Jabra BT4010 now available

In recent times Jabra have released many different headsets, and most are still in the shadow of the all conquering BT250V. Amongst all the recent releases is a little gem – the Jabra BT4010.

It is really small, measuring a mere 5.1 x 1.7 x D 2.8cm. It has the auto pairing feature meaning it is really fast and simple to connect to a phone. The final standout feature is a Smart Display, which is a really useful feature which shows battery life, Bluetooth connection status and call status.

All this plus a really competitive price point makes the Jabra BT4010 one of my favourite Jabra headsets.

The Jabra BT4010

Sandisk 16GB Micro SD

Though unconfirmed we have heard that Sandisk plan to release the Sandisk 16GB Micro SDHC towards the end of the year . Though interestingly if they do not meet production numbers for their distributors by a certain date then it will not be released until 2009, so there are no shortages in the run up to Christmas.

Sandisk 16gb Micro SDHC

UPDATE: Sandisk have now confirmed the 16GB MicroSDHC. We’ve managed to secure stock and they are available now. All phones that support the 8GB card should support the 16GB.

Keep your eyes peeled for an offical announcement.

Choosing the right Bluetooth Headset

When choosing a Bluetooth Headset, its easy to become overwhelmed by the vast range of headsets available. They all look the same, do the same basic job, so whats the difference and what should you be looking for when choosing a Bluetooth Headset?

Design

Design:
Bluetooth Headsets come in a range of shapes and sizes. They range from the more conventional “over the ear” with a boom microphone, to small “in the ear” headsets that are barely visible. Each style has its advantages – In ear headsets can be more comfortable, especially for those who wear glasses, where as “over the ear” headsets can be a bit more secure, with less risk of them falling off. All headsets can be adjusted to be worn on either the left or right ear.

Weight

Weight:
The smaller the headset, the lighter it should be. If you’re going to be wearing your headset for long periods, a lighter headset will be more comfortable, but with less weight and smaller size, you may have to compromise on battery life. The weight of a Bluetooth Headset ranges from around 9g to over 20g.

Battery Life

Battery Life:
Battery times on headsets have improved significantly over the last few years. It’s not unusual to find headsets with upto 12 hours talktime and upto 300 hours standby time. If you’re going to be using your headset more for making regular calls, talktime will be more important to you. If you don’t really make that many calls, but need a headset for when you do get the occasional call, then opt for one with a longer standby time.

Music Capability

Music:
Bluetooth Headsets aren’t just for taking calls. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets allow you to listen to your music in stereo (if supported by your phone). They work in the same way as a normal Bluetooth Headset, and will automatically pause your music when a call comes in. Stereo Bluetooth Headsets aren’t recommended if you’re driving, but are ideal for using at the gym, or during sporting and leisure activities. Most Stereo Bluetooth Headsets have music controls on them, allowing you to control your music without having to touch your phone. In order to stream music to a Stereo Bluetooth Headset you will need to make sure your phone supports the A2DP profile. Read my Bluetooth Guide for more information.

Charging

Charging:
How your headset charges can be quite important. A lot of headsets charge using the same connector as mobile phones, so its normally a good idea to opt for a headset that’s made by the same manufacturer as your phone. By using the same charger as you use on your phone, you won’t have to purchase a second charger for in the car, and you will only have to carry one charger around with you when you travel. Some headsets also support USB charging, making it easy to charge using a USB cable connected to your laptop if you’re out and about.

Multipoint

Multipoint:
Multipoint is a relatively new technology in Bluetooth Headsets. Standard Bluetooth Headsets normally allow you to pair with 2 or more phones, but only one can be active at any one time. Multipoint Bluetooth Headsets allow you to connect and use two phones at the same time – ideal if you carry a work mobile and a personal mobile. With Multipoint, both phones are connected, and when a call comes in, the audio is transferred to the headset automatically. If a call comes in on your other phone, you can easily switch between calls, just by pressing a button on the headset.
For more information on Multipoint and how it works, check out my guide to Multipoint.

Call Alert

Call Alert:
There’s nothing worse than leaving your phone on silent in your bag or pocket, it’s very easy to miss calls, especially if you’re in the car. Some Bluetooth Headsets now have vibration alert, so when a call comes in the headset will vibrate gently on your ear to alert you. Some headsets now have a discreet LED light that flashes when you have an incoming call.

Voice Dialling

Voice Dial:
Most current handsets support voice dialling. Activating voice dialling with a Bluetooth Headset is a case of simply pressing a button and saying the persons name that you want to call. Depending on your phone and the headset, it is possible to answer, end and reject calls all through voice control. For the best compatibility for voice dialling we would recommend a Bluetooth Headset made by the same manufacturer as your handset. Mobile Fun offer a great range of Bluetooth Headsets, so now that you know what to look for, why not take a look at their range of Bluetooth Headsets.

HTC Diamond Extra Battery

Mobile Fun now stocks an Original HTC extra battery for Diamond – it is the HTC Touch Diamond Battery ( BA S270 ).

As all HTC Diamond users will know the Original Diamond Battery is not the best in the world. Thankfully HTC have seen the problem and are releasing a Diamond Extended Battery (BP E270).

The battery is literally so packed with extra power it wont fit the original housing, but HTC supply you with a new back cover with the battery. So finally you can speak longer and impress more people with the touch screen functionality in a single charge.

BlackBerry Curve 8310 Pouches

As an 8310 owner one of the biggest difficulties I faced was getting a case for my phone. I’m not joking, I see a lot of cases listed in various sites but they all have 8300 in the name. Do all 8300 cases fit the 8310? Do only some cases fit? Is it just me??

So after hours (well actually minutes) of pain staking work, I can confirm the cases below not only fit, but where appropriate leave charging points accessible. So despite the names these will definitely work with the 8310.

PDair Pouch for the BlackBerry 8300 Curve

Genuine BlackBerry 8300 Curve Vinyl Pouch

Genuine BlackBerry 8300 Curve Skin Pouch

What is Multipoint?

Multipoint is a new development in Bluetooth technology that allows your Bluetooth Headset to be connected to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. When a call comes in, the headset knows which handset is ringing and will connect to the phone automatically.

Multipoint can benefit most Bluetooth Headset users. It is ideal if you have to carry around a work phone and a personal phone but don’t want the hassle of having two separate headsets. If you use VOIP telephony at home, but don’t want to be tied down to sitting in front of your PC, Multipoint means you can pair your compatible Bluetooth Headset to your PC and your mobile and no matter which phone rings, the call will come through to your headset.

It’s not just business user that can benefit though, with more MP3 and music systems streaming music via Bluetooth, Multipoint means you can be listening to music on your Stereo Bluetooth Headset or Bluetooth Headphones from your stereo or MP3 player, and when a call comes in, the music will pause/mute allowing you to answer the call on your mobile phone. Music playback will automatically resume once you end your call.

What Multipoint Devices are available?
The range of Multipoint enabled devices is growing quickly, with most new Bluetooth Headsets now supporting multipoint. More recently we’ve seen Multipoint technology find its way into Bluetooth Simple Car Kits, great if both driver and passenger need to go handsfree in the car.

Listed below are some of the latest Multipoint devices.

Multipoint Bluetooth Headsets

i-Tech Arrow X

The i-Tech Arrow X is an in-ear type Bluetooth headset. It is the perfect combination of function and form. It’s super light weight at 9.4 grams lets you wear comfortably for the duration of the day. Comes with the latest Bluetooth technology v2.0 and noise reduction microphone. Arrow X offers you a stable connection and exceptional clarity at an unbeatable price.

Nokia BH-904 Bluetooth Headset

Intelligent, versatile, and elegant. The Nokia BH-904 is an ideal handsfree solution for those who demand quality, style, and clarity. With the latest technology, including digital signal processing (DSP) and a sliding boom microphone, this headset delivers superior performance. A longer lasting battery enables you to talk up to 5 hours with only 15 minutes of charging.

MOTOPURE H15

The new Motopure H15 features an exclusive flip design, with an open to talk and a close to save battery function, and has a dual-microphone design. It will automatically enhance frequencies to improve call clarity in both loud and quiet environments. Motopure H15 converts 15 minutes of charging time to over an hour of talk time.

Multipoint Stereo Bluetooth Headsets

Jabra Halo

The Jabra Halo supports Noise Blackout technology that removes ambient sound. The headset also features dual microphones, which ensure premium quality sound while intelligently filtering background clutter. It also sports advanced DSP technology and Audio Shock Protection to provide balanced sound removing background noise. Read my Jabra Halo hands on review.

Sony Ericsson HBH-DS980

The Sony Ericsson HBH-DS980 allows you to wirelessly connect to your phone, PDA or laptop wherever youve saved the music you want to hear. You still wont miss a call, unless you want to. High quality components, technology and design make for high quality sound. Pop in the headphones and enjoy music and conversations in superb clarity.

Jabra BT3030

Bluetooth just got cool thanks to the Jabra BT3030. Not only does it look good, it sounds great. Finally a product that lets you listen to music from your mobile – without damaging your style! Plus the ability to use your own 3.5mm headphones too. The BT3030 plays music from any enabled device such as mobile phone and Mp3 player. Play, pause, skip – remote control your music without touching your mobile.

Multipoint Bluetooth Simple Carkits

Supertooth Voice One

Youre in control at all times with the Supertooth Visor One. Its vocal recognition system means you only have to say “OK” to answer the call. The Supertooth One is portable and easy to install, simply attach it with the magnetic clip to any vehicles sun visor and its ready to use. Supports voice dialing and music streaming from compatible mobile phones.

Movon MK30

The new slim and stylish Movon MK30 requires no installation, it simply clips to the sun visor. It features superior sound quality and noise reduction, with and excellent standby time and up to 12 hours talk time. The Movon MK30 features a high definition OLED screen for caller ID and text to speech technology that reads out the name of the caller.

At the moment, fully fitted car kits are lagging behind – there are none that can be fully integrated into your car and work with two phones at the same time. As soon as this changes I’ll update the post.

BlackBerry Bold

Sounds Familiar!
The name maybe often confused for a BlueBerry, but BlackBerry is one of the most recognised names in the business world.

Why is it popular in the Business World then?
BlackBerry by converging technology now supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services. This means its ideal for people who need all their office facilities on the move.

It does Email?
Arguably the push email system it provides is what makes BlackBerry famous! Push Email means instant email. As soon as an email is received by the server, the email is pushed to your BlackBerry device within seconds. Standard email servers usually work by connecting to the server every so often and downloading a batch of emails at a time, so its not instantaneous.

Just for Business users then?
Id honestly say no, with all the features packed into this device it is suitable for anyone looking for a good phone with top end features. It maybe seen as a business handset, but if you need HSDPA (fast internet access), GPS or even Wi-Fi, then this phone will do the job.

Any other ways to communicate?
Well, its not just a phone and email device but there is also there BlackBerry Messenger, its a free service similar to MSN that allows you to instantly chat with other BlackBerry users. Oh dont worry if you have MSN or Yahoo messenger – that will work too but you may have to pay extra for it to your network.

What is the latest BlackBerry out?
The BlackBerry Bold is coming out this month!

Whats so special about it?
Well it has the normal features of previous BlackBerry devices, but it will be the first BlackBerry with HSDPA which means fast internet connection. It also has all the features you would expect for a new top range phone including inbuilt GPS and Wi-Fi, a 2 Megapixel camera, expandable memory, Media Player and support for Word, Excel and PDF files.

Do I really need one?
If youre an email junky, a techie or just someone who likes to stay up to date – then yes. If youve never had email on your mobile before, I cant explain how useful it is, and its not just perfect for business users, I use it to keep up to date with my Facebook notifications.

Summary
Heres a quick list on why you should buy it:

• Push email.
• HSDPA for fast internet connection.
• In-built GPS so you never get lost again.
• Wi-Fi.
• QWERTY keyboard for easy emailing and messaging.
• Half-VGA (480×320 pixel resolution) and a 65,000-color display for nice clear viewing.

View more information on the BlackBerry Bold on the Mobile Fun Website

If you already have your BlackBerry Bold don’t miss our BlackBerry Bold Accessories range.

Are you waiting for the BlackBerry Bold? Do you think that it will be an "iPhone Killer"? Let us know your thoughts below.