bluetooth

If something like "Budclicks" can be marketed to tart up earbuds, then certainly a similar concept can be valid for mobile headsets. That seems to be the working assumption held by Sony Ericsson, which is offering swappable fashion face plates for its HBH-PV712 Bluetooth headset. Chip Chick says the three colors--red, black, and purple--can be interchanged according to "match the outfit of your choice that day." Given our own shopping habits, we'll have to take their word for it.

CTIA has come and gone and as we rest our tired feet we look back at the cell phone brouhaha that was. Though the show wasn't quite as exciting as the GSMA World Congress, it still produced plenty of snazzy cell phones to behold. And to help you take it all in, we've compiled the top show news into one convenient blog. Also, check out our CTIA show floor slide show.

Samsung had a very good show. Its new Instinct for Sprint won our award for the best cell phone in Las Vegas. The iPhone competitor features a … Read more

Motorola broke a few molds when it announced the Smart Rider at CTIA this week. Smart Rider is a cross between a phone and a portable GPS device, using a 2.8-inch high-resolution screen for map display and turn-by-turn directions. It also has voice command and Bluetooth hands-free calling features. Although the news release is a little short on details, it seems to say that you can pair your phone with the Smart Rider, and transfer contact information. However, Smart Rider also has its own GSM connection, so presumably it would have its own phone number, and its cellular connection … Read more

Crossover vehicles are all the rage. There is nary a midsize sedan on the market that isn't in line to be redesigned as a small wagon or SUV loaded with family-friendly options and sold as a minivan substitute. Into this fray comes the 2009 Dodge Journey R/T AWD, riding on a stretched Avenger platform and squeezing a third row of seats into the bargain.

So how does Chrysler, inventor and ongoing proponent of the minivan, fare in its effort to de-minivan the minivan? A lot about the Journey is good, especially the available interior electronics. It's available … Read more

The Sony NWZ-A820 series Walkman has arrived, and it's a stunner. As a follow-up to our beloved NWZ-A810, the A820includes a larger screen, brilliant EX-style earphones, a detachable kickstand, and best of all--wireless Bluetooth audio.

As we reported back in February, the NWZ-A820 comes in both 8GB and 16GB capacities, priced at $270 and $320, respectively. If you don't care about Bluetooth, an identical-looking version of the player (the NWZ-A720) can be snatched at a discount.

We'll have our in-depth review of the NWZ-A820 Walkman up later this week. In the meantime, check out our Crave photo gallery. … Read more

Motorola introduced the Motorola H690 Bluetooth headset today, which is a successor to the Motorola H680 from last year. It looks almost the same design-wise, but the H690 boasts noise-reduction technology that was absent from the H680. It has dual microphones and echo cancellation, which promises better audio performance. The H690 also comes with "TrueComfort" ear buds for better comfort, as well as the usual headset features like voice dialing and a battery status indicator. The rated talk time is 5.5 hours and standby time is up to eight days. The H690 is expected to debut in … Read more

Cheap things come to those who wait. Samsung's T10 media player sold for around $170 when it debuted just a couple months ago, but now you can snap one up from Amazon for just $96 shipped.

At first blush, this 4GB flash player might look like little more than an iPod nano knockoff--and in many respects it is. But unlike Apple's player, the T10 includes an FM tuner (and recorder, a feature I doubt anyone ever uses), support for the Rhapsody subscription service, and an RSS feed reader. It plays videos, too.

But the real nano-killing feature is … Read more

Bluetooth headsets are a dime a dozen these days (or at least $4.99), and it's getting more difficult to separate from the pack all the time. Even the once-vaunted Jawbone, for instance, has resorted to some trash talking.

But here's one that's sure to draw some attention, as long as would-be admirers can see the logo: The Lamborghini "Bello." Bearing the famous bull emblem, the headset was designed by none other than a son of the legendary auto house's founder, according to PhoneArena. It weighs just 9 grams and claims 6 hours of … Read more

If you're still walking around with your cell phone glued to your ear, here's your chance to walk around looking like you're talking to yourself instead. Office Depot has the Motorola H350 Bluetooth headset for $4.99 (plus shipping) after a $35 mail-in rebate.

This isn't a top-of-the-line headset--user reviews on CNET and Amazon seem to peg it as only a hair above average--but did I mention the $4.99 price tag? Curiously, the Office Depot product listing describes an entirely different headset and doesn't include a link to the rebate form (a PDF, … Read more