Although the HDW-2 falls a little short when it comes to performance, its ease-of-use is a big plus. Anyone can have a stab at Bluetooth now.
Nokia's first Bluetooth headset was originally scheduled to arrive last year, but months of anticipation led to nothing as the Finnish phone maker suddenly canceled the product and replaced it with another. Now, after more months of waiting, Nokia finally has a Bluetooth headset in its stable--the all-new HDW-2. We find out if our patience has been rewarded.
Although the HDW-2 is twice as large as Nextlink's diminutive Bluespoon, it remains one of the most compact wireless headsets we've tested. At 25g, it is also relatively light.
The HDW-2 is worn on the outside of the ear and comes with two sizes of curved earloops. Although this allows for different ear sizes, the loops are rather stiff. Thus the HDW-2 isn't the easiest headset to put on, nor the snuggest fit.
Its black, silver and gold colour combination is stylish enough, as is the oval frame. Build quality is generally sound, although the battery cover is on the flimsy side. Three tiny buttons controlling the power and volume adorn one side of the headset, while the main activation key lies on the surface of the headset. This last button, which is easily accessibly, activates the primary functions of the HDW-2.
Users of the Bluetooth-enabled 8910 have waited a long time for an accompanying Nokia Bluetooth headset. The release of the HDW-2, which coincides with the launch of the 8910i colour-screen handset, shows us just what we've been missing.
We set up the HDW-2 using the 8910i, and found the process to be simple and straightforward. Once powered on, the HDW-2 was quickly found by the 8910i. All we had to do was key in the headset's pass key, which is printed on a card in the standard package, and voila! The device was all ready for use.
Following this initial pairing, subsequent reactivation of the HDW-2 becomes very easy. Even if you've not been using the headset for a day, all it requires is a press of a button on the HDW-2, and the Bluetooth link between phone and headset is recreated. The 8910i's Bluetooth connectivity, if disabled at the time, is automatically turned on again.
The HDW-2's ease of use extends to actual usage. When there's an incoming call, a single button press answers it from the headset. At the same time, voice dial using the HDW-2 proved quite reliable in our tests, as the phone was able to recognise names quite accurately. If the person you just called doesn't answer, a double tap on the headset's main button redials the last number.
Voice quality was decent, although we had slight problems with static. The unit's microphone, which went only halfway down my cheek, was nevertheless sensitive enough to pick up my voice. However, users may find it necessary to speak louder in external environments, especially when issuing voice commands.
As expected, we found the range of the Bluetooth connection to be a maximum of 10m. Walls and office partitions can reduce this range quite significantly, though.
The HDW-2 doesn't come with its own charger, but can be juiced up using Nokia's standard phone chargers. While this saves on cost, it may mean that non-Nokia users will have to purchase the charger separately. Other than the 8910i, the HDW-2 is compatible with other Nokia handset, including the 6310, 3650 and 8910. According to the company, the HDW-2 also works with non-Nokia phones that support the Bluetooth 1.1 specification and the right profiles.
The Finnish company expects the headset to offer up to 3 hours of talktime and 60 hours on standby. In tests, it gave us about two days of normal usage, which is decent. When the juice is running out, we found that the Bluetooth connection between phone and headset becomes unstable, such that the HDW-2 connects and disconnects repeatedly.
Another downer here is the HDW-2 uses a nickel-metal hydride, or NiMH, battery. NiMH batteries are rarely found on phones these days, and are susceptible to the memory effect. Nokia therefore advises routine battery draining. Thankfully, the HDW-2's battery can be easily replaced, in case cell life deteriorates.
At AU$249, the HDW-2 is cheaper than other Bluetooth headsets we've seen. It isn't bad for a first try, although there are various inconsistencies from reception to battery choice. But at the end of the day, Nokia should be applauded for doing what it does best--releasing an accessory as simple as the HDW-2, and thereby taking the blue out of Bluetooth.
Nokia Bluetooth Wireless Headset HDW-2
Company: Nokia
Price: AU$249
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1300 366 733
