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Choose the right Bluetooth headset

By CNET staff
May 12, 2009
Over the last few years, Bluetooth headsets have become must-have accessories for salesmen, white-van men and anyone who spends a great deal of time on the road. The benefits of these hands-free, wireless devices are obvious, particularly as it's illegal to use a handset in many countries while driving. And just as the number of headsets has exploded, the number of Bluetooth mobile phones has increased as well. Integrated Bluetooth is now present in a broad range of phones--from high-end smartphones to low-end functional models.


The tiny size of new Bluetooth headsets won't spoil your high-flying business person aesthetic. (Credit: BlueAnt)

A smidgeon of history

Before we delve into the different kinds of headsets, it may help to know a little about Bluetooth itself. Even though the technology has been around since 1999, many consumers are still confused as to what it is, mostly due to its odd name (after a tenth-century Danish king with an affinity for blueberries) and how it works. And though it may sound complicated, it's actually simple, inexpensive and easy to use.

Bluetooth technology involves two devices communicating with each other over low-frequency radio waves in the 2.4GHz range. No cables or wires are needed, as the only requirement is that both devices be Bluetooth-compatible. Unlike infrared ports, the connected devices don't need to be within line of sight, and unlike a phone-network data transfer, Bluetooth doesn't cost anything beyond the initial investment in the devices.

In addition to connecting a mobile phone to a headset, Bluetooth is used to connect PCs to keyboards and mice, handhelds to other handhelds, and phones to computers. Many cars are even equipped with Bluetooth so that you can use the car's audio system for hands-free phone use.

Pairing up

The process of connecting devices via Bluetooth starts with "pairing", where a headset and a phone search for and recognise each other. Once your connection is made and secured via a PIN, the two devices will "talk" to each other and exchange information. You can connect up to seven devices simultaneously at speeds of 500Kbps and up. Bluetooth does have limitations, however. Its range is limited to 10m, which makes it good for connecting a handful of devices, but not appropriate for an entire network of computers (you're better off with Wi-Fi for a network). Also, you can connect only devices that have compatible versions of Bluetooth (more on this later).

But while Bluetooth itself may be easy to understand, choosing a Bluetooth headset for your phone isn't so simple. The number of Bluetooth headsets continues to grow rapidly. Styles, features, performance and compatibility vary, so it's important to take the time to find a device that's right for you.

Features and profiles

Most Bluetooth headsets have basic call features like the ability to answer and reject calls, last number redial, and so forth. Since sound quality is a priority with headsets, more advanced headsets also feature dual-microphone noise cancellation for better sound quality. A relatively new feature is multipoint technology, which lets you connect up to two different devices at the same time. This is useful if you use one headset with two phones, for example. Headsets with multipoint technology include the BlueAnt V1. And speaking of innovative features, the BlueAnt V1 was also the first Bluetooth headset to offer full voice command control. This meant we could say things like "Call Home" and if you've programmed the headset to do so, it'll do just that. The voice command on the V1 is independent from your phone, so you can use it even with phones that don't offer voice dialling, like the iPhone for example.

There are multiple versions of Bluetooth, and not all Bluetooth specifications are the same, so you might want to make sure your two chosen devices will work with each other. All of the newer Bluetooth versions are backward-compatible, however, so as long as you're using the more basic Bluetooth features, you won't have much to worry about. Most products currently work on Bluetooth version 1.1, which offers such basic features as voice dialling, call mute, and last-number redial.

In 2003, the Bluetooth Special Interest Group, a body that oversees the technology's development, released version 1.2 and rolled out version 2.0 a year later. Bluetooth 1.2 introduced new features to eliminate radio frequency interference through frequency hopping and added greater security to protect against snooping and tracking. Bluetooth 2.0 brought higher connection speeds (as much as three times faster, in some cases), improved performance, and less power consumption. Bluetooth 3.0 High Speed with faster data transfer has also been announced recently and devices sporting the new connectivity standard are expected in the next nine to 12 months.

SpecificationsBluetooth 1.1Bluetooth 1.2Bluetooth 2.0Bluetooth 2.1 plus EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
Voice diallingYesYesYesYes
Call muteYesYesYesYes
Last-number redialYesYesYesYes
Improved resistance to radio frequency interferenceYesYesYes
10-metre rangeYesYesYesYes
100-metre rangeYesYes
Fast transmission speedsYesYes
Lower power consumptionYesYes
Improved pairing (without a PIN)Yes
Greater securityYesYesYes


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