Just got the M1 in today and had to hook it up right away. I have not rode with it yet but testing it out around the house I noticed these points:
1. There is a slight static in background
2. The volume is GREAT for listening to music
3. The Music continues to play when using Vlingo (Droid Incredible) when it reads txt messages to me so I can't really hear what the "voice" is saying.
4. Tried calling another person and it worked great...they heard me fine and I can hear them perfect (again have not tried this on the road yet).
5. I mounted mine via the clip and holds tight. Might switch to adhesive mount for cleaner look at a later date.
6. Nice Matte Black finish
7. The cord length is fine...had extra I had to tuck into the helmet.
8. I found the user interface a little annoying to get used to...sometimes holding the button down for the "5" seconds didn't turn off and that type of thing...just have to get used to it.
Will update review upon first ride and test with product.
***4/11/2011 Update***
Product is GREAT!
1. You can't hear static when riding.
2. At 80mph could still hear when calling and person on other end could hear perfect. (I did not have wind blocker on helmet)
3. Once I got used to Blinc M1 the user interface works better.
4. Awesome part of product is that when synced to phone (HTC Incredible) the knob on side can be used to switch between songs!! Great for shuffle option on phone!
5. Clip mount works great...has not moved yet!
6. At just $100 I would highly recommend the purchase...can't beat the convenience.
PROS:
Paid $99 with free shipping. That's the cheapest one I've seen so far.
Controls are easy to use with gloves on, the dial for changing music tracks is very nice.
Loud. I can hear music at freeway speeds inside my full-face helmet.
People could understand me on the phone at 40mph.
CONS:
No dedicated plug for the charger, shares the same plug as the speaker/microphone assembly. You have to unplug one to plug the other in.
Proprietary charger plug.
The "clip" fastener was useless for me because the plug for the headset wiring sticks out pretty far and it would hit my shoulder and unplug. Using the stick-on mounting plate to place the unit higher on my helmet solved this.
OTHER:
Volume buttons could be bigger but they're adequate.
Play/Pause is handled by holding the "volume down" button for 3 seconds. Odd but acceptable.
It comes with a boom mic, it would have been better with a mic made specifically to go inside a full-face helmet.
Buy Blinc M1 Bluetooth 2.0 Integrated Communication Module Add On for All Helmets Now
I've owned the M1 for about a month now and have done about 250-300 miles using it. It does what it claims to do, which is why I gave it 4/5 stars but there are a few things that are really annoying.
Setup is easy, however, if you own a SHOEI RF1000 Helmet don't expect this unit to fit as easily as you see in the videos on Youtube. Unlike most of the helmets you see portrayed in the demos online the Shoei RF1000 does not allow you to pop out the rear padding of the helmet. I had to shove (with a pencil eraser) the wire between the helmet and the padding till it got stuck up there. So Shoei owners, and people who own helmets with a permanently attached rear padding, beware.
The microphone works great (I can only speak as to full-face helmet use)and up to 60 miles an hour the person on the other line doesn't really notice any difference. You can carry a conversation at 70 MPH but you will be straining a little. The speakers work great but I have a constant low buzz/squeaky noise coming from them when I get a call. I have yet to use this device to listen to music but I imagine you could hear music just fine no matter the speed. I ride a Honda 919 with Sato pipes so if your bike is quiet you could possibly get even better results.
I wish that there was some kind of clip holding the usb cables from the wiring to the unit as over time, I can definitely see the cables just falling out of the unit while going fast.
This is easy to use and setup and works pretty well. I will update this review once I get another m1 to communicate with my wife.
Read Best Reviews of Blinc M1 Bluetooth 2.0 Integrated Communication Module Add On for All Helmets Here
I bought this on a whim because I wanted to be able to listen to music on long rides. I opted for the permanent installation because the clip wouldn't fit my helmet. The clip was too small to fit around the bottom of my helmet (AFX DS-39 Awesome helmet BTW). So I carefully placed the speakers where they would fit comfortably on my ears, routed the wires through the bottom of the helmet and put everything back together. It was great, I had minimal wires showing where they connected to the unit and the speakers were just fine on the comfort scale.
I paired my phone to the unit and started playing some music. IT WORKED! Next, I wanted to test it on the road.
So I have a dual sport bike with a small Enduro tank bag. The tank bag has a velcro piece that sits on top with a clear plastic window that you can slide things in to. This, I figured, would be the perfect place to put my phone as it was the closest location to the bluetooth unit without being tied to my helmet (/joke).
Bottom line, this thing is crap. The phone was no more than 1.5 feet away from my helmet at all times and the signal would cut in and out. I'd rather listen to wind noise. It went a little something like this... 2 seconds of music, silence, 4 seconds of music, 5 seconds of silence, 2 seconds of music... you get the picture.
I could not, in good faith, recommend this to anyone in the market for a bluetooth helmet system. I am either going to sell this piece of junk or try to return it. I am very disappointed but that's what I get for buying the cheapest thing on the market.
Want Blinc M1 Bluetooth 2.0 Integrated Communication Module Add On for All Helmets Discount?
I bought the Blinc M1 cold with no background check at all. I figured if I didn't like it I would take it back. Anyway, no offense to the negative reviews but, it sounds to me like most of the problems are taken care of if you read the directions. Maybe I got a good one Idono but mine works like a charm. My range is over 20' its clear as a bell and phone calls work as they are supposed to. The only fault I can find so far is it is a little cumbersome to make an outgoing call while riding and listening to music. The unit has to be at idle to place an outgoing call. Safety measure, again Idono. I have only used it for about 2hrs but music, phone calls in and out, work great. It's plenty loud to hear over the bike even with aftermarket exhaust. I don't think I have it turned up as as loud as it will go. I haven't tried it with my gps or the intercom. I ride mostly solo so I really won't use the intercom. As of now would I buy another. Yep. I can't imagine one any better and for the price I'm very happy with it. Everything fit great and the wires tuck into the helmet with no problem. Like one reviewer said you do have to get the ear pieces just right but it only take a few minutes of trial and error. This seems to be what I have been waiting for at a very reasonable price.
I would like to see a battery indicator and a way to charge the unit from 12 volts. These things would be nice but I like the low price better.
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This works fine to charge my phone and it was a fraction of the price I would have paid at the cell phone store.
