I’ve been playing around with Sony Ericsson’s Bluetooth HCB-120 Speakerphone for a few weeks and although it is a gorgeous little piece of kit, its call quality could really use some work. This is unfortunate, since I’ve tested at least two Sony Ericsson headsets that have performed adequately for calling.

The HCB-120 is certainly still worth a look, though, if even if it’s just for the design.

Design

I’m a Sony Ericsson fan because of the care and intuition that goes into the design of their products. The HCB-120 is no exception when we talk about pure physical appeal – which is pretty important for something you’ll have sitting on your desk or hanging from your car’s sun visor. The speakerphone can be used right side up or upside down (in car), and the screen will automatically switch to the appropriate orientation.

The top of the device is devoted to the loudspeaker. The front houses the mic, main controls, and LED screen. Finally, the sides feature the power, charging ports, and volume dial. There’s also an optional clip that you can attach to the bottom of the device to have it hang upside down in the car.

Pairing with devices is as simple as holding down the Bluetooth key and entering the passcode 0000.  At the touch of that same button you can toggle between up to five paired devices, although only one connection can be active at a time.

While idle, the screen will show the battery life as well as the name of the paired device. Just in case the name isn’t enough for you, though, you can also choose a different screen colour scheme for each phone the HCB-120 is paired with.

You can initiate calls via the call button on the front: double tap to re-dial, or press it once and to voice commands when paired with a Sony Ericsson phone. Once a call is active you’ll see the person’s name or number on-screen.

Call Quality

Seeing as how calling is the most important function of a speakerphone device, I tried to do some broader testing in this area. I pulled out a Blackberry Bold, a Sony Ericsson w760a, and my iPhone. I used all three devices and called four different people. I even handed the speakerphone to my dad, ran to the other side of the house, and heard the quality of the HCB-120’s mic for myself. The incoming sound is decent and can get quite loud if you crank the volume up, but people always had trouble understanding and hearing me even though I was only a foot away from the device. I’m not one of those Bluetooth users whose conversations you can hear from the other side of the bus, but I don’t whisper either. With the HCB-120, I had to shout to be heard.

I’m an admitted Sony Ericsson fan, but I was definitely puzzled by the microphone quality on this device.  The review sample I was sent seemed new with a sticker still on the screen, so I don’t think it’s dust or lint stuck in the microphone holes. It also doesn’t match my previous experiences with Sony Ericsson BT products, which weren’t fantastic for voice, but were much more audible. In this case, however, I’d say that I was being nice in saying that the microphone is barely passable.

Battery

The device is marketed as a car speakerphone and includes a car charger, so I don’t think battery life should be too much of an issue for most people. However, if you do want to use it unplugged, the battery life is rated for 24 hours of talk time and recharges in around 2-3 hours. Users without a car will need a separate USB or AC charging cable, though. A charger for any modern Sony Ericsson will work just fine.

Conclusion

It’s a real looker, but the HCB-120 just doesn’t deliver the kind of wireless speakerphone experience I was expecting. Support for up to five phone pairings was interesting, and incoming calls were alright, but the microphone just wasn’t up to the task. The HCB-120 might be alright if you don’t mind shouting to get your point across, but otherwise I wouldn’t recommend picking one up unless you find it for a great deal.

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The HCB-120 is available for purchase for around $100-150, depending on the retailer. The official Canadian Sony Ericsson site is here, but I also saw a deal at PureMobile for around $99 through some quick googling. These prices are all in Canadian dollars

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