I’m obsessed by Bluetooth devices, particularly stereo headsets. These devices provide the same features of the odd-looking objects that dangle from people’s ears, and yet have the conventional, more socially acceptable appearance of a pair of headphones. The addition of a telephone manufacturer’s brand name at the side informs observers that the user is not talking to himself.
I consider the wireless stereo headset to be the essential mobile phone accessory. Almost always travel with a pair, especially whule cycling, working, cooking or even holding one (or both) of my children.
The trouble with these headsets is that until recently it has been almost impossible to find a reliable device that is not utterly stupid-looking or will not instantly self-destruct, hence my enthusiasm for Nokia’s BH-503 which seems to be their first device that is tough enough for daily use, reliable enough for continuous operation and is not utterly minging.
Normally with electronics the rule is that the bigger the number, the more advanced the product, however in this case the BH-503 beats the “flagship” BH-601 in just about every sense. For me the most noticeable improvements are:
- Controls: Moving the volume controls to the the top makes them easier to find. They now have a very different feel to the track-skip and answer-buttons which are on the side of the device. All the buttons have a firm yet unambiguously “clicky” quality, and when the are pressed the headphones are sufficiently rigid to not flex and distort under finger-pressure.
- Reliability: The BH-503 is much better at picking up a consistent signal than the BH-601, and even on the rare occasions when it cuts-out it seems to nearly allways reconnect a fraction of a second later. Oce configured the headset pairs automatically without requiring the user to do anything other than switch the device on. This is notably different to the 601 which would often require a hard-reset after any interruption, no matter how trivial.
- Design: This is Nokia’s first stereo design that I’d describe as being “somewhat attractive” - it’s no fashion accessory, but when I wear them on my ears or around my neck I no longer feel like some kind of “cyberman” type robot. The BH-601 seems boxy and clumsy looking by comparison. The indicator light is wheere it should be (on the side) and is discreet enough not to draw any real attention.
- Comfort: Round is good - how long did it take Nokia to realize this? The curved shape fits comfortably on my ears and does not cause any stress, even after very extended operation.
- Build Quality: It’s lasted well - the photo above is my own BH-503 taken after approximately 2 months of very heavy use. This compares very favourably with Nokia’s fragile BH-501’s - of which I had a pair that lasted fewer than ten days before crumbling.
On the whole, I’m delighted with this headset - definitely Nokia’s best so far.