Thursday, July 9th, 2009
Stereo Bluetooth Headsets haven’t always been the most popular accessory in the world, but now that mobile phones are becoming focused on music and video playback, more and more people are finding a need for a way to listen to their music in stereo, but without wires tying them to their phones.
Stereo Bluetooth Headsets allow you to listen to your music over a bluetooth connection and generally have a range of around 10 metres. This means that you can put your phone down and wander freely around your house with out having to take your phone with you – great if your phone is on charge but you want to listen to your music without having to sit on the floor next to a plug socket!
The big names in Stereo Bluetooth headsets tend to be Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Jabra as these all tend to have a large range of headsets available. Other manufacturers such as Samsung also make stereo headsets but tend to concentrate on just a couple of models, and I’m going to review one of them here – the Samsung SBH-650 Stereo Bluetooth Headset.
Samsung SBH-650 with iPhone 3G
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Thursday, June 18th, 2009
Yesterday saw the release of a major software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The update brought over 100 new features, but one of the best new features is that the iPhone 3G and 2nd generation iPod Touch now support Stereo Bluetooth. Stereo Bluetooth lets you enjoy your music in stereo and without wires connecting to your phone. As Stereo Bluetooth has been around for years there are plenty of Stereo Bluetooth Headsets to choose from.
Thereare a couple of points that you’ll need to remember though, the iPhone and iPod Touch support the A2DP profile only. If you have an iPhone this means you can answer & end calls, play / pause your music, but not control it fully. If you have an iPod Touch 2G then you will be able to play / pause your music and adjust the volume, but you won’t be able to use these headsets with any of your VOIP apps (such as Skype) on your iPod.
In order for you to be able to control your music fully, the iPhone or iPod Touch would need to support the AVRCP profile – hopefully we’ll see this in a future software update from Apple. Stereo Bluetooth is not available on the first generation iPhone or iPod Touch.
UPDATE: It appears that volume control when using a Bluetooth Headset is a bit of a mystery – it works on some headsets, but not on others. We’ve tested the headsets shown here and listed whether or not the volume levels can be adjusted.
Right, on to the headsets! With so many to choose from, it can get a bit overwhelming, so I’ve been through our current range of Bluetooth Headphones and compiled a list of my top 5 Bluetooth Headphones for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S and iPod Touch 2G.
Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones
Sony Ericsson IS-800 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
These are without doubt my favourite Bluetooth Headphones, hence they’re at number 1 in my list. It’s incredibly small, and although it still has a wire, the IS-800 is pretty much the only headset that doesn’t feature a fairly bulky control unit. Instead this has a small, simple in-line control that allows you to answer and end calls. Battery life is impressive at upto 270 hours – especially considering how small this headset is. The IS-800 doesn’t support AVCRP, which in this case is a good thing as it means you’re not going to be paying for features that you can’t use. Volume levels are currently fixed when using this headset, but hopefully a fix from Apple is on the way.
Sony Ericsson HBH-DS200 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
Sony Ericsson DS200 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
The DS-200 is designed to hang around your neck in a similar way to the Jabra BT3030. It comes with ‘in ear’ style headphones that can be replaced with any standard headphones with a 3.5mm jack plug. Battery life is great with upto 300 hours stand by and 6 hours of music play back, and an LCD Display will let you know when you’re running low. This headset allows you to control the volume levels by pressing and holding the play button.
Jabra BT3030 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
Jabra BT3030 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
The Jabra BT3030 is probably more suited to the iPod Touch than the iPhone. The reason I say that is because the BT3030 is a Multipoint Headset – this allows you to connect to two devices at once, so you can connect it to your mobile phone and your iPod Touch to listen to your music, and when a call comes in, it will pause the music and answer the call from your mobile. It hangs around your neck on a chain or can clip to your belt or pocket, and can be used with any 3.5mm headphones. Volume control on the BT3030 is not a problem, press the ‘+’ or ‘-’ keys to adjust the volume.
Nokia BH-604 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones
Nokia BH-604 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
These are probably the most normal looking headphones of the bunch. They’re solid, comfortable and well built and have the best battery life out of all the headphones listed here with up to 19 hours of music playback, 18 hours of talk time and 2 weeks standby. Sound quality is excellent and set up is incredibly easy. Volume is controlled using a slider on the base of one of the ear cans and worked as you’d expect.
Nokia BH-501 Stereo Bluetooth Headphones
Nokia BH-501 Stereo Bluetooth Headset
The baby brother to the BH-604. A smaller more compact design that goes around your head rather than over it, and folds away neatly when not in use. The controls for music and calls are mounted on the outside of the earpiece and are easy to use. One of the more comfortable headsets thanks to the large, padded earphones. We weren’t able to test the volume control on the BH-501, but as all Nokia Headsets work in the same way, we would expect the volume controls to work perfectly fine on this headset.
This isn’t the full range of Stereo Bluetooth Headsets for the iPhone and iPod Touch, so if you’ve not seen one here that does what you want, take a look at all our Stereo Bluetooth Headsets.
We’ve tested these headsets with a 2nd Generation iPod Touch running OS 3.0 and can confirm that the microphone on a Stereo Bluetooth Headset will work with VOIP apps on an iPod Touch.
If you’ve got any questions or queries about Stereo Bluetooth on the iPhone get in touch with us using the comments form below!
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Tags: A2DP, bluetooth headphones, iphone, iphone 3g s stereo bluetooth, iphone 3g stereo bluetooth, iphone 3gs stereo bluetooth, iphone stereo bluetooth, iPod, ipod touch bluetooth headset, ipod touch stereo bluetooth, stereo bluetooth headset,
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Monday, May 11th, 2009
When choosing Bluetooth Headphones, its easy to become overwhelmed by the vast range available. There are several styles available, do the same basic job, so whats the difference and what should you be looking for when choosing Bluetooth Headphones?
Design:
Bluetooth Headphones come in a range of shapes and sizes. They range from the traditional "over the head" design, to adapters that let you use your own headphones. Each style has its advantages and dis-advantages:
Over the Head Vs Headband
- ‘Over the Head’ is how headphones always used to be. They sit pretty securely on your head, and are normally very comfortable. Generally speaking, this style of headphone will cover your ears.
- The ‘Headband’ style is a more discrete way of wearing your headphones. The band goes around the back of your head, making it less obvious that you’re wearing headphones. ‘Headband’ headphones are available in both in-ear and over the ear styles.
Earphones Vs Headphones
- Earphones sit in your ear, where as Headphones sit on the outside of your ear.
- As Earphones tend to be quite small, and the comfort of them can vary significantly. If possible look for earphones with changeable earbuds.
- Headphones are normally the more comfortable wearing method and there is less risk of them falling out/off.
Fixed Vs Changeable
- On some Bluetooth Headphones you have the option of swapping out the standard headphones for your own
- If you damage the headphones on a fixed one you’ll need to buy a new pair of Bluetooth Headphones rather than just the earbuds/headphones
Combination
- Some Bluetooth Headsets can double up as Bluetooth Headphones. This normally involves plugging in either an additional earpiece, or standard wired headphones to listen to your music in stereo.
Weight:
The smaller the headphones, the lighter they should be. If you’re going to be wearing your headphones for long periods, a lighter set will be more comfortable, but with less weight and smaller size, you may have to compromise on battery life and functionality. The weight of Bluetooth Headphones range from around 12g to over 310g!
Battery Life:
Battery times on headphones are generally better than on standard Bluetooth Headsets as they can accommodate a larger battery. You will find that some headphones have upto a massive 32 hours talk time 19 hours music playback and upto 2 weeks standby time! If you’re going to be using your headset more for listening to music than calling, music playback time will be more important to you. If you are aren’t looking to use it that often for music, then opt for one with the longest stand by times so that it will still be charged even after short spells of not being used.
Music Control:
Bluetooth Headphones allow you to listen to your music in stereo, but only if supported by your phone. They work in the same way as a normal Bluetooth Headset, and will automatically pause your music when a call comes in. Bluetooth Headphones aren’t so great if you’re driving, but are ideal for using at the gym, or during sporting and leisure activities such as cycling. Most Bluetooth Headphones have music controls on them but not all. These controls allow you to control your music without having to touch your phone. In order to stream music to Bluetooth Headphones you will need to make sure your phone supports the A2DP profile, and if you want to be able to control your music playback, your phone will need to support the AVRCP profile too. Read our Bluetooth Glossary for more information.
Charging:
How your headset charges can be quite important. A lot of headsets charge using the same connector as mobile phones, so its normally a good idea to opt for a headset that’s made by the same manufacturer as your phone. By using the same charger as you use on your phone, you won’t have to purchase a second charger for in the car, and you will only have to carry one charger around with you when you travel. Some headsets also support USB charging, making it easy to charge using a USB cable connected to your laptop if you’re out and about.
Multipoint:
Multipoint is a relatively new technology in the world of bluetooth. Standard Bluetooth Headphones normally allow you to pair with 2 or more phones, but only one can be active at any one time. Multipoint Bluetooth Headphones allow you to connect and use two bluetooth devices at the same time. With Multipoint, you can connect the headphones to your Hi-Fi or Music Player and your Phone, and when a call comes in, the music will pause, and the call will come through automatically. You just answer the call as normal by pressing a button on the headset, in the same way as you would if the music was coming from the same device.
For more information on Multipoint and how it works, check out our guide to Multipoint
Voice Dial:
Most current handsets support voice dialling. Activating voice dialling with Bluetooth Headphones is a case of simply pressing a button and saying the persons name that you want to call. Depending on your phone and headphones, it is possible to answer, end and reject calls all through voice control. For the best compatibility for voice dialling we would recommend Bluetooth Headphones made by the same manufacturer as your handset.
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Friday, September 26th, 2008
When choosing a Bluetooth Headset, its easy to become overwhelmed by the vast range of headsets available. They all look the same, do the same basic job, so whats the difference and what should you be looking for when choosing a Bluetooth Headset?
Design:
Bluetooth Headsets come in a range of shapes and sizes. They range from the more conventional "over the ear" with a boom microphone, to small "in the ear" headsets that are barely visible. Each style has its advantages – In ear headsets can be more comfortable, especially for those who wear glasses, where as "over the ear" headsets can be a bit more secure, with less risk of them falling off. All headsets can be adjusted to be worn on either the left or right ear.
Weight:
The smaller the headset, the lighter it should be. If you’re going to be wearing your headset for long periods, a lighter headset will be more comfortable, but with less weight and smaller size, you may have to compromise on battery life. The weight of a Bluetooth Headset ranges from around 9g to over 20g.
Battery Life:
Battery times on headsets have improved significantly over the last few years. It’s not unusual to find headsets with upto 12 hours talktime and upto 300 hours standby time. If you’re going to be using your headset more for making regular calls, talktime will be more important to you. If you don’t really make that many calls, but need a headset for when you do get the occasional call, then opt for one with a longer standby time.
Music:
Bluetooth Headsets aren’t just for taking calls. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets allow you to listen to your music in stereo (if supported by your phone). They work in the same way as a normal Bluetooth Headset, and will automatically pause your music when a call comes in. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets aren’t recommended if you’re driving, but are ideal for using at the gym, or during sporting and leisure activities. Most Stereo Bluetooth Headsets have music controls on them, allowing you to control your music without having to touch your phone. In order to stream music to a Stereo Bluetooth Headset you will need to make sure your phone supports the A2DP profile. Read our Bluetooth Guide for more information.
Charging:
How your headset charges can be quite important. A lot of headsets charge using the same connector as mobile phones, so its normally a good idea to opt for a headset that’s made by the same manufacturer as your phone. By using the same charger as you use on your phone, you won’t have to purchase a second charger for in the car, and you will only have to carry one charger around with you when you travel. Some headsets also support USB charging, making it easy to charge using a USB cable connected to your laptop if you’re out and about.
Multipoint:
Multipoint is a relatively new technology in Bluetooth Headsets. Standard Bluetooth Headsets normally allow you to pair with 2 or more phones, but only one can be active at any one time. Multipoint Bluetooth Headsets allow you to connect and use two phones at the same time – ideal if you carry a work mobile and a personal mobile. With Multipoint, both phones are connected, and when a call comes in, the audio is transferred to the headset automatically. If a call comes in on your other phone, you can easily switch between calls, just by pressing a button on the headset.
For more information on Multipoint and how it works, check out our guide to Multipoint.
Call Alert:
There’s nothing worse than leaving your phone on silent in your bag or pocket, it’s very easy to miss calls, especially if you’re in the car. Some Bluetooth Headsets now have vibration alert, so when a call comes in the headset will vibrate gently on your ear to alert you. Some headsets now have a discreet LED light that flashes when you have an incoming call.
Voice Dial:
Most current handsets support voice dialling. Activating voice dialling with a Bluetooth Headset is a case of simply pressing a button and saying the persons name that you want to call. Depending on your phone and the headset, it is possible to answer, end and reject calls all through voice control. For the best compatibility for voice dialling we would recommend a Bluetooth Headset made by the same manufacturer as your handset.
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Tuesday, June 17th, 2008
Bluetooth is a way of wirelessly transferring data from one device to another. Bluetooth first appeared around ten years ago as a quicker and easier method of data transfer than infra-red. With infra-red you had to point two devices together in order for it to work (the same way as you have to point your television remote at your TV.) There were a number of problems with this kind of connection; it was unstable, slow and limited in its uses.
With Bluetooth, you no longer have to line up two devices, you just simply turn on Bluetooth and send to the device you want. Bluetooth technology was initially used for personal hands free kits. The lack of wires made it much more convenient – especially when driving. Over the last few years as prices have fallen and phones have advanced, Bluetooth’s increasing range and even faster speeds has meant it could be used for far more than just hands free kits.
Bluetooth Classes
There are different Bluetooth Classes which give an indication of the range over which data can be transferred:
- Class 1 – up to 100m
- Class 2 – up to 10m
- Class 3 – less than 10m
In order to achieve data communication at these distances you will need both devices to be from the same class.
So what can it do?
Bluetooth is most commonly used for transferring pictures, music and ringtones between phones and connecting to Bluetooth headsets, personal hands free kits and car kits. As more and more phones become multimedia handsets, Bluetooth can also be used to stream music in stereo to wireless speakers and car kits using A2DP technology. With the introduction of Internet Telephony, Bluetooth headsets are now being used with Home PCs to enable wireless calling.
What Bluetooth Devices are available?
Listed below are some of the most popular types of Bluetooth devices available.
Bluetooth Dongles
Bluetooth dongles vary in size, range, and specification. When choosing your dongle it’s important to consider that not all dongles support
all bluetooth functions. Bluetooth Dongles have a range of up to 10 metres or up to 100 metres. If you are looking to connect a Bluetooth headset to make and receive voice calls you will need to make sure it supports the Headset and Handsfree profiles. See the
Bluetooth glossary for information on Bluetooth Profiles.
Personal Handsfree
The Conventional Bluetooth Headset. These come in a range of shapes and sizes, but what should you look out for when choosing one? Most headsets have the same features; they will answer and end calls, dial the last number you called and activate voice dialling on your phone, as well as adjust the volume of the speaker. The main differences are battery stand by times, weight and call quality.
Stereo Handsfree
A fairly new device in terms of Bluetooth headsets. With a stereo Bluetooth headset you can connect it to a compatible Bluetooth device and have your music play in stereo – the same as it would through normal stereo headphones but without the wires. When a call comes in your music is paused while you take the call and resumes when the call is over. You get all the same features as a standard Bluetooth headset, but depending on the model you may get music control features too. For
stereo streaming your phone will need to support the
A2DP profile. To control your phone’s music playback your phone will need the
AVRCP profile. See the
Bluetooth glossary for information on Bluetooth Profiles.
Simple Car Kits
Simple Car Kits are becoming an extremely popular way of safely using your phone whilst driving. With no complicated installation needed, simple Bluetooth Simple Car Kits are battery powered and are normally clipped to your sunvisor or sit in you car’s cigarette lighter socket. These give you the same control over your calls as a personal handsfree but instead of sitting on your ear, they act as a loud speaker in your car. More advanced models will have an LCD screen so you can see the name or number of who is calling you.
Simple Car Kits
Simple Car Kits are becoming an extremely popular way of safely using your phone whilst driving. With no complicated installation needed, simple Bluetooth Simple Car Kits are battery powered and are normally clipped to your sunvisor or sit in you car’s cigarette lighter socket. These give you the same control over your calls as a personal handsfree but instead of sitting on your ear, they act as a loud speaker in your car. More advanced models will have an LCD screen so you can see the name or number of who is calling you.
Multimedia Simple Car Kit
A lot more simple than the name suggests, these have exactly the same functionality as a standard Simple Car Kit, but with a built-in
FM Transmitter so you can attach your MP3 player by cable or
stream music via Bluetooth from your phone through to your car stereo for high quality sound. Depending on the kit you chose, you can have the callers ID or song information shown on your car stereo display. For stereo streaming your phone will need to support the
A2DP profile. To control your phone’s music playback your phone will need the
AVRCP profile. See the
Bluetooth glossary for information on Bluetooth Profiles.
Professionally Installed Car Kit
Professionally installed car kits will give you the best possible experience while using your phone hands free in the car. They have a separate speaker and microphone, and with some extra adapters can be routed through your car stereo. Most Bluetooth kits have an LCD screen so you can see who is calling before you answer. Some kits will also allow you to transfer your phonebook contents to the car kit so you can make calls with out having to touch your phone at all.
Professionally Installed Multimedia Car Kits
As the name suggests, these have exactly the same functionality as a professionally installed car kit but as they are connected to your car stereo you can stream music from your phone or MP3 player for high quality sound. Multimedia Kits will normally give you full control over your music and some will have the option to connect non-Bluetooth MP3 players. For stereo streaming your phone will need to support the
A2DP profile. To control your phone’s music playback your phone will need the
AVRCP profile. See the
Bluetooth glossary for information on Bluetooth Profiles.
Bluetooth GPS Receiver
Sat Nav is the latest must have device on your mobile. Bluetooth GPS receivers can add Sat Nav functionality to your phone. The features on a GPS receiver are pretty standard and the only things you would need to bear in mind are size, weight and most importantly compatibility with your phone. Not all handsets will support the required GPS software.
Bluetooth Speakers
Bluetooth speakers offer the same kind of functionality as Simple Car Kits but are designed to be used in the home. Some models have LCD displays that can display album art and keys to answer – end calls. For stereo streaming your phone will need to support the A2DP profile. To control your phone’s music playback your phone will need the AVRCP profile. See the
Bluetooth glossary for information on Bluetooth Profiles.
Other Devices
The list of Bluetooth enabled devices is growing all the time. Other devices that now come with Bluetooth technology include cameras, camcorders,
keyboards, mice and
photo frames to name a few.
Bluetooth Glossary
This Bluetooth Glossary will explain more about the different profile types and help you to understand bluetooth compatibility.
Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP)
The A2DP profile describes how stereo quality audio can be streamed from a media source. A typical usage scenario can be considered as the “walkman” class of media player. The audio source would be the music player and the audio output is the wireless headset. A2DP defines the protocols and procedures that allow the distribution of high quality audio content in mono or stereo.
Audio/Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP)
AVRCP is designed to provide a standard interface to control TVs, Hifi equipment, etc… This profile is used to allow a single remote control (or other device) to control all the A/V equipment that a user has access to. AVRCP defines how to control characteristics of streaming media. This includes pausing, stopping, starting playback and volume control as well as other types of remote control operations.
Bluetooth Profiles
Bluetooth profiles are general behaviours through which Bluetooth enabled devices communicate with other devices. Bluetooth technology defines a wide range of profiles that describe many different types of use cases. In order to use Bluetooth technology, a device must be able to interpret certain Bluetooth profiles. The profiles define the possible applications.
Dial-up Networking Profile (DUN)
DUN provides a standard to access the Internet and other dial-up services via Bluetooth wireless technology. The most common scenario is accessing the Internet from a laptop by dialling up on a mobile phone, wirelessly.
Generic Object Exchange Profile (GOEP)
GOEP is used to transfer an object from one device to another. The object may be any object such as a picture, document, business card, etc. The profile defines two roles, a server that provides the location from which an object is pulled or pushed, as well as a client that initiates the action. GOEP provides a generic blueprint for other profiles using the OBEX protocol.
Hands-Free Profile (HFP)
HFP describes how a gateway device can be used to place and receive calls for a handsfree device. A typical configuration is a car using a mobile phone as a gateway device. In the car, the stereo is used for the phone audio and a microphone is installed in the car for sending outgoing audio of the conversation. HFP is also used for a personal computer to act as a speakerphone for a mobile phone in a home or office environment.
Headset Profile (HSP)
The HSP describes how a Bluetooth enabled headset should communicate with a mobile phone or other Bluetooth enabled device such as a computer. When connected and configured, the headset can act as the remote device’s audio input and output interface.
Human Interface Device Profile (HID)
The HID profile defines the protocols, procedures and features to be used by Bluetooth enabled HID, such as keyboards, pointing devices, gaming devices, and remote monitoring devices. Sony Ericsson handsets support the HID profile.
Object Exchange (OBEX) Protocol
OBEX is a transfer protocol that allows devices to exchange files, such as Images, Videos and Music Files
Pairing
The process of establishing a new relationship between two Bluetooth enabled devices. During this process a passkey is exchanged either before connection establishment was requested or during connecting phase. Some devices will need to be put into “pairing mode” before pairing can begin.
Passcode
When pairing devices, it is strongly recommended to use a pass code to authenticate incoming connections. Also, in certain connection situations you may desire additional assurance that you are connecting to the device or person you expect. A pass code can normally be any combination of keys (letters or numbers). Do use caution as some devices do not map characters similarly. Passkeys are valid only for the connection and may be different for other devices or users.
Personal Area Networking Profile (PAN)
PAN describes how two or more Bluetooth enabled devices can form an ad-hoc network and how the same mechanism can be used to access a remote network through a network access point. The profile roles include the network access point, group ad-hoc network and personal area network user.
SIM Access Profile (SAP)
SAP allows devices such as car phones with built in GSM transceivers to connect to a SIM card in a Bluetooth enabled phone. Therefore the car phone itself does not require a separate SIM card.
Synchronization Profile (SYNC)
The SYNC profile is used in conjunction with GOEP to enable synchronization of calendar and address information (personal information manager (PIM) items) between Bluetooth enabled devices. A common application of this profile is the exchange of data between a PDA and computer.
Pairing Mode
Most Bluetooth devices will need to be put into pairing mode before it can be linked to another device. During pairing mode the device will send out a signal that will allow it to be found by the device that is trying to link to it. By having a pairing mode it prevents unauthorised users from accessing a device.
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For a number of years now it has been possible to use a Bluetooth Headset with your phone and more recently we’ve seen the introduction of Bluetooth Headphones and Stereo Bluetooth headsets that allow us to listen to music and make calls on our phone without the need for wires, but what if we want the same amount of freedom when using other devices such as PC’s Stereos and TV’s?
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