When Bluetooth (short range, radio frequency communication standard for wireless connectivity) first became available, one of the first devices to take advantage of this new protocol was the cellular phone. The protocol was perfect for short range use such as synchronizing the phone to your computer, using the phone as a modem, or wireless, hands-free headsets. I have always been a fan of hands-free headsets. You could talk on the phone while keeping both hands on the car steering wheel and the earpiece made it easier to hear the person you were talking with. Not to mention reducing the radiation dangers from holding the phone to your head. And the fact that most people look silly holding the phone to their ear while walking around in public.

However, I hated the design of the older wired headsets. I would have to wrap it up after using it, unwrap it while a call is waiting, and it would get tangled up with the keys in my pocket. When Jabra released their EarGel products, I immediately bought one. The comfortable EarGels made the headset easier to use for long periods of time, but there was still the issue of keeping it untangled in my pocket. When they released the EarBoom Winder, I bought it and it has become my standard headset. It is small, compact and the cord auto-winds when I am not using it. But it still had a cord.

Bluetooth headsets promised to be the ultimate answer to the hassle of using a wired headset with a cellular phone. But would it be everything that we could hope for? One of the first companies to produce a Bluetooth headset was Jabra. By combining a sleek headset design with their comfortable EarGel technology, Jabra introduced the FreeSpeak Bluetooth headset.

The FreeSpeak is a lightweight (less than 1 ounce) headset that fits behind the ear and the MiniGel fits into the ear for a comfortable, firm fit. The MiniGel allows for clear sound and reduces a lot of the background noise. The controls are simple. There is one multifunction button that turns the unit on or off and activates commands to your phone. There is also a volume control and L.E.D. to indicate the status of the FreeSpeak. The FreeSpeak is an amplified headset, so the volume control changes the sound level of the FreeSpeak. Combined with the volume control of the phone itself, I could hear the conversation in almost any noisy environment.

The FreeSpeak comes in different configurations depending on your device. If your phone has Bluetooth 1.1 capability, you can get the basic model. If you phone does not have Bluetooth, then you can chose the Non-Bluetooth model which comes with a Bluetooth Transceiver to attach to your phone. The only problem I personally have with this solution is having one more device hanging on my belt. However, if your phone supports voice commands, you could put the phone and Transceiver in your pocket, purse, or briefcase and do all your dialing and call answering with the FreeSpeak. A great scenario for Bluetooth use.

If you are using a Pocket PC Phone Edition or Treo and the device does not have Bluetooth built-in, then it might be a little annoying to have the Transceiver attached to your P.D.A. The FreeSpeak would be a great choice if your P.D.A. had built-in Bluetooth.

For those of you who are worried about Cellular Phone Radiation, Bluetooth is a low voltage device and emits very little radio frequency energy. Far less than the phone itself. So the FreeSpeak could be considered a cellular phone safety device. Also keep in mind that Bluetooth headsets are not water-proof, so just because your phone is safely in your pocket does not mean you can talk on the phone in the rain.

The FreeSpeak has very clear sound and good range. The maximum range for Bluetooth 1.1 is 30 feet with a clear line-of-sight. It usually takes a few seconds for the phone to acknowledge the connection when you push the multifunction button, but the delay is minor. The FreeSpeak is so light that after a few minutes of using it, you will not even notice that it is on your ear.

The size of the FreeSpeak might be a little large for some people. Especially women, who may not want to wear a device of this size around their ear. People who wear glasses might also experience a little difficulty getting comfortable with the headset. One major problem with all Bluetooth headsets is that they can only operate for 3 hours maximum on a full charge. Many of the newer phones have a talk time of 4 hours or more. So the battery life prevents you from completely relying on any Bluetooth headset for a full day of use without charging.

The FreeSpeak come complete with a docking cradle and AC adapter for charging. There are also 3 MiniGel earpieces. You can purchase additional MiniGels separately. An auto power adapter is also available as an option. The docking cradle can be equipped with a belt clip to transform it into a convenient holder for the FreeSpeak. This is a very efficient and cost effective design. I personally do not use the docking cradle on my belt since I have a habit of knocking the FreeSpeak out of the cradle when I sit down. I prefer to use a pouch-case on my belt to hold the headset. Currently I am using an old Nokia horizontal case for the 8290. Not quite as elegant, but it does hold the headset securely and protects it from scratches.

As a side note, I have always been impressed with the quality of Jabra’s Customer Support. When my EarBoom Winder had problems, they quickly replaced it. When I complained that the older EarGels easily came off the earpiece and I would constantly lose them, they sent me a new design that “hugged” the earpiece. I have not lost a single EarGel since receiving the new design.

Not only is the FreeSpeak a solid product with good performance, but it is one of the least expensive Bluetooth headsets on the market. In general, Bluetooth headsets are expensive, especially compared to standard wired headsets, but the Jabra is far less expensive than first-party models from Ericsson, Nokia, and Motorola. The FreeSpeak is not the smallest unit on the market, but it is comfortable and easy to wear.
The FreeSpeak is available at most cellular phone retailers, including Radio Shack, and on the web. I was able to find some great prices for the FreeSpeak on the internet.

Good design, competitive price, wide availability, good performance, and great customer service. What more can you ask for in a product? The Jabra FreeSpeak delivers…without the cord.

Pros
Easy to use
Light weight
Comfortable
Great Customer Service
Competitively priced
Widely available

Cons
Short battery life
Large size
Auto Power Adapter not included

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

--Harvey Lee
Technology Editor

Click Here to Purchase the Jabra Freespeak Now

Product: FreeSpeak Bluetooth Headset (BT200)
Manufacturer: Jabra
Web Site: www.jabra.com
Category: Mobile / Hardware
Price: $99.99 – FreeSpeak for Bluetooth Phones
$179.99 – FreeSpeak for Non-Bluetooth Phones
$179.99 – FreeSpeak for Pocket PC Phone Edition (Siemens SX56 or O2 XDA)

Supported Devices: Any cellular phone with Bluetooth capability
Any cellular phone with a 2.5mm headset jack
Nokia 3000/8000/5100/6100/7100 series cellular phone
Siemens SX56 Pocket PC Phone Edition
O2 XDA Pocket PC Phone Edition
Handspring Treo 180, 270, or 300 (use Nokia version)