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Motorola HS820

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 43 reviews
See all user reviews

Product summary

The good: Solid audio clarity; comfortable fit.

The bad: Volume sometimes low; ho-hum styling.

The bottom line: Though we weren't impressed by the Motorola HS820's style, it offers satisfactory performance for a low-range Bluetooth headset.

Specifications: Type: Microphone Built-in ; Product type: Headset ; Design: Over-the-ear ; See full specs

Price range: $55.00 check prices

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by:
Kent German
Edited by:
William O'Neal
Reviewed on: 08/26/2005

Though they have the same parents, the Motorola HS820 Bluetooth headset looks nothing like its siblings, the Motorola HS8910 and the Motorola HS850. Instead of having an oval form factor and a silver-and-blue color scheme, it's styled in silver and black and has a long, slender (2.5 inches) shape with an integrated mic. Overall, we weren't pleased with the new look. The color pattern was a bit too severe for our tastes, and we sorely missed the HS8910's and HS850's folding boom mic, which doubled as a power control. Still, the HS820 offered satisfactory performance and a comfortable fit, so if you don't mind the style, it's worth a test drive. Moreover, the $79 price tag is reasonable.

The Motorola HS820 has a traditional over-the-ear fit through a flexible ear loop that can readily be switched for either ear. The headset easily slipped on and off and was so light (0.6 ounces) that we hardly knew we were wearing it. We also appreciated that the earpiece rested against our ear rather than protruding into it.

Controls on the headset were easy to master. A large multifunction button in the center of the HS820 turns it on and off, readies it for pairing, and controls calling functions. Though it was easy to find and press while we wearing the headset, we thought the twin volume buttons on either side were too small. There's also a small blue LED light near the tip of the HS820 that indicates the headset's status; we preferred the larger light on the HS8910 and the HS850.

We tested the Motorola HS820 with the Sony Ericsson S710a, though it will work with most Bluetooth phones. We had no problem pairing the devices and quickly got up and running. Conversations were mostly clear, though volume was somewhat low at times. We experienced diminished sound quality in noisy environments, but nothing particularly bothersome. Though the headset supports voice dialing, we had to speak rather loudly to make it recognize a name. The HS820 promises 6 hours of talk time and a little more than four days of standby time. We got three days of standby time in our tests.

See more CNET content tagged:: headset,; Motorola Inc.,; Bluetooth headset

User reviews

Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 43 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 43 user reviewsSee all 43 user reviews
3.0 stars

7 out of 8 people found this review helpful

"Works very well, but a few foibles"

by adouglas on August 24, 2005

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4.5 stars

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful

"Great Headset"

by rdpetrillo on July 4, 2005

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4.0 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

"Small, easy to use, great sound quality."

by DanAllen on August 25, 2005

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See all 43 user reviews Write review

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Motorola HS820

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Where to buy

Motorola HS820: $55.00

store	price	in stock?	rating
MemorySuppliers	$55.00	No

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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

alaTest.com

Editors' rating: 80

Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 1420 reviews of Motorola HS820 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 66/100 and users 73/100. Comparing these reviews to 92672 other Headphones reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 80/100 = Very Good.
pocketnow.com

Editors' rating: 80

Summary: For $80, the Motorola HT820 headphones provide an excellent value. The input jack extends their functionality beyond Bluetooth enabled devices. They are very comfortable to wear and are well built. A booster to amplify the volume when using the ...

Read full review
wmexperts.com

Summary: The HT820 comes packaged with a soft pouch, audio cable, and charger. The headphones are the "over the back of the head" style. The earpieces are large, solidly built while the frame is lightweight. The frames flexibility makes the headphones feel a ...

Read full review
phonearena.com

Read full review
goodgearguide.com.au

Editors' rating: 70

Summary: For anyone wanting a basic set of wireless headphones these will do the job nicely.

Read full review