What's oval, the world's smallest of its kind and uses Bluetooth? Nextlink's Bluespoon headset - put under the microscope (and in his ear) by Jørgen Sundgot in this review.
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While Bluetooth headsets were until quite recently not only rare but also expensive, a silent revolution is ongoing - transforming such accessories from show-off gadgets for the rich and geeky to useful tools for the masses. Nextlink's Bluespoon headset stands out in its own right, as it is the world's smallest of its kind - but let's take a look at the total picture.
 | The major advantages of Nextlink's Bluespoon are its size and weight
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As the first headset from the manufacturer, Nextlink's Bluespoon is quite impressive when compared with the size of other and more well known Bluetooth headsets. Its tiny size makes it difficult to even spot when worn, as there are no protruding artifacts - only an extremely short boom. Small is also a factor reflected in terms of weight: it only weighs 10 g - or approximately one third of Sony Ericsson, Motorola and others' offerings.
The advantages of its small size are made evident when attaching the headset to ones right ear - the only one in which it will fit, an obvious drawback - as it is absolutely impossible to make it fall out even if you were the most hardcore AC/DC fan on the face of the planet. To attach to the ear, the headset relies on a plastic spring feather which fits in below one of the canals in the user's ear. The headset must be inserted in a particular position first, then turned approximately 60 degrees counter-clockwise to lock into place. It takes some time figuring out just how to do this, but after a bit of practice it's done in a couple of seconds at most. Also, a selection of spring feathers of various length and hardness accompany the headset to let the wearer select the one that feels the most comfortable to him or her.
Pairing the Bluespoon with another Bluetooth device obviously has to be carried out prior to wearing it, and is a simple process. A fixed, easy to remember PIN code is embedded in the headset, so users need only a bare minimum of key presses to initiate and complete the pairing process. The simple PIN code is also a boon for users with multiple handsets, or for those otherwise in need of connecting to new devices on a regular basis.
Two multi-function buttons located on each side of the headset's front part are responsible for a number of functions, such as switching on and off the headset, initiating pairing, increasing and decreasing volume and placing calls with voice activation. The tactile feedback of these buttons could be better, but is satisfactory as it is. Two very visible and bright LEDs, one red and one blue, display several combinations to indicate whether the headset is active, the user is in a call or whether battery is low. Also, a number of different audio cues give feedback to the user on different actions - all thoroughly explained in the otherwise simple and excellent manual.
When it comes to actually using the headset, the Bluespoon in our tests offered medium performance. Audio quality is good at short ranges, but deteriorates rapidly to the unrecognizeable at a relatively short range of 5 meters even with a direct line of sight, only half of what it should theoretically be capable of. Talk time is however in the range of what Nextlink lists, ranging from 3.5 to 5 hours, and standby time seems to be almost on par on Nextlink's 200 hours - we squeezed 190 from it.
The Bluespoon also comes with a charging cradle, which unfortunately is one of the major drawbacks of the total package. Although small, which is an advantage, it is somewhat flimsy and appears to be very easy to break as a catch wing made of relatively thin plastic is required to keep the headset in a charging position. When used in an ordinary office setting, this shouldn't be much of a problem, but we imagine road warriors could quickly find themselves with a major problem on their hands.
Availability
The Bluespoon is available in three different editions: Standard, Panther and Special Edition - all of which retail at 270 EUR.
Conclusion
As a result of its poor range, the Bluespoon is a headset well suited for users who either carry their mobile phone on them, or have it in their immediate vicinity such as in their briefcase or in the backseat of a car. Its small size and low weight makes it ideal for those wanting to keep a more discrete profile, while talk and standby times are fully on par with competing headsets - often double the size of the Bluespoon, or more. It is, however, at 270 EUR double the price of most of its competitors, which is the price paid for achieving such a small size.
- What's positive: Small; light; excellent fix
- What's negative: Poor range; pricey
Overall: 
Price and availability
The will start selling for TBA () in December 1969.
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