Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007 • 10:52 a.m • Wedding central (my couch)

No, folks, I'm not kicking it old school today.

Yesterday, I decided that I needed the bluetooth headset for the iPhone. Earlier, I had decided that either it cost a little much or that I wouldn't really use it. But after becoming a famous iPhone blogger and realizing how much I use the phone each day, it seemed logical.

But it really has nothing to do with me not wanting to take the phone out of my pocket, it's the volume on the phone. Even with the latest update, it's just too low. My hearing has never been great, but I'm not the only one complaining. I went to the Apple Store yesterday while running wedding-related errands and talked to a genius who told me that the bluetooth headset is significantly louder than the phone itself.

So I hopped on board.

First impressions
This thing comes in a "large" box for how small it is. But it's Apple and unpacking is part of the excitement of buying it.

And it's a pretty decent deal. For $129, you get more than a tiny headset. You get that plus a dual dock which charges the phone and the headset at the same time. And you get a travel charger that does the same thing. It would be nice if Apple sold the headset separately ... you can buy the dock and the travel charger separately if you wish.

When you open the box, the headset is right there on top. Did I mention it's ridiculously small?

And it's soooooo easy to pair. Plug in the new dock, put the phone in it and then the headset. Bluetooth turns on, everyone pairs and then they charge. 2 second process that requires no work. And, now, on the iPhone home charging screen, you see a headset with the same green charger. It's very cool.

On second thought
So far, I have few complaints. I've heard a lot about static problems. I'm still testing, so I'm not ready to declare this thing a success, but what's missing is what's not on the dock. On the dock that comes with the phone, there's the power piece to plug into an outlet. On this new dual dock, it must be plugged into the USB 2.0 port on your computer - no AC power.

The reason I really mind that is because I have a laptop that I keep in various places. If I had a desktop, this solultion would be ideal, but it's not ideal for everyone, Apple. Right now, I'm using the travel charger because my charging area is near a plug.

Third time's the charm
At first, I couldn't get the headset to work for a call, but I think I was just pushing the button weird. The piece with the button, which is on the top, is angled. Actually, you can't see the button. And there's just one small light at the top - amber or green depending on what it's doing. It's simple and elegant, as it should be for $129. I'm not sure how this is going to look on my ear as I walk around, but I know it will look better than the big huge silver ones that glow blue.

And this just in to my brain ... if you answer the call by pressing the button at the top of the headset, the call is routed via bluetooth. Now let's say you have the headset ready but instead use the slider on the phone -- you just took the call on the phone. That's actually good. Not sure about BlackBerrys, but with a Treo, it was one or the other based on whatever setting you chose. So if for some reason your headset was in the other room and you answered the phone in front of you, you'd have to find the headset before you could talk to the person. I never had a Treo, but that's how it is. And that's gotta be annoying.

So now I'm going to make some calls and see how it works. So I'll update this posting either way and let you know. So far, though, I applaud Apple once again for creating something simple and minimal that just works. The way it should be.

Thanks for calling.

**UPDATE**: Geek factor on a scale of 1-10 (1 being this headset transforming me into a total stud and 10 transforming me back to 7th grade) I'd say this is a 4. I'm about as studly as I was yesterday.

**UPDATE2**: And, while I've lost the connection a few times (mostly when the phone is inside my protective sleeve), the volume is good and it works pretty well if the phone is in my pocket.

**UPDATE3**: It's not the most uncomfortable thing I've ever put in my ear, but it doesn't exactly feel good. I think all headsets and headphones should be made with a super-soft cloth-like piece that soothes the ear after extensive wear. But that's just me.