I stopped by my dealer today and made arrangements to install the Hand Free system with audio control in my S430. I will have the kit and cradle installed without the phone. Minus the phone the cost is just over $2k...ouch! But based on the threads I have read the audio control is worth the cost.

I talked with AWS and the RAZR has not been approved to work with the system (I have a new one on my family plan.) They do however have a couple of models besides the 710 and 600. I have elected to go with the Moto V557. I have a Cingular account and my present phone is in the upgrade mode, so I will buy the phone from my local Cingular store. AWS gave me the software version for their V557 and I checked it with the local store version and they are different. AWS, said the different software version should work fine but indicated he has to put a caveat on it just to protect himself. If the Cingular store phone won't work then I will just return it and purchase one from AWS for about $100 more.

I will let you know how it all works out. The BT module by the way is due after the first of the year.

 

Good luck Jack! You've got more guts than I do--jumping into this thicket at this point in time. Besides, I will not give up my V3 Razr w/out a fight.

 

Yeah...a lot of things going on with phones these days. The other day I added a line to my plan with Cingular and got a RAZR to go with my H700 BT headset. I really like the V3 and the new H700 is really small and excellent in performance. The RAZR only costs me $99 and only $10 a month to add to my existing plan.

But I still had to have that Audio Control, handfree system working...:-) Called AWS and checked out their web site and MB has not approved the RAZR yet, if ever. Since my Sony Ericsson T616 is available for a upgrade I decided to get the V557 which I will leave in the car full time and if I don't have my RAZR with me I will always have the phone in the car. The BT module coming will not charge the phone battery nor will it use the cars antenna, so that will be no improvement over using what I have set now with either the T616 or RAZR with the H700. Overkill maybe but a new toy in the car is always nice...:-)

 

Yes it is...

I am going to wait for MB (probably in 2010) to come out w/ an OME solution for my BT V3 Razr--or by then it may be the V333 Razrrrrrrr. =)

 

LOL...the guy at AWS said MB was concerned about the software changes that Moto had made with the RAZR and from a quality standpoint they were concerned about problems developing with the car system. I can understand the "quality" state of mind that MB has but this is probably the most popular phone going right now. Perhaps they will get it on the approved list sometime next year???? It's like the case of Verizon restricting the BT features and then people finding it did not work the way it was advertised...MB is really at the mercy of the carriers and what they tweak to fit their own profits. When it doesn't work MB will get the flack.