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HTC BH M200 Bluetooth Headset Review on ClintonFitch.comSeptember 9, 2008 If you find the number of Windows Mobile devices available today overwhelming, spend a few minutes looking at Bluetooth headset. If you look on our Expansys affiliate store site, you will find no less than 229 different options! Finding the one that fits your needs can be a challenge and the prices range from $30 to well over $100 so you never really know how much to spend and what quality you will get for those dollars spent. By no means am I suggesting that I have found the ultimate Bluetooth headset in the HTC BH M200 but I will say this: It's lightweight, has DSP noise and echo cancellation, has about a 7 hour talk time and auto reconnects to your device after it is powered on. All this for under $40 (US). Is it the best sounding headset out there? Likely not given that Jawbone has somewhat set the standard (especially version 1 of that device) but it is leaps-and-bounds ahead of other headsets that are in the same price range. And at $40, if you loose on a plane or in a cab (admit it, you have lost one before), you aren't out a whole lot of cash. Regardless of price, the sound quality and ease of use of the M200 makes it a great choice if you are looking for a low cost, no frills Bluetooth headset that looks sleek and stylish. The M200 is one of several Bluetooth and wired headset sold by HTC and is one of their least expensive models. Despite coming from HTC, the headset holds true to the Bluetooth 2.0 standard so it will work with any 1.1, 1.2 or 2.0 compatible device regardless of manufacture. In my testing for this review, I successfully paired the M200 with my HTC Advantage and TyTN II as well as my MWg Zinc II and Atom Life. The headset weighs a mere 15g and measures 5.7cm long by 1.7cm wide by 2.2cm deep at the ear plug. The Imperial measurements are 2.24" by .6" by .8" with a weight of .5 ounces. The front of the device has the trademark HTC logo as well as the round power button. The button is illuminated around the edge to indicate the various modes of the headset which I will explain shortly. The back of the device has the ear piece as well as the small stud in which the over-the-ear bracket is placed. The stud has a small hole in it in which the ear bracket is pressed down into it. The stud swivels 360 degrees to allow for the headset to be used on either ear. The back of the device is just slightly larger than the MiniUSB connector that is used for charging the headset. Finally, on the top side of the device are the two volume controls which can be used during a call.
The M200 also comes with a small lanyard which will allow you to hang the device around your neck versus constantly having it in your ear. It is a nice touch but I found the lanyard a bit difficult to get the M200 in and out of without accidently pushing the button and answering or hanging up on a call by mistake. Regardless of this though, the lanyard held on to the M200 tightly and even with walking through airports and getting bumped it never fell out of its holder.
The ear piece of the M200 is fixed meaning that you cannot change the ear piece that you insert into your middle ear. For me this was fine as the provided earpiece was comfortable and covered enough of my middle ear to make hearing on it easy. Even after several hours of wearing it I found it to be comfortable and it did not irritate or make my ear sore.
The initial charging time of the M200's LithiumIon battery takes about 3 hours while most recharges take a little less time depending on how depleted the battery is at the time. As I mentioned, the headset uses a MiniUSB connector so there is no need to carry around a special charger or adapter which is handy when it comes to traveling. When you purchase the M200 it comes with a slim AC adapter to charge the unit. Once fully charged you should see approximately 7 hours of talk time between charges. This is well beyond what your device battery will likely last so you should be good for the day in most cases. For my use, I was able to average a couple of days between charges given I'm only on my phone about 1 to 1.5 hours per day total. The main indicator on the M200 is the circular multi-purpose button on the front of the headset. By holding this button down for 3 seconds you will power up the headset. When it is powered on and connected to your mobile device, the area around the button will flash blue. When you are on a call the blue light will do a double-flash. When you are charging the M200, the ring will be a solid red until it is fully charged and will the go dark. Finally, when you are in partnering mode, the light will alternate between red and blue until the partnership is completed. To enter the M200 into partnering mode, press and hold the multi-purpose button down for 6 seconds until the blue and red LED around the button alternately flashes. At this point, have your mobile device do a search for the M200. On my HTC Advantage X7510, it took only a few seconds for it to find the headset. You will see it listed as HTC BH M200 on your device. Tap it to highlight it and press the next soft key. On some devices, including some HTC devices, you will have to enter the passkey to successfully set up the partnership. If you are prompted for a passkey, simply enter 0000 (4 zeros) and tap next. This will complete the partnership and your M200 will begin flashing its normal slow blue LED indicating it is on and partnered. You will also see a small headset icon in the upper right corner of your phone application on your device indicating to you that your phone is in hands-free mode.
If you were to stop reading the review here you would have enough information to get going with the M200 but would miss out on some of the more advanced features this little headset provides you. First, like most Bluetooth headsets, you can accept a call (press the button once and release), hang up a call (press the button and release at the end of a call) and reject a call (hold the button down for 3 seconds while your phone is ringing). The M200 also adds the ability to mute a call by pressing and holding the volume down key for three seconds. When on mute you will hear a short beep every four seconds on the headset to remind you that you have a call muted. To un-mute the call, press and hold the volume down key for another 3 seconds. A great feature of the M200 is the redialing of the last number called. You can do this by double-tapping the button on the M200. This is a great feature if you drop a call or need to call the person you just spoke to back quickly. If your mobile device has voice dialing application the M200 can take advantage of that as well. By pressing and holding the volume up or volume down key for 3 seconds, the voice dialing application will automatically start. You can then say the name of the person you have the voice tag setup for and it will automatically dial for you. This truly makes your device hands free as you do not have to fumble through to find a contact. Lastly, the M200 has base noise and echo cancellation for improved audio function. I found it to work quite well in noisy situations. As I have shared in the past, I travel a fair amount and I often am taking phone calls in airports and airport lounges which can be noisy. The M200 provide me good clarity even in the noisiest of airports (translation: O'Hare K terminal) for both me and my caller. It's hard to find things to pick on the HTC BH M200 about when you get right down to it. It does exactly as advertised and does so in a good looking and comfortable design. The sound and voice quality of the headset is great and the lightweight design makes it easy to wear for extended periods of time. All of this in a price that is under $40 (US) - definitely a headset to consider no matter your budget. What I Like: What I Don't Like: Price: $38.99 (US) Manufacture: HTC |
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