Digital Home Thoughts: FREETALK Stereo Wireless Headset: Bluetooth That Works

As a rule, I tend to find that Bluetooth sucks. Not the technology itself, but the implementation of the drivers and software. Configuration tends to be much harder than it should be, and I always find myself fighting to get even the simplest Bluetooth functionality set up. Not so with the FREETALK Stereo Wireless Headset - it just works. I was given this headset at CES in January 2008, and frankly I didn't think I'd use it. I've been using a wired Plantronics headset for over six years now, and the audio quality is superb. I figured I'd give this FREETALK headset a try, and I'm glad I did - I was amazed that I could just plug it in and it worked. The first time I connected it to my Windows Vista-based desktop, I had to go into the sound settings and tell the system to use the FREETALK to record and play back audio on, but on subsequent connections this setup is remembered.

Beyond the connect-and-go setup, the quality of sending and receiving audio is excellent - I use it in an MMORPG that I play once a week, and the other guys I play it with all have assorted headphone problems: one Bluetooth headset continually assaults us with bursts of static, another microphone is extremely hissy/noisy, and another one is hyper-sensitive, broadcasting everything too loudly (despite being turned down). The FREETALK just works, and even after five hours of gaming I haven't run into any problems with the battery lasting. It recharges using a proprietary connection, linked to the base station which itself is powered over USB. This means the headset recharges over USB - I recharge the FREETALK headset between gaming sessions and the charge doesn't dissipate.

The headset sells for $79.99 USD, which is a bit more than your average good-quality USB headset, but the FREETALK is definitely worth the investment. Great quality audio, hassle-free no-install setup on both Windows and OS X, and long-lasting battery life. What more could you ask for? I highly recommend this product to anyone that wants a wireless headset for PC audio.

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys mobile devices, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog.