 | You see them everywhere, but you often hear them first. At the grocery store, I overheard a guy who was bent over the meat cooler pawing quickly through the packages with both hands and talking a mile a minute. Then I saw the winking blue light on his ear piece and when he looked up, he knew that I knew. No, he wasn’t talking to the chickens. I had my first taste of Bluetooth envy. That little blue light is special — it announces the presence of a paired Bluetooth device.
Bluetooth is short range (30 feet) radio frequency. The very low power consumption and hands-free convenience are two of the factors speeding adoption of Bluetooth headsets, headphones, and GPS devices that pair up with mobile phones.
There are one billion Bluetooth devices on the planet today, according to Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), the 8,000-member trade association that develops the technical standards. The first Bluetooth standard was released in 1998 and the technology has experienced a rapid rate of innovation. Bluetooth 2.0 has more than double the data rate of Bluetooth 1.1 and on August 1, 2007, the Bluetooth SIG announced approval of Core Specifications 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) which device makers can build on to simplify pairing and reduce power consumption. | |
| | Bluetooth headsets — You talking to me? | | | With over 50 million Bluetooth mono and stereo headsets sold as of July, 2007, headsets rank as the #1 cellular handset accessory. I was choosing a headset around the same time my cell phone contract was up for renewal, so I selected a universal headset to keep my options open. The three criteria I looked for in choosing a headset were: quality, comfort, and design.
I’m not confusing Bluetooth with bling, but I’m not going to wear the thing if I look like I belong to the Borg. Also, I wear glasses, so I steered away from over-the-ear designs that would compete with the frames. | | | Aliph Jawbone Noise Shield Bluetooth Headset — Anthony at my local AT&T store wears glasses too, but counts the Jawbone as having a very comfortable earloop and very good sound quality with “advanced, military-grade noise canceling.” Bluetooth Buzzer Clip Headset — Fellow-writer Todd likes his Buzzer. He also wears glasses. This Bluetooth 1.1 model, which has a single earbud connected to a small clip-on receiver, is also ideal for cyclists or anyone else who wears a helmet. But be careful not to lose the little foam padding for the ear piece. Plantronics Discovery 655 Headset — I chose the Plantronics partly because my Plantronics landline headset has not failed me after 12 years of hard use and partly because the 655 is a featherweight. The soft gel earbud stays put and, to my surprise, the optional thin earloop is comfortable. Setup was easy, once I entered the PIN code on my handset.
| |
| | On several blogs and forums, there have been posts about the challenges of getting Microsoft Voice Command to play well with some Bluetooth 2.0 headsets and Windows Mobile devices. Windows Mobile MVPs have chimed in with clear advice on how to resolve issues. If you have any difficulty, make sure your device supports Bluetooth and check the Windows Mobile Owners Circle forum or the Voice Command Troubleshooting Web page. | |
| | Music to my ears — Bluetooth stereo headphones | | | If you want to listen to music between phone calls, you need a stereo headphone device that supports the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and the Audio Video Remote Control (AVRCP). Windows Mobile 6.0 has greatly improved support for A2DP for music streaming in stereo and digital noise cancellation/echo reduction to reduce background noise.
Before buying any A2DP headphone, the usual advice applies: check whether your mobile device fully supports A2DP and try before you buy. Here are three you might consider: | | | Motorola Bluetooth Active Headphones S9 — This is an “active wear” design; it is water and sweat-resistant. The S9 sports a one-ounce, behind-the-head form and very small earbuds, but is rather low on endurance: only 6 hours of music before a recharge. Just be careful when you pump up the volume. Plantronic's Pulsar 590A Bluetooth Stereo Headset — At the other end of the spectrum, this Rolls Royce has a sticker price of about $250 USD and delivers high quality stereo through plush, adjustable ear-pieces in a travel-friendly foldable design. The 590A serves 12 hours of talk time and 10 hours of music listening pleasure. While in no way could 590A be considered “discrete,” it would score high on the Bluetooth envy meter.
| |
| | Tap, tap, tapping — Bluetooth Keyboards | | | Even though I favor a QWERTY slide-out keyboard on my Windows Mobile device, it’s still not big enough to write the Great American Novel. For that, I rely on my Think Outside (iGo) Stowaway Bluetooth keyboard, and I will surely mention it when I write my Acknowledgements. | | | IGo Stowaway Keyboard — From an ingeniously small package, unfolds a near full-size keyboard with very good action. I’ve typed away for hours at a time on planes and ships, in meetings and conferences, and at a remote cabin — no wires, no batteries, no docking. Think Outside was acquired by iGo in 2006. G-Tech Wireless Fabric Keyboard — Unrolling a keyboard is appealing for the cool factor, but as for typing on fabric keys — I would miss the tactile experience of tapping (or hammering) keys. I would appreciate, however, the resiliency of the water resistance fabric and being free from the persistent worry about getting coffee, scone crumbs, or cat hair on the keyboard. It takes three AAA batteries — one more thing to pack — for 10 hours of use.
| |
| | | Are we there yet? Bluetooth GPS receivers | | | Some Windows Mobile powered phones have GPS capabilities built in, as do the Motorola MC35, the Pharos GPS Phone 600, and the HP iPAQ hw6920/hw6925. If yours doesn’t and your cell phone has Bluetooth, you can buy a small Bluetooth receiver and pair them. The last time I checked the Mobileplanet Web site, prices ranged from USD$59 to USD$299. Some prices are higher because the receiver comes bundled with map software.
Take the time to compare specifications, such as battery life and the time it takes to acquire a signal and relock a signal. Choose a device that has the level of sensitivity you need. Tree canopies and urban canyons may block most signals, but some devices come with a high sensitivity mode that is reported to be able to signal lock even when indoors.
For greater accuracy, check the specifications for WAAS, EGNOS, and MSAS — the correctional ground signals that augment the accuracy of GPS. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) operates in America; EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System) is the European equivalent; and MSAM (Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System) is available in Asia, particularly in Japan. | | | | |
| | | Talking and driving don’t mix | | | Adam Hunter’s article, "Don’t Dial and Drive", details the problem of driving and mobile phone distraction. As of August, 2007, 48 countries prohibit driving while talking on a handheld device. Check what legal limitations are enforceable in your state at the Governor’s Highway Safety Association. | |
| |
| | | Related Articles | |
| |
| More Tips | |
| |
|