Hi, I bought these Bluetooth headset/earphones off of eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=018&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=280121572727&rd=1&rd=1
Generally the idea was to not look like too much of an obnoxious git when wearing it - so I figured that at least if it just looked like a standard pair of earphones, no one would pay any attention.
Well anyway the thing is that it is rubbish. Complete pants! Maybe not unsurprising given the price. It works - don't get me wrong, but the sound quality is atrocious (even when using my Shure E500PTH Earphones with it) and the battery life is abysmal. (Maybe an hour an a half of continuous usage on a standard AAA battery. Which would mean that I would need to carry a big load of batteries around with me wherever I go).
I also looked at this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=013&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=230138459877&rd=1&rd=1
Which provided a similar solution and worked via a lapel clip, so again it didn't look quite as silly as those 'in ear' solutions, but as it appears to be made by the same company I seriously doubt it's quality will be up to scratch either.
Ideally I would like a similar solution to my original solution so that I can hopefully pair it with my Shure earphones - and also so that I can use it with a Bluetooth transmitter on my Archos 504 media player (hey I like gadgets, I admit it), the idea being that I can have everything stowed away neatly in my backpack and on my belt without having to strap myself up like some spaced out cyber-twat, with a bunch of endless gadgets and wires wrapped around my person. (Since this would also make me a tempting target in the hot sunshine to any potential would be thief when they see me walking around carrying thousands of pounds of expensive audio gear and top of the line mobile phones etc). Basically I just want to be discrete, not make myself a target - and not look too stupid in the process.
Can anyone recommend anything that might be useful?
This is kind of along the lines of what I'm looking for:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siemens-HHB-750-Bl...d=32B2P1NQZ1QOV
I can use my own earphones with it too. The only problem is that it's a bit old (2005) and is only bluetooth 1.2 (which as I understand it has a lower bandwidth and poorer sound quality than bluetooth 2.0?).
Ideally I would also like something with a bluetooth transmitter so that I can plug the transmitter into my Archos 504 media player too. But I guess that's probably stretching it.
Has anyone seen or heard of anything a bit more up to date?
PS.
It occurred to me that I might have inadvertently offended some folks who do use traditional over the ear bluetooth headsets - but that wasn't my intention. I like to travel inconspicuously and the more I can do to draw the least attention to myself the better. If anything I looked like a twat when I tried my setup today, with LED's flashing everywhere and wires dangling from every orifice. If anything I looked like some kind of poorly thought out attempt at a borg, who had fallen on hard times and was starting to fall apart quite badly. I would very much like to find a way to resolve this if I can - so your input really is appreciated.
Teehee, I look like something off StarTrek when I wear my Nokia ones. Great big on-ear silver cans. But the beauty is, no wires. I'm long past caring what people think. If it suits me then nuts to them. I'm not wearing them for them.
raid517 wrote:Hi, I bought these Bluetooth headset/earphones off of eBay: ... Well anyway the thing is that it is rubbish. Complete pants! Can anyone recommend anything that might be useful?
Woolworths were selling a the Motorola HS850 headset for �19.99 last month. Good quality, relatively small and great price. You could probably do better in a high street store than buying imported low quality stuff off eBay.
Yeah. That probably is good. But it looks like it lights up, like the headset on that guy on the BBC Dr Who spinoff 'Torchwood.' Also I can't use my own earphones with it. (Admittedly this really does seem to limit my choices, so I may have to give up on this idea soon).
The whole idea about this though is to look as inconspicuous as possible and to not draw attention to myself. I am planning a trip that may involve traveling though some quite rough areas in Europe - so naturally it might be a good idea to not draw too much attention to myself.
Again, as I said, any suggestions would be welcomed.
raid517 wrote:Yeah. That probably is good. But it looks like it lights up, like the headset on that guy on the BBC Dr Who spinoff 'Torchwood.' Also I can't use my own earphones with it. (Admittedly this really does seem to limit my choices, so I may have to give up on this idea soon).The whole idea about this though is to look as inconspicuous as possible and to not draw attention to myself. I am planning a trip that may involve traveling though some quite rough areas in Europe - so naturally it might be a good idea to not draw too much attention to myself.
Again, as I said, any suggestions would be welcomed.
It's probably not what you want to hear, but if you are concerned about safety in a rough area, you might be better off not taking a bleutooth capable smartphone with you at all. Instead buy an old Nokia 3410 and a wired headset. Hopefully nobody will mug you for that.
No choice. I will be lugging my gear around with me wherever I go. I may take a cheap phone with me too. Always useful for emergencies I guess.
So erm... No one got any suggestions?
hi all,
just ordered some sony dr-bt10cx with in ear bud from my memory for �17.99 plus packaging, these get a decent review and according to some sites are offered for sale for about�50, fingers crosed that they work a treat with the n95
wayne
Yeah, but can you use your own earphones with that?
check out: plantronics.com/europe_union/ as theyseem to be doing some good stuff - the Pulsar 590 is a Bluetooth stereo (headband style) that pairs with any BT device but is also supplied with a dongle that connects to a non BT device that has a 3.5mm socket (like an MP3) It has multipoint so you can switch between listening to music and taking a call
If you want something smaller, look at the Discovery 655 - very small and discreet
Someone over at The Register described the Pulsar 590 as 'looking as though you had a disco ball on your head.' So possibly not ideal if you don't wish to draw attention to yourself and to avoid being targeted by hoodies and muggers etc.
This wouldn't normally be such a big issue I guess, but as I will be traveling with possibly a few grands worth of gadgets and a bunch of money in travelers cheques and credit cards too, maybe being lit up like an Xmas tree isn't such a good idea.
The other one you pointed too doesn't look all that different from many of the other Bluetooth headsets I have seen. I guess I may have to capitulate soon and get one anyway (since there seems to be so few options) and consider maybe investing in a hat too to conceal it slightly.
Still if anyone has seen anything - that might be particularly equally good for music as it is for hands free stuff, I am still very interested to hear about it.
Being able to use my own earphones isn't an unbreakable stipulation - but I am suspicious of most earphones costing only a $100 or so, as it is improbable (having owned many sets in this category before) to find anything of any really good quality for listening to music at this price.
Not being a snob or anything - but it is genuinely often a big step down to try to listen to other earphones after using my E500PTH for so long and really can be incredibly frustrating to adjust to.
Can't disagree on your comments re. size; and you should certainly think twice about where you are whislt wearing something that 'obvious'!
The smaller Discovery is neat as it has some very nice charging options - the headset slips into a holder rather like a pen top which can clip into a pocket. You can also plug in a nokia adapter so when travelling you dont need a charger for the phone & the headset - your phone charger will do both. There is also AA battery add-on too to give a trickle charge when its not in use (vibrate call alert too) the whole thing ends up being the size of a fountain pen.
As for audio quality, no arguments; as ever its a 'balance of characteristics' game - whats the trade-off between wirelsss vs. great audio ... thats a question each of have to answer individually I guess.