Ok, now that I have my Dell Axim pda, I have to choose a headset solution for using skype calls. I can choose:
- tiny earbed earplugs that fit into my Axim microphone jack (cost: 40$) or
- some fancy bluetooth wireless headphone solution (either the Motorola HT 820 for $70 or the more expensive SonyDR-BT30Q at 100-110$).
Thoughts. Tiny earplugs are somewhat inconspicuous and are easy to pack. Alas, it’s lots of wires and it’s unsuitable for high fidelity listening.
Contrast with the bluetooth solutions which involve messing around with bluetooth, somewhat spotty reception and time lags (though superior audio quality, and ability to jump from mp3 listening to telephone). This headset looks pretty conspicuous.
I guess it all boils down to whether you will be doing serious listening of mp3’s on it or whether you’ll be using it mainly for skyping. Also, the fact that more bluetooth headsets will be coming out all the time means that prices will plummet in the next 6-12 months.
So for now the solution looks clear: go for the cumbersome but cheap solution and then wait for better things to come out. Update: Maybe not. Update: the wired solution is probably the most reliable, albeit the most awkward.
Update 2: Looks like there’s another bluetooth contender. here’s a thread I made about it. The question now becomes: do I obtain an inconspicuous, reliable but low fidelity headset for skyping only, or a relatively high quality headset whose form factor is somewhat conspicuous?
Update 3: Looks like I bought both a bluetooth and conventional headset from a brick-and-mortar store. Internet shopping be damned! (But I do have 30 days to return it).
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