Samsung Ultra-Slim WEP350

Product Summary

The good: The Samsung WEP 350 is a superslim and stylish headset that's affordable and easy to use.

The bad: The Samsung WEP 350 has only average call quality, with some background static and a lack of noise cancellation.

The bottom line: The Samsung WEP 350 is a simple and affordable Bluetooth headset.






Along with making attractive high-end phones such as the Instinct and the Access, Samsung also produces a line of affordable Bluetooth headsets to match these handsets. One of its most recent models is the Samsung WEP 350, which it purports to be one of the world's thinnest headsets. It's also lightweight, easy to use, and affordable at just $59.99.
Measuring about 1.9 inches long by 0.6 inch wide by barely 0.2 inch thick, the WEP350 is definitely one of the thinnest headsets we've ever seen. It has a very slim and discreet profile, which is great for those who eschew the telemarketer look most headsets have. The WEP350 has a simple, flat stick design, with a multifunction button in the middle, and volume buttons on either side--the volume increase is on the left spine while the volume decrease is on the right. The multifunction button is raised above the surface, so it's easy to press, even when worn on the ear. The two volume buttons are quite skinny, but they, too, are easy to access because of a raised texture. Right above the multifunction button is a small LED indicator light.
Turn the headset around and you'll find a typical in-ear style earbud. Even though you can wear the headset without an ear hook, we recommend you use the in-ear hook anyway for additional stability. The hook can be rotated to fit either ear. It's also very flexible and thin, which made it easier to wear with glasses. The earpiece fits comfortably in the ear and can be easily sized in a matter of seconds. The WEP350 comes with two additional earbud covers in different sizes.
The WEP350 doesn't have too many features. It offers the typical answering, ending, and rejecting calls, as well as last number redial, voice command support, call hold, and the capability to transfer a call to the handset and vice versa. It also has a low-battery status indicator.
We successfully paired the headset with the RIM BlackBerry Pearl. We experienced average sound quality. Even though we heard our callers just fine and vice versa, we also heard quite a bit of static. Our callers reported hearing echo and ambient noise from the background as well. That said, we managed to make voice command calls successfully, and we sailed through automated voice systems with flying colors.
The Samsung WEP 350 has a rated battery life of 5 hours talk time and 4.1 days standby time. It also comes with a small charging base.

Aliph Jawbone headset

Reviewed by: Kent German
Edited by: Bonnie Cha
Reviewed on: 11/22/2004 In the world of cell phone headsets, many users stay with the simple earbud models that come with their phone. While this may save you some bucks, you're usually stuck with poor sound quality. Fortunately, there are alternatives, and while Bluetooth headsets claim a monopoly on cool, they needn't get all the glory. Offering an outstanding mix of comfort, style, and performance, the Aliph Jawbone is far superior to competing wired models. As this is no ordinary headset, you'll pay a premium. That said, for $145, you do get what you pay for. As of press time, the Jawbone works only with Motorola, Sony Ericsson, and Nokia handsets, but compatibility for more mobiles is in the works.
The Jawbone has a striking design--in fact, it recently was featured in an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The basic form factor consists of two rectangles connected to the phone jack and each other by a thick wire. The first rectangle holds the ear loop, the earpiece, the microphones, and the voice-activity sensor (see below). Measuring 2 by 0.7 inches and outfitted in sleek silver, it has a highly flexible ear loop that swivels effortlessly for use on both ears and a smooth earpiece that protrudes only slightly into the ear. The overall result was an extremely comfortable fit, and the Jawbone slides on and off with ease.
The second rectangle holds the belt clip and the user-friendly control buttons. Slightly larger at 2 by 0.8 inches, it's styled in the same silver and has a ring-shaped light that glows green when the headset is activated and red when a call is on mute. A power switch turns the headset on and off, and an action button mutes calls on Motorola phones and answers and ends calls on Sony Ericsson and Nokia handsets. We had small complaints with the cord and the phone jack, however. While the cord is exceptionally strong, it's stiff and difficult to wrap up for traveling (a small bag is included). It was also quite long, which made the overall setup a bit cumbersome when on the go. Also, the fit of the phone plug was loose. We had to check it a couple of times while on a call to make sure it was secure.
While we like the style, the Jawbone's real attraction is its excellent sound quality. Using an adaptive sound technology developed at Lawrence Livermore Labs, the headset incorporates two microphones and a unique voice-activity sensor. When placed against the cheek, the sensor actually detects the vibrations produced by speech, rather than picking up the sound from your mouth. When we tested the Jawbone using a Motorola V600, the effect was immediately noticeable. Callers said we sounded crystal clear, and we heard similar comments when we loaned the headset out to other users. Be aware that there's no volume control on the headset so you must make any adjustments on your phone.
But that's not all. The Jawbone also uses adaptive microphones that capture and cancel out background noise, so incoming audio also is enhanced and adjusts to the varying noise levels for your location. We tested the Jawbone in a quiet room and on a busy street corner, and it performed well. We had no trouble hearing our callers in either situation, and they reported that they could hear almost none of the background noise when we were on the street. The noise-canceling feature does require power, however. Instead of running off an integrated battery, the Jawbone pulls power from your cell phone. Aliph promises that the headset draws only about 15 percent of your battery life, but if you often use the headset, you should frequently charge your phone just to be safe. In our tests, we didn't see any real impact on our V600's battery life.

Nokia BH-801 reviews

Product Summary

The good: The Nokia BH-801 has a compact and stylish design with a snug and comfortable fit. We liked the addition of the optional ear loop, the metal neck strap, and the belt clip.
The bad: The Nokia BH-801 has a tiny power button that is hard to press. Call quality was not so good in windier environments.
The bottom line: The Nokia BH-801 is a simple yet attractive Bluetooth headset with a comfortable fit and decent sound quality.

Nokia has done a good job in the past year of releasing a slew of attractive yet functional Bluetooth headsets to accompany its cell phone line. We especially liked the Nokia BH-800, which earned a spot in our list of top ten Bluetooth headsets. This year, Nokia has released its successor, the Nokia BH-801. It's just as small and compact, with a few design refinements when compared to its predecessor. The Nokia BH-801 is also quite affordable at $99.99, and you can get it at most Cingular/AT&T stores. To find more accessories like this, plus tips on how to use them, please check out our cell phone accessories help page.
Decked out in a soft silver finish with chrome accents, the Nokia BH-801 is definitely an attractive headset. Just a tad larger than the Nokia BH-800, the Nokia BH-801 is 1.89 inches long by 0.79 inch wide by 0.39 inch deep, and weighs around 0.38 ounce. It has a simple yet stylish rectangular design with curved corners and a nice soft-touch surface on the back. The BH-801's multifunction button is sloped slightly inward to fit the curvature of your fingertips, making it quite easy to press. It has a tiny power button on top, which we thought was a little too small--we had to use our fingernails in order to press it in. On the left spine is a volume rocker in the form of a toggle switch, which was surprisingly easy to use even when the headset was worn on the ear.
The back of the headset houses the in-ear style earbud and a slot for an optional ear loop if you want added security. The earbud has a nice rubberized cover for a snug fit in the ear. As a result, we didn't feel a need for the ear loop at all. If you do want to use it, the ear loop can be positioned to accommodate both left and right ears.
Features of the Nokia BH-801 are fairly standard. You can answer, end, and reject calls, last-number redial, mute calls, switch calls between the headset and the phone, and voice dial. You can also pair the headset with up to eight different phones, but you can only connect to one at a time. The Nokia BH-801 also comes with a handy metal neck strap, which you can hook the headset on so that it hangs around your neck like a necklace. There's also a belt clip if you wish to clip it to your belt or shirt. This way, you have easy access to the headset without having to wear it on your ear all the time.
We tested the Nokia BH-801 with the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 and the LG VX8700 and were able to pair the headset with the phones without any problems. Call quality was pretty good, and we could hear our callers loud and clear and vice versa. It did diminish quite a bit in windier environments, however, with callers reporting quite a bit of background noise and not hearing us very well. The Nokia BH-801 has a rated talk time of six hours and a rated standby time of seven days.

Motorola H680 (midnight black) review

Product Summary

The good: The Motorola H680 is small, lightweight, and has a stylish design. It comes with a portable carrying case for more battery life.
The bad: The Motorola H680's sound quality is a little patchy at times, and we wished the fit were a bit more secure.
The bottom line: Despite a few quibbles in performance, the Motorola H680 is an affordable yet stylish Bluetooth headset with a long battery life.

Motorola has usually had a healthy cell phone accessory lineup to complement its cell phones, especially with Bluetooth headsets like the Motorola H9 Miniblue and the Motorola H700. Recently, Motorola has released yet another tiny Bluetooth headset, dubbed the Motorola H680. Though not quite as small as the Miniblue, it's still a very petite headset, and it boasts style and elegance, complete with a plastic-covered charging cradle that doubles as a case. The Motorola H680 is available for $89.99.
The Motorola H680 is definitely among one of the more stylish Bluetooth headsets we've seen. Clad in vacuum metal and a black-gloss finish, the H680 only weighs 0.42 ounce, and measures 1.61 inches by 0.7 inch by 0.47 inch in a slightly narrow rectangular design. On the front is a large multifunction button that stands out from the surface of the headset, making it easy to press by feel. On the right spine are the nice-and-big volume controls, while a power switch is on top of the headset. We like the dedicated power switch a lot, as it is much easier to turn on and off the device.
On the back of the headset are a simple in-ear rubber earpiece and a plastic flexible ear hook. The earpiece is slightly tapered to fit more securely in the ear, and the ear hook can be adjusted to fit either ear. We thought the tapered rubber earpiece felt a little awkward to place in the ear, but it was overall a decent fit. That said, we would've liked it to feel a bit more secure, perhaps with a smaller-size earpiece.
The Motorola H680 comes with a portable charging cradle with a plastic cover. The headset can be kept in the cradle to prolong its battery life as well.
We tested the Motorola H680 Bluetooth headset with the RIM BlackBerry Pearl. We were able to pair the headset without any problem, as the headset went into pairing mode immediately after we powered it on. Call quality was a little patchy. We sometimes found ourselves repeating things to callers, because of some off and on static and background noise. We heard our callers' just fine in most situations, except in windier environments. We wouldn't say the sound quality was bad, but it could stand some improvement.
Features of the Motorola H680 are fairly standard. You have the typical answering, receiving, and ending calls, call mute, voice-dial support, and the ability to transfer calls from the phone to the headset and vice versa.
The Motorola H680 has a rated talk time of 8 hours and a rated standby time of 8 days.

Jabra BT8040 review

Product Summary


The good: The Jabra BT8040 is a small Bluetooth headset that is packed with features such as MultiPoint technology (the ability to connect to two different devices simultaneously), A2DP for streaming music wirelessly, plus an intelligent noise reduction and volume equalization technology that offers great sound quality.
The bad: The Jabra BT8040 may take awhile to fit properly in the ear.
The bottom line: The Jabra BT8040 is a compact yet powerful Bluetooth headset that offers more than enough features for the mobile professional at an affordable price.



Jabra is a significant brand name in the Bluetooth headset business, but that doesn't mean Jabra is resting on its laurels. The company has recently introduced the Jabra BT8040, which promises to blow other Bluetooth headsets out of the water with its simple, yet elegant design along with its impressive host of features. They include the ability to connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, volume equalization technology, along with an acoustic shock protection that protects the ear from sudden loud noises. But probably the most interesting feature is that it is also the first mono Bluetooth headset we know of that actually supports A2DP for wireless music streaming (Most current A2DP devices are either stereo headsets or speakers). The BT8040 also offers tremendous bang for your buck--it's surprisingly affordable at only $79.99.
The Jabra BT8040 doesn't look very flashy, but we still liked its design. Wrapped in matte black with streaks of silver, the BT8040's look has a tinge of high art combined with a touch of corporate sensibility. Measuring 2.54 inches long by 0.71 inches wide by 0.47 inches deep, the BT8040 has smooth tapered sides and slightly curved edges on the top and bottom. A small dimpled circle in the middle acts as the multifunction call button, while two raised slivers on the top left and right act as the volume controls. We found the multifunction button easy to press, even when the headset is worn. The volume controls felt a bit stiffer, but they are easy to press as well. A small LED indicator sits on top of the volume controls.
Flip the headset over and you'll find an ear tip made up of a gel-like substance. Jabra calls this the comfort Ear Gel tip, and it's designed to fit comfortably in the ear without the need for an ear hook or ear loop. Though we're normally not fans of the ear tip design because of fit issues, the BT8040 comes with three different-size ear tip covers for different-size ears. However, the headset still requires a bit of an adjustment period when we were first putting it on--it's not the sort of headset we could just put in our ear and go.
Unlike most other headsets, the BT8040 really shines when it comes to features. Probably the most interesting feature is that it is the only mono Bluetooth headset we know of that actually supports A2DP, meaning that it can stream music wirelessly. Most A2DP devices on the market today are stereo Bluetooth headsets or portable speakers. The question then becomes: Why would you want to listen to music with a mono headset, when you can listen to it with a stereo headset? The answer lies perhaps in the purpose of the BT8040--streaming music isn't its primary role, it's simply a bonus for those who want to listen to a bit of music while doing other things, like waiting in line at a cash register. More serious audiophiles would probably opt for the stereo headset, while the casual fan might opt for something like the BT8040 instead.
Aside from the A2DP support, the BT8040 has MultiPoint technology, which not only lets you pair up to 8 devices, but it also lets you connect to two of them simultaneously. Therefore you can use the same headset with two cell phones at the same time if you so choose. It also has an intelligent call handling feature that interrupts music when there's an incoming call. Other features include answering, ending, and rejecting calls; auto pairing; voice command support; last number redial; mute; a quiet mode; call hold/call wait support; plus a low battery status indicator.
We paired the Jabra BT8040 with the RIM BlackBerry Pearl and the Helio Mysto. Pairing process was smooth with both phones, taking less than a minute with each. Call quality was excellent--nearly zero echoes were heard, and callers reported a smooth and clear sound from our end. We also heard our callers very well, with plenty of volume without it being too loud. This might be because of the number of audio-enhancing technologies the BT8040 has, such as Active Noise Reduction, Intelligent Volume Settings (equalizes the audio volume), and Acoustic Shock Protection, which protects the ear from a sudden loud spike in volume. Even though we did get a tiny bit of static occasionally, and it didn't block out a lot of background noise, the overall call quality was great.
As we mentioned above, the BT8040 also streams music wirelessly. Since it's a mono headset, we couldn't get a full stereo listening experience, and the music quality was predictably lack luster. But it did stream music when we wanted it, and that's all we expected from it.
The Jabra BT8040 has a rated battery life of 6 hours of talk time and 8.3 days.

Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset review

Good sound quality, average feature set

For most people, the most important feature in a headset is sound quality. Nothing else matters if the sound quality isn't good.
The Jawbone scores highly on this essential measure, and has the added value of working extremely well in a noisy environment. But don't play this feature out of proportion - most of us are seldom in a noisy environment, and when we are, the need to use our cell phone is not essential.
For normal users with normal needs, you'll find the Jawbone good but not great, and starting to show its age compared to the latest offerings now available.





What you Get





Aliph's Jawbone comes inside a regular cardboard box with a clear plastic window to see the headset itself. It is easy to open and get the unit out of the box. Surprisingly, perhaps, my headset came in a box that was branded with AT&T/Cingular rather than with the Aliph name on it, even though I bought the headset through Amazon rather than from an AT&T/Cingular store.
But maybe that makes sense. Almost no-one has heard of Aliph - it is a brandname with no value associated with it, even if it is a good company with a clever headset.
Note that just because the headset is sold in an AT&T branded box, it can work with all normal Bluetooth compatible phones, not just AT&T phones.
In addition to the headset itself, there is a brick style power adapter that has a USB socket on it, a cable that then connects the Jawbone to either the power supply or a computer, four different sizes of ear-piece (plus a fifth one already on the headset) and four different loops to go around your ear (two left side loops of different sizes and two right side loops of different sizes).
A user manual, a warranty card, and a warning sheet (about not having the volume too high) complete the package.
The warranty is for one-year and is non-transferable.





Using the Aliph Jawbone Headset
The first thing one notices about the headset is its distinctive styling. I imagine some people dislike its design, but I like it and it is a far cry from some of the incredibly ugly designs that were all too common when Bluetooth headsets first started to be marketed, or some of the glitzy trashy uglinesses that are being sold on a fashion/style basis these days.
When one picks it up and puts it on one's ear, the first thing one notices is how awkward it is to fit. And, before (and after) having it on one's ear, where do you put it to carry it? Its loose swiveling ear loop conveys a sense of fragility, and even if not fragile, it is easy to get it caught on other things in a pocket.
One more comment - it comes with a soft rubber protective cover that fits on the back of the headset to protect the charging terminals when not connected to the charger. This cover readily falls off and will be lost within a few days of use (I lost mine the first day), and Aliph says it is only there to protect the unit during shipping.
This is a bizarre statement on Aliph's part. The headset is securely held in place in a blister pack with no possibility of the charging contacts being short circuited by anything, either inside or outside the pack. Why would they go to the bother and expense of making this special part when it isn't needed for the stated purpose?
In use, the headset is convenient, and the default volume control seems to be fine. Quality is good, and the only detracting point is its uncomfortable fit and difficulty in putting on or off. Typically when I have a call coming in I answer it on my phone's handset, then while holding the phone and talking, try to fish out of my pocket, turn on, and mount my headset onto my ear. This is easy to do one-handed with some headsets, but much harder to do with the Jawbone.
The most impressive aspect of the Jawbone is its noise cancelling. I spoke to a fellow Jawbone user while he was driving in his car, with the windows open, on the freeway at 70 mph. Apart from occasional minor bursts of noise, it was difficult to tell the difference between talking to him in his parked car with the windows closed, and when he was driving fast with windows open on the busy freeway. That is staggeringly impressive.
The company that invented the Jawbone, Aliph, is a US company based in the San Francisco area, but the headset itself is made in China.
Connecting with phones
Everything worked fine with no problems encountered.
Summary
The Jawbone, which as been available since 2006, is starting to show its age. It no longer is the 'latest and the greatest' in any respect except perhaps for its noise control circuitry.
It doesn't have the latest Bluetooth 2.0, it has slightly below average battery life, and is larger and heavier than many of its more modern competitors. It has none of the increasingly common new features like simultaneously pairing to two phones, and even omits a simple standard feature like mute.
When first released, it was truly remarkable. Today, it is still good, but it no longer is the clear leader of the pack.
The Jawbone is also aging in one other important dimension. Bluetooth headset prices continue to fall, but with a list price of $120 and a street price of $75, it is still a premium priced product in a marketplace where it no longer offers so much premium to go with its price.
The Jawbone has a current (May 08) street price of about $75 through Amazon . This puts it in the higher price bracket and is appreciably more expensive than other units that perform almost as well.
So - bottom line - the Jawbone is twice the price of the other current best recommended high end headset (the Cardo S-800). Should you spent $75 for a Jawbone or settle for the S-800 for $40 less?
To find out the answer to that question, we've provided a comparison page highlighting the differences between the Jawbone and the Cardo S-800.
Chances are you'll be happy with either choice, and if your work or life-style requires you to be able to carry out phone conversations in unusually noisy environments, you would probably find the extra cost of the Jawbone to be money well spent.
Recommended.