bluetooth headset options

September 6, 2009 6:53 PM

Is there a bluetooth receiver that will function as a mic but allow me to use my own earbuds?

I'm pretty tough on headphones. While I'd like to get a nice a2dp headset for my G1 phone, I worry about having a cord fray, or having a headband snap in two.

posted by boo_radley to Technology (6 answers total)

This is what I use. I'm pretty happy with it.
posted by me & my monkey at 9:50 PM on September 6, 2009

Best answer: Similarly...
posted by benzo8 at 1:56 AM on September 7, 2009

I use a Sony bluetooth headset with my G2 and it's been great so far, apart from the build quality problems noted in the reviews - my clip also snapped, but since I keep the dongle in my pocket it's no big deal. I can imagine the cord fraying in a year, but hopefully someone will have built a similar but better product by then. $50 isn't too much to gamble with for this sort of product.
posted by kcm at 8:29 AM on September 7, 2009

Best answer: I use the Jabra BT3030 to which benzo8 provided the link... Charge lasts quite a while. Sound is decent. You can have it linked to your phone and another device at the same time and incoming calls will silence the other device. e.g. I listen to music on my Nokia N810 tablet while exercising -- any incoming calls to my phone stops the music and passes through the phone call.
posted by crenquis at 2:53 PM on September 8, 2009

Response by poster: I've gotten a lot of recommendations for the BT3030, I think I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks, guys!
posted by boo_radley at 8:50 PM on September 8, 2009

Response by poster: I wound up getting a BT3030 through eCost for $30 -- it's pretty slick, and just what I was looking for. It's a solid little dogtag shaped puck that I can use with my own headphones. The mic quality is good, and I haven't had issues pairing it with my phone or any of my PCs.

Three quirks:

1. While it's charging it can't be used.
2. When I first paired it with my G1, it recognized the device for phone calls only. I had to adjust the bt3030's settings in my phone to route media audio to it
3. As accorded by Bluetooth Law, it has a searingly bright, multi-color LED that will flash blue while charging and a variety of colors while engaged in transmitting. This LED is brighter than the sun. I'm the kind of person who likes to drift off to podcasts, so I would up putting it in an earphone case.

posted by boo_radley at 12:36 PM on November 9, 2009