Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car Kit

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Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car Kit

OK. I don't work for Kensington, but still felt compelled to share my experiences with the LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car Kit with iPhone OS 3.0.

I had been searching for the perfect device since the 1st Gen iPhone to integrate iPhone with my car stereo without creating an interior eyesore with a bunch of wires or changing the factory stereo. I've tried a bunch of solutions, but finally came across the LiquidAUX when I bought my 3GS last month.

The LiquidAUX simply plugs into the power adapter in your car and then connects to your stereo's Aux input. From there on, you simply pair it with your iPhone and then you're ready to listen to music streaming with A2DP - or - place phone calls using your car stereo speakers and the built-in microphone on the Liquid AUX. Also, this device has a USB 2.0 port that you can use to power your iPhone if need be! Lastly, it comes with a remote that can be mounted to your steering wheel.

The music streaming comes in crystal clear, I can't even tell I'm streaming by the quality of the audio. Also, when making calls the audio comes thru the speakers as well as any other bluetooth device and I've received pretty good feedback from the way my voice sounds to my callers. And yes, the USB power port on the device works with the 3GS, unlike many other devices. The remote works as much as iPhone 3.0 will let it (play/pause, and answer incoming phone calls). Hopefully iPhone OS 3.1 will enable AVRCP so we all can skip and rewind tracks with bluetooth devices!

This device only cost me $50 but has been the priceless integration to my car stereo that I've been seeking for a long time. I just wanted to share my experience incase there are others searching for the same simple and cheap integration without cluttering your car with tons of wires or a FM transmitter.

Note: Like many others in the 3GS forum, I have experienced the bluetooth cutting out while streaming. I had my phone already replaced by Apple because this issue, but am still experiencing this event on rare occasions with my newer 3GS. I've determined that this is an OS 3.0 software issue because simply reseting the phone cures the issue. Hopefully OS 3.1 will take care of this nuisance.

24" Mac Desktop, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 20, 2009 9:25 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 26, 2009 10:28 AM in response to Apple iFreak

I can't get the remote to make/answer my 3GS phone calls. Tell me the magic button sequence to make that work? The pause/play on the remote works, just not the phone button on the remote for making or answering calls.

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Answer 2

Apple iFreak Author

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Jul 26, 2009 10:57 AM in response to Edward Lovelace

All I did was use my home phone to call my iPhone. When the call came in, I pushed the phone button on the remote and it worked. I would try resetting the iPhone. I've noticed this helps on the occasions I have ran into difficulties with Bluetooth devices and the iPhone. It's really OS 3.0 and not the Bluetooth devices.

Hopefully the iPhone reset works to get the phone button working for you. If so, the phone button has only worked for me to answer calls. From what I understand, OS 3.1 beta includes voice command thru Bluetooth. Hopefully there will be no problems with the LiquidAUX taking advantage of this new feature.

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Answer 3

cmh316

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Jul 31, 2009 5:43 PM in response to Apple iFreak

Maybe you can answer a question for me. I just bought the liquidaux Bluetooth kit, and I'm having problems with it. Everything seems to function fine except one issue. When someone calls me, the phone will ring, but the liquidaux automatically answers the phone on he first ring. It answers without me pressing the phone button on the remote or even touching the phone at all. I have talked to Kensington support and theytold me that the product is probably just not compatible with the 3GS. Have you had this problem at all, or do I probably just have a defective kit? Thanks for any help you might be able to provide.

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Answer 4

Apple iFreak Author

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Aug 1, 2009 4:03 PM in response to cmh316

I haven't experienced the automatic answer problem with my LiquidAUX. Is it possibly a setting on the iPhone? I'm not sure if the iPhone can be set up to auto answer when in Bluetooth. If this is not the case, it seems like you might have a defective device. I would just do a reset on the iPhone before giving up, but if that doesn't resolve the problem, then I would contact Kensington or wherever you bought the device for a replacement.
By the way, you said everything else seems to be working fine with the LiquidAUX. Were you able to get the track advance/rewind buttons to work?

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Answer 5

evansls

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Aug 2, 2009 4:02 PM in response to Apple iFreak

i believe there isn't a function of the iphone that can auto answer. i have not experienced this issue with my Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car Kit.

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Answer 6

cmh316

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Aug 2, 2009 7:18 PM in response to evansls

I think that I actually managed to solve the problem myself. I decided to make one last attempt at getting it to work before sending it back. Out of desperation, I held down on the phone button on the Kensington unit (not the remote) for about 5 seconds or so. The thing made a beep through the speakers. I tried calling my phone again, and it didn't auto answer. So apparently you can turn the auto answer function on and off by holding the phone button. It would sure be nice if they put that somewhere in the instruction manual (would've saved me a lot of time and a couple phone calls).

As to the track forward/back buttons, no they don't work for me. But I did know that they wouldn't work when I purchased the kit. I remember reading somewhere that the iPhone bluetooth doesn't support that yet...hopefully it will come in a future update though.

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Answer 7

cmh316

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Aug 2, 2009 7:20 PM in response to evansls

I think that I actually managed to solve the problem myself. I decided to make one last attempt at getting it to work before sending it back. Out of desperation, I held down on the phone button on the Kensington unit (not the remote) for about 5 seconds or so. The thing made a beep through the speakers. I tried calling my phone again, and it didn't auto answer. So apparently you can turn the auto answer function on and off by holding the phone button. It would sure be nice if they put that somewhere in the instruction manual (would've saved me a lot of time and a couple phone calls).

As to the track forward/back buttons, no they don't work for me. But I did know that they wouldn't work when I purchased the kit. I remember reading somewhere that the iPhone bluetooth doesn't support that yet...hopefully it will come in a future update though.

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