Entered CNET Catalog: 08/18/2005
SKU: 0856553000260
Manufacturer: Anycom, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The Anycom Blue Headset HS-890 is already the third Anycom headset generation and combines an elegant design and comfort to use with latest technology. Although only less than 15 grams light it offers up to 5 hours Talk Time and 144 hours Standby Time. A noise cancelling microphone in combination with the latest DSP chip and a high quality speaker provide the best possible sound quality for both sides of the call. The Anycom HS-890 is one of the first headsets in the market supporting the Bluetooth 1.2 specification which gives quicker reconnection times with the paired devices and eliminates transmission conflicts with other radio transmissions like WLAN. The Anycom HS-890 supports both the Bluetooth Headset and the Handsfree profiles - allowing you to use it with virtually any Bluetooth phone and even with PDAs and PCs supporting these profiles. Depending on the ability of the mobile phone the HS-890 also supports voice-dial and re-dial functions.Product summary
The good: Comfortable fit and attractive style; user-friendly controls; solid calling features; admirable audio clarity indoors.
The bad: Not great in windy conditions; volume somewhat low; short standby battery life.
The bottom line: The Anycom Blue HS-890 is a good choice for a lower-end Bluetooth headset.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 08/22/2005
The headset's attractive design is functional without being too conspicuous. Its most prominent features are rounded edges, a slender shape, and a short boom mic that comes halfway down the cheek. The Anycom provides a traditional over-the-ear fit via a flexible rubberized ear hook that can easily be adjusted for either ear. The earpiece slightly protrudes into the ear, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Overall, the headset fits securely and was so light (0.5 ounce) that we hardly knew it was on.
Controls on the Anycom Blue HS-890 are well designed and easy to manipulate. A large circular control at the top of the headset regulates the volume, while a smaller button just below it turns the HS-890 on and off; it also controls calling functions. Both buttons were easy to find and use when we were wearing the headset, and a small LED indicates the headset's status with a red or blue light. Featurewise, you get a good selection of calling options: the HS-890 supports a hands-free profile for cell phones with voice dialing; you can redial your most recent call with the multifunction button; you can transfer calls between the phone and the headset; and you can answer second calls without touching your mobile.
We tested the Anycom Blue HS-890 using the Sony Ericsson S710a. Pairing the two devices was painless, and we were up and running in just a few minutes. Audio quality was decent. We had no trouble hearing our callers, and they said they could hear us as well. However, they could tell we were using a headset, as some static appeared from time to time. Windy conditions also diminished performance, but that can be standard with a headset. We noticed the volume was a tad low. It was no problem for us, but users with hearing impairments might want to test it out first. There wasn't a significant delay between the time our phone rang and the time the headset beeped in our ear for a call, but on one occasion, the headset automatically disconnected when we ended a call. It didn't happen regularly, but we had to reconnect the HS-890 to the S710a before we could start again.
The Anycom HS-890 is rated for 5 hours of talk time and six days of standby time. In our tests, though, we managed only four days of standby time. That's not a terrible result, but hard-core road warriors may desire a headset with more juice.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1out of 1 user reviews
Flimsy ear piece connection to boom.
Pros: Not a chance to test.
Cons: Ear piece shaft broke.
Finally got the replacement and had some time to try it out. Earhook doesn't securely hold the BT on my ear, seems the hook is for bigger ears. Nevertheless, sound quality is ok, with some crackling while receiving voice transmission. This may be due to my phone and not the BT, since it also did it with my Cardo Scala 500. Range is as advertised. Nevertheless, I'm content with this piece, although I hear no difference with the v1.2 and DSP in the terms of voice quality and clarity. I'll raise my product rating to 4.5.
