We don't usually think of Nokia when it comes to Bluetooth headsets, as the company is better known for its phones rather than its accessories. But this year at CES, the Finnish company came out with several new Bluetooth headsets, one of which caught our eye immediately as one of the cutest we've ever seen. The BH-800 comes in both Coffee Black and Silver White and retails for a hefty $180, although you can get it for as low as $110 with online discounts.
The Nokia BH-800 is a tiny little headset that looks like a piece of candy, measuring only 1.6 by 0.7 by 0.35 inches and weighing an airy 0.3 ounce. Because it's so tiny, it's inconspicuous when worn, a far cry from most other Bluetooth headsets, such as the Jabra BT500, for example. We liked the simple rectangular design with its stylish minimalism. The BH-800 has a square multifunction button on the front, the power button on top, the volume rocker on the left spine, and the charger jack on the right. While the multifunction button was easy enough to press, we thought the power button was a little small, especially for larger hands. We also found the volume rocker a little difficult to maneuver while the headset is worn on the ear.
On the back of the device is the earpiece and a slot for an optional ear loop. The earpiece fit snugly in our ear, and though we didn't need the ear loop, we liked having it for added security. The ear loop is changeable to accommodate both right and left ears. The BH-800 also comes with a metal neck strap, which you can hook the headset on so that it almost looks like a fashion accessory. But as handy as it sounds, the headset does not fit securely on the neck strap, and you may lose it if you wear it this way.
We tested the Nokia BH-800 with the Sidekick 3 and the LG VX8100 and were able to pair the headset with the phones without any problems. Call quality was great on both ends, though callers did report that we sounded a little faded when in noisier environments. You can answer and end calls, reject calls, redial, switch calls between the headset and the phone, and voice dial, all with the BH-800. The Nokia BH-800 has a rated talk time of six hours and a rated standby time of seven days.
