When I got my new
Palm Treo 650, I knew that I had to get a hands-free set to go with it (they're required in the state of NJ). But as opposed to my old phone, the Treo has
Bluetooth technology, so I was able to look at the
wireless headsets. I'd always disliked the earbuds that I had for my
Samsung, because they never seemed to be untangled when I needed to answer a call. This time, I knew that I could just leave it on or grab it quickly to get my calls.
So, when I was at Cingular, I looked at their selection which ranged from $40 to $120. I only had a few things that I wanted to get with this set: on set volume, around the ear design and a decent range from my Treo. The
BT250v fit the bill quite nicely. I wanted to go for the Bluetooth 1.2 compliance, but I didn't want to spend $30 more for just that.
[• quick and easy SET UP •]
Setting up this unit to work with my Treo was simple. I charged up the headset first (as directed), then I turned it off. After holding the multi-function button down for 9 seconds, the Treo found the unit quickly. Once it did, it was a simple enough to get my first call and pick it up wirelessly.
[• look ma - NO HANDS! •]
The BT250v does the main thing I wanted - simply to be wireless so that I didn't have to deal with cords. That, in and of itself, was a blessing. But the around-the-ear style was an added bonus, because suddenly, I didn't have to worry about an earbud popping out when I turned my head, and I knew that the earpiece was snug and I was getting a good, quality sound. Well, mostly.
The headset has up to a 30' range from your phone, and also vibrates when you get a call - even if you have the ringer is turned off. While this headset is good up to 30' from your Bluetooth-compliant phone, there are times when the signal is a bit weaker - or that the sound quality goes down. I found that in really windy conditions, there tends to be some static in the signal.
I don't know how much this will affect me since I really don't use the headset out of the car, but there is a blue light on the phone that lets others know that you are on a call - whether to show that you aren't crazy and talking to yourself or so that they don't interrupt, I'm not sure.
The headset has two buttons on it - the top is the power on/off and reset multi-function (MF) button, and the bottom is a volume up/volume down button. When you're not actively talking, pressing and holding the MF button for 3-5 seconds will turn the unit on or off. When the unit is on, you can get a call by pressing it once, or switch to a second call the same way.
The headset also supports voice dialing and call-waiting. To activate voice-dialing (assuming you've set it up on your phone) you hit the MF button once and then say the number you want to call. Call-waiting is as simple as hitting the MF button while you are on a call. If you own a Nokia phone, you get some enhanced features - last number redial, reject an incoming call, call waiting and putting the call on hold, all available via the MF button. I can't speak to how these work because my phone doesn't have it, but I do know that the call-waiting is pretty simple. I don't have the voice-dialing set up yet; once I do, I'll add that to this review.
The ergonomic MiniGel is very comfortable, and the shaped gel helps to send sound directly into ear, helping hearing even in noisy environments. However, the gel does twist somewhat easily and can take some getting used to. More difficult is that fact that it takes quite a bit of practice to get used to putting this headset on - and it doesn't go on easily. You have to manipulate it around your ear and then get the gel into your ear. But once you get it in, it stays in very well. Better yet, the shape of the earpiece - and the fact that the MiniGel swivels - means you can wear this on either ear - but it also means that they can come off without too much trouble; luckily, they provide a 2 small and 2 large gels, so you have backups.
The headset comes with a charging cradle that doubles as headset holder, and includes a snap-on clip to hold the earpiece to your belt or purse when not in use. It's a nice feature although not something that would have made me choose it over something else.
[• tech SPECS •]
Style: Around the ear
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 1.1 compliant
Talk Time: up to 7 hours
Stand-by Time: up to 200 hours
Range: 30 feet
Weight: 21 grams
Vibrate: Yes
Active Light: Yes
Warranty: One-Year Limited
[• final NOTES •]
This isn't the perfect solution for a wireless bluetooth headset - it can be hard to put on, and the gel doesn't always go into your ear properly, but once it is on, it's pretty darn good. It's very comfortable to wear, and the fact that you can use the single button to accomplish many of the functions while using it, it makes it simple to use. The sound is good, although in windy conditions it can have a lot of background noise. Eventually, I'm sure that I'll move up to the next level - but for now, this headset is great for me.
ErgoInDemand. com
