MINI Releases Official Bluetooth Headset

Yes this may be a cheaper way to get bluetooth in your MINI (with a MINI logo involved), but we implore you, please don’t walk around with this thing in your ear.
Official Release: The driver of a BMW or MINI who wishes to always remain in touch also while travelling now has the choice of new Bluetooth headsets matched specifically to his car. These universal hands-free mobile phone communication systems are made up of a combined earplug/microphone unit and ensure smooth and reliable communication to the user’s mobile phone through a Bluetooth connection, without requiring any kind of cable or wiring.
This gives the driver of a car not equipped with an integrated telephone or a mobile phone preparation kit installed from the start at the factory the opportunity to drive safely and communicate conveniently at the same time.
The new headsets may be combined with all mobile phones able to interact with Bluetooth and are scheduled to join the wide range of Original BMW Accessories and Original MINI Accessories as of December 2009.
The new Bluetooth headsets from BMW and MINI combine sophisticated, brand-like design with innovative technology. The BMW headset comes in elegant white, the MINI headset is in classic black, both headsets proudly bearing the appropriate brand logo on the rhomboid-shaped ear element fitting quickly and easily also while driving on the driver’s ear and coming off again just as conveniently, naturally with just one hand.
Low weight of just 8 grams, the slender microphone arm and precisely-fitting earplugs in various sizes guarantee superior wearer comfort also during lengthy periods of use. The rechargeable battery integrated in the headsets allows maximum use of up to five hours and a stand-by time of up to 7 days. The headsets come complete with a charge adapter to be connected to the car’s power socket or, alternatively, to the cigar lighter.
Use of the headsets is largely intuitive through a button for the incoming call, end-of-call, and re-dial functions. A second button serves to control the level of volume, with speech and reception volume being adjusted automatically to surrounding conditions as a function of the noise level. A voice selection function allows direct access to the address directory in mobile phones supporting this function. In that case all the driver has to do is speak out the name of the person he wishes to call into the microphone on the headset in order to select the number desired.
Via Bluetooth, the driver may even use the headset at the same time in combination with two mobile phones, switching spontaneously as he wishes from one mobile phone to another, depending on where a call is coming in.
20 Comments
<p>Nice! Any idea when this is coming out? Or do you know if MINI made this from scratch or is it based off of an existing bluetooth unit that they customized (like they did with the Garmin GPS units)?</p>
<p>boo…</p>
<p>I expect this will be overpriced and under-performing. If you want a good BT headset get a Jawbone. Previous gen units can be had for $50 or less, and I’ll bet the latest Jawbone is still cheaper than what MINI will charge (based on MINI charging overcharging $600+ for a $300 out-of-production Garmin).</p>
<blockquote>…..but we implore you, please don’t walk around with this thing in your ear.</blockquote>
<p>Thank you for saying this. I wanna smack someone when I see them walking around – virtually anywhere – with these things in their ears!</p>
<p>Very kool, what’s not to like? As far as pricing.. I’d pay up to $150, like I did for my Apple ear piece, but that’s about it.</p>
<p>Good looking piece, nice design. Seriously, this is fine for when behind the wheel but please remove it when walking about. You don’t leave your seat belt on when you are out of the car, do you?</p>
<p>Seriously this is only a Mini badged Plantronics Discovery 925.</p>
<p>@nickminir56 which has already been superseded by the 975.</p>
<blockquote>Seriously this is only a Mini badged Plantronics Discovery 925.
</blockquote>
<p>MINI is an automotive manufacturer, not a consumer electronics company. I would have been extremely surprised if this was not a re-badged device.</p>
<p>while it’s nice. I hate earpieces. I love my Blueant Bluetooth speaker phone. No wiring, rechargable and works great! Please make a MINI one and I’ll buy it.</p>
<p>+1 for the Jawbone. Is it just me or has alot of the MINI news been random things not really related to cars. No fault to MF, but seems like MINI has been a little too busy with random….crap.</p>
<p>Plantronics makes some great BT headsets, so this should work well. If the pricing isn’t rediculous, I’ll consider it…</p>
<p>Kinda fugly to me…. but that’s just my opinion… =/</p>
<p>I would get it as long as the price was right…</p>
<blockquote>…..but we implore you, please don’t walk around with this thing in your ear.</blockquote>
<p>Yes, thank you!!!!!</p>
<p>Have you ever heard the expression, “to cool for school”?</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ll buy one if the price is right AND if it’s compatible with PS3 Voice Chat…. >_<</p>
<p>The coolness factor make you want to walk around with this in your ear, just like an old man likes to show his cell phone off with a belt clip.lol</p>
<p>-maybe they will make that too. Just joking</p>
<p>This is a cool product, that if priced right will sell.
I wish they had iphone cases.
-hint hint</p>
<p>Too bad I just picked up a Jawbone… Now where’d I leave it? I concur with alpinamike love to see a MINI iPhone case or even a simple MINI skin… (they did one for the iPod years ago) Then again some of the vinyl folks out there probably already have one and I just haven’t seen it.</p>
<p>To cool. They are about $100.00. Could get a cheaper ear phone….but MINI. Come on!
Meanwhile I wear mine in crowded loud environs so I can hear the phone ringing without disturbing everyone near me. I especially like that I no longer have something wrapped around my ear. Tuff when you wear glasses. Sun or otherwise.</p>