Review: Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435 Bluetooth Headset

Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435

Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435

Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435

Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435
Weight	18g (0.63oz)
Body Size	60mm x 53mm (2.4" x 2.08")
Talk Time(1)	6:03
Ear Loop	Over Ear
Left/Right Ear?	Both
LEDs	1, Red and Green
Pairings	Unspecified
Headset Sound	Good quality, excellent volume
Mic Sound	Good, medium noise reduction
Included Accessories	AC Charger, user manual, lanyard
1) hh:mm. Music was piped continually through the headset in both directions, for a worse-case scenario

The new Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435 is a very intuitive headset. While the aesthetics aren't the best we have ever seen, the audio quality and new features make this Bluetooth headset well worth a look for those shopping for a wireless solution for their phone.

The HBH-GV435 is an unusual looking headset, but retains a sophisticated look and feel. When looking at the unit, you get the impression that it means business. The headset is predominately covered with large black panels on the inside of the ear loop, accompanied by silver accents on the outer faces. When wearing the headset, most of the black areas are hidden, leaving a sleek, silver look. Currently, this black and silver color scheme is the only one available for the HBH-GV435.

The Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435 measures up at 60mm x 53mm (2.4" x 2.08"), meaning it isn't an overly large headset, but it doesn't fit into the small headset category either. The 18g (0.6oz) weight is countered by the great weight distribution of the headset, and while on the ear it feels lighter than other 18g units we have tested. The buttons are both easy to find while wearing the headset and were easy to operate using just one hand.

The battery on the HBH-GV435 gives a fairly standard 6:03 (hh:mm) talk time and comes with a manufacturer claim of 300 hours of standby time. The first charge of the HBH-GV435 will take 8 hours, but 2 hours will get you from empty to full for subsequent charges. The only charging option that comes with the unit is an AC adaptor, but the port is compatible with newer Sony Ericsson chargers. The HBH-GV435 is also accompanied by a lanyard for those who wish to wear it around the neck while not in use.

With just four buttons, the HBH-GV435 is simple to use and quite intuitive. The power button controls powering the headset on and off, and is also used to put the device in pairing mode. From a power off state, holding the power button down until the LED flashes red and green and an audible beep is heard will turn the device on. The default pairing code of '0000' is used to pair, but this headset is also compatible with Sony Ericsson's new and intuitive auto pairing feature. Auto pairing allows the user to pair the headset with a compatible Sony Ericsson phone by simply enabling Bluetooth on the phone, and making the phone visible to other Bluetooth devices. When in range, the headset will seek out the phone and all that is required on the phone end is to accept the connection, no pin required.

The Sony Ericsson HBH-GV435 is equipped with Bluetooth v2.0 and supports both the headset and hands free profiles. One unusual thing about such an intuitive headset is that when you move out of range and the device disconnects, it doesn't automatically reconnect when you move back into range. It does automatically reconnect when you turn the headset off and back on again, however. In any event, a press of the call control button will reconnect the headset to the phone.

 

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