Bluetooth Headset advice.

August 9, 2005 9:01 AM

Bluetooth Headset advice. Looking for some advice on a Bluetooth headset which works well with Motorola V710 phones. Right now I’m considering Motorola HS850, and would like to hear opinions on that model and alternatives. Important factors would be integration with phone, ease of use, battery life, and comfort. Also, this is going to be given as a gift to someone who currently uses there phone quite a bit (too often IMHO) while driving, is such a gift appropriate or could personal preference/comfort (and variability of this factors between users) a possible issue? I’ve Googled and Epinion’d a bit but have not had much luck in finding comparisons across models.
posted by evilelf to technology (3 answers total)

I've got the HS50 paired with my V551 phone. The bluetooth technology works really well with both devices. Pairing was easy and the connection between the devices happens seamlessly when the boom on the headset is opened. Voice quality as reported by people I'm talking to is excellent.

The device is very comforatable; It's lightweight and I can wear it for hours without noticing it.

The voice-dial feature works. I'm not going to say it works well, as for about 30% of calls I make using voice dial, I have to repeat myself to the phone/headset. Still, when I'm doing something else (driving, walking, cleaning) and I want to phone someone, and I already have the headset on, it's very convenient to just press the button on the earpiece and say the name of the person I need to call, and make the call without ever removing the phone from my pocket.

My complaints about this device:
1. It's not loud enough for me. Admittedly, I have some hearing loss from chronic childhood ear infections, but I don't often have problems with phones or headsets. Even with the volume turned up all the way, if I'm in an area with appreciable background noise (i.e. walking on a sidewalk beside a busy street), I must cup the earpiece to my ear in order to hear. I'd rather turn it up louder.

2. While battery life is excellent -- the headset has never run out of juice before my phone, and I typically charge them at the same time as most of my conversations on this phone are through the headset -- the headset will frequently make the 'low battery' beep at spurrious times. I've been using the headset for about 3 weeks, and this problem does seem to be getting better, so it may be an issue of 'conditioning' the battery.
posted by u2604ab at 9:22 AM on August 9, 2005

I have the Nokia headset, and it's the shizzle. I read nothing but good reviews of it, with excellent call quality, excellent battery life, easy battery replacement, and towards the low end of the price bracket. It's also small, comfortable and has interchangeable covers.

I use it quite happily with my Nokia 6630, but I understand it should work with most other phones as well.

Amazon.co.uk link
posted by gaby at 12:19 PM on August 9, 2005

Check out the Bluespoon 5G, the current ne plus ultra of Bluetooth headsets. Super tiny, but very expensive. Not sure how much money you want to spend, but this headset would certainly make me happy were I to receive it. Try Infosyncworld for reviews of bluetooth headsets (though you may have to search around on the site for them).
posted by EatenByAGrue at 1:03 PM on August 9, 2005