Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-109
This is the most inexpensive model and comes with the smallest number of features in the range, although that said, it’s much more than just a basic headset. It features DSP noise cancellation – which also acts as wind cancellation – and automatic volume adjustment. It offers eight hours of talktime and 120 hours in standby and it weighs in at 9.1g. There’s also advanced multipoint – which means you can connect two phones (e.g. work phone and personal phone) to the same headset. This feature appears on all the headsets in the new range. Another thing worth noting about the whole range is that they also come in a dark grey colour as well as the ‘ice’ styling shown in the pictures below.
The BH-109 is expected to cost €29 before taxes and should be available this quarter.
Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-217
The BH-217 (and the BH-218 below) offers the automatic volume adjustment, multipoint and noise-cancellation as per the BH-109, but also sports a new feature called ‘Always Ready’. The trick here is that once you’ve paired the headset with your phone, then you don’t need to do anything to make it work going forward. No switches or confirmations or codes. Taking it out of the carry case switches it on and pairs it up; putting it back sets it into standby mode. It also uses voice prompts to guide you in its operation. The BH-217 comes with a clip and a car holder. The talktime is five hours and the standby 100 hours – or a massive three months if you use the holder, as recommended. It weighs 7.6g.
This headset is expected to retail at €39 and should already be starting to become available.
Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-218
The specs and features are the same as the BH-217 above, but it doesn’t come with a car cradle, so it costs a little less.
The BH-218 is estimated to cost €35 at retail and will be available this quarter.
Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-609
The BH-609 is the one for audiophiles. It comes with the DSP noise cancellation, volume adjustment and multipoint featured on the headsets above, and also a two-microphone arrangement plus an improved version of the wind-noise cancellation feature, for the clearest sound currently possible. It also features a number of usability enhancements. For example, when you press the send/end key, there’s a colour coded battery indicator so you can easily tell when it’s time for a recharge. The BH-609 offers six hours talktime and 180 hours in standby between charges. It weights 10g.
This model is expected to retail at €59 and should already be available in stores.
Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-806
Last, but very definitely not least, the BH-806 is the futuristic uber-headset. It’s got the Always Ready auto-on/off technology as seen in the 217 and 218. It’s also got the voice prompts for operation – a bigger set than the other models. There’s DSP noise cancellation, advanced multipoint and automatic volume adjustment. The talktime is five hours with 80 hours in standby (three months if you use the holder) and it weighs in at 8g. It’s also, for our money, the prettiest of what is a very nice-looking collection overall.
This last model should appear in stores in the first quarter of 2011 and is expected to cost around €99.
So that’s the new range. But which one would you opt for?