3 ms·

The vast majority of devices are indeed bad. I am convinced that most manufacturers do not know how to handle very basic issues of connectivity and pairing. The

The vast majority of devices are indeed bad. I am convinced that most manufacturers do not know how to handle very basic issues of connectivity and pairing. The BT standards and all of the BT chips available are capable of making very seamless pairing and re-connection flows, it's just the device manufacturers who don't use them correctly to do it. There is a company called TeckNet that makes a BT mouse that is full-sized, five-button-with-wheel, and works very reliably. Microsoft has a few full-sized, reliably working keyboards, though I don't care for the key switches too mcuh. AfterShockz is the first headphone manufacturer I've found that works reliably and doesn't sound like complete crap (I can't wear earbuds, so I won't be buying Airpods). Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do about your car's Bluetooth. Through various rentals on trips and such, I've tried Ford, Nissan, Honda, and BMW, as well as my own Subaru; they all flake out at some point. My Smart has an aftermarket JVC unit (installed by whomever previously owned the car) that seems to have spent more effort on fancy LED sequences than any sort of usage UX. I've seriously considered ripping out my stereo head unit in my Subaru and replacing it with an Android 4G tablet.

cptskippy 8y ago
It might also be the choice of how they choose to integrate it. In some Nissan cars the Bluetooth is a canbus device that you have to pair through weird gyrations on the steering wheel unless you have a Satnav unit. I mean it works fine in my experience but it's weird as hell. My guess is that they're buying canbus modules from some supplier like Bosch and just slapping them on the canbus so they can check a box on the spec sheet.
beezischillin 8y ago
Ironically enough, I also have an aftermarket JVC. A very simple 1U tall discless, bluetooth-enabled player that supports Android phones and iPhones via MFi. It works perfectly. In fact, it also works with devices they claim not to support, like an iPad and an old iPod Classic via USB. The best thing about it is that when I go for a drive and need some navigation, I can just plug the iPad in directly via USB, keep it charged, use a map app and listen to music. It also supports keeping two phones connected via bluetooth for calls. So far I've had no issues with it and I've had it for a year now. I knowingly went for something extremely simple, with MFi support and optional wired access and I haven't regretted it.

cptskippy 8y ago

It might also be the choice of how they choose to integrate it. In some Nissan cars the Bluetooth is a canbus device that you have to pair through weird gyrations on the steering wheel unless you have a Satnav unit. I mean it works fine in my experience but it's weird as hell. My guess is that they're buying canbus modules from some supplier like Bosch and just slapping them on the canbus so they can check a box on the spec sheet.

beezischillin 8y ago

Ironically enough, I also have an aftermarket JVC. A very simple 1U tall discless, bluetooth-enabled player that supports Android phones and iPhones via MFi. It works perfectly. In fact, it also works with devices they claim not to support, like an iPad and an old iPod Classic via USB. The best thing about it is that when I go for a drive and need some navigation, I can just plug the iPad in directly via USB, keep it charged, use a map app and listen to music. It also supports keeping two phones connected via bluetooth for calls. So far I've had no issues with it and I've had it for a year now. I knowingly went for something extremely simple, with MFi support and optional wired access and I haven't regretted it.