Product Description

No wires. No limits. Designed to enhance the experience of any Bluetooth technology enabled phone, the Motorola Wireless Headset HS850 also stores information and wirelessly interacts with up to eight different Bluetooth 1.1 and 1.2 compliant devices, including handsets, PDAs and computers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4898 in Cell Phone Accessories
• Color: Gray
• Brand: Motorola
• Model: HS850
• Dimensions: .75" h x 2.15" w x 2.50" l, .20 pounds

Features

• Mono Bluetooth headset for handsfree voice communication with unique body design that employs a folding microphone boom
• Unfold the boom microphone, place the headset over the ear and a link will be established automatically
• Multifunction call control button and volume buttons
• Measures less than 5 cm in diameter when folded and weighs just 20 grams
• Talk time of up to 8 hours and standby time of up to 200 hours

Amazon.com Hands-On Review

The Motorola HS850 is the company's update to their HS810 headset, one of my personal favorites. The changes made to produce the new HS850 are few, but the effect is relatively substantial. But first, let's start with what is the same.

Like the HS810, the HS850 makes use of a body design that employs a folding microphone boom. The folding microphone boom acts as the on and off switch, as well as just providing a convenient way to make the headset smaller and more pocketable when not in use. When a call comes into your phone, you can turn on and answer the phone at the same time just by unfolding the microphone boom. You can end the call and turn it off by removing the headset and re-folding it. Using the headset in this way conserves battery power, since no battery juice is wasted on standby time - time where the headset sits around waiting to be contacted by a mobile phone or other compatible device. The physical design of the HS850 and the battery savings it imparts is my favorite aspect of the Motorola HS850.

The HS850 folds neatly and fits easily in your pocket.

Of course you don't have to remove and turn off the headset between calls. If the headset is already on when an inbound call comes, you will hear the ringing come through on the headset and can answer it by pressing on the main multi-function call control button. You can end the call with this same button, and adjust volume levels with the two volume buttons. If you are using a phone that supports the Hands Free Bluetooth profile, then you can also use the call control button to reject an inbound call or redial the last number.

The HS850's audio properties are also like those of the HS810 before it. The audio quality in both directions is very clear and understandable, but sounds a bit thin. You and the party on the other end of the call will both be able to understand each other easily, it just doesn't sound as full and natural as it might with some other headsets. The HS850 makes up for this small lacking by having great resistance to wind noise, though. That makes the headset perfect for people that enjoy driving with their windows down, or those that work outside. Most headsets are very susceptible to wind noise, the HS850 bucks that trend.

Two softly pulsating blue LEDs signal when the headset is in use.

And now for the new stuff. First up, a more powerful battery. The HS850 I tested managed an amazing 7 hours and 50 minutes of talk time. That is a full two thirds improvement over the older model. The truly amazing part is that this new battery life didn't come at the expense of added weight. Like the HS810 before it, the HS850 weighs only .7oz (19.9g).

The next major change perhaps sounds more important than it worked out to be in reality. The HS850 supports the newer Bluetooth v1.2 spec, whereas most headsets support v1.1 only. Motorola claims that when used with a v1.2 compatible phone (there are still relatively few available at the time I write this), the HS850 will be able to connect faster, use less battery power, and offer improved audio quality. While I can see what appears to be a slight improvement in connection speed, I haven't really noticed much of a change in battery life or audio quality.

The last major change is purely cosmetic. The new headset is sold in this very nice black color and is also available in blue-gray, like a darker version of the HS810's color. I find both colors more attractive than the light silver found on the HS810.

But regardless of the color, you can't go wrong with Motorola's HS850, which I consider to be perhaps the best value on the market.

Pros:

• Small, light
• Comfortable
• Nearly 8 hours of talk time
• No wind noise
• Can be worn on both ears

Cons:

• A bit unusual looking
• Audio lacks bass

What's in the box:
Motorola HS850 Bluetooth Headset, User Manual, and Quick Start Guide.

--Reviewed by Michael Oryl, editor in chief of www.MobileBurn.com

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Reception, Features, Comfort
I just got this bluetooth headset and have to say it is absolutely fantastic.

1. Most importantly, there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE in sound quality between this and a wired headset. It is simply unnoticable to my callers. I can walk around in my home without trouble.

2. It feels so light and comfortable on the ear that I forget I have it on. This is key as taking it off and putting it on all the time wasn't an option. It had to feel good on my ear for hours at a time.

3. It found my Motorola RAZR cell phone very quickly. Setup was a breeze.

4. This little device can do call waiting, voice commands, etc., and opening the boom mic answers the call.

Battery life is good, 8 hours of talk and 200 hours standby!

It's the first over the ear earpiece that I actually like. Comfortable and lightweight.

Bottom line, don't waste money on inferior headsets -- you'll end up regretting it. So far, this is the best, although Moto has just announced an even higher-end headset, although I don't think it's been released yet.

UPDATE on 8-13-05 -- Still the best headset I've tried. Only problem -- I'm on my 3rd one! But it's my fault - I've lost and dropped the first two...But I'll keep buying this headset unless something dramatically better comes out. Oh, I guess the blue-flashing light when you're connected doesn't make a whole lot of sense as you can't see it (it's on your ear). Wish there were an option to shut that off...

It'll have to do for now
I just picked up my first bluetooth phone, and was looking forward to a wireless headset. My last headset was an [...], which gave exceptional noise isolation, and very clear reception and transmission, even in the noisiest of environments. It was just a hassle to leave the wire hanging, and wasn't easy to get it hooked up from scratch for a call, so I wound up using it a lot only in the car or on long calls. But its exceptional performance left me with high expectations.

I started with a Sony HSH660 (which I reviewed) but it rubbed on the back of my ear and left it hurting. It picked up ambient noises in a noisy environment on its mic and created lots of static on the other end, though I could hear very clearly. So I was looking for better fit and clarity in transmission.

The Motorola is lighter, and its thin earpiece fit in a way that was immediately comfortable in a way the Sony wasn't. BUT, the HS850 feels vaguely set on my ear, wobbling back and forth on my ear. In contrast, the Sony felt rock solid. The Motorola never actually fell or moved off my ear, it just felt flimsy. The narrow earpiece that made it less painful made it feel less secure. Still, I think that'd be easier to get used to than an earpiece that hurt.

I went out to a mall and checked out the reception. The ambient noise would show up the quality quickly. Here, the Motorola's mic screened out the ambient noise better, but the people I called said that while there wasn't much background noise, it sounded like I was on a speakerphone. The boom is certainly too short to allow better positioning and noise isolation like the ety. But while the Motorola's transmission was better than the Sony, I had more trouble hearing the Motorola. The Sony earphone seemed much clearer, less prone to static or noise than the Motorola. This certainly surprised me. Rather than a clear winner, it was a trade-off. The verdict is about the same in quiet environments, though it is a little easier to hear on both ends.

The Motorola folded up neatly, and the black unit looks sharp. The blue light that is on when the headset is in use is a nice touch. The unit was easy to set up with my phone, and the swinging boom turns the unit on and off. When a phone call is received, it took no time to open the boom, and by the time I got the headphone on my ear, I could press the on button and receive the call seamlessly. I haven't had a chance to test out the 8 hrs talk time, but others tell me that's accurate. It folds up more compactly than the Sony.

So here's my summary:
Pros:
Extremely light weight
Easy and painless over the ear fit
Blue light shows others you are on a call
Easy hookup with your cellphone
Uses the same adapter as Motorola phones

Cons
Earpiece feels flimsy and not that secure on your ear
No battery level
Mic and earphone quality adequate, but not up to best wired headset standards

I've decided to keep this headset for now. If the Sony headset were comfortable for me it'd be more of a toss-up. There probably aren't any perfect BT headsets yet, but I will certainly be on the lookout for something better

One of the best BT headsets out there (4.5 Stars)
I've had this product for a few days now and used it quite a bit around the house and while driving. Here are my thoughts:

1. Comfort (5/5) : This is one of the most comfortable headsets I've worn. I've used Plantronics, Jabra, Nokia headsets in the past and this is by far the least intrusive headset I've owned. You can literally forget that you're wearing it.

2. Sound Quality (4/5) : The sound is very good. Callers on the other end had no problems either. I'm giving 4/5 because it does get a little tinny in loud places. But then, so does my Razr.

3. Features/Functionality (4.5/5) : The folding boom to turn the unit On and Off is great. This also frees up the multifunction button for other things. In call features all work perfectly. I've tested quite a few with no complaints. I deduct 0.5 for not having a USB charger. This would have saved me from having to lug one more charger around when I travel. Some might point out the lack of an LCD screen but my Phone has 2 of those and they both have better color and resolution than the tiny screens on headsets. Besides, unless you have eyes on stalks how are you going to see the headset screen while wearing it on your ear?

4. Style (4/5) : Its still somewhat large and the huge blue light could help you guide a 747 down but the 'graphite' version is a little nicer looking than the silver. That said, its not as hideous like some of the plantronics ones that look like a second earlobe. I do wish I could turn off the blue staus light because I really dont want to be one of those dorks wearing their BT headsets in restaurants, bars, coffeeshops and looking like lighthouses.

5. Value (5/5) : Excellent value for money. I paid around $59 for my unit and feel I got a quality product.

Overall rating 4.5/5 Stars