HP's Bluetooth Stereo Headphones arrive

HP has finally started shipping those Bluetooth Stereo Headphones we first caught a glimpse of back in September, which are compatible with their h2200, h4100, h4300, h5100, h5500, h6300, rx3000, and hx4700 series iPAQ Pocket PCs. They've even built controls into the headset itself, so you don't have to fumbling around for your Pocket PC when you want to skip a track or adjust the volume or anything, but they are serious about the headphones not working with anything except an iPAQ. A few people have reportedly tried using them with other Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PCs, to no avail.

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]

[Christopher Wanko @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Nice, good to see the old-school vertical marketers are still employed. Like I'm going to buy an HP PDA because of the headphones.

[Kamalot @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Damn. It don't even work with their bluetooth laptops?

[Buzzcut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Does that mean that they won't work with a iPaq 5450 either?

[Nathan Ziarek @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Too bad, cause that would be wicked cool with my PowerBook here at work. I am guessing that, given bluetooth's bandwidth, there are some specialty drivers to compress the music before being sent (and then some hardware to uncompress on the headphone? that seems like a battery drain). Or I don't know what I am talking about. Your call.

[RevAaron @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

what is the sound quality like in something like this? With BT providing a relatively low data rate, I've always thought that BT headsets or headphones would provide less than perfect audio for music. I'm far from an audiophile, though low-bitrate MP3s can drive me nuts.

[Blueteething @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

I would imagine that it would be a proprietary Bluetooth profile on the compatible HP devices that allow you to use the headphones. Has anyone looked at the drivers/software on the iPAQs? I'd bet that's where the trick is.

[John H. Armwood @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

I bought and received the HP bluetooth headset. I am a long time audiofile ( I own and have owned loads of high end gear). The sound is decent not great but they do not work as advertised. Initially on the HP Shopper website it listed the 6300 series devices as compatible with the headset. That is why I bought it. HP has deleted the 6300 series from the list. On music there is a periodic popping sound in the background. It works fairly well for my Audible audio books. There is absolutely no support for this device. The website linked in the brochure which comes with the headset has no information whatsoever about the device. The search feature returns "unknown device". HP telephone support is no better. There is no support information for this device in their data bases. This is disgraceful. I will be returning this headset next week. Beware!

[zazoupazou @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Looks like Tosh sell the same device and maybe support it better...

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/5716.html

[zazoupazou @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Maybe Logitech is behind them both....
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/about/pressroom/information/US/EN,contentid=9522

Anyway, only other blutooth options (Bluetake BT420 or Blueant) need a dongle - just like any wireless headphones, which seems to defeat the object. The HP/Toshiba seems different - if only it worked with my pocket pc

[skywriter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

i have four bad pairs of these lemons; 2 died in a week of office use, the others delivered DOA from HP directly. pass these suckers on. a waste of money.

[GridBurn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

I got my set to work with my laptop through a standard bluetooth v1.2 usb adaptor...
It was not even tough to do and it works great, even the control buttons work with media player.

[Daniel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM]

Works only with select iPAQ's and only with the addional software installed. Don't have any drivers/software for anything other than PocketPC, so Windows users will get "bluetooth device does not offer any services" ... useless junk