Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Speakerphone & FM Transmitter Review
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The new Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone is the first high-end unit that I have come across that not only provides a powerful speakerphone but also incorporates a built-in Digital FM Transmitter which beams any audio (calls, music, GPS navigation) to your car or home/work stereo making it easier and much louder to hear through your car speakers.
Before I get started with this Motorola MOTOROKR T505 review however I need to point out an important fact. Namely, although the standard Speakerphone portion of the unit can be used with any Treo or Centro smartphone the Transmitter can for its part only be used with: 1) a Windows Mobile Treo 750 that features A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and AVRCP (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile); or 2) a Palm OS smartphone with the excellent Bluetooth audio streaming software solution Softick Audio Gateway installed. [My tests with v1.20 installed on my Centro performed flawlessly for both music and calls.]
The small (3” x 3” x 0.75”), slim and light MOTOROKR T505 offers a modern and elegant solution covered in gunmetal grey rubberized paint, silver accents for the volume Up/Down buttons on the side and large, easily accessible Call Answer/End + Play/Pause button at the front as well as indicator light coming through the Motorola logo.
Although the MOTOROKR T505 kit (below) includes a car charger and visor clip it is nonetheless lacking a wall charger. Having said this, thanks to a standard mini-USB charging port (above right) it proved very easy to use my SPE S&C Tips to power it directly from my laptop and naturally any other mini-USB cable will also do the trick.
In terms of functionality the MOTOROKR T505 will for example turn off automatically after 30mins in “Idle” state to save battery life but it can also be turned off manually by pressing the Power button at the back. You can quickly Answer/End a call by tapping the large Call button at the front, reject a call by pressing either of the side Volume button or redial the last call by pressing + holding the Call button until you hear a voice prompt saying “Redialling last number”. You can also mute or unmute a call by tapping the Play/Pause button.
Setting the FM Transmitter proved quick and easy as well. You simply press the FM button at the back of the unit and you’ll hear an announced station such as “93.9”. Just set your car or home stereo to this station and if it works well you can save it as a “preferred” station by simultaneously pressing and holding both the Play/Pause and FM button. To continue searching for a better reception on another station just press the FM button again until you find a satisfactory one.
Once I had found a clear station, getting music playback using the Digital FM Broadcast from the MOTOROKR T505 proved to be near flawless with clear and interference-free audio transmitted. I also liked the convenience of the front Play/Pause button and the side Volume buttons which also double as a means to skip to next track (volume up) and skip to previous track (volume down) with a single tap.
Finally, in terms of audio quality for making and receiving calls the Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone proved to be very good but perhaps not quite as good as the Jabra SP5050 that I had tested a while back. Having said this, thanks to its excellent built-in Digital FM Transmitter I have to admit that the MOTOROKR T505 has rather quickly managed to win me over…
Treonauts are always transmitting something new… 
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Comments
Does this unit (and the similar Jabra version) need to have a line-of-sight connection to the Treo? If not, then will it still work well, even if I keep it (for example) in my car's center console or glove compartment? I'm reluctant to mount anything on the sun visor because people might think it's worth breaking into my car to steal (and I am way too lazy to hide it every time I exit the car).
Evan - neither of these speakerphones needs to have a line-of-sight connection to the Treo or Centro because it uses Bluetooth. As long as your smartphone is within range (a few meters) you can place it anywhere in your car.
Having said this, you do need to keep the speakerphone on your visor as the microphone is on the unit and will not work if you keep it in your glove compartment...
Cheers, A.
would love to know if a tomtom rider gps unit would connect to one of these and also a ipod bluetooth kit as well.. would be great if ipod could play music to motorola with tomtom gps...and to mute when instructions come through...
and a phone(nokia 6280).
so i could play music and tomtom and if not using tomtom just have the phone connected
I purchased a T505 2 weeks ago. For me, the speaker volume was just not sufficient. Using the FM radio speakers in my vehicle was great, but, after driving a few miles, the radio would pick up a signal and drop the T505; then I'd need to reset the T505, pick another FM station on my radio. In the Los Angeles Metro area, this happens more often than in the suburbs. And, I can't listen to my choice of radio stations while on stand by. Over all the T505 did not work for me. After work this evening I returned it to place of purchase and exchanged for a Jabra SP5050. Less expensive, does NOT have the FM feature, but, perhaps I will not be so annnoyhed by the drop out issue and I can listen to my choice of radio programs.
I got my T505 from www.globaldistribution.ca and absolutely love it.
The FM transmitter feature is awesome for streaming music from my phone to my car speakers
T505 I love the FM transmitter function, it actually sounds clear and crisp through the cars stereo speakers
Could you send me the contact details of Paul please? I like your sharing! I had already downloadd it, so thanks for the show!
My T-505 programed well until I reached the part of connecting to an FM radio station. The unit never announced a radio frequency. Additionally I could not use the alternate method of selecting a station. ANY IDEAS?
Customer support in the Philippines said I needed an automobile with a "blue tooth radio"..... DUH! I received this same response a second time I called. I finally spoke to a supervisor who admitted that was the response on their computer display trouble shooting list. I suggested they re-write their check list.
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