There was a time when I wouldn’t even consider a cell phone until Bluetooth earpieces were more available. I don’t like the idea of holding a radio-frequency-emitting device as powerful as a cell phone up to the side of my head for any length of time.
And while Bluetooth is still a radio-frequency device, it is very low power, so conceivably safer and less potentially ionizing.
That’s one of the reasons why I didn’t own a cell phone until 2003. Since that time, I’ve owned a few cell phones and not a few Bluetooth earpieces (they don’t usually last very long).
For the last two years, I’ve been using an Android smartphone which I use more as a handheld computer and less as a phone. Since the speaker and mic in most new smartphones is adequate enough, I didn’t bother to purchase another earpiece this time around.
I have used my phone more and more of late as a media consumption device. I’m a podcast junkie, I’ll admit it. Anytime I can get away with it, especially while driving, I’ve got earbuds jammed into my ears with my favorite podcast keeping me company.
Corded earbuds are a pain on the go
The only problems with the earbuds are the cord is always getting in the way, (ripped out of the jack, wrapped around the seatbelt) and unless the phone is mounted in a dash cradle, the mic is out of proximity of my mouth so when I take a call, the other party doesn’t hear me too well.
It was time to look at Bluetooth again, but this time I needed something more than a single earpiece. It’s no fun listening to stereo programs in mono.
I searched Amazon and the first product to pop up was the Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphone. It had great reviews, was less than $30, so I bought it.
I’ve been using it now for about a month, and I can honestly say, if you’re considering the purchase of a Bluetooth headset, or headphones, you must consider the Kinivo Headphones.
I didn’t charge them for the first 2 weeks of daily use
The phones came with a USB cord for charging the battery and a black velvet carry bag for storage. They fold up nice and compact and are easy and convenient to pack away.
The headphones paired easily with my Android phone (Droid X2) right out of the box. The Bluetooth connection has been practically flawless. I’ve yet to experience a hiccup or static of any kind, even when I’ve been as far as 15 feet from the phone.
The battery life is awesome. Kinivo claims an 8 hour talk-time, and up to 150 hour stand-by time. As far as I know, the battery was fully charged on delivery because I didn’t bother charging them for the first 2 weeks of daily use.
The sound quality is excellent. Granted, these aren’t Bose headphones, but unless you’re a serious audio-snob, there’s nothing wrong with the output of the Kinivo headphones. Even the bass is adequate.
The built-in mic is good. I’ve received no complaints from those I’ve talked to on the phone, and so far, no one has asked me to repeat myself. There’s no mention of it on the packaging, but I assume there must be some kind of noise cancellation technology built in because no one’s mentioned any wind noise to me even when the AC was blowing directly in my face. The headphones provide even better quality than the built-in microphone on the Droid X2 handset.
It features a behind-the-head-over-the-ear design, so I can wear it without worrying about messing up my hair.
The controls are easy to use. One button pauses and plays your music and the same button accepts and ends calls. On either side of this multi-use button are controls for volume and switching forward and backward through audio tracks.
You can’t beat the price. Only $29.95 on Amazon.
The only downsides to note: they are a bit conspicuous. The phones are bigger than ear buds obviously, and can get a little pinchy on the top of the ears after long-term use – i.e. several hours.
If you need new headphones for your smartphone, or Bluetooth equipped media player, do yourself a favor and check out the Kinivo BTH220 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones.
