Built by geeks, for geeks...

Bluetooth earpieces conceptually are a great tool for anyone, disabled or not.

The problems begin with pairing.  That's what motivated my geek comment. Pairing your new purchase is a pain.  As the original poster said, you have to dig deep in menus to get the phone to "listen" for your new BT earpiece to broadcast. Then you have to rush to the tiny buttons on the earpice and do whatever dance THAT manual tells you to do to get it to "speak" to your phone.  That process is a pain for the techno-geek. The frustration rises exponentially if you are handicapped by vision or dexterity. 

I know WHY pairing/registration is needed... you don't want to be at a mall & have your BT device start talking into some other guys phone or vice versa, but there has to be a way for mfgrs to develop an auto-pairing procedure that acknowledges that 99% of folks will be pairing in the privacy of their home.  Pairing a phone with NOTHING else registered tothe first BT device that just powers up near it.   I think they can do better.

Durability/Looks:

I've owned two BT earpieces - Motorola Units (big name) ~$90 each in their day.  they felt comfy, had a neck lanyard ( good retention if dropped)  but you turned their power on by flipping the little microphone boom out (it was only about an inch long)   Cool look, but the hinges broke on both the units I purchased!  The units available in the RERC study did not have that flaw but I agree, the little metal mic boom looked a little orthodontic. 

You would think these things could sense they were touching skin (galvanic skin response?) and just power up.  I mean, I have a lamp I just touch and the thing turns on.  

Hey, they're up on my ear, take my temperature as well and report any extremes to my doctor!. Seriously though, I think they can do better with some sort of auto-on capability.

Doug J

Previously Kathy Hoell wrote:

><p>As a person that really depends on my bluetooth so I can operate my power wheelchair and talk on phone at same time, I have tried a number of different models and brands but I am not truly happy with any of them.  Does anyone have any suggestions about which ones are good?<p>

><blockquote>

There is now a new Bluetooth headset option for anyone who cannot push the headset button. It is based on BlueAnt's V1 headset so it has a rich set of "Voice Commands" built into the headset. But it has been modified so you do not have to push any buttons to make or receive a call and there are no wires hanging from the headset.

Externally, the headset looks and feels just like any ordinary Bluetooth Headset. Internally it has been modified so the switch is triggered by a magnetic field. The headset comes with several magnets...including one on a long flexible rod that can be placed conveniently next to the headrest on a wheelchair. When you want to make a call...all you have to do is move your head so the headset passes by the magnet and use "Voice Commands" to make a call or to initiate several other functions built into the headset.

Check out the Website [ http://www.nobuttonsheadset.com/ ]