Vaguely resembling a silver snow pea, Plantronics' latest Bluetooth headset is a sleek, compact unit that gives off a futuristic vibe. But it takes a bit of fiddling to get the reversible ear loops just right, and even then we found it tough to maintain a secure fit.
On the plus side, it was a snap connecting the device to our test phone, the Siemens S56. Click and hold the headset's Talk button for two seconds to prepare it for a connection, select Connections from your phone's menu, then go to the Bluetooth setting. After we selected the Search For Device option, our phone recognized the M3000 in a couple of seconds. Once we entered the password, we were ready to go.
To transfer calls to the device, click the Talk button on the front of the headset. The volume controls and the power/mute button rest on the side of the device. If your phone supports it, you can use the headset for voice dialing--a true hands-free experience. The device also allows you to redial the last number through the headset simply by double-clicking the Talk button while in standby mode.
Callers couldn't tell we were using a cell phone, let alone speaking through a headset. Audio quality on our end was clear, but it didn't get terribly loud, so it would be tough to hear a call when using this device outdoors. We did, however, meet the 30-foot range of use.
We managed to squeeze out 5.5 hours of talk time, which is nowhere near the 8 hours Plantronics claims but isn't bad either. The company rates the standby battery time at 200 hours.
On the plus side, it was a snap connecting the device to our test phone, the Siemens S56. Click and hold the headset's Talk button for two seconds to prepare it for a connection, select Connections from your phone's menu, then go to the Bluetooth setting. After we selected the Search For Device option, our phone recognized the M3000 in a couple of seconds. Once we entered the password, we were ready to go.
To transfer calls to the device, click the Talk button on the front of the headset. The volume controls and the power/mute button rest on the side of the device. If your phone supports it, you can use the headset for voice dialing--a true hands-free experience. The device also allows you to redial the last number through the headset simply by double-clicking the Talk button while in standby mode.
Callers couldn't tell we were using a cell phone, let alone speaking through a headset. Audio quality on our end was clear, but it didn't get terribly loud, so it would be tough to hear a call when using this device outdoors. We did, however, meet the 30-foot range of use.
We managed to squeeze out 5.5 hours of talk time, which is nowhere near the 8 hours Plantronics claims but isn't bad either. The company rates the standby battery time at 200 hours.
