ease of use is on par with other products but generally speaking you will be happy if you purchase parrot bluetooth  

Does Fusion Car Audio offer Good Value for Money ?

The Fusion Car Audio brand in the UK is strong, A Good combination of advertising and product quality has established Fusion as one of the more significant brands amongst a large competitor base. Fusion products are immediately recognisable, probably more so than any other brand on the market which helps with the popularity and sale of Fusion products.

To ask a question Is fusion good value for money? First we have to consider other products available, what quality they are and where fusion sits against the competition. Secondly if the value for money is good, does this make them any more desirable?

To start with quality, Fusion isn't leading the market. The Fusion products offer a decent quality overall, however most of the products fall into the entry level category. Basically meaning the audio equipment is at good standard but can't and wont compete against other products designed for competition (Digital Designs, RE Audio, Focal, Diamond etc) However this generally wont effect people looking to purchase Fusion (or any equivalent products) as they aren't looking to purchase competition spec equipment. Fusion do offer products into a higher quality bracket. The Fusion PowerPlant range for example pushes toward the middle product range.

Knowing where Fusion sits in comparison with other products is important to determine value for money and what the product offers in addition over other products. Generally speaking Fusions main competitors are Vibe, Fli and a few others.

When you buy Fusion you get a product with a strong identity, strong design and offers quality at least level with its main competitors. People who are interested in car audio instantly recognise fusion and can relate to its performance.

You can purchase Car audio equipment cheaper than fusion, however I wouldn't recommend it. In my opinion Fusion audio offers the best value for money of all the entry level equipment available on the market as they combine style & performance with a good price tag. If you do decide to go with fusion car audio your onto a winner.