Jabra BT500 Review

Introduction:

Jabra are a well-known manufacturer of mobile phones accessories, mainly handsfree headphones, using the Bluetooth technology, so that they can be wirelessly connected to your phone. We have been their fans for a while, since models like BT250 and BT800 were first launched and proved to be among the best in their respective classes. We were particularly fond of BT250 due to their interesting design, the convenience of carrying them and using them and the decent sound. Therefore we are very happy to test their successor, BT500.

The set is rather good, including a headset, charger and an additional cable for charging from a computer, the standard user manuals and 4 minigels (2 small and 2 standard).

Design:

Jabra BT500 is a comparatively big headset, but it’s designed so that it is hidden behind your ear and what is seen of it is definitely not huge. Most headsets cover the ear itself and their boom mikes points to the mouth, which creates the illusion of a bigger device. BT500 does not have this problem. It weighs 19 grams (0.67 oz), which is slightly above the average, but since the weight is evenly distributed, the headset is not felt as heavy; it is actually hardly felt at all.



A few colors are used for its make, the main one being metallic gray. What puts us off is the back, which is made of yellow-brown rubber. There
are three buttons located on it: The upper two buttons, for + and – sound level, are prominent and their relief is felt. Under them is the pairing button. All three buttons are comparatively easy to feel, but they give no press-indication at all: they neither sink nor click. Immediately under the rubber is the port for the charger/cable and a little under it is the calling key, which is rather small and inconvenient. The good thing is its position, being just after the curve and therefore easy to find.

At the end of the front there is an opening for the microphone. It is located on the shiny surface and is pointing forward towards your mouth.
BT500 can be used just as easily for the left, as well as for the right ear. You simply have to turn the mingel in order to change the orientation. It is installed in the same manner on either ear and can be worn even if you have glasses on. You should keep in mind that if the frame of the glasses is wider at the end (around the ear), you might have to take them off before you put on the headset.



Unlike most other headsets, BT500 is equipped with two signaling LEDs: a blue one and a red/green one. The first one is located on the upper part of the rubber and it is on in a standby mode and the second one is in its lower part and signals charging.