09/ 26/ 2007
Technology to talk hands-free makes its way into mid-priced cars
If you're tired of juggling your phone in one hand and your steering wheel in the other while trying to make business calls on the road, relief may be in sight. Bluetooth technology, which allows different electronic devices to "talk" to each other through a shared wireless platform, is making its way into mid-priced automobiles.
Once a luxury reserved for fancier cars like BMWs and Cadillacs, Bluetooth is becoming more affordable than ever and a regular feature that costs only a few hundred dollars extra in Toyotas and other cars manufactured today. With Bluetooth technology integrated into your car and cell phone, you can answer calls without having to pick up your phone and end them just as easily. If you have features like dial-by-name programmed into your phone, you can call clients from the road via a steering-wheel button or voice command to tell them you're running late. Some cars even allow you to monitor dialing, caller information and battery juice from your instrument panel.
