I often make calls that I need to take notes during, and have up until now been using the speakerphone function on my cell so I can type. A good friend told me that it sounded unprofessional, it picked up too much other sounds around me, I should consider getting a bluetooth headset for my phone. I did, getting the Jabra bt500 http://www.amazon.com/Jabra-BT500-100-93000000-02-Bluetooth-Headset/dp/B0009W8DLC , which was the top recommendation in Consumer Reports. It's a stylish behind the ear one. I really liked the looks, the intuitive use of it, that you could get it on your head quickly (I don't want/need to wear it all the time) and that it felt like it would stay on your head.

However, in talking with that same straight shooting friend, they said, after two calls, that it was picking up the external sounds even more so, and often even more then my own voice! They suggested looking for one with good noise filtering abilities. In looking at online feedback, I've read the same. It's very clear on my end, and too clear on the other end.

That's where you come in. I'd like to know some of your favorites, that you've used for more then a day.

Liking the Jabra, I looked at what's been called the successor to the BT500, the BT5020 http://www.amazon.com/Jabra-BT5020-Executive-Bluetooth-Headset/dp/B000PYJ4NK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1199732631&sr=8-1 . Seemed to fit the bill, but then in looking at the feedback on Amazon, it was absolutely trashed!

So, sadly I searched on, and most of the behind the ear ones just looked like then had a glorified paper clip on the end. The Aliph Jawbone http://jawbone.com/ seemed to better fit the bill, with excellent noise filtering abilities, but many of the feedback seemed to say it was difficult to fit, and needed to be rigged with extra ear gels for you to hear properly. The Plantronics Voyage 510 http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-5.../dp/B0009B0IX4/ seems the closest, getting awesome feedback on Amazon, looking stable on the ear, with fairly good noise handling abilities. That microphone is a bit homely though, but I bet it's effective. I have a big head, so a tiny device/mic may not work for me.

So here's what I'm looking for:

•Behind the ear, stays on ear without you having to attend to it, and is comfortable. As in not just a glorified paperclip. (I don't have glasses, so no need to work around that.)

•Can get it on your ear quickly, as I don't plan to have it on my head all day.

•Clear, loud sound on both ends, that filters out or doesn't pick up background noise. (I'd typically use it in my home office w and w/o the window open, while driving, and in the kitchen)

•Intuitive, easy access to controls. Volume can be turned up/down quickly.

•Doesn't look like you have a pencil/weiner on your ear.

•Ability to be used with cell phone and laptop too (I have a RAZR, and would like to use it with Skype and iChat. But it doesn't need to be one of those specifically built for Skype, etc, ie the Plantronics Voyager 510 USB)

thanks much!

Update: I was talking to my wife about this subject, and she agreed, perhaps our friend was being too sensitive to sound, she's had other phone issues. However, I suggested I go take a walk and call her, see how it sounded. First she said my voice was fuzzy (with the phone right in my pocket) Then when a dog barked, 30 feet away, she said it sounded like it was barking right into the microphone! We deduced that the "fuzziness" was road noise, from down the block. It's official, this one's a stinker.

Helluva first post GS!

Something that you may not realize is that *most* retailers offer a 30 day, no-questions-asked satisfaction guarantee. Which means if it doesn't work out for you, you can return it for a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

Retailers include:
Best Buy
AT&T
Verizon Wireless
Treo Central
Mobile City Online

I suggest these 3 headsets for you:
Nextlink Invisio Q7 - available at the end of the month. Although I'm not sure if you'll be able to pair it to more than one device.

Blueant Z9:
Z9 search
Legit Reviews

The Z9's firmware can be updated. This is a major benefit. Motorola's H700 headset is on version "C". If they had made the first version upgradeable then consumers could have the latest and greatest firmware without buying a new headset.

And finally the Plantronics 510 as it has a GREAT track record providing excellent incoming and outgoing audio. Might have a problem with wind though.

Well it sounds like your only options are the Jawbone or the BlueAnt Z9.

Having been an owner of the Jawbone (I still have it, but it's falling apart so I don't use it) and soon to be an owner of the BlueAnt Z9 (should arrive here in 3 or 4 days), I'll say this, the Jawbone (if you can get it to fit well) works fantastically.

It's noise cancelling abilities are excellent and people are able to hear you very clearly on the end... usually. The one thing none of the current noise-cancelling BT headsets can handle well at the moment are infrequent, loud noises, and wind. EIther of the two occuring will be heard by the party on the other end. The Jawbone does a good job of "surpressing" the first of the two, but on the latter you're just gonna have to cover your ear while you talk, period.

Now I'll explain why I've decided to go with a BlueAnt Z9 instead of getting a replacement Jawbone.

The Z9 and the Jawbone, largely being the same, the Z9 has a few advantages (one being both an advantage and disadvantage) that really stuck out for me.

1. The Z9 is generally at least $20-30 cheaper than the Jawbone no matter where you look. Not that important imo... generally if you have $70 for a BT you could scrape up $100.

2. The Z9 is BT2.0 as opposed to BT1.2. This means faster transmission speeds, easier multi-linking, and lower power consumption. Faster transmission speeds could theoretically allow for increased ranges before loss of quality occurs, and lower power consumption means better battery life.

3. The Z9 supports A2DP, and since I'm getting ready to start using my phone as my MP3 player, this becomes a bit more important.

4. (And this is what really gave me "the push") The Z9 can be upgraded. Not in terms of hardware, but in terms of the firmware that operates it. This means that while the Jawbone is as good as it's going to get from the moment you buy it, the Z9 can be improved over time. Not to mention it means if you have the necessary experience you get to tamper with it's firmware, and I love tampering with the various softwares running my devices (I can't recall when the last time my RAZR was actually a RAZR, and my Tilt won't be a Tilt for any more than an Hour before I turn it into a Kaiser+++, minus the front camera).

With that said... I still love my Jawbone... although it is a bit too fragile for me. The back end where the charger plugs in had already begun to loosen before the entire unit pretty much fell apart. I always had to push the cap back onto it everytime I pulled the charger off, which wasn't to greatly annoying. It finally fell apart after it fell about 4-5 feet to the ground, although it still remains functional.

I intend to use it as a backup BT if my BlueAnt Z9 runs out of battery power, although only in private because a tape-wrapped BT just flat out ain't sexy...

I'd recommend looking into the Invisio Q7, as it sounds promising, but honestly it's just vaporware at the moment. It was announced a LOOOOOOONG time ago, and was supposed to be released almost just as long ago, and it still ain't here. Not to mention it's going to cost $150-200, and it's well... ugly... imo.

Well there you have it GreenSmith, go get yourself a Blueant Z9. I love mine!

If you want the best behind the ear headset the Plantronics Voyager 510 is the best available. Since it is an older headset you can get it dirt cheap on amazon.com

There are a lot of newer smaller headsets that sound good (z9, jawbone, bt5010 etc) but the Voyager 510 is even better. Since it is a larger, behind the ear style headset it will have longer battery life and better reception as well.

This kind of thinking is not good. Does this mean that the first computer ever built is better than newer computers because it was "larger"? The voyager 510 has 100hrs standby time, the Z9 has 200hrs standby time. If my math skills are correct (no, I didn't use a calculator) that twice as much, or double the standby time.

Wow, hey thanks everybody, I'll check these out! It turns out a friend is getting a Jawbone tomorrow in the mail, so I can preview that in person. But ooh, all the other options. Now the Z9, how's the fit, comfort, ease of putting on quickly?

Can't answer that personally yet, but I can say that from the videos I've watched of it being put on and tested, it took each user all of 2 seconds to put it on. Mind you I called myself a "master" in the art of putting on the jawbone when I managed to start doing it in about 5 seconds, and even then half the time the little button wouldn't be in the right place.

It'll be here tomorrow though. I'll see how long it takes me to get it on for the first time, and how long each time there after.

I'll give my opinion on the fit & comfort Vs. my Jawbone too, although I pray it'll be better. I bought the Jabra gels to use with my Jawbone, and it still would hurt like all hell when I took the jawbone off my ear sometimes.

Cool, thanks Poetique, I look forward to hearing back about it.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! Your friend will still being trying to get the fit of the Jawbone correct after a week and your Z9 will fit correctly the first time you put it on.

My fourth headset I have purchased is the Z9, so far it seems to work very well, however I don't like the form factor as much as I liked the Jabra BT2020, however that unit sounded pretty poor and the range was terrible. I'd love to find a behind the ear unit that had better sound quality than the z9.

Does anybody know if the Z9 works with a RAZR v3? I can't seem to find a list of compatible devices on their site.

On a whole different note, since many of you seem like tech collectors, yesterday when I was buying a MacBook on Amazon (yes I canceled it today, the rumors are getting very strong of a new product release and/or price drop) there was a text ad in Gmail for a company called Second Rotation. They buy used electronics of all sorts, you ship it for free to them, and they resell it to people in need. Or it gets recycled. Painless, cash positive way to get rid of your old gear! www.secondrotation.com

Yes, the Z9 works with the Razr V3.

Sweet! I looked at the Z9 site, which was useful, as it showed specifically the adjustability of the ear piece, a concern of mine. So I'm just going to wait for Poetique to weigh in, then I'm on!