russian

Phone Search:

RSS

Samsung Galaxy Note. First Look

Today, large companies, especially corporate giants like Samsung, do not surprise users with extraordinary products...

First look. Sony ST21i Tapioca Microsoft Windows Phone 7: Reasons for Failure First Look at Samsung Galaxy S3 as a 2012 Flagship

Reviews Editorials

Mobile Phones Editorials MP3 Forum

Review of Samsung HM1100 Bluetooth Headset

In the box:

Headset
Power unit
Headband
Tips
User Guide

This entry level Samsung product caters for users looking for a simple headset to be used in a car or office. I am dreaming that one day Samsung will launch a $10 headset in the simplest of packages with the most austere accessories kit. It is not difficult to manage, but it can derail the sales of more expensive models, that is why the company has different plans. I saw one interesting stereo headset and the mono one with metal in the body and impressive speech reproduction. I liked the model a lot and would be happy to own it myself. It is good to have many features and latest profiles, but the better speech reproduction is ensured only by a microphone located closer to the mouth. I will describe it later on, but now it is time for HM1100.

Design and Build

The package is typical of Samsung: tiny box with the minimum number of basic elements inside. Once again I will underline that it is wise to add a simple charger, because in the days of overwhelming standardization an extra power unit with microUSB comes handy. The headset is small and is finished in black textured plastic. At the back you can see the capped charger jack and the company's logo is almost invisible. The design is utilitarian and does not attract attention. It seems that engineers wanted to create a very simple model and succeeded in the feat. At the front there is a microphone hole. The podium is ordinary without any polished surfaces. The build is good and you cannot hear any squeaking here. HM1100 weighs around 10 g.

Operation

The headset can be used with or without the headband. In the box you can find one more tip. The headband is made of transparent plastic and is barely felt due to its light weight. I liked to use the gadget without the headband as it was pretty convenient. HM1100 is conspicuous in the ear, so you cannot hide it.

Controls

Despite its entry level nature the headset boasts a separate on/off button at the top, which allows transferring the gadget to the standby mode and save the battery power this way. On the bottom there are two volume controls buttons and the long multifunctional key at the front. All buttons are easy to press. They yield a click to ensure the proper control. The multifunctional key helps you to answer or end the call, disable the microphone and start the pairing mode. A tiny light indicator can be hardly seen.

Operation time

The manufacturer claims up to 8 hours of talktime and 400 hours on standby. It is quite an achievement and Samsung is trying to boost the energy efficiency of its wireless accessories. We can only welcome such a move! In real life the headset can work for around one week if you spend no more than one hour a day using it and do not forget to switch it off.

Phone Connection and Sound Quality

During the initial connection the headset goes into the pairing mode automatically. The connection is fast and reliable. I tested HM1100 together with iPhone 4 and Samsung Galaxy S II. You cannot connect it to a couple of phones at a time and the operation range is around 5 meters. On the other hand this model has a noise suppression system based on two microphones, which is not that widely spread among budget models. Speech reproduction in noisy environment is much improved. I tested Samsung HM1100 in the car. If you are stuck in the traffic jam your interlocutors will not even think that you are using a headset, which is a serious advantage. It is cool to use in the office, but I have not tried it outside due to my rule of not using headsets in the streets. There are too many robots there anyway. This model comes with Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, which is probably the only Samsung accessory this year offered with the old profile.

Conclusions

It is not clear how much the headset will cost, but it cannot be more than $35. The looks are simple, it has a dedicated on/off button, is convenient to use, boasts an impressive operation time and two microphones. On top of that you have a standard charger in the box. If you do not want to buy premium prices or just need a simple gadget for car use give HM1100 a look.

Do you want to talk about this? Please, go to our Forum and let your opinion to be known to the author and everybody else.

Sergei Kuzmin ([email protected])
Twitter Livejournal
Translated by Maxim Antonenko ([email protected])