Cell Phone Headsets

Cell phone headsets can be broken down into one of two types: Wired and wireless.

Wired Handsfree Headsets

Wired handsfree headsets have been around nearly as long as mobile phones, but very little has changed over the years. While many cell phones now include a standard 2.5mm jack, there are several that still make use of a propriety plug. Keep that in mind when shopping for a wired handsfree headset, and ensure that the unit you finally decide on is compatible with your cell phone.

Wired handsfree headsets come in three main forms, each with their advantages and disadvantages:

• Earbud headsets look much like the earbud headphones you use to listen to your favorite portable music player, except they include an in-line microphone. Some integrate the microphone into the earpiece itself, but these are quite rare.

• Boom style headsets usually take on a wrap-around-the-ear style, and have the microphone on a boom. While not as compact as the earbud style, they typically provide better voice reception.

• Retractable headsets are available in both earbud and boom style, except here, the cord can retract to avoid tangling.

Bluetooth Wireless Headsets

While wired headsets have been on the market for nearly as long as cellular phones, one of the hottest new trends is to go wireless with Bluetooth headsets. Many mobile phones are Bluetooth-compatible these days, and a relatively easy solution to keeping your hands free while driving, walking, or typing at the computer is a Bluetooth wireless headset.

Standards

While it may sound a little confusing picking up the right Bluetooth headset, it's not as complicated as you may think. You don't have to buy a Nokia headset to accompany your Nokia cell phone. Instead, there are only a few standards that you need to keep in mind. The first generation is known as Bluetooth v1.1. Most cell phones released in the past couple of years are now Bluetooth v1.2 compatible, with the most recent mobile phones adhering to the Bluetooth 2.0 standard.

The main exception to this is the recent wave of phones that double as MP3 players. If they offer stereo playback, you may be interested in picking up a stereo Bluetooth headset that adheres to the A2DP standard. A good resource to check when confirming what version of Bluetooth your cell phone is compatible with is GSM Arena, a website that has the basic specifications for most GSM phones. Of course, you can always use your favorite search engine to look for the features and details regarding any phone.

Boom versus No Boom

Bluetooth wireless headsets come in two main forms: with a boom or without. Again, the exception to this is a stereo Bluetooth headset, but those are designed more for music listening purposes than as a communication device. Boom-less headsets are popular for their compact size and light weight, whereas Bluetooth headsets with boom microphones generally pick up your voice better (because the microphone is closer to your mouth) at the expense of generally be a little bulkier and/or heavier. Choosing between boom and non-boom Bluetooth headsets is largely personal preference.

Popular Brands

Many of the mobile phone manufacturers that you know and love also produce a wide variety of Bluetooth wireless headsets. Motorola is particularly popular for their reliability, but other companies like Sony-Ericsson and Nokia also produce a line of Bluetooth headsets.

Alternatively, you can look into third-party units. They can sometimes be a more budget-minded choice, and depending on the individual device, could be just as if not better than the Bluetooth headsets produced by Motorola, SE, or Nokia. Three of the more prominent names in the industry are Plantronics, Jabra and Logitech (yes, the same Logitech that makes computer mice, webcams, and other accessories).

Things to Consider

• Battery Life
• Aesthetics
• Reception / Reliability
• Voice Quality
• Compatibility