So I’ve been thoroughly unimpressed with bluetooth technology. For something that promises so much, it seems to under-deliver time and time again. It seems as though there’s too many variables involved in the process, whether it’s issues with the headset, the bluetooth stack on the cell phone, or just a general incompatibility between the two.
The last headset I purchased was a BlueAnt Z9, which I must say I liked a lot. Occasionally I would get a complaint about the quality on the other end, but for the most part, it performed fairly well. But as luck would have it, I somehow lost the headset over the last week, and after turning my house upside down, I’ve decided to just order a new headset.
In typical geek fashion, I spent hours researching the options, ranging from the new Jawbone II’s down to some of the lower end headsets, looking for that needle in a haystack in terms of bluetooth headsets that actually work. Well, I’ve finally settled on the Sound ID SM100 EarModule Bluetooth Headset with Noise Reduction Technology from Buy.com for an awesome price of just $73 shipped, or 44% off the msrp of $130.
This headset may not look like much, and besides, who in the world has ever heard of Sound ID? But this headset packs quite a punch, with a NoiseNavigation feature that automatically adjusts the volume based on surrounding noise, a Personal Sound option that allows you to specify how enhanced and pronounced you want the audio to be, and an Improved Awarenesss mode that helps pass ambient sound through your headset when it’s not in use, rather than blocking up to 50% of the sound when you’re wearing the headset. Even though I rarely ever keep a headset in my ear when its not in use, I’d say this is a pretty cool feature.
The best part of this headset are the reviews. No matter which headset you research, there will always be two well-defined, vocal camps of supporters and naysayers. Certainly the SM100 is no exception. However, the camp loyal to the SM100 seems to be much more significant than the ones who complain about call quality or volume.
I’ve included a list of reviews that I found insightful while researching headsets. In particular, the CNet review was the most interesting, because the user ratings were significantly higher than just about any other headset on their site with a 8.1 out of 10. Even the Jawbone II only came in at 5.3 out of 10 on the user rating side, and the original Jawbone came in at 6.6.
Here are the reviews I’m referencing:
LaptopMag.com review
GearDiary.com review
User comments from HowardForums.com
CNet’s Video Review
I really hope I’m not disappointed with this headset, but I spend enough time on the phone with work-related issues that I felt it important to purchase the best option out there.