CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 06/02/2005
As for the headset's fit, we'll give you the good news first. Once you get it on, it's surprisingly comfortable and light (0.35 ounces), and we like that there's no protruding earpiece. It's also reasonably secure, as it's held to your ear by a two-prong rubber EarClick, which comes in six sizes. The EarClicks, however, can also prove to be a source of frustration. Putting on the Flamingo took several attempts the first time, and we eventually had to use a mirror. Once you get the hang of it, you'll find that it's best to tilt the headset so that the EarClick fastens to your outer ear canal like the Bluespoon Bluetooth headset, but it'll still take a couple tries for you to secure it. Another downer is that the Flamingo fits in only your right ear.
Controls on the Flamingo consisted of a thin volume rocker and a tiny control button, both of which are on the boom mic and are easy enough to figure out. The volume rocker naturally controls the sound level but also is used to mute calls (a unique feature), toggle calls between the headset and the phone, and redial the last number. On the other hand, the control button is used to accept and end calls and for voice dialing. You're supposed to be able to reject calls by pressing the button for a few seconds, but we were never able to do it correctly. Instead, we ended up disconnecting the pairing to the phone. We found that using the controls while wearing the headset was a mixed bag. The volume rocker was easy to find, but we had trouble locating the control button. Also, we had to steady the headset with our other hand since you have to press the button quite hard.
We tested the Flamingo with the Sony Ericsson S710a. Pairing the two devices was an easy process, as there is a tiny status LED to help you along. The Flamingo's audio quality was acceptable. We enjoyed clear conversation on our end, and the voices sounded natural. Volume was low at times, especially in windy situations, but it was nothing we couldn't live with. Callers said they could hear us fine, but our voice sounded somewhat robotic.
The Flamingo has a rated talk time of 8 hours and a promised standby time of 7.5 days, both of which we matched. It should be noted that the headset requires the use of a small charging base.
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