Bluetooth Source

Sony Ericsson has announced a new stereo Bluetooth headset, the HBH-DS980. Featuring Bluetooth 2.0 and A2DP technology, the Sony Ericsson HBH-DS980 uses noise cancellation and echo reduction to give you the cleanest calls and music possible. The HBH-DS980 also has an OLED display only visible when the unit is turned on. This display will give you information on phone status and music titles from your compatible phone. Battery life is estimated at 6 hours of playback/talk time. Sony Ericsson’s HBH-DS980 will be available in the third quarter of this year.

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Philips has a new stereo Bluetooth headset on the block dubbed the SHB6102. With A2DP support the Philips SHB6102 headset can be paired to your compatible phone or to the supplied 3.5mm adapter, which can be connected to any standard headphone jack. The SHB6102 is rated at 10 hours of playback and 12 hours of talk time.

Product page

MobileMag caught the Veritronix VX-818 on display at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair. The VX-818 is a stereo Bluetooth speaker that is only 13mm thick. It features Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity and can even optionally be used as a handsfree speakerphone. It is charged via USB and also features 3.5mm input and output.

Product page [ via MobileMag ]

If being near water and on the phone at the same time is something you fancy, you’ll want to check out the Bluetrek X2 water-proof headset. The Bluetrek X2 features three different earhooks than can be adjusted for either ear. You get all the usual stuff like volume adjustment, mute, and voice recognition. Battery life is rated at a whopping 14 hours of talk time and 21 days of standby. All this in a Bluetooth headset weighing only 14 grams. If you like to go talking in the rain this is the headset for you.

Product page

The iSymphony V1BLUE is one of the first home stereos that is A2DP Bluetooth enabled. This means you can stream music from your compatible phone without any clumsy wires being involved. The V1BLUE also includes a wireless iPod docking station that will charge, sync, and even control the iPod via the stereo’s remote. (more…)

A post at CIO.com takes a look at the new Bluetooth 2.1 specifications for pairing outlined last month by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Basically the new pairing protocol will “fix” the old protocol, which was not the most secure protocol ever. Check out the post for more information on how the new Bluetooth 2.1 pairing will work.

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Mvox has made what seems to be the jack-of-all-trades Bluetooth headset. The Mvox Duo can act as a standard Bluetooth headset, a speakerphone, and VOIP headset. Connection can be made either via Bluetooth 2.0 or by using a USB cable for direct connection to your PC for VOIP calls. You can also manage a built-in phone book (i.e. phone independant) using Mvox software when connected by USB. Mvox claims 7 hours talk time in headset mode, 3 hours in speakerphone mode, and 150 hours standby. You can get your Mvox Duo for $249.99 at Mvox.com.

If you are looking to stream music from your fancy A2DP stereo Bluetooth phone to your stereo system, PC, or even wired headphones, look no further than the Sony Ericsson MBR-100. The MBR-100 allows you to have up to 12 hours of music streaming wirelessly from your phone through a supplied RCA or 3.5mm cable. Or if you already have a great pair of headphones why not just plug them straight into the MBR-100? It’s available now for $79.99.

Legit Reviews has posted their foneGEAR Mini Blu review for your reading pleasure. This inexpensive Bluetooth headset features an in-the-ear design plus optional earhook, although the reviewer found it almost impossible to get a comfortable fit without the earhook. As for performance, the foneGEAR Mini Blu had issues with noisy environments, and the lack of noise canceling technology was evident. Also, the reviewer could get no more than arm’s length away before hearing static. On the upside, battery life was a bit better than the advertised 4 hours of talk time.

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Mobile Tech Review takes one of the smaller Bluetooth headsets out there through its paces in their Gennum nX6000 review. The nx6000 features Bluetooth 2.0 and an in-the-ear design with an optional ear-hook. Although not quite as good as some other headsets, the audio quality on the Gennum nX6000 was good. Battery life was good at over 5 hours talk and 2.5 days standby.

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