A wire-free listening experience for any device instantly gives it portability and appeal. And this is exactly what the Jabra HALO headset has to offer.
However, the first thing that you notice about the HALO headset is not the lack of wires but the fact …
A Bluetooth headset priced at little more than a tenner raises immediate questions about its all-round quality. Is this the bargain of a lifetime or something cheap and cheerful but of little lasting value?
There are a million iPod speaker sets and accessories but relatively few for enabling you to listen to music stored on a smartphone through a decent set of speakers.
The Remote Stereo Gateway does exactly that for BlackBerry devices. It is a simple, one-function device that effectively Bluetooth-enables your stereo system by attaching the device via a 3.5mm or RCA auxiliary cable (both included).
From there you partner it with your BlackBerry, again it’s a one-step process, and the music you play on your phone will then be streamed to your stereo. The setup process is remarkably simple – this really is a device that ‘just works’ – and the audio quality is also reasonably impressive.
Bluetooth streamed music will not be satisfactory for the most demanding of audiophiles any time soon, but for laymen among us it is more than adequate.
One curio about this device, though, is that it does not have an internal battery and so needs to be powered separately via a miniUSB connector. whenever it is in use. This is not supplied in box so you will need to add your own.
Price: £40
Web: www.shopblackberry.com
Verdict: 7/10
A hands-free kit is a must-have accessory for anyone wishing to use their smartphone while on the road.
The BlackBerry Visor Mount speakerphone, whose use is not solely limited to BlackBerrys, makes a good job of creating an all-encompassing car kit.
Hands-free functionality is there via a Bluetooth connection with your phone, and the device also has a built in FM transmitter than can be used to play music on your BlackBerry through your car stereo. (You can also listen to your calls in this way, although anyone nearby tuned to the same frequency would be able to listen in on them.)
The device is nicely designed, with just a single button on top controlling most of the action, and a flexible clip that enables it to be securely mounted in place on the visor.
Setup is simple, with a painless Bluetooth pairing process, and most of the call functions of your phone are available. Make calls with speech recognition (if supported on your device), and accept or reject incoming calls with a quick prod of that one button.
The device will read aloud the phone numbers of callers, although reading names would have been more useful. Audio quality was good, lacking the echo so often the curse of these products, and the FM feature easy to use thanks to the Visor Mount’s ability to scan for available frequencies.
At a touch under £70 you are paying for the BlackBerry name, and there are cheaper alternatives around. But the quality cannot be argued with.
Price: £69.99
Web: www.shopblackberry.com
Verdict: 8/10
Maintaining the balance between small size and superior sound quality is the biggest challenge for manufacturers of Bluetooth headsets. The Zivio Boom takes a new approach to the challenge with the inclusion of a retractable boom mic that can be used in areas …
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