A Great, Compact Bluetooth Headset

This is an awesome headset at a good price. Very convenient if you already own a Motorola phone, although it is designed to be compatible with any bluetooth-enabled phone. This headset is very similar to the HS810 that I've already reviewed, and I will only be discussing the differences between the two in this review. For an in-depth look at the HS850 please refer to my HS810 review. There are three main changes made since the HS810 model and I will cover these thoroughly. The HS850 also corrected a miniscule audio issue I had with the HS810.

Colors

The HS850 appears exactly the same as the HS810 on the outside, but in different colors. This is actually a little confusing because in addition to the HS850 being different from the HS810 there are two versions of the HS850! This is the only way (besides packaging) to tell them apart just by looking at them. All models have the same silver buttons. The HS810 is the lightest of all the colors, and the pictured HS850 is the darkest one, this is the one that I have. The darkest one (HS850) is mostly black with some dark grey on the inner part of the headset and the earloop. In the middle is the other HS850 which is a gunmetal grey, somewhere in between the shades of the other two. This model is very distinguishable from the HS810 though. The gunmetal grey (in-between colored HS850) has a blue cover over the LED as opposed to the other two with darker covers. The LED cover is what the main button (with a picture of a phone on it) sits atop of and would be on the outside of the headset if you had it on. Although I guess it's nice to have two color options I think it's irresponsible of Motorola and it could make things difficult for the consumer. I think the gunmetal grey headset is for the U.S. market and the black one is for the rest of the world, and you can find either online. I've only seen the grey one in stores here is the States though. Don't worry about somebody trying to rip you off by trying to pass off an HS810 as an HS850, it's very unlikely to happen if you buy from reputable sites/sellers.

Bluetooth Version Specification?

Bluetooth has been around for a number of years now, but more recently started getting mainstream and gaining popularity. After so many years different versions of the bluetooth specification have developed as the technology progresses. The versions are 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 2.0. The HS810 is version 1.1 and the HS850 is version 1.2. These aren't just numbers, v1.2 offers real-world benefits over v1.1 such as improved audio quality, increased reliability, and better security. Check out http://www.bluetooth.com/news/index.asp?A=2&PID=870 for a detailed overview of improvements from v1.1 to v1.2. Version 1.1 devices are being produced less and less. Most newer PDAs use the v1.2 spec and I've seen many laptops (including Apple's Powerbooks and Sony's newer notebooks) with version 2.0. No need to worry though, as all the versions will work with older ones, though this might decrease or nullify one or all of the advantages of using later versions.

Improved Battery Life

With the addition of the version 1.2 specification comes an increase in battery life (this may or may not be due to the change from 1.1 to 1.2) from six to eight full hours of talk time! That's a long time. Most cellphones don't get that much talk time. This is only lengthened by the fact that every time you close the boom it turns the headset off, which further increases the life per charge of the headset.

Audio Quality

The crackling or static I experienced with the HS810 I've never experienced with my HS850 though it only happened a few times. My friend did complain about the echo problem no matter which headset I was using, but as I explained in the other review this is easily remedied by decreasing the volume.

Conclusion

While the choice of color may seem daunting (I hope I didn't confuse you) it's really not. The improvements made over the previous model definitely justify a higher price, but it's not higher. They are practically the same, so the choice should be obvious. This headset is amazing. It's very simple and well designed. Audio quality and battery performance are superb. The only thing that's stopping me from telling you to buy it right now is that I believe everyone has specific needs. You should go somewhere (many cellular stores have this or the HS810 in stock) and try it on. Make sure it's not too small or too big for your ear. Check out how it looks on you, and make a call or two.

If you haven't already then read my HS810 review for a more detailed look at this headseat and the previous model. All information is the same for the HS850 as it is for the HS810 unless stated otherwise.