New Alternative to Over-ear Bluetooth Headset

If you cannot count yourself among the crowd who feel powerful and sexy with a giant Bluetooth headset clipped to their ear, you may be in for a treat. Tritton Technologies last week announced their new high-performance Bluetooth stereo headset, the AX BlueStream ($79.99). It enables you to wirelessly control your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone’s functions, including MP3-related features, but instead of perching like a high-tech robo-canary on your ear, its body clips to your shirt lapel iPod-shuffle-style and then two ear buds bring music (and calls) to your ears.

Unfortunately, the AX BlueStream’s shiny black body is a bit conspicuous against light-colored clothing and at two-and-a-half inches long it’s twice the size of a shuffle and also weighs twice as much. The result is that, while the ear buds may be somewhat more comfortable and can offer stereo sound, the look is more geek chic than anything else.

The AX BlueStream ships with a DC charger, USB charging cable, stereo ear buds, and a mono ear bud (to be used while driving). It can sync with Bluetooth-enabled Macs or PCs, and can be used to make Skype or other VoIP-based calls. The mini-USB port allows for firmware updates. 

Naomi Graychase is Managing Editor at Wi-FiPlanet and UWBPlanet.