eric rochow : social media handyman

I’ve been thinking about getting a bluetooth earpiece headset for hands free calling from my Treo. It would be handy to be able to actually look at my Treo for dates and info while on the phone. I”ve been doing an informal survey of users, mainly black car drivers here in NY. (Black cars are also known as livery cars)

Motorola is popular, but I can’t get past the Star Trek look of the things. It just reminds me of Lt. Uhura, or one of those people who wear their Star Trek memorabilia outside permitted areas (read: hotel convention halls) Ends up I’m not the only one who thinks this:

Not everybody likes Bluetooth headsets. One contributor to the tech-focused Web site Slashdot expressed it memorably: ”Of all the things to come to pass from the original ‘Star Trek,’ I never in my wildest dreams figured we’d all look like Lt. Uhura with these things hanging out of our ears,” this person wrote, advising headset users that ”you look stupid” and that ”overly public calls shall be considered an invitation to slap you upside the head.” The New York Times, THE WAY WE LIVE NOW: 7-16-06: CONSUMED; Headgear By ROB WALKER July 16, 2006

The bluetooth headset has been embraced by the pocket protector crowd, but has yet to become an item among the youngsters everyone covets as consumers:

Here’s how new tech innovations are supposed to spread: First, clever young people adopt them, because that’s what clever young people are hard-wired to do. Later, everybody else catches on, and eventually even the middle-aged golf-course guy gets it. Think of text messaging or MP3 players. Now think of Bluetooth-enabled wireless-phone headsets. They sound pretty techie, and according to a recent report by Strategy Analytics, a research-and-consulting firm, sales of Bluetooth headsets nearly tripled in 2005, to 33 million units around the world. But this time the pattern looks a little different: Golf Course Guy has led the way.

My dentist is also a technology geek (probably more information than you need to know) and when I brought up bluetooth headsets, we had conversation (albeit one-sided) for most of my visit. He cited the how its difficult to tell on some units whether the headset is on or off.

Designers have rethought the computer grey of most headsets and are now rollilng out color models with different ’skins’ (decorative colors)

Scott Martin, who oversees global marketing of these devices for Motorola, acknowledges that there has been a certain resistance among some consumers that’s attributable to this ”Star Trek” issue. But as sales figures suggest, that is fading. Part of this is a simple matter of acclimation: the more we see them, the less strange they look — like the Hummer, Martin suggests. Part of it is that Motorola (which Strategy Analytics says has the largest market share in the category) and other headset makers have slowly adjusted their designs. Recent Motorola models like the H500 — priced at about $69, it’s the firm’s top seller — come in a variety of materials and colors, including pink and magenta.

I like that line: “the more you see them the less strange they look” I’m leaning toward the Motorola, we’ll see how often I leave it in my ear outside of the car or convention halls.