Jealous of all those with wireless headsets, but have a hatred for Bluetooth? Try 'cord free' instead. Anthony Newman sees if magnetic headsets indeed prove attractive.
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Bluetooth headsets have increased in popularity immensely over the last year or so, in part due to improved performance from the headsets and wider availability of Bluetooth phones, and partly thanks to the increasing proliferance of legislation prohibiting mobile phone use whilst driving. But in foneGEAR's eyes, there's a market out there of phone users without Bluetooth, who still want to have a wire-free headset.
 | Despite pitching ease of use, foneGEAR's Cord Free headset is all but easy on users
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Citing the configuration difficulties, poor signal and poor battery life of Bluetooth headsets, foneGEAR bring forth the Cord Free. Rather than Bluetooth, Cord Free uses near-field magnetic communication, uncommon enough to be considered proprietary. Upsides include no interference and encryption for security, but on the other hand no phones currently come with this technology built in.
Consequently, an adaptor about the size of a Siemens SL55 (feel free to balk at any time) is required, connecting by means of a standard 2.5 mm handsfree kit port to ones phone. This functions not only to handle the signal, but is also the charging station and dock for the headset.
Fortunately, you don't have to worry about charging the headset, or pairing it, because it works automatically when removed from its charging cradle - and the AA battery gives 25 hours or 3 months of standby time. The downside is that the headset has no 'off' switch, so whenever it's removed from the cradle it's active. As such, you have to be very scrupulous about docking it after every call, over which we prefer the 'hassle' of Bluetooth any day.
The headset itself is a standard boom affair, with a rotating rubber ear-clip for either ear. It's not an especially close fit, but light and comfortable.
There's a single volume button, which cycles through four levels and can be double-tapped to engage a special loud mode - fair enough. There's also a second button, which depending on the phone to which it's connected does nothing at all, dials, answers or something else. This limits the headset's independence: most users will still have to rely on the phone to contact people.
When in contact, the performance of the Cord Free is briefly put mediocre. Even at fairly close ranges to the transmitter we found drop-outs in signal, clicks, pops and whines. Performance is about on a par with a decent Bluetooth headset, but the range is a maximum of 2 metres, whether through air or human flesh. Unlike a Bluetooth headset, the user can wander in and out of range without dropping the call - only the sound will disappear temporarily.
The Cord Free does have some versatile uses. Because it's basically a wire to wireless converter at a hardware level, it can be used on any device without Bluetooth: even stereos or TVs, or as a microphone. However, the input and output are of such low quality that it would be silly to try listening to music, for example.
Availability
The foneGEAR Cord Free is available now in a range of markets for a recommended price of $59 USD. Two Nokia adaptors are provided in the box; the headset is compatible with 2.5 mm sockets by default, with adaptors for other brands available for purchase from foneGEAR.
Conclusion
Ultimately, we wouldn't recommend the Cord Free. The idea of a wireless headset that doesn't need Bluetooth is great, but because it needs a special 'brick on a wire' to function, one really might as well save fifty bucks and use a normal headset. What's more, the sound quality, functionality and size lag behind the latest Bluetooth headsets, and the proliferation of Bluetooth-enabled phones are eating away at the potential market of Cord Free daily. In fact, aside from being cheap, the only area where it really shines is in battery life, and that's only because it cheats and brings an AA to the party.
- What's positive: Great battery life; secure; decent-quality signal
- What's negative: Hardly true wireless; desperately inconvenient
Overall: 
Price and availability
The will start selling for TBA () in December 1969.
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