1228 bluetooth results?

A few weeks ago (see 12/09 blog), I sent out a blind e-mail to my friends, to get their opinions on Bluetooth headsets, since I am shopping for one to use with my Nokia phone.

You see, I tried using various online comparison sites for reviews, but many of them were subjective and often a reviewer was negative against a manufacturer without even trying the product line. That didn’t help me at all. Plus, there are hundreds of models available and so little time to spend on research.

So my best bet was to survey my friends, for their actual hands-on use. These are not professional reviewers, but they are fellow consumers and I know enough about each one of them to weigh the validity of their comments. I thought that each one would give me their honest opinions and I will use the info to make my decision.

I received 21 varied responses. Brian, John, Rome, Bobby and Steve all use Motorola. Scott, Mike, Akiko and Gail use Plantronics. Bobby, Grace and Wendi use Samsung. Peter and Jim use Jabra. Cheryl and Jim use Jawbone. Kelly uses Mustek. Warren uses BlueAnt.

There were also some tips and guidelines. One friend reported that functionality drops off after the unit gets washed with the laundry. Another friend reported that his earpiece comes loose when he chews his food quickly (Really. I’m not making these up). Even friends who have never used a Bluetooth headset had recommendations.

I’ve been told that the voice activation can be tricky with like-sounding names; one friend has ended up calling the wrong people on numerous occasions. Another friend says that each time he sneezes, the phone starts to dial someone.

One friend suggested that I use the online comparison sites (please re-read the second paragraph above), and he gave me a list of sites to check.

But only one friend brought up the Bluetooth spec 2.0, which is the current format. I dug out my User’s Guide and found out that my Nokia 6620 is compliant with Bluetooth spec 1.1, which means that I may need to upgrade my phone soon. He added that most headsets built on spec 2.0 are backwards-compatible, so I shouldn’t have any problems pairing up with my phone.

A cousin contacted me. He had a Motorola H700 headset that was not being used, and I could use it if I wanted. I’ve been testing it, but am not satisfied with the volume on the unit.

The results of the survey were not conclusive. So I’m still looking.