Blue Tooth Compatible

OnStar

Did you see the July edition of "OnStar"? There was a small box in the back that indicated we may be able to get a cel phone handset in our OnStar equipped cars soon.

Let's hope...

Before you dis OnStar, Quixotic, listen to this:

My daily driver is a 2002 Mercedes ML 500. It has "M-B TeleAid" which is like OnStar and it also has a regular hands-free cell phone with a removable handset. You MUST buy the phone from M-B. It was an out of date Motorola Star Trac. Cost: $1700. That's not the worst of it.

After two years, the old Star Trac had a bad hoo-hoo, broken antenna, had been dropped, cussed, abused and finally gave up the ghost - like most cel phones eventually do. Back to the dealer. The old handset was no longer available. This time they installed a Motorola V60. Also outdated. Cost: $2000.

I feel abused.

I agree that On Star is a bit expensive and superfluous.
I used it once by mistake when I was trying to figure out the Nav System.

I'm not a techno whiz and into the latest and greatest in comm gear, but
my buddy and I found a pretty simple solution to "hands free" cell phones.

We got Qualcomm 3G CDMA models from Verizon.
These phones have a "driving mode" feature, enabled by pressing a switch on the left side of the phone. Lift the lid and a voice asks for input. Simply state "Contacts" then give the name programmed, ie: "Jack's cell: Voila! it dials and connects hands free.

I mounted mine on my XLR dash, (just to the right of the starter button) using velcro and it works great.
Phone rings, lift the lid and talk.
Best part is, it's about $40.00 a month with no roaming charges.
(I am not affiliated with Verizon.)

This may not be for everyone but it works for me, plus I have velcro mounts in my other Cadillac that fit the same phone.

Brooks

P.S. My XLR is becoming more like fine wine and fine women: IT GETS BETTER EVERY DAY.
Cadillac deserves credit for some truly refreshing American engineering excellence.

Have you tried OnStar voice recognition?

For you new folks....

I am a true believer in "hands free" calling while driving. Statistics show that people talking on cell phones have the similar statistics as driving while legally drunk. (And who among us us could doubt that, given the all the weird driving we see on the roads these days.)

I will admit that I do use OnStar for the quickie phone calls that I make while diving. OnStar is more expensive than my cell phone, but the "delta" really is virtually insignificant in the grand scheme of operating the XLR. (No I dont work for them, and this is not a sales pitch) In Texas when talking costs not worth worrying about, we say, "That's like pickin' S*** with the chickens."

OnStar really is like a cell phone. If you havent done it yet, push the white button and at the "OnStar ready" prompt, just say "Dial". The prompt then says "number please", and you speak the number one digit at a time, then say "Dial". Hot OnStar chick then cheerfully says, "Dialing!"

The biggest disadvantage is when you need to dial any additional digits after the phone picks up, like if there is an extension number, or if you are trying to page someone.

I've also learned to store and retrieve "nametags" for frequently dialed numbers. Nametags are simply memorized numbers that use a single voice prompt to recall and dial. I think the technology is convenient and cool, the Bride thinks using OnStar for normal calling is a waste of money. We disagree. I guess that why there's chocolate and vanilla. More OnStar minutes for me...