October 30, 2012 at 13:40Parrot MINIKIT Neo Bluetooth Speakerphone Review: Hands-free conversation in the car
It is almost impossible to refuse conversations behind the wheel. An exception may be unless motorists driving on the road several times a week or those who simply have no reason to talk. Otherwise, you have to take care to minimize distractions on the phone while driving. That is, take care of some kind of additional device with hands-free function. As a result, attention is not scattered, hands remain on the steering wheel, and a valuable call is not missed. Not all citizens buy cars in a configuration that is different from the base. As a result, there is no built-in speakerphone by default - and there is a need to learn how to "armless" control the phone. A focused search led me to a device called Parrot Minikit Neo.
It turned out that the brand is not at all Chinese and has nothing to do with Asia. The whole process from development to release takes place within the borders of France, which in itself inspires confidence. In the process, it turned out that Parrot is also the dominant player in Europe with approximately 80% of the market. Plus, Parrot speaker systems are installed by default in cars of many well-known brands such as Peugeot and Nissan.
In a transparent package, along with the device, there was an instruction, a microUSB cable and a “charge” for the cigarette lighter. The charger is detachable, so the buyer gets a charger from the cigarette lighter with a USB output and a cord as a bonus. which can be used to charge at home, for example, from a computer.
The device is made of matte plastic, so during the operation it was not necessary to wipe it regularly. The outside is black, the inside is completely white.
The build quality is in full order, and the Neo form itself involves a tightly knocked down case. Interestingly, the oblong platform of the speakerphone received a separate name “NTX vibration panel”. The shape of the body is naturally curved in order to be mounted on a sun visor.
Despite the fact that Neo is designed primarily for voice control, physical buttons were found on the gadget's body. So, the red key is designed to reset the incoming call, end the call and exit their menu. Green switches the device to private mode, allows you to receive a call, and also includes a menu and activates voice dialing.
The on / off button in addition to obvious tasks activates a message about the battery level. A control wheel is located between the red and green keys, giving access to the menu, switching between sections and controlling the volume during the conversation.
Connection to any phone does not need to be configured every time. After the first connection, the connection is automatically established later, although the Android smartphone may require confirmation of the connection. At each pairing, Neo scans the phone book and adds new contacts to its memory, if any. During the first connection, the speakerphone gives voice prompts, so I did not have any difficulties.
To communicate with the smartphone uses Bluetooth version 3.0 and the protocols HFP, OPP, PBAP and A2DP. The latter means stereo signal transmission. Therefore, if the phone’s speaker suddenly turns out to be too quiet to sound out navigation tips, a 3 W speakerphone is always at our service.
As it turned out, Bluetooth wasn’t limited to just one thing, NFC wireless technology was also supported. Currently, it is becoming more widespread among smartphones with Android and beyond. And not only expensive ones - budget instances like the Huawei Ascend Y100 are already found. NFC communication does not require any manipulation of entering a PIN code, just attach the phone to the gadget.
On the one hand, Parrot claims that its speakerphone is 100% compatible with any Bluetooth phone. However, for doubting buyers, the company’s website has a convenient form with a complete list of “handsets”, which will definitely be all right with Neo. By the way, the firmware of the speakerphone is regularly updated, yet every year hundreds of new phone models enter the market. To install updated firmware versions, you need to connect Neo to a computer and move the required file to the device’s memory. Just remember to activate the update installation item in the Neo menu before.
Only two phones can be connected to Neo at a time, only one of them will be used for outgoing calls. However, no one bothers to make a quick switch with a change in the status of "main". The device memory is designed to store profiles of ten phones. If you want to add one more, please remove any of the previous ones.
The basic Neo mode is called Ultra Low Power Mode. This means that the speakerphone is turned on only when we get into the car - thanks to the vibration sensor in Neo. If there is no connection with the phone for 5 minutes, the device turns off. Just in case, I’ll mention that the connection to the “tube” is maintained at a distance of about 10 meters.
The device was with me literally for several days, so I could not make a personal opinion about its built-in battery. If you believe the manufacturer, then in a talk mode Neo will last 10 hours, and the wait is possible for 6 months.
The total charging time is about 3.5 hours, at the end of the process, the LED indicator on the left goes out. Battery capacity - 1000 mAh.
With an incoming call, there are two options for voice commands: either “Accept” or “Reject”. If you need to call a subscriber, first activate the speakerphone with the keyword “MINIKIT”. Next, listen to the question "Who do you want to call?" and call the contact. If a person is recorded in the phone book with the name and surname, the pronunciation order is not fundamental. Additionally, Neo can clarify, call a home or mobile number. The speakerphone didn’t need to get used to my voice, it also turned out to be unnecessary to raise my voice during the pronunciation of names.
The call quality is good, the callers clearly heard me, and I, in turn, left a volume margin of about a quarter turn of the Neo wheel. Noise reduction and elimination of the echo effect in Neo are spelled out with special advantages and, judging by my conversations, they really work.
For smartphones, Parrot offers to download the Parrot MINIKIT Neo App Suite application, which contains very useful features. If the incoming call fails, the subscriber will be sent an SMS with text that you can write yourself. When we leave the car, the program remembers the GPS coordinates of the position of the car. Lost a car in a parking lot? App Suite to help you. At the same time, the application will turn on the timer and remind you to go pay to the parking meter.
Truckers and those who spend a lot of time driving will find it useful to set the duration of driving, followed by a reminder of the need for rest. Turning Neo on and off with the App Suite happens to the user selected ringtones. Finally, a choice of built-in voice recognition of the smartphone, including Siri, is available. The application also displays information about the Neo language and the firmware version of the speakerphone.
For 3,900 rubles, the device fully justifies the cost of its acquisition. The controls (both button and voice) are well thought out, the program for smartphones is available, there are no complaints about the quality of communication. Owners of phones with NFC will find another area of application of technology "in the home." Therefore, if you are looking for ways to conveniently organize your work with the phone on the basis of hands-free principle, it will not be superfluous to pay attention to Parrot Minikit Neo
It turned out that the brand is not at all Chinese and has nothing to do with Asia. The whole process from development to release takes place within the borders of France, which in itself inspires confidence. In the process, it turned out that Parrot is also the dominant player in Europe with approximately 80% of the market. Plus, Parrot speaker systems are installed by default in cars of many well-known brands such as Peugeot and Nissan.
Scope of delivery and appearance
In a transparent package, along with the device, there was an instruction, a microUSB cable and a “charge” for the cigarette lighter. The charger is detachable, so the buyer gets a charger from the cigarette lighter with a USB output and a cord as a bonus. which can be used to charge at home, for example, from a computer.
The device is made of matte plastic, so during the operation it was not necessary to wipe it regularly. The outside is black, the inside is completely white.
The build quality is in full order, and the Neo form itself involves a tightly knocked down case. Interestingly, the oblong platform of the speakerphone received a separate name “NTX vibration panel”. The shape of the body is naturally curved in order to be mounted on a sun visor.
Push button control
Despite the fact that Neo is designed primarily for voice control, physical buttons were found on the gadget's body. So, the red key is designed to reset the incoming call, end the call and exit their menu. Green switches the device to private mode, allows you to receive a call, and also includes a menu and activates voice dialing.
The on / off button in addition to obvious tasks activates a message about the battery level. A control wheel is located between the red and green keys, giving access to the menu, switching between sections and controlling the volume during the conversation.
Connect
Connection to any phone does not need to be configured every time. After the first connection, the connection is automatically established later, although the Android smartphone may require confirmation of the connection. At each pairing, Neo scans the phone book and adds new contacts to its memory, if any. During the first connection, the speakerphone gives voice prompts, so I did not have any difficulties.
To communicate with the smartphone uses Bluetooth version 3.0 and the protocols HFP, OPP, PBAP and A2DP. The latter means stereo signal transmission. Therefore, if the phone’s speaker suddenly turns out to be too quiet to sound out navigation tips, a 3 W speakerphone is always at our service.
As it turned out, Bluetooth wasn’t limited to just one thing, NFC wireless technology was also supported. Currently, it is becoming more widespread among smartphones with Android and beyond. And not only expensive ones - budget instances like the Huawei Ascend Y100 are already found. NFC communication does not require any manipulation of entering a PIN code, just attach the phone to the gadget.
On the one hand, Parrot claims that its speakerphone is 100% compatible with any Bluetooth phone. However, for doubting buyers, the company’s website has a convenient form with a complete list of “handsets”, which will definitely be all right with Neo. By the way, the firmware of the speakerphone is regularly updated, yet every year hundreds of new phone models enter the market. To install updated firmware versions, you need to connect Neo to a computer and move the required file to the device’s memory. Just remember to activate the update installation item in the Neo menu before.
Only two phones can be connected to Neo at a time, only one of them will be used for outgoing calls. However, no one bothers to make a quick switch with a change in the status of "main". The device memory is designed to store profiles of ten phones. If you want to add one more, please remove any of the previous ones.
The basic Neo mode is called Ultra Low Power Mode. This means that the speakerphone is turned on only when we get into the car - thanks to the vibration sensor in Neo. If there is no connection with the phone for 5 minutes, the device turns off. Just in case, I’ll mention that the connection to the “tube” is maintained at a distance of about 10 meters.
Battery
The device was with me literally for several days, so I could not make a personal opinion about its built-in battery. If you believe the manufacturer, then in a talk mode Neo will last 10 hours, and the wait is possible for 6 months.
The total charging time is about 3.5 hours, at the end of the process, the LED indicator on the left goes out. Battery capacity - 1000 mAh.
We make and receive calls
With an incoming call, there are two options for voice commands: either “Accept” or “Reject”. If you need to call a subscriber, first activate the speakerphone with the keyword “MINIKIT”. Next, listen to the question "Who do you want to call?" and call the contact. If a person is recorded in the phone book with the name and surname, the pronunciation order is not fundamental. Additionally, Neo can clarify, call a home or mobile number. The speakerphone didn’t need to get used to my voice, it also turned out to be unnecessary to raise my voice during the pronunciation of names.
The call quality is good, the callers clearly heard me, and I, in turn, left a volume margin of about a quarter turn of the Neo wheel. Noise reduction and elimination of the echo effect in Neo are spelled out with special advantages and, judging by my conversations, they really work.
About Android and iPhone
For smartphones, Parrot offers to download the Parrot MINIKIT Neo App Suite application, which contains very useful features. If the incoming call fails, the subscriber will be sent an SMS with text that you can write yourself. When we leave the car, the program remembers the GPS coordinates of the position of the car. Lost a car in a parking lot? App Suite to help you. At the same time, the application will turn on the timer and remind you to go pay to the parking meter.
Truckers and those who spend a lot of time driving will find it useful to set the duration of driving, followed by a reminder of the need for rest. Turning Neo on and off with the App Suite happens to the user selected ringtones. Finally, a choice of built-in voice recognition of the smartphone, including Siri, is available. The application also displays information about the Neo language and the firmware version of the speakerphone.
Conclusion
For 3,900 rubles, the device fully justifies the cost of its acquisition. The controls (both button and voice) are well thought out, the program for smartphones is available, there are no complaints about the quality of communication. Owners of phones with NFC will find another area of application of technology "in the home." Therefore, if you are looking for ways to conveniently organize your work with the phone on the basis of hands-free principle, it will not be superfluous to pay attention to Parrot Minikit Neo