Gadget review: Bluetooth headset is slim, easy to use

(CNET) -- Now that stereo Bluetooth has become a common feature in a lot of music phones, it's no surprise that stereo Bluetooth headsets have become quite popular as well.

Stereo Bluetooth headsets come in many shapes and sizes, from the behind-the-ear style of the Motorola Rokr S9 to the over-the-head style of the Jabra BT8030.

The Jabra BT3030 is in the style of a pendant, or as its design suggests, more of a dog tag.

It's been available for a while now, but we think it's still worth it. The Jabra BT3030 can be purchased for around $39.99. Of course like any stereo Bluetooth headset, the Jabra BT3030 requires a cell phone with the A2DP or stereo Bluetooth profile.

The Jabra BT3030 consists primarily of a small remote control unit housed in a dog-tag style pendant. Measuring 2.1-inches long by 1.6-inch wide by 0.38-inch thick, the pendant is slim and compact with a metal finish and a rubberized border all around it.

All of the controls are laid out right on the front face in a straightforward grid. They are the Play/Pause key, the track shuffle keys, the volume controls, plus the multifunction Call key. The keys are all made of rubber, and are raised above the surface for a nice tactile feel.

The 3.5mm headset jack is on the right spine, while the charger jack is on the bottom. On the top is an opening for an optional lanyard. Also on the top is a tiny microphone.

Getting the headset set up is pretty simple. Just power it on via the multifunction Call button, and turn on the Bluetooth pairing mode on your cell phone. We managed to pair the Jabra BT3030 with the LG Chocolate 3 without a problem. From there, we could play/pause tracks, skip songs, and adjust the volume, all from the Jabra BT3030.

The Jabra BT3030 comes with nice pair of ear buds that sit comfortably in the ear, but since it has a 3.5mm headset jack, you can use any headphones of your choosing.

Aside from using the Jabra BT3030 for music, you can also use the it to make calls via the last number redial or voice command. When there's an incoming call during music playback, the music will pause and you will hear a ringing tone. You can then hit the Call button to answer the call. After you hang up, the music will resume from the paused point.

Other features include call-waiting support, the ability to reject calls, plus the ability to transfer calls from the headset to the phone, and vice versa.

Sound quality was quite good, and comparable to most MP3 players on the market. The bass was a little weak, but the overall quality was decent.

Call quality was mixed. While we heard our callers just fine, we did have to bring the pendant close to our mouths for callers to hear us. They reported a little bit of static and echo from us as well. This seemed to vary from caller to caller, however, so we urge you to give it a trial run before you settle for it.

The Jabra BT3030 also comes with an optional clothing clip accessory, plus an AC adapter. It has a rated battery life of 8 hours talk time, 7 hours music streaming, and 9.58 days standby time.

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