My aftermarket bluetooth solution

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Caligirl

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Boy, I'm feeling old haha. Remember that joke when some of us older folks were younger and we had to help our parents operate the VHS machine? That's what I'm feeling like learning how to use all these newfangled devices. I need a teenager to help me haha.

Probably a well-known easy fix for those of you who are up on how to use your phone for everything, but I just found out that I don't have to use Google Assistant for hands-free calling (that's a whole other subject about privacy issues with Google)

If I turn on the Bixby feature on my phone, which I've never bothered using because I always relied on the Bluetooth in my car. I can use hands free calling, and if I have a simple Bluetooth speaker like an Oontz, it will go through that.

Husband has one for music and although it doesn't show a phone icon anywhere, when I paired my phone with it then said "call husband" the call went through the Oontz speaker. All it requires is me pushing a button on the speaker to answer or end the call. That's pretty much the simple device I was needing.

I assume that using a speaker will make it easier to hear me when I'm driving (rather than the phone speaker). So I guess I'll test it with his Oontz, then find a small speaker that has a lot of standby time that I can leave in the Tahoe.

The FM transmitter was a joke...it was staticky and while I was listening to the radio on another station, it didn't automatically stop playing while the call came in. I instinctively turned off the radio to pick up the call with the FM transmitter, so it hung up on the call because it relies on the radio...not a distraction-free process when you're driving.

And now I can be even lazier and not even have to touch my phone to call someone haha.
 

Tonyrodz

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Boy, I'm feeling old haha. Remember that joke when some of us older folks were younger and we had to help our parents operate the VHS machine? That's what I'm feeling like learning how to use all these newfangled devices. I need a teenager to help me haha.

Probably a well-known easy fix for those of you who are up on how to use your phone for everything, but I just found out that I don't have to use Google Assistant for hands-free calling (that's a whole other subject about privacy issues with Google)

If I turn on the Bixby feature on my phone, which I've never bothered using because I always relied on the Bluetooth in my car. I can use hands free calling, and if I have a simple Bluetooth speaker like an Oontz, it will go through that.

Husband has one for music and although it doesn't show a phone icon anywhere, when I paired my phone with it then said "call husband" the call went through the Oontz speaker. All it requires is me pushing a button on the speaker to answer or end the call. That's pretty much the simple device I was needing.

I assume that using a speaker will make it easier to hear me when I'm driving (rather than the phone speaker). So I guess I'll test it with his Oontz, then find a small speaker that has a lot of standby time that I can leave in the Tahoe.

The FM transmitter was a joke...it was staticky and while I was listening to the radio on another station, it didn't automatically stop playing while the call came in. I instinctively turned off the radio to pick up the call with the FM transmitter, so it hung up on the call because it relies on the radio...not a distraction-free process when you're driving.

And now I can be even lazier and not even have to touch my phone to call someone haha.
So you have a Samsung phone?
 

Speck

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Boy, I'm feeling old haha. Remember that joke when some of us older folks were younger and we had to help our parents operate the VHS machine? That's what I'm feeling like learning how to use all these newfangled devices. I need a teenager to help me haha.

Probably a well-known easy fix for those of you who are up on how to use your phone for everything, but I just found out that I don't have to use Google Assistant for hands-free calling (that's a whole other subject about privacy issues with Google)

If I turn on the Bixby feature on my phone, which I've never bothered using because I always relied on the Bluetooth in my car. I can use hands free calling, and if I have a simple Bluetooth speaker like an Oontz, it will go through that.

Husband has one for music and although it doesn't show a phone icon anywhere, when I paired my phone with it then said "call husband" the call went through the Oontz speaker. All it requires is me pushing a button on the speaker to answer or end the call. That's pretty much the simple device I was needing.

I assume that using a speaker will make it easier to hear me when I'm driving (rather than the phone speaker). So I guess I'll test it with his Oontz, then find a small speaker that has a lot of standby time that I can leave in the Tahoe.

The FM transmitter was a joke...it was staticky and while I was listening to the radio on another station, it didn't automatically stop playing while the call came in. I instinctively turned off the radio to pick up the call with the FM transmitter, so it hung up on the call because it relies on the radio...not a distraction-free process when you're driving.

And now I can be even lazier and not even have to touch my phone to call someone haha.

That's a great idea... I had been looking for something to use with Bluetooth as my phone does not have a headphone jack. Recently I came across another option though, it is a small Bluetooth device that plugs into the aux-in jack on the head unit and I just have it auto-pair with my phone. This way I can stream Pandora (or whichever streaming service you'd like) and also have my phone calls come through the vehicle speakers. It has a mic on the device and while it is several feet away from me, it hasn't been too bad. Battery life is decent and if needed and can plug it in to the cigarette lighter using a usb mini adaptor. Cost $15 on Amazon...
 
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Caligirl

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Only aux plug I have is for the headphone for 2nd seat radio and I don't know if goes back thru speakers...so having to go simple, simple simple without having to buy and try a ton of devices.
 

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