Bluetooth Headset Indecision...

There was a time not too long ago that I had and was very much enjoying
the wonder that is the Jabra BT-200 bluetooth headset--that is until my
wife laundered my beloved BT-200 (I think it might have been out of
jealousy...) for me. For months now I've been without a headset, but my
recent conversion from ATT Wireless and my trusty T616 to Cingular and
the RAZR V3 has made me start coveting bluetooth once more. I purchased
a Jabra BT-800 from Best Buy and had no difficulties getting it setup.
I found it useable and the little LCD interface was actually way cooler
than I had originally supposed. Also, the mute button is something I
had always wished I'd had with the BT-200, but, unfortunately, the
button was non-functional (even as "Menu" outside of calls) so I was
forced to return the device. Best Buy was out of stock on BT-800's so I
ended up just getting a refund, intent on just ordering one online. Two
nagging issues with the BT-800 have kept me from pulling the trigger on
a new headset: it's comfort and stay-in-place-ness.

I could wear my BT-200 for hours on end with no issues whatsoever, but
I never could quite seem to get the BT-800 positioned in a way that
kept it from pinching my ear extraordinarily uncomfortably. This made
wearing the headset for more than 20-30 minutes at a stretch pretty
tough. Additionally, the lack of a rubberized in-the-ear speaker makes
the BT-800 feel like it's moving around too much preventing me from
getting the best audio clarity/volume and sealing out external noise.

As I dilly-dallied around trying to decide, I saw another headset or
two that really caught my eye but found little information in the form
of consistent reviews that guided me to a final decision. The HBH-300
looked to be one of the more outstanding offerings having everything I
think I want with the exception of a caller ID display. It looks to be
more comfortable, but that's just a guess--and a subjective one at
that. A couple of the Platronics (M2500/M3000) sets looked pretty
promising as well, but generally I didn't see enough information there
to lead me to a decision. I also found a few outliers that caught my
attention like the Epox BT-HS01, Nextlink Bluespoon AX, Tekkeon
EzTalker Mini, and the IOGEAR Bluetooth Wireless Headset. I'd be
interested to see input from users of any of these products.

If it's any help at all, here's my list of selection criteria, sorted
by importance:

MUST HAVES
==========
- Comfortable to wear for hours
- Voice dialing
- Volume control
- Mute
- Adaptive noise cancelling/wind sound removal
- 5+ hours talk time/2-3 days standby
- Call waiting support

NICE TO HAVES
=============
- Adaptive volume control
- Pairing for 3-4 devices (non-concurrently)
- Caller ID display
- 7+ hours talk time/3-4 days standby
- 3-way calling support
- Bluetooth 2.0

Thanks in advance and apologies for the length of the message... )

---

› See More: Bluetooth Headset Indecision...

I chose the M3500 by Plantronics and have regretted the decision.

The battery failed within three months, and the company is apathetic
about a lack of availability.

Twice, they have referred me to sellers who either don't have the
item, or will not sell to the public.

My choices are narrowed down to having the local battery shop
FABRICATE a replacement, or pay $19 to the internet business that
advertises this $6 item (minimum order).

This is assuming the battery is at fault, of course.

At its best, the unit is marginal. The slightest breeze renders it
unusable, and it routinely shuts itself off without so much as a beep
as power fades. Ditto for when the user wanders out range, which I'd
realistically place at 20 feet.

As an airline pilot, I've always respected the Plantronic name;
however, I think at least their Bluetooth division is the cellular
headset version of Aeroflot.



















On 25 May 2005 08:55:04 -0700, "artemidorus" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>There was a time not too long ago that I had and was very much enjoying
>the wonder that is the Jabra BT-200 bluetooth headset--that is until my
>wife laundered my beloved BT-200 (I think it might have been out of
>jealousy...) for me. For months now I've been without a headset, but my
>recent conversion from ATT Wireless and my trusty T616 to Cingular and
>the RAZR V3 has made me start coveting bluetooth once more. I purchased
>a Jabra BT-800 from Best Buy and had no difficulties getting it setup.
>I found it useable and the little LCD interface was actually way cooler
>than I had originally supposed. Also, the mute button is something I
>had always wished I'd had with the BT-200, but, unfortunately, the
>button was non-functional (even as "Menu" outside of calls) so I was
>forced to return the device. Best Buy was out of stock on BT-800's so I
>ended up just getting a refund, intent on just ordering one online. Two
>nagging issues with the BT-800 have kept me from pulling the trigger on
>a new headset: it's comfort and stay-in-place-ness.
>
>I could wear my BT-200 for hours on end with no issues whatsoever, but
>I never could quite seem to get the BT-800 positioned in a way that
>kept it from pinching my ear extraordinarily uncomfortably. This made
>wearing the headset for more than 20-30 minutes at a stretch pretty
>tough. Additionally, the lack of a rubberized in-the-ear speaker makes
>the BT-800 feel like it's moving around too much preventing me from
>getting the best audio clarity/volume and sealing out external noise.
>
>As I dilly-dallied around trying to decide, I saw another headset or
>two that really caught my eye but found little information in the form
>of consistent reviews that guided me to a final decision. The HBH-300
>looked to be one of the more outstanding offerings having everything I
>think I want with the exception of a caller ID display. It looks to be
>more comfortable, but that's just a guess--and a subjective one at
>that. A couple of the Platronics (M2500/M3000) sets looked pretty
>promising as well, but generally I didn't see enough information there
>to lead me to a decision. I also found a few outliers that caught my
>attention like the Epox BT-HS01, Nextlink Bluespoon AX, Tekkeon
>EzTalker Mini, and the IOGEAR Bluetooth Wireless Headset. I'd be
>interested to see input from users of any of these products.
>
>If it's any help at all, here's my list of selection criteria, sorted
>by importance:
>
>MUST HAVES
>==========
>- Comfortable to wear for hours
>- Voice dialing
>- Volume control
>- Mute
>- Adaptive noise cancelling/wind sound removal
>- 5+ hours talk time/2-3 days standby
>- Call waiting support
>
>NICE TO HAVES
>=============
>- Adaptive volume control
>- Pairing for 3-4 devices (non-concurrently)
>- Caller ID display
>- 7+ hours talk time/3-4 days standby
>- 3-way calling support
>- Bluetooth 2.0
>
>Thanks in advance and apologies for the length of the message... )