Nokia CK-300 gets you to rid of ugly cable hanging from stereo

The PARROT bluetooth car kits or the little Nokia CK7W small, no-frills device is resorted to when it comes to making and accepting calls while driving. Some of us even don't install car kits at all, instead use ill fitting Bluetooth headsets that we mostly forget to charge, it stumbles out of the ears every now and then causing pain and irritation because of call dropping or poor audio quality.

I may be exaggerating; however legal issues on mobile use whilst driving have led all of us to some form of Bluetooth hands free solution. Nokia released the ingenious CK 300 car kit is not hype for the users, especially for Nokia Nseries users.

What deal?

The CK 300 looks are minimalists and resembles the CK7W to a certain extent. The 'kit' comprises a jog dial and button-based unit that cannot be noticed in the vehicle as the brain of the car kit remain hidden under the dash board. The remote control has five buttons as well as a push/rotating NaviWheel. The NaviWheel is surrounded by a smart looking white LED circle of light and the buttons are all backlit. It accommodates mute button, mode button, voice dialing button, and green and red answer and hangup buttons. It’s all evident and no-brainer.

If no display then why buttons?

That’s Nokia set it apart being impressively witty. It has concocted fantastic software Called 'Car Menu', in the CK 300 solution. This software links directly to the CK 300 control unit and provides handsfree call handling, music features and navigation via Bluetooth - all using the screen of your mobile device! The software runs on S60 3rd Edition or later devices with a QVGA display.

Put on the ignition and the Car Menu software appears on the mobile phone screen – legible and readable. The network screen is displayed upon starting up, but press the NaviWheel and a clear and easy to read menu. You can automatically answer a call or click NaviWheel to answer the call the usual call register functions allows you to access a list of dialled numbers, missed calls and received calls.

All Call functions are given due weightage right from call waiting to muting the call, transferring it from the car kit to the mobile phone for intimate and private calls.

The CK 300 also streams your music selection from the phone via Bluetooth to the car stereo speakers. Through the central MODE button you can search albums, artists, and tracks, with anything being paused when a call comes through or is initiated. scroll emails or text messages, and control Nokia Maps through The NaviWheel and Car Menu software.

In nutshell

Nokia seem to encompass everything from the telephony and the hardware is excellent and out of blue. The NaviWheel is fun to use and the software has been experienced remarkably bug-free, fast and responsive. Having the car radio muted while directing the Nokia Maps is really a smart idea. The CK 300 simply epitomises the out of box thinking.