BrainyTrade ELM327 Bluetooth CAN BUS Diagnostic
I'll begin this review with the important caveat that I've only had my K3 for a day, so it's possible in a week, it will explode, leaving scorch marks on my hands and tears in my eyes. That being said, apocalyptic scenarios aside, this thing is amazing!
The "feature" that will strike you first is how small it is, especially if you're a K2 user. The width is perfect for a "man's hands," being easily held between the thumb and middle finger. This isn't necessarily the most comfortable way, but it's a good sign of the size. Even my wife with "woman's hands" thinks it's far easier to hold than the K2 (not that the K2 was difficult, mind you). It HAS taken some time figuring out how best to hold it, since some of the K2 real estate is missing, but it's definitely nice to have something this small.
The weight is what'll hit you next. Or rather, it WON'T hit you. In fact, if you looked away, you might wonder if you were actually holding it. The K3 gives new definition to the word "featherweight," and is a delight to hold for longer reading sessions. The K2 is like a brick compared to this.
The screen and/or speed are the "last" of the first impressions. From a faster boot up to richer blacks to snappier page turning to faster highlighting, the K3 does not disappoint. Text is sharp and crisp, and the screen refresh when turning a page is EASILY "20% faster" (I'd say twice that). The new fonts are an added benefit.
After these three "first impressions," other things strike you at various intervals. The new 5-way navigation device is amazing! It's not as tactilely "present" as the K2, but defintely responsive and far less likely to break off. The "rubberized" back feels nicer than the K2 metal back and isn't slick or sticky, just the perfect amount of grip. The power button is larger and easier to slide (though it's on the bottom, which has resulted in a few "tummy sleeps") . The Keyboard is easier to "thumb-type" on. The graphite color only serves to further enhance the text. And there's a "Back" button at the left AND right!!!! PDF reading is much faster now, thought the 6" screen is still the limiting factor.
The absence of numbers is a bit of a drawback, and I'm disappointed that Amazon didn't at least stencil in the numbers above the letters.
Overall, I've VERY impressed by the K3. The loss of the row of number buttons is a bit of a miss, but they're far less important than the letters and the smaller size. (Sure, you can hold down ALT and press the buttons along the top for numbers, but it can get annoying when you're counting in to make sure you hit 6, not 7) Amazon really got it right this time, and at a price of $139, I can't see much reason NOT to spring for this one.
Happy Kindling!!!!
EDIT: One VERY important caveat on the Wi-Fi only version: it does NOT handle WPA Enterprise (as noted in Amazon's product description). For college students, this could be a deal-breaker. I'm lucky that my campus has an unsecured network, but if it didn't, I'd have no wi-fi options aside from home and the random Starbucks. I'm a bit frustrated by this (hopefully Amazon will address it with a future software update). WEP, WPA/WPA2 personal networks work fine.
If you have an android phone or tablet, pony up for Torque Pro and buy this dongle. You will love this setup. This isn't just about reading OBD codes, this provides realtime displays in your formats choice of any number of your vehicle's sensors and other data points. That you can get this for so cheap, especially when compared to how expensive the traditional OBD sensors are, makes this purchase a no brainer.
BalasHapusThis dongle, while really cheap, is working GREAT with the latest version of Torque set to the highest speed.
BalasHapusI have not seen any dropouts or disconnects with this one yet, which is a small miracle. I thought surely the cheap dongle would end up having major issues, but I guess the chipset is the same as the more expensive ones after all!
Had an OBDLink Scantool Bluetooth unit, but it walked off one day (along with my car) never to be seen again. I didn't feel like spending another couple of benjamins on a replacement tool, so I took a chance on this unit. I'm currently using this with an OBD splitter OBDII Splitter Y Cable, J1962M to 2-J1962F, 1ft (145802) with an Allstate Drivewise monitor on the other end. Initial pairing with my Samsung Galaxy S3 was slow, but connection remained solid after it saw the OBDII device.
BalasHapusUsing this with Torque Pro with no issues. Torque Pro setup options allow for a fast connection setting, so I tried that setting with this unit and noticed a quicker performance. I am quite pleased with this unit.
Just plug it in and download one of several free aps and it give you tons of info.
BalasHapusAnyone can use it. Good product.
Used with Motorola Photon Android.
BalasHapusPlugged it into Mazda 02 Protege 5. Paired right up. Loaded Torque. Read gauges, read codes, cleared codes (while driving even!).
Plugged it into '05 Chevy Trailblazer. Paired right up. Gauges, codes, etc, all good.
If you are not a dummy, it will work perfectly for you.
No problems with unit.
A cheap thing but works perfect. I used it with Torque on android no problems. It shows little information though. Very basic information only.
BalasHapusThe small size of this product alone makes it a worthwhile investment. It does not get in the way or kicked when I get in and out of the car and it has functioned flawlessly since day one. I use the ever popular Torque app with the adapter in both of my vehicles.
BalasHapusI had no trouble connecting it to my phone. The only issue I have is that I cannot have this product running while simultaneously streaming music via Bluetooth to the car stereo. I suspect that this is a limitation of Bluetooth technology itself not, this product.
This gizmo along with the Torque app for your smartphone is about the coolest thing to come along for your car in a long time.
BalasHapusFirst things first, to get it to work: plug it in with the car off. Fire up the Torque app (make sure bluetooth is on), pair it to the device (passcode of 1-2-3-4). Once its paired, start the car, and the data should start to flow. It works just fine for me and I have a 2002 VW Jetta.
The free version of Torque is pretty basic but still very informative and has the ability to check and clear codes while the pro version can get you just about and bit of info from you car you could ever want. (If you don't know what the code means, hit a button and Torque will look it up for you.)
For as inexpensive as these are, everybody should get one.