The wait is nearly over…

Thanks to Crunchgear for this great shot of the Parrot RK8200!

“This summer, Parrot, best known for its wireless and hands-free car kit products, is launching an NFC-enabled wireless speaker set, the Parrot Party Black Edition, that will work with Nokia’s new phone, as well as with Bluetooth-enabled devices.”

Read the full article here: NFC phone tech promises wave of change

Parrot PARTY Black edition will be the first commercialised speaker system to integrate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

Where in the past pairing phones with Bluetooth devices has involved navigating menus, the Parrot PARTY Black Edition’s NFC technology allows pairing simply by touching the phone to the speaker system.

Experts predict that by 2010, more than 500 million handsets will incorporate NFC capabilities. The technology will be used for payments both remotely and at point of sale as well as to access information from smart objects.

Parrot has been a member of the NFC Forum Initiative for over two years and the incorporation of NFC in the PARTY Black underlines Parrot’s continuing role a leading innovator in the industry.

More info here

Another great review of the Parrot PARTY wireless speakers.
“The Parrot Party features a playful and trendy design…The Parrot Party is a compact speaker but despite its small size, the sound quality is impressive. Whomever I showed the Parrot Party to was astonished and stood open-mouthed to see the amazing design and to hear the high quality sound coming from such a ‘small thing’…”

Read it on Letsgomobile.org!

A new software version is now available for Parrot CK3100 and Parrot 3200 LS-COLOR:

Parrot CK3100: version 4.17a: Release Notes:
- Better compatibility with Windows Mobile phones (HTC phones, avoid audio issue during a call).
- Correct phonebook management with iPhone (avoid disconnection after SIM/Memory synchronization).
- New pairing menu for LG VX8700 (phonebook synchronization improvement).
- Better characters management: Russian, Hebrew, greek.

Parrot 3200 LS-COLOR: version 2.11b: Release Notes:
- Better compatibility with Windows Mobile phones (HTC phones, avoid audio issue during a call).
- Correct phonebook management with iPhone (avoid disconnection after SIM/Memory synchronization).
- “Paired devices” menu optimization when several devices paired.
- “Pairing” menu reorganization.
- Better characters management: Russian, Hebrew, greek.

These versions are available from the Parrot Software Update Tool available at : http://www.parrot.com/usa/support/downloads

Discover today the new virtual Parrot Showroom! All products are just a click away, whether you are interested in hands-free kits for cars and motorbikes, wireless speakers and digital photo frames for your home or products for the office. Discovering Parrot products has never been easier! Enjoy your visit!

“Je crois que beaucoup de personnes utilisent de nos jours leur téléphone portable derrière le volant. Utilisant le système Bluetooth, celui-ci maximise la sécurité, vous permettant de garder les deux mains sur le volant.
(…) J’utilise ce système sans-fil car c’est beaucoup plus commode, pour des raisons de sécurité et pour moi pour garder mon permis de conduire. Pour moi, ce qui se fait de mieux, vient de chez Parrot en termes de qualité, de son et de rentabilité. ”

Sébastien Loeb, quadruple Champion Mondial de course automobile.

Parrot customized products allow telecom operators to sell wireless peripherals that add up to their bottom line.
To help Telecom Operators meet their consumer needs and provide them with converging wireless devices and increase ARPU, Parrot builds tailor-made hands-free car kits, digital photo frames and wireless speakers.

Check Parrot B2B offers to Telecom Operators