The follow-up to one of the most-acclaimed Bluetooth headsets of 2003 is here; Jørgen Sundgot finds Jabra's new FreeSpeak 250 to improve on its predecessor.
When the Jabra FreeSpeak 250 was first launched, our initial impression was one of much pondering since at first glance it did not appear to have changed much from its predecessor, the Jabra BT200 - or Jabra FreeSpeak, as the North American version was called. As we all know, however, looks can be deceiving, which is certainly the case with the FreeSpeak 250 as it boasts improvements in several important areas, despite sharing the exact physical measurements of its predecessor.
 | Instead of shrinking size, Jabra decided to boost features in the new FreeSpeak 250
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Weighing in at 23 grams, the FreeSpeak 250 is suitably light, although quite sizeable. However, due to its stylish and somewhat understated behind-the-ear design, the headset is less noticeable than one might think, and its new, darker colour scheme is an improvement over that of the BT200. Two other benefits carried on in the FreeSpeak 250 include excellent ergonomics, as it can be worn for several hours without particular discomfort, and the forward boom which we suspect contributes to the excellent microphone sensitivity.
The process of pairing the headset with a compatible device is simple and straightforward, and the remainder of its user interface is similarly intuitive. The placement, size and tactile feedback of buttons is virtually perfect and avoids placing strain on both the hand and ear when handled.
Further bolstering a positive impression, the FreeSpeak uses Jabra's patented MiniGel earplug, constructed from a soft, gel-like material. This channels sound into the ear canal whilst at the same time blocking background noise, simultaneously contributing to the high level of comfort and enhancing the overall quality of a conversation. Another, indirect benefit of the EarGel is that it is the only part requiring modification when switching between the left and right ear configurations of the headset: a quick, 180 degree rotation is all it takes - and two spare plugs are included in the package.
As with other recent Bluetooth headsets, the FreeSpeak 250 fortunately supports not only the common Bluetooth Headset profile, but also the more rarely implemented Handsfree profile, primarely used by Nokia. This yields compatibility with any current or future headset-enabled devices adhering to the Bluetooth specification, and as such secures the FreeSpeak 250 as a future investment.
During testing, the FreeSpeak 250 proved capable of reliably transmitting audio at distances of approximately 8 meters under real life conditions, which is a slight improvement over its predecessor. Unfortunately, however, the reception has not been improved whilst other headsets have come to market featuring clearer and more coherent audio at similar distances, but it's still much more than sufficient. On the brighter side, the FreeSpeak 250 now boots slightly quicker than the BT200, and is on par with most competitors.
Continuing its positive strike, the FreeSpeak 250 proved to live up to Jabra's claims of a whopping 8 hours of talk time and 240 hours of standby time: our tests showed the headset to fall only minimally short of these claims. Also, like its predecessor, it charges rapidly courtesy of the included charger station which also doubles as a belt clip.
Availability
The Jabra FreeSpeak 250 is available in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America, and sells for $99 USD.
Conclusion
The Jabra FreeSpeak 250 excels in terms of ergonomics. Its comfort is unparallelled, its transmission capabilities are very good, and battery life is virtually unmatched. Its dual Headset and Handsfree profile support renders the headset compatible with virtually anything on the market both currently and in the future, and it also maintains the extremely low price of its predecessor. In fact, its only drawback is that a size reduction would have been preferred.
- What's positive: Excellent ergonomics and comfort; dual profile support; good range
- What's negative: Would benefit from a size reduction
Overall: 
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