Sound ID is releasing a new Bluetooth headset, the 510, but what really makes this stand out is that it will also have an iPhone app.
The app is called EarPrint and it expands the capabilities of your headset. You’ll be able to personalize the headset’s audio levels, use the “Find Me” feature to make it start blinking, as well as have it amplify the surrounding sounds from the environment to essentially help you spy on those around you. The app is more of a cool value-add than truly useful but it will also be coming to Android and BlackBerry in the near future.
I’ve been using the 510 for about a week now and I’m really liking it. It’s stylish without being too garish, and it fits extremely well in the ear. The company used to specialize in medical hearing equipment, so the sound quality is excellent for most of the calls I’ve made. The company told me that other Bluetooth companies just try and amplify sounds as a way to make things sound “better,” but Sound ID is more focused on making what you can hear more audible.
The 510 easily paired with an EVO 4G, iPhone 3GS and a Palm Pre Plus and you can control the volume of the call by using the touch-sensitive strip on the headset. Calls sounded extremely clear whether I was in motion or not and those on the other end didn’t hear any static or distortion. The headset will be available in AT&T stores and from Sound ID’s website for about $130. I hesitate to recommend a Bluetooth headset that costs that much but this one is worth every penny, particularly if you use your phone for business calls.
Sound ID isn’t the only company to dive into the app space with Bluetooth headsets, as BlueAnt also has a program for Android that also offers text-to-speech.
