I received this message from Siemens re the mini TEK:
Dear Bruce:
Thank you for visiting our Siemens Hearing Website at www.siemens-hearing.com.
While the mini-tek has been introduced in some countries, it has not yet been released domestically in the U.S. However, we have an estimated release date of April 2011.
We hope this information is helpful. Thank you again for visiting Siemens Hearing Website and your interest in our products.
Sincerely,
SIEMENS Hearing Instruments, Inc.
Thanks for the info.
I have a mini-Tek. I picked it up last Friday afternoon and so far I like it quite a bit. The connection to my cell phone (iPhone 4) seems to be better and the Bluetooth signal doesn’t drop out like the Tek did.
It was very easy to get accustomed to, light weight, and it’s nice that it clips in place. I no longer have a pendulum swinging from my neck. I would take the Tek off when I sat down to eat or often when I was working on my laptop and almost always if I bent over working on something. I don’t have to do that with the mini. I typically wear golf style shirts and I clip the mini in the space under the bottom button and leave it there all day.
On the Tek if I turned my head while on the phone often I would lose the conversation in the ear that was away from the Tek; with the mini that hasn’t been a problem. It may be because the mini is closer to my aids or because of a stronger signal, but I haven’t lost the signal during a phone call.
Music from my iPhone –via the cable- sounds as great as the Tek did.
The mini has a flashing green light when it is powered on and I could see it in my peripheral vision if I was working on my laptop, reading, eating, or anytime my head was bent. The light was bothersome, however I solved that problem with a small piece of electrical tape.
If I open apps - text messages, games, email- on my iPhone the app sounds are transmitted to the mini and I don’t care much for that. Usually the mini reverts to the previous program I had selected within a few seconds, but the bouncing between programs is annoying. It isn’t annoying enough for me to go back to the Tek though.
I’ve only has the mini for a week, but I don’t think I would go back to the Tek. I think it is a better device, lighter, simple to use, and in the last week I haven’t heard “is that a cell phone?”
Does it also have TV capabilities?
Yes, via the Tek transmitter. The manual also states it allows third party transmitters, so I suppose it also would be possible to use something other than the Tek transmitter.
Functionally is is the same as the Tek w\o the display and the treble adjustment. The mini allows more Bluetooth devices to be connected; two landline or mobile phones at the same time.
I forgot to mention earlier the phone function is much quieter -less background noise- on each end of the call. I called my daughter and she was surprised I was in my car because when I was using the Tek she could hear me accelerate and shift. On the mini a lot of that back ground noise has been eliminated.
How much are people seeing the minitek retail for in the US/Canada?
The mini died. I used it Saturday and placed it on the charger over night and Sunday it wouldn’t power on. I hope this isn’t indicative of issues with the mini.
$550 in New Jersey.
And it’s a sweet device! Only problem, since picking it up on Monday, was needing to have it reprogrammed so that the programs were in the unique order required to fit its enhanced connectivity capabilities. In other words, Bluetooth programs had to be the 2nd and 3rd programs. Which differed from the Tek’s settings. Otherwise, great. Music streams from my iPhone via Bluetooth flawlessly. Tv sound is clear and full. Phone calls sound great, although a couple of callers have noted that the sound on their end could be better.
I currently wear Phonak Exelia’s and use the iCom for everything. One thing I HATE about the iCom when using it with my phone is there’s no way to quickly switch between the call and normal hearing without dropping the call or turning off the iCom. Does the TEK allow you to do this?
Did you get your miniTek fixed or replaced?
I’ve been reading the propaganda on the Siemens Web site and get the impression that the miniTek doesn’t allow direct selection of the individual programs in the aids as the Tek does; am I right? If I only need to connect to one Bluetooth device, is there any advantage in getting the miniTek rather than the Tek?