Every thing on the Cardo Packtalk Edge carries over, however the latest Palktalk Professional provides bigger audio system, an computerized crash notification system, and a movement-sensing on/off operate. Nonetheless, the Professional prices roughly 20% greater than an Edge, at an MSRP of $459.
Cardo invited me out to a media trip in Southern California to see if the brand new system is well worth the extra cash. First, we quizzed Cardo reps about how the brand new options work, after which put in the Packtalk Professional, related our smartphone apps, and went out for a gaggle trip. Testing the completely different microphone setups, helmet mountings, and app features revealed the professionals and cons fairly rapidly.
Now, with the Professional lastly on sale in the US, the query of whether or not to purchase the latest Cardo Packtalk Professional or stick to an Edge largely comes right down to security issues.
Briefly: The Cardo Packtalk Professional provides a crash detection system that targets commuter motorcyclists, which is a vital and worthy addition. The Packtalk Professional additionally comes with greater audio system and different minimal modifications to justify a value bump from the Edge. However the Cardo consumer interface is simply as irritating because it ever was.
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Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.2 -
Intercom
Dynamic Mesh 2.0 -
Group intercom most dimension
15 -
Group intercom most vary
5 mi. -
Voice operation
Sure
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New computerized crash detection system -
Bigger audio system for music, telephone calls, and intercom -
Auto sensing on/off operate
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App, connectivity, and switchgear nonetheless balky, not fairly intuitive -
Crash detection system depends on cellphone reception -
Vital 20% value bump versus Packtalk Edge
Putting in the Cardo Packtalk Professional
Moreover being out there solely in black, the Packtalk Professional seems similar to the Edge. It even rides on precisely the identical nifty magnetic “Air Mount” that may both be connected through an adhesive patch or clipped onto the facet of a helmet.
This made set up pretty straightforward, as I already had an Edge that I’ve used for years. So, I solely wanted to swap within the new audio system and pop the Professional proper onto the facet of my helmet.
The JBL audio system now measure 45 mm in exterior diameter however with the identical 41.5mm base that matches snugly in my 6D ATS-1R helmet’s ear recesses. Later, I swapped the setup into a brand new Alpinestars Supertech R10 helmet at dwelling, and the audio system additionally match simply.
Nonetheless, the R10’s extra aerodynamic exterior design restricted the placement of the stick-on Air Mount. So, I made a decision to maneuver the mount barely rearward to offer one of the best platform. Then I popped off the R10 cheek pads, routed the speaker and microphone wires, glued a mic to the inside chin space, and reassembled. The entire course of took possibly half an hour.
Higher Audio system, however Nonetheless Struggles With Wind Noise
Earlier than we headed out for the group media trip, I instantly examined the brand new audio system with a few of my favourite tunes. The bigger JBL {hardware} works in live performance with a brand new era of Cardo’s music processor, which permits for a extra rounded sound with deeper bass in comparison with the Edge. However as soon as we pulled away, as typical, wind noise instantly rendered any enhancements to constancy considerably irrelevant.
At speeds as much as about 45 mph, my music sounded okay, and our conversations stayed pretty clear. However holding a dialog above 70 mph required yelling solely quick, staccato phrases.
Overlook having fun with music; doing so would require turning up the amount to really painful ranges. And for anybody with an open-face helmet, microphone placement will probably be key in order to not anger buddies with wind noise that not solely drowns out dialog but additionally turns off any music.
Accident Notification System Testing
Fortunately, no one on our group trip really examined the crash notification system. However Cardo reps readily available fortunately took a deep dive into the way it all works earlier than we hit the street. The system requires three components to work in live performance collectively: new {hardware} within the Packtalk Professional unit and a connection to the Cardo Join smartphone app, which then communicates through cellphone with the cloud.
The bodily {hardware} makes use of an accelerometer, which Cardo calls an “inertia measurement unit,” to report G forces and angular velocity. The information overwrites in a loop each 2 minutes and by no means transmits again to the cloud till it detects a crash.
If Cardo’s cloud software program detects and confirms a crash, an computerized textual content message is shipped to the emergency contact within the Cardo Join app, studying “URGENT! [Name] could also be concerned in an accident & requires your consideration.”
The message additionally features a pin for a location on Google Maps. The system fixes that GPS location via the smartphone. Nonetheless, really sending the info again to the cloud as soon as a crash has been detected requires knowledge cell reception. Then, there’s a lag because the software program processes to find out whether or not the crash is actual or a false optimistic.
Cardo’s testing principally targeted on accidents involving different motor autos. Reps readily available advised us the system logged virtually 1 million km of using throughout pilot testing in Spain, the U.S., and Israel. Cardo claims 95% accuracy at speeds over 30 mph and 85% accuracy under 30 mph.
An essential element right here is the comparability to an iPhone’s innate crash detection software program, which is tuned extra towards passenger vehicles. In 20 simulated crashes that the Packtalk Professional picked up, the iPhone solely counted one, or simply 5% (in, albeit, a restricted run).
Very similar to the iPhone, this Bluetooth communication gadget can flip off the alert if it determines the crash was a mistake, comparable to a dropped helmet. The consumer may use the Cardo Join app to point that every one is nicely.
After all, some latency exists, so the precise alert textual content might not be despatched to the emergency contact for a couple of minutes. And that’s underneath best circumstances. With out cell reception, comparable to whereas canyon carving, the crash info by no means makes it to the cloud.
Cardo doesn’t advocate utilizing the system off asphalt since filth bikes create way more jarring, and the system might detect many false positives. I simply discovered the place to show off the notification within the app.
Some Consumer Interface Points
The auto on/off additionally depends on the accelerometer. In a handful of rides for the reason that media program, I’ve discovered that this characteristic works nicely. Once I placed on my helmet and pulled out my telephone to open the Cardo Join app, the Professional was all the time on and related to my iPhone.
However this additionally meant that anytime I moved my helmet or put it in a automotive, the Professional switched on and began making an attempt to attach. This may lead to much less battery life, although I nonetheless solely wanted to cost it each few days.
Nonetheless, not needing to make use of the Professional’s buttons to show it on introduced up various missed alternatives to enhance the general consumer interface. First, as a result of I don’t all the time need to take heed to music or trip with buddies, I don’t all the time use my Cardos. This implies I usually overlook what every of the bodily buttons on the facet of the Professional and Edge really does. I instructed to Cardo reps {that a} diagram on the app’s homepage may assist.
As only one instance, this gadget is the one one I’ve ever used the place the Play button for music will not be the identical because the Pause button. As a substitute, as soon as the music begins taking part in, the identical button turns right into a Skip button to leap to the subsequent music. In the meantime, the amount adjustment knob is the Pause button — which was so delicate that when carrying gloves, I usually turned the music off as a substitute of the amount up or down.
The three buttons and single knob required a number of combos of button-mashing to begin connections, reply telephone calls, and modify the amount. So, I often ended up pulling the unit off the Air Mount to have a look at it. However then it was disconnected from the audio system, and I couldn’t inform if I answered a telephone name, was then talking with a good friend through the intercom, or had the music quantity the place I wished it.
In the meantime, the app itself has a super-simple design. Often, it is a professional for consumer interfaces. However for Cardo, it meant that if one thing wasn’t working as supposed — which occurred frequently — I had no recourse however to attempt the identical factor repeatedly. For instance, if I couldn’t be a part of my buddies’ group chat, I needed to give up the app a number of occasions and begin over relatively than troubleshooting throughout the app.
I additionally wished the Cardo Packtalk Professional had advised me who was calling since I received about one million telephone calls a day from my greatest good friend, Potential Spam. If I had my telephone in my pocket as a substitute of on a Quadlock or different handlebar mount, I by no means knew whether or not to reply calls.
The amount hole between music and both intercom or telephone calls may very well be excessive. It ranged from an virtually inaudible faintness to painful loudness, and there was no technique to management every individually.
Conclusions on the Cardo Packtalk Professional
Generally, the Cardo Packtalk Professional labored completely. However as usually as not, the brand new Professional was simply as irritating because the previous Edge. An up to date app promised through the media program appeared to have made no distinction in my expertise for the reason that Professional went on sale on July 7. Each the Cardo Packtalk Professional {hardware} and software program might use additional refinement, although the Professional added enhancements and options over the Edge.
Surprisingly, the up to date app continued Cardo’s peculiar choice to not combine the Riser group using app that the corporate purchased from KTM a couple of yr in the past. Riser goals to be the Strava of motorcycling, however even Cardo reps acknowledged it nonetheless has an extended technique to go to draw extra customers.
Is the Professional price an upcharge versus the Edge? From a security standpoint, the automated crash detection meant rather a lot to me. Although I principally trip canyons on the weekends, relatively than commuting because the system is designed for, I appreciated the data that an alert may exit if I’m going down the place I’ve cell reception. It had barely higher sound high quality at low speeds, and the auto on/off didn’t matter a lot, in my view. I did want the black end to my Edge’s grey.
Relying on the supposed using, considerations about security, or cynicism about even needing assist after a crash, the Cardo Packtalk Professional may be price the additional cash. In spite of everything, the fundamental Edge nonetheless isn’t notably low-cost, and it’s exhausting to place a price ticket on extra peace of thoughts.