When going hands free while driving, talking on a Jabra Cruiser is necessary. In the past, we wrote a review of the Jabra Cruiser and really liked it. Jabra Released a new version of the Bluetooth speakerphone called the Cruiser 2. Like all technology at my house, I passed the original Cruiser to my wife and grabbed myself the new one. I think most people will be happy with the Cruiser 2 because it is easy to setup and sounds great. However, if you used the original Jabra Cruiser, you might be slightly disappointed.
Bluetooth speakerphones possess many benefits. Most importantly, hands free driving is much safer. Moreover, it is becoming the law in many states.
Here are the features of the Jabra Cruiser 2 from their website:
- Superior sound for hands-free calls in the car
- Multiuse™ – connect to 2 Bluetooth® devices simultaneously
- Voice Guidance – Caller ID, battery status, set-up and more
- Dual microphone technology for excellent sound
- No installation needed – just clip it onto the sun visor
- Connect it to your car radio with the FM transmitter and transmit your music and calls to your car stereo (A2DP)
- Up to 14 hours talk time and up to 20 days standby time
Setup and Sound Quality
The advantage the Cruiser speakerphone line possesses is the ease of setup. Both Cruiser models use voice-guided setups. Expectedly, Cruiser 2 Bluetooth connection is flawless. The Cruiser 2’s sound quality is superior to its predecessor.
Using the Cruiser 2
Like its predecessor, the Jabra Cruiser 2 has great usability. Thankfully, the Samsung Focus running, Windows Phone 7 experienced no drop off when making and receiving calls. Answering and ending calls are simple. The answer/end button provides dual functionality for call control. Holding the call answer/end button initiates voice commands.
What are the Differences between the Cruiser and the Cruiser 2?
Both Cruisers clip to your visor, have status lights, voice notifications, and caller ID announcements. They also have a slide switch to turn the unit on and off. That is where the similarities end. The two speakerphones are shaped completely differently. The original Cruiser was narrower but longer where the Jabra Cruiser 2 is wider and shorter. I like the Cruiser 2’s shape better. The Cruiser 2’s battery does last longer than the original. The biggest difference, that kills me, is audio controls. Aside from having Volume Controls, the Jabra Cruiser had Pause, Rewind and Fast Forward buttons. For whatever reason, Jabra removed these features from the Cruiser 2. For people that listen to Podcasts, and planned on Streaming Music, this is a huge oversight. You now have to grab your phone, unlock the screen (unless you have a Windows Phone 7 device) to control the audio.
Conclusion
If you put away my personal usage of the Bluetooth speakerphone, the Jabra Cruiser 2 is a great device. Call sound quality is great, setup is easy and the physical design change makes it easier for the user. If you are a podcast person or planned on using the A2DP feature to stream audio you might consider sticking with your current Jabra Cruiser.
