Guest writer Justin Berkovi reports back on the brand new and innovative Nokia CK-300 car kit, which reduces control hardware to a minimum and relies instead on using your smartphone's display. Here's Justin's lavishly illustrated review, his first for All About Symbian.
Read on in the full article.
Quick question: has anyone tried using it with an E90's internal screen. Also, for the occasions you do want to leave your phone in your pocket, how good is the voice tag recognition?
Genius!! Ordered mine, will be here 2morrow. Can't wait for streaming music so I can get rid of that ugly cable hanging out my stereo! And a charger too, another ugly cable gone.
Bet you don't get this level of intergration with an (spits) iphone! Hee Hee!
Hi...nice review with good pictures - has this guy reviewed anything else as I appreciate the straightforward style ?
oh ...and product sounds really good too
Cheers
Fat Boy
What comes in the box? Is the phone holder included? How does it connect to your sound sistem?
How much of a dash-breaker is it? My old Volvo's in such good condition and I'd hate to mess it up.
Nice to see a review of a gadget like that. Keep it up.
I am just starting to look at this sort of functionality for my car.
Could I ask what mobile car mount you are using for you N95 8GB as i will need to purchase this as well?
Thanks.
You check your messages and emails whilst driving?!
Quite good solution, but I prefer CK-15W - it lets me leave my phone in a pocket or bag, no need to clip it on a dashboard to see who's calling or to select the number to call to. IMHO voice tags are totally useless in language different then english.
No, I don't check my emails whilst driving! But when i've parked or park up I find the CK300 handy for doing so.
With regard to mounting the phone - I simply use a cheap holder that can be purchased from any Carphonewarehouse store - it's �9.99 and clips to the air vents so does not need any mounting or drillling and is fine with aircon blowing full blast. It's a great solution and is unobtrusive. There is no mount provided in the box although Nokia do offer an N95 custom mount now...although quite simply I wouldn't bother when this cheap option works just fine.
Voice tag recognition is better than when using the mobile only in my tests.
How do you play music from your Nokia N95 through the speakers in the car? - Does it have a FM Transmitter?
Audio is streamed via Bluetooth. Your vehicle might require an interface between the CK300 'brain' and your head unit or in car system. The beauty of it is that it does integrate well with many systems. For example in my Audi when I'm using the CK300 the word 'PHONE' is displayed on my Driver Information System display in the dash as well as on my Audi head unit.
The review could use more details of the hidden magic - the bit that goes under the dash and interfaces with the car's stereo and whatever.
Could use a few pics of the product in it's box/etc...
Otherwise, review makes me want to get one...though I'd have to get a car first. Perhaps you can suggest a matching car 😉
Actually, that's not such a stupid question - what kind of equipment do you need for it to work. Clearly a stereo is required, but it'd need more than just a 'line in' since that wouldn't be able to mute (ie reduce) the volume when it gives directions...hrm. "More explanation required" 😊
Max.
Indeed, more explanation is needed. Do you need to change the audio source or something as silly in the stereo before using it? Do you need to drill anything in order to install the "brain"? More pictures please!
Well, at least in germany you are not allowed to touch your phone in any way while driving. You should be able to do everythin with voice or the touch of one button. Will it read incoming mails and sms?
Some clarification needed here. This is a PROFESSIONALLY FITTED CAR KIT solution and not one I would suggest an end user attempt. It has to be professionally fitted by people who know how the 'brain' of the CK300 is wired into the specific vehicle / audio system.
Such intricacies would be pointless in a review that was simply designed and written to show the end user experience of the CK300, not a boring install guide!
For those who wish to see how the unit is installed please check this link:
http://europe.nokia.com/A4884031 (You'll also find CK300 specific product pages and user guides)
I got the CK300 fitted by HUETS CAR AUDIO in Brighton, East Sussex. They also fitted an interface that works between the CK300 brain and my Audi BOSE system to ensure that audio is routed to my car speakers. If you ARE getting the unit fitted I would strongly suggest testing everything before driving away because as you will see in the user guide PDF from the Nokia site there are various ways of fitting the CK300.
I hope this clears up any problems or misunderstandings.
all of the details about connecting the handsfree system is available here
http://nds1.nokia.com/phones/files/guides/Nokia_Car_Kit_CK-300_Installation_guidelines_en.pdf
Hi. Based on this nice review I bought the CK-300, and it is really very nice, but it has one big issue I can't find a solution for. If I hear to my usual radio, or MP3 from a CD-Rom, and do Navigation at the same time with Nokia Maps, the navigation voice is not working. Neither is it muting the audio or anything. I can only hear the navigation voice, if i play MP3s over the player of the N95 which is connected via bluetooth and is running Nokia Maps. Then I can even hear the navigation voice, but the music is that loud that the voice is only hardly understandable. Has anyone the same problem or a solution? The guys at nokia forums are not very responsive at that question...
Cheers, David
I'm having one of these installed on Friday to go with my new N95 8GB. The review I found on this site played a big part in my decision.
I'll let you know how I go on.
rich1068 wrote:I'm having one of these installed on Friday to go with my new N95 8GB. The review I found on this site played a big part in my decision.I'll let you know how I go on.
See if you can get some photos of the heart of the system - the bits that go 'behind the scenes' - and how they connect to the various bits in the car (head unit/etc).
I'd be interested.
Thanks,
Max.
I'll see what I can do. It's being fitted at my workplace and indoors so I should be able to get some pics. Unless I have to get some work done of course...
Anything you're after specifically? It's going into a 2008 Saab 9-3 and their audio wiring is notoriously quirky.
rich1068 wrote:I'll see what I can do. It's being fitted at my workplace and indoors so I should be able to get some pics. Unless I have to get some work done of course...Anything you're after specifically? It's going into a 2008 Saab 9-3 and their audio wiring is notoriously quirky.
Nothing specific, but :
1) a photo of each bit in the box; we've seen the bits the user deals with, but I'm wondering about the other bits - I imagine there's a box that sits in one of the foot wells or behind the stereo/etc
2) photo of the unit in place...if you can get one that shows how the wires are connected, all the better, but I imagine that is best done with writing.
Thanks.
Max.
I can probably do better than that David. I've got a Nokia installation .pdf in full colour. PM me your e.mail and I'll send it you. I promise not to sell your address to 419ers 😮
Unless you know of another way of me getting it to you?
:edit:
Scrub that. Found it http://nds1.nokia.com/phones/files/guides/Nokia_Car_Kit_CK-300_Installation_guidelines_en.pdf
rich1068 wrote:I can probably do better than that David. I've got a Nokia installation .pdf in full colour. PM me your e.mail and I'll send it you. I promise not to sell your address to 419ers 😮Unless you know of another way of me getting it to you?
:edit:
Scrub that. Found it http://nds1.nokia.com/phones/files/guides/Nokia_Car_Kit_CK-300_Installation_guidelines_en.pdf
Yeah. That has some very interesting shots that are quite enlightening.
Thanks.
Max.
Didn't go too well. The handsfree etc is excellent but I'm starting to wonder if the fitter was an idiot. No streaming music yet because 'it won't work on Saabs'. Second opinion tomorrow I think. I do have to say that 'Car Menu' is very, very good though.
Hi,
I have the ck300 in my 9-3ss MY2003, installed by the dealer, very professional, they were able to manage to mantain the OEM microphone from Saab and works incredibly well, he says better than using the nokia micro.
After that, I use it with the Nokia 6110 navigator. I installed the nokia maps, and now I have the route66 and the Nokia maps.
I have a minor problems with the kit. I add some mp3 through the nokia PC suite and ordered them with a Playlist(m3u file), the Nokia PC Suite converts all the files in m4u.
Well when I use the CarMenu in the music player its impossible to play the playlist, there isn't any option of "playlist" in the menu as it says in the guide.
Anybody knows what happen?? where is the problem??
cheers
Wonder what audio quality is delivered via bluetooth....
Although the CK-300 has the socket for the LD-2, it is not compatible with it.
One question... I bought a BMW 118d, but did not include bluetooth options due to price.. this seems like a good, far less expensive system.. But.. Is there any way I can use this interface to display the caller's name (as in phonebook) in my car radio? If so, I don't even need a cradle for the phone!
I also have an Audi A4 2005. How did you install it? Is your stereo (Concert) prepared for handsfree or did you just connect it on the back of the stereo.
/P
Hi,
I am wondering if someone of you guys have installed the ck-300 manually (ie without a "professional fitter"😉?
anyone can assist me?
I have Seat Ibiza (newest model) with standard radio. I already got quadlock cable adapter, so it would be just plug and play...
Greetings
Jones