Bluetooth headsets are great inventions. They allow you to talk comfortably while keeping your cell phone in your pocket. They allow you to drive safely and make hands-free calls, now a legal requirement in many states and other countries. But, as with mobile phones themselves, there are a plethora of hands-free devices to choose from, so how should you decide between the various options?
1. Call quality – This is perhaps the most important factor to consider. There is no point in having a hands-free device where the call quality is so bad, silent, or with so much interference that you can’t hear the person you’re calling, or they can’t hear you. Choose a device with reliable echo cancellation technology that reduces background noise as much as possible.
2. Do you have text-to-speech and speech recognition capabilities? – These features will allow you to call a contact simply by saying their name, and will also announce the caller by name, as long as their number is stored in a database that is normally saved on the device. These features may depend on compatibility with your phone, so please check that all features work with your phone and your chosen headset.
3. Ease of Use: Bluetooth headsets are usually very easy to use, with just a couple of buttons to access all features. Because earphones are often small (because they hang over the ear), some of the buttons can also be very small and quite fiddly. Make sure you can comfortably operate your chosen device.
4. Reliability – Some features sound great, but performance drops as battery life decreases. Make sure the headset is easy to charge and has long talk time and standby reserve.
5. Cost – You can get Bluetooth headphones for around $20 and up to $100. Choose a price range that is right for you.