Bluetooth headsets 101 from NYT

The New York Times’ tech section did a drive-by on Bluetooth headphones the other day, writing about the various hands-free options for drivers.

Among the Bluetooth headset units mentioned as offering improved audio quality were the the BlueAnt Q1 ($130), the Aliph Jawbone Prime ($130), the Jabra BT530 ($80) and the Sound ID 300 ($120). (List prices, often discounted.)

Author Roy Furchgott surveys the market like so:

If the proliferation of people randomly bursting into monologues on city streets is any indication, many people prefer hands-free communication even when they’re on foot. Some of that growth is linked to legislation, some to lower prices, but another factor is the evolution of hands-free technology that has yielded better sound quality and stronger privacy measures.

The piece also covers speakerphone accessories, or “car kits.” Motorola’s MOTOROKR T505 and the T305 get the name check.

Another option is to buy a cheap wired headset and wait until the end of the year, when the new generation of Bluetooth headsets will be hitting the shelves. That, in turn, might provide some cost cuts in current models.