Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 143
 My search finally ended! April 29, 2008
Tor Slettnes (SF Bay Area, USA)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I recently have tried a variety of headsets, including the Plantronics 510 the Jawbone, and the Motorola H700 and H710, all to replace my trusty, old, cheap and very durable (so durable I gave up waiting for it to break, so that I could find something with better sound quality) Motorola H300.
Among all these, I decided to keep the Motorola H710. It is _nearly_ perfect in all aspects, the only minor drawback compared to its predecessor, the H700, is that it has a micro-USB charging connector rather than a mini-USB one (I have tons of mini-USB peripherals, including my cell phone, camera, etc...)
The Jawbone CAN be a good and comfortable fit, if the anatomy of your ear agrees with it. I was lucky that way, it was actually the most comfortable headset I have used. Even for me, though, it was not "instant love", it took a bit of training to learn how to put it on correctly in a hurry (i.e. when receiving an incoming call). The ear loops (4 different ones included in the package) are very stiff, and I can see how they would easily break after a while. The sound quality was excellent while in my car driving - even across a noisy concrete bridge there would be no way for the other party to tell. Also, incoming sound quality was great - the volume adjusts based on background noise, and the ear plugs are rubberized and block most other noise. It is also a good-looking headset; it matched my phone (a black Nokia N95 8GB) quite well. My main two issues with it were the charging connector (a proprietary one, and only a USB charging cable was included; also not that easy to plug/unplug), and the fact that the power-on time (from off to connected) was a bit too long (timing it, I got anywhere from 9 to 13 seconds..). I prefer to keep my headset turned off when not in use (battery life, connection-time issues.. etc.)
The Plantronics was also great with respect to sound quality; I would say though that it did not quite beat the Jawbone while driving in a car.. (I did not try either one while walking outside in wind though). I did not quite like the large size though (my pockets are full enough already with my cell phone, keys, wallet...), and as someone mentioned, it would seem that it could easily wear out after prolonged pocket-use... Finally, I did not like the proprietary charging connector. (Give me standard mini-USB please; or else micro-USB will work too).
The Motorola H700 and H710 were for me the answer to nearly every grievance I have with bluetooth headsets. You unfold the microphone boom to power it on (and automatically answer any incoming call); fold it back to power off. Simple, elegant. No confusion about whether or not the headset is already powered on or off when an incoming call arrives (I.e. no "Do I need to hold the power button down for a while to power it on, or a simple tap to just answer?" quandries). The power-on-and-connect is also one of the fastest I have seen on any headset (about the same as my old H300, and way faster than either the Jawbone or the 510). Sound quality is exceptional in either - though maybe more so with the H710 (better noise reduction, and, like the Jawbone, it adjusts your ear volume automatically to accommodate for background noise). Since you would normally keep these turned off, as opposed to leaving them on standby, a single charge will normally last you for weeks and weeks (depending on usage of course). Another plus is that they use industry standard charging connectors (mini-USB and micro-USB, respectively), so you can easily share wall/car/computer chargers with other peripherals. Finally, they are an easy fit - no one should have issues getting them on in a hurry (though for me, I actually preferred the "firm" fit of the Jawbone...).
My only issue with the H700 (and this has been fixed in the H710) is an extremely short range; if I left my phone in my pocked while talking on the headset, I would hear some subtle crackling; take the phone out and hold it in my hand and it was OK. While OK for "car use", I ended up returning it and getting the H710 mainly for this reason.
Good Luck in your own quest for perfection. (Nerdvana?)
 Motorola H710 Bluetooth Headset March 5, 2008
L. Rogers (Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
First, I have a Palm Centro. I was pleased with the look of this new headset when viewed up close and personal. I was alarmed by the fact that as soon as the headset is removed from the charger and plugged back in, the battery light goes red (indicating that the headset has less than 50% of a charge). However, it took less than 1 minute for it to go from red to green (fully charged) again. I have yet to test the battery life on a long phone call, but according to specifications, this headset has up to 6.5 hours of talk time. I previously owned the Motorola H700 headset and I don't like the updated tones. I think Motorola should have left that aspect of the headset the same, but it is what it is. The connection time to the phone is much faster than that of the H700, so I was also impressed with that feature. I also found it was much easier to mute this headset than the H700. I tested all the features for this headset and they also worked great. The sound quality for this headset is vastly improved as well. Overall, A-.
Very Nice April 6, 2008
Stephen Scharf (Kennewick, WA USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I'm pretty happy with the H710. I especially like that it's "on ear" design as opposed to other "in ear" designs of other models I've tried. The fit feels kinda loosey-goosey but it hasn't fallen off yet. Light jogging or standing on my head (yes, I did this), it feels like it's gonna come off yet doesn't. Sound quality is clear enough on my end and I've had no complaints from people on the other end.
I do wish there was a small hard-case available though.
Good, but not the best for most users July 2, 2008
R. McKown (Colorado USA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
After losing my last Plantronics 510 to a "dog incident", I picked up another 510, a Motorola H710 and a Jabra BT8040 and put them to the test head-to-head. I use a Uniden cordless land-line phone that can pair with a BT headset, and a Palm Centro smartphone. All three of these phones support multipoint. The H710 failed to cancel echo (my voice played back to me delayed) on the Uniden phone, and the BT8040 would not pair with the Uniden at all. All three worked well with the Centro.
All three headsets had very good audio quality in quiet environments. The 510 was best in noisy and windy environments. The H710 had the loudest volume and was easiest to hear callers. The BT8040 in extremely loud environments would apparently get confused in its echo cancellation algorithms and tend to experience audio cutouts (for the wearer, not the caller).
The H710 has the best "user interface". Love how flipping the little boom mike open and closed turns on and off the headset. It's audio prompts are intuitive and pleasant. The BT8040 and H710 both have good button/LED usage designs. The BT8040 requires a 3-5 second button press to turn the phone on and off -- otherwise it is the user interface equal to the H710. In comparison, the 510 has a less polished interface. The power button is hard to use, and it constantly flashes a blue light when on, which grabs the attention of those around you -- a feature that I find quite annoying. The interface of the BT8040 is just as good, with the exception that on and off requires a 3-5 second button press -- less elegant than the H710's approach. The 510 has a big flaw in its user interface: a blue light flashes all the time it is on. Combined with its large size, the 510 annoyingly draws the attention of those around you.
Pocketability is a big concern for me. The 510 isn't really pocketable. I never broke one in 3 years, but then almost never put it in my pocket for fear of breaking it. The H710 when off is nearly a sphere and is easily pocketable. The BT8040 is a micro-sized "brick" in shape, smaller than the H710 and about equally pocketable.
Headset fit is another bit concern. The 510 is the most comfortable for me. The BT8040 is second, which surprised me. The H710's hard ear-loop rubs on my ear in one spot and pretty quickly becomes uncomfortable. The 510 isn't amenable to glasses, but the other two are. All of the headsets are secure. The 510 fits well as a result of its design. The BT8040 fits well, in part because it is so very small and light. The H710 'hangs' and 'flaps' against the ear, is the least secure of all three, but didn't ever fall off when I was testing it.
Battery life is good on all units. I don't talk enough to give them a hard workout in this regard. However, the 510 seems to take the longest to charge, the BT8040 the fastest, and the H710 in the middle.
I found the H710 to be the worst of the three. It's performance in noisy conditions doesn't compare well to the others. It's fit is the worst, at least on my ear. The H710 is definitely the loudest of the three, which could be a boon for many headset wearers. Just don't plan on using it in very noisy situations.
Great Headset March 18, 2008
ryad (Oak Harbor, WA USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I completely dig this headset and the rechargeable battery is a nice touch. I hope you weren't like me and got it through your cell phone provider because it's like $34 cheaper here. Serves me right for not shopping around. I was too impatient. I find the clarity and volume much superior to my previous bluetooth headset. If you've got the scratch it's better this than cause an accident or get a ticket in my state.
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