Sony Ericsson's next generation headset - the HBH-30

Sony Ericsson HBH-30 Bluetooth Headset

The new Sony Ericsson HBH-30 Bluetooth Headset is finally starting to make its way onto retail shelves. This new headset represents the first new headset design to come out of the the combined forces of Sony and Ericsson, and sports a much updated look and feel.

The headset weighs in at 28g, 2g lighter than the original HBH-10 and 4g lighter than the more recent HBH-15. In addition to losing a few grams, the new headset has better battery performance. Talk time now reaches a very respectable 4 hours with a estimated standby time of up to 4 days. Not bad at all for such a light device.

Most everything on this new headset is improved over the older models. For example, switching from a left ear to a right ear configuration requires merely flipping the ear piece over - there is nothing to remove and reinsert. Very fast. Another thing that is improved is the way the headset stays put. It is very hard to get it to budge, once mounted. The older designs used to be a bit loose, the mic boom flapping around a bit too much. The new design is actually jumping and wild head swinging proof. It just won't come off!

And even though the headset sticks like glue, it is still as comfortable as the older models, if not more so. This design has the speaker closer to your inner ear, and also uses the speaker housing to hold the device in place by pressing gently against the back of your outer ear where the outside loop is. The end result is a firm fit with better protection from wind.

The ear loop is interesting in itself since it houses the battery. It is connected to the main body by a flexible rubber neck. The rubber also provides grip for the device. One disadvantage to this is that the headset is noticeably more difficult to put on. I am sure I will learn a trick eventually, or just get used to it, but for now I find it a bit complicated.

Another difference in the new design is the number of buttons. The HBH-10 and HBH-15 had a single "jog-wheel" type control that handled on/off, off-hook/on-hook, and volume. The new device has separate buttons for the volume up and down controls. All three buttons are rubber and have a nice feel to them. Speaking of the volume, it is quite sufficient for most situations, just like the HBH-15 was.

 

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