Review: Motorola H17 Flip Bluetooth Headset


As announced earlier, the new Motorola H17 Flip Bluetooth Headset arrived here at JAMM, and I have had the opportunity to test it out for the last two weeks.

MotorolaH17General

Motorola H17 Flip Bluetooth Headset

Overview

Once you take the headset out of its package, you will be pleasantly impressed by its size, which Motorola claims it is the smallest and lightest in its class. Moreover, I found it to be a classical-sexy device, in its black suit.

The main feature of this headset is the flip, which is a Motorola distinguishing feature seen before only on the Motorola Motopure H15, shown below for comparison.

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Motorola Motopure H15 Flip Bluetooth Headset

Design comparison with the previous H15 starts and stops here, due to the different proportion of the H17 and of the lack of silver parts, which I liked.

Once you open the package you will find the headset, the power charger and multiple ear buds and hooks with rubber rings, in order to find the one that fits best for you. In my case (big ears!!) the one already mounted on the device fit very nicely.  I was able to wear it from 8:00 am until I took it off at 7:00 pm. I also used glasses with it, with minor annoyances. I tried the ear buds, but I ended using the hook, because I am (and always have been) paranoid about losing the headset.

The mounted hook is slightly more refined, giving you the ability to turn it for both left and right ear wearing. This is not possible with the additional hooks, which you have to unmount and mount again in order to change your ear. Obviously, this is not a problem at all.

P1000590

Motorola H17 accessories: extra hooks and ear buds are in the package to find the one that fits best

P1000585

Motorola H17 headset and its charger

The charger plug seems a standard micro USB, and allows you to fully charge your device in 1-1.5 hour.

Buttons

The headset has a rocker style silver button to increase and decrease volume. In the middle of the rocker a light will change its color to indicate a different headset status. An easy to use black button on the side of the headset allows to answer and drop calls, as well as to call the last contact of the call registry.

There is no button to switch on and off the device, and this should be no surprise, given that this is a flip headset. The power function is assigned to the flip which is something I really like!! Why? Just because it’s so damn simple to switch on and off and that frees you from another button on the headset and you don’t have to learn any special button combos. I like it. Period.

Using The Headset

When your phone rings just open the flip to answer a call on the fly, with no additional effort (just close it to end the call). This is what is called RapidConnect. In principle, once the H17 is paired to your phone,  you can leave the device off and answer an incoming call simply by opening the flip. In this way you will switch on the headset and answer in one move. However, I found it to be a bit strange to use the flip to answer a call.  In order to open it, I had to lift it away from my cheek, find the flip, and open it. Leaving the flip open and pushing the easy to find answer button was really more straightforward.

Motorolal H17 Side View Closed

Motorola H17 side view, flip closed

Motorolal H17 Side View Open

Motorola H17 side view, flip open

Motorolal H17 Upper View Closed

Motorola H17 upper view, flip closed

Motorolal H17 Upper View Open

H17 upper view, flip open

Voice Prompts

The headset also includes voice prompts, which proved to be very helpful at the beginning and have allowed me to take the full advantage from the headset. The first time you switch on the device (i.e. the first time you open the flip) a voice says:

  • Ready to pair. Go to Bluetooth menu on phone to complete pairing. Enter 0000 if required.

This will  start the Bluetooth pairing procedure  with your phone.  The H17 will be ready to be used in seconds. This worked flawlessly for me and my Palm Centro.

Once paired, the next time you will open the flip you will be informed on the H17 battery and connection status:

  • Battery level is high. Phone 1 connected.

Other voice messages will inform you on what’s going on with the headset:

  • Phone call on phone 1
  • Phone 1 connected
  • Phone 1 disconnected
  • Headset not connected

while a simple sound will notify you of signal drops due to poor coverage.

If you pair your H17 with two phones, the voice prompts will come handy. The headset will identify the different phones as “Phone 1″ and “Phone 2″, and the messages will be personalized with the additional phone information, as in “Phone call on phone 2″.

If you do not feel comfortable with voice prompts, the headset allows you to disable them, by pressing together volume up and volume down until you hear “Voice prompts off”. To activate them back, follow the same procedure until you hear “Voice prompts on”.

Call Quality

The H17 sports noise reduction, thanks to Motorola’s CrystalTalk dual-mic technology. This means that it should be able to make calls clear even in noisy environments.

I made several calls in different environments, from a quiet room to a car with a high volume stereo. In every case, no complaints were made from the other side of the call, and I have none either.

Battery

Motorola claims the H17 offers up to 5 hours of talk time and a standby time of up to seven days, with a quick-charge feature that will take 15 minutes to charge it up for 2 hours of talk time.

During the review, the headset was left switched on (flip open) at night, in order to check its standby time. After 90 hours of standby and approximately 1 hour of calls, the headset was still working, with the “Battery level is low” prompt.

Conclusions

I am more keen on stereo Bluetooth headset (I own myself the Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970) and I have never been satisfied by mono headsets.

However, this one made me reconsider that choice.  Today, after I returned the unit Motorola loaned me, I found I was missed using it. I am seriuosly thinking I may give Motorola my $79.99 to keep the H17 with me at all times.

Pros: clean button arrangement thank to flip, voice prompts, RapidConnect to save battery, spare ear buds and hooks to fit your ear

Cons: flip action not suitable during wearing

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14 Comments

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Jason
Nov 25, 2009

Does this fit into the ear like the H780 or does it sit up against the ear with the ear loop holding it in place?


cervelli
Nov 27, 2009

If you want it to fit into the ear you have to use one of the earbuds that come with the headset; if you use the loop the headset will sit up against the ear.

During the loan I used it with the ear loop, and I found it comfortable and clear, even in noisy environment (i.e. in the car on the highway)

Feel free to ask me more :)


BigOldThor
Feb 8, 2010

I agree with all of your points. I really like the boom/flip mic and the overall design and appearance. So far, my biggest complaint is that when wearing the ear hook, it hurts the part of my ear where the outside of the speaker sits. This could be just an ear-design thing.

After only a little while, I had to take it off. The rubber ear buds worked better for me. Although they didn’t feel as secure, they seemed stable enough as long I didn’t shake my head vigorously.


cervelli
Feb 9, 2010

BigOldThor,

I am happy you agree :)

May I ask you if the stability issue is something real (the headset falls) or is ore an impression (you feel like the hedaset could fall)?
Once I had a hooked headset (the first Palm BT Headset) and I was always touching my ear to be sure the device was still there. In the end… I sold it :)


BigOldThor
Feb 9, 2010

Cervelli,

I think the stability is mostly just a feeling, although it has fallen out a couple of times with what I felt were minor head movements. Nevertheless, it’s something to which I’m becoming accustomed and I think will be okay.

I also did a little twisting and bending of the original ear hook and am now wearing it with the headset. It seems to feel much better now. I think it was just too tight before, so the hook was pulling the speaker too tightly against my ear folds. After wearing it for a few hours today, I don’t have any pain. :)


cervelli
Feb 9, 2010

> After wearing it for a few hours today, I don’t have any pain. :)

Great!!


Douglas
Feb 17, 2010

The H17 is such a big improvement over the H15 flip. I found its sound quality clearer, its noise reduction technology functioning well both sending and receiving. I find it physically comfortable, lighter and easy to wear for long conference calls. I like the reversible ear hook for securely fitting it to either ear, and easily switching from one ear to another.

I do have one complaint: In quiet environments, the lowest volume setting is too loud for me. When I listen to voice mail in the library, people around me look up and tell me they can hear the messages I am receiving. After sending me a replacement which has the same volume properties, Motorola support tells me that all their headsets have the same standard minimum and maximum volumes. Too bad. Otherwise I could use the H17 for all my calling.


Norma Gonzalez
May 3, 2010

I bought the Motorola H17 side view, flip closed and the flip broke in less than six months. I called the Motorola waaranty and they said that the warranty doesn’t cover, because this bluetooth was made to use for a limied amount of time.


cervelli
May 4, 2010

Norma,

that’s a shame!
The flip seemed very sturdy to me during the review and I am surprised by Motorola’ answer…


Dana
Jul 7, 2010

I’ve had my bluetooth for a while and love it but recently the ear hook broke! I need to replace it asap but not certain where to find just the hook — don’t want to replace the whole thing as it’s not too old. Any thoughts?


MonkeyTime
Jul 31, 2010

Just curious about your experiences with the flip to answer. I bought an H17 and really like it so far, but that doesn’t work for me. If I keep the boom closed and a call comes in, flipping the boom open pairs the head set again, but doesn’t answer the call.

I tried calling Motorola support about this and they told me to return the unit for another or send it in for replacement claiming it to be deffective. However, a little forum reading found many Droid users with the same complaint.

Is it possible it’s just the combination of that phone and this headset? When answering calls in this fashion, did it pick the call up quickly for you?

Other than that, loving this unit. Simple to use, great sound both ways.


cervelli
Aug 1, 2010

@Dana

I could suggest to try the other hook included with the headphone, but I think you have already tried. How do they fit?


cervelli
Aug 1, 2010

@MonkeyTime

During the review I used a Palm Centro, and opening the flip was indeed connecting the headphone via bluetooth AND answering the call. Thus, I wouldl call it defective, too.
However, given the forum feedback, the headphone could experience some problems wiith the bluetooth implementation on the Droid, although the bluetooth implementation on the palm Centro wasn’t knownto be that brilliant…

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