For those people who hate the tangle of wires that comes with headsets, Sony Ericsson has released the Bluetooth Headset HBH-60.
Sony Ericsson make a big deal of the 'versatility' of its mobiles, and have attempted to increase this with a number of added 'bells and whistles' to complement the various handset's functionality. This whistle, a wireless headset, is compatible with the P800, T68i, T68, T610 and T39m. The use of Bluetooth technology allows the headset to connect to the mobile using radio signals within a distance of 10 metres.
The sleek HBH-60 comes in a silver and black colour scheme and weighs in at 22 grams, measuring 80x20x55 mm. It is neat, light and has superb audio clarity. The most attractive feature of the headset is the ease of set-up ('pairing' is what they term it in the manual). Once paired with a compatible phone the HBH-60 is extremely easy to use. When the mobile is enabled there is an indicator light around the single black button (called the 'call handling button') on the opposite side from the speaker. This button flashes between red and green to confirm the Bluetooth connection.
When the phone rings there is short delay and the user will hear the headset ring in correspondence. Pressing the call handling button then connects the call. This button also functions as the hang-up key to end calls. There are two options to make outgoing calls. The first is to use the phone and dial the number, then press the call handling button. On activation of a call you hear a relayed connection in the head set.
The second option is the feature that will most please constant mobile communicators, such as commercial drivers, who are a subset of modern society with the best reason for purchasing a Bluetooth Headset in the first place. The voice control call activation function allows calls to be made without touching the phone. The user has to first set up a voice command for each of the numbers with the phone book on the mobile. Pressing the call handling button on the headset then allows you to use the voice function to connect the call.
The main problem we had with the HBH-60 was the rubber-sealed ear hook comes away very easily from the speaker, and those people that are prone to misplacing small things might find it difficult to keep track of the two pieces. The addition of a clip or fastener to fix it to fabric and having the earpiece fixed may have rectified this problem.
The fact that the ear hook does come apart from within its rubber-sealed housing does make it quite comfortable and adaptable to the varied sizes of ears it will sit on though. The best way to combat the problem of misplacement is simply to keep it on your ear whenever you have your phone with you. It is comfortable and light enough for the user to do this.
There are two other buttons on the top and bottom of the headset used to control the volume in the headset and a socket for charging. The battery only needs to be charged for an hour and half, which provides an approximate standby time of 72 hours and talk time of 2.5 hours. The headset turns it self off automatically when out of range which is quite conducive to power saving.
At AU$380 the HBH-60 is quite pricey, but if you are going to spend a significant amount of money on your Sony Ericsson phone, and you're the type of person who has to multi-task while constantly being in communication, we recommend spending the extra money to apply the HBH-60 to your mobile arsenal.
Sony Ericsson HBH-60
Company: Sony Ericsson
Price: AU$380
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1300 650 050
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