Jabra BT500: Handy handsfree

High-tech solutions to very ordinary problems are getting common such as Bluetooth technology being used to free the hands to answer a phone call while driving or to listen to music privately without getting entangled with the wires.

A geek is a geek because he or she happens to know that every high sounding technology has very ordinary uses to simplify things or just to make life just a little better. But nowadays you don’t have to be a geek to make seemingly complicated tech processes work in daily life.

Bluetooth, a radio technology that allows two or more gadgets to connect within a range of approximately 30 meters, is the force behind the handsfree feature in handsets.

For one, Bluetooth allows one to make and receive calls without wires or cords, pushing the bar of the wireless concept higher. Since Bluetooth is now a standard feature in mid- to high-end phones, more mobile phones are now being weaned on accessories that need cords.

The earphone, for one, need not have wires and, as the primary accessory used by most mobile phone users, is going wireless if only because the exigencies of today’s lifestyle demand more skills and gadgets for multitasking.

One of the Bluetooth headsets now available in the local market is the Jabra BT500, a device designed, as the manufacturer says, for "all-day comfort."

Inasmuch as "comfort" is a relative term for phone users who are veering toward more eclectic uses of their handsets, let us just say that "comfort" here means convenience in being able to free the hands while making or receiving voice calls.

Jabra’s advantage though over traditional earphones is not that simple. Think of the things that you could do if you don’t have to hold your phone up your ear while talking to someone. You could drive better for sure. Bikers and motorcycle riders can now answer the phone while on the highway. Although it is not generally advisable that you drive and talk at the same time as it can distract, a wireless headset allows you the luxury of answering short urgent calls.

Take it from Jabra itself. The Jabra BT500 manual itself emphasizes that "driving is more important than the call."

But first the basics.

The Jabra BT500 is the so-called next-generation Bluetooth handset as it has features formerly not available in earlier wireless headset models or were greatly improved from its predecessors, including, among others, a one-touch pairing button that makes it easy to pair with cellphones of whatever brand or make, a multi-colored LED light that informs the user of the status of the phone, charging through a PC via USB, and slimmer design.

It also promises up to eight hours of talk time for only approximately two hours of charging time.

Depending on the capability of your phone, the BT500 also has more features for the more sophisticated user such as the mute function, last number redial, voice active dialing, and even a call waiting option.

Now, for the real thing, here’s how it can make your life a little bit easier at work and at home.

• Accepting a phone call right smack into a frenzied morning or afternoon in an office desk need not be a nuisance. While the precious minutes are ticking, bringing you closer to deadline time, you can actually do something else like make follow-up calls, appease an irate customer, order pizza, verify reports or data from another branch, or get updates from a co-worker out in the field.

• Receiving dictation or detailed instructions on the phone is easier as you can input the data right into your desktop or laptop faster with both hands free.

• Arguing or negotiating with someone over the phone for an extended period of time need not freeze you in one corner. Because Bluetooth works up to a range of 30 meters, although some users say that it works best up to only 10 meters, you can roam around the room while emphasizing a point, pace back and forth to think or make quick decisions, and make coffee or tea without missing a bit.

• You need not miss an important call while relaxing in the lounge or in a nearby cubicle.

• Paying your bills over the phone, talking to your kid’s school bus driver, requesting for home service, calling up customer service for your busted phone or cable line can be made while cooking dinner, doing the laundry or troubleshooting the PC.

It is true that technology provides the means to make life or work processes simpler, but straight from the manual they are just possibilities until the user appropriates it for himself and customize its use to suit his needs. This also includes getting around some hitches such as an uncomfortable fit on one’s ears for some people and some distracting crackling noises when one gets too far from the phone.

The handy handsfree that is the Jabra BT500 is actually an open-ended product in the sense that it has a simple function: to enable people to communicate better. However, its use or advantage will depend on the breadth of your need for a handsfree gadget.