i.Tech Bluetooth Clip Headset

The i.Tech Bluetooth Clip headset aims to solve the problem of looking a bit silly through a different design. The main body of the headset is a clip which attaches to your jacket or other clothing, with a small ear bud used for sound output.

This design makes the Clip less self-contained -- and we suspect less robust -- than other headsets, but if you're averse to having a lump of plastic hanging off your ear, it's a far better option. Having the wire between the clip and earbud could cause problems -- it could get caught on a seatbelt, for instance. The call control button is on the earbud, while the volume control is on the clip itself, so there' s no chance of accidentally cutting yourself off. The call button itself can be pressed using a single finger when the bud is in your ear. We didn't have any problem finding the button by touch, despite its relatively low profile. An incoming call triggers a single beep, and that's all. If you miss this beep and have no other notification of an incoming call -- such as your phone being in silent mode -- you'll miss the call. The answer, of course, to always leave your phone's ringtone switched on. The Clip doesn't support rejecting incoming calls from the headset, which is a minor inconvenience. Another supported function is last number redial, which is achieved by pressing the call button twice. This is only available for phones that support the handsfree Bluetooth profile, although we couldn't get this function to work with our test phone, a Sony Ericsson P900. The supplied mains charger plugs directly into the clip, but there's no way -- other than waiting for the headset to stop working -- of telling how much life is left in the battery. The Clip's design has its good and bad points, so you'll have to decide whether robustness or appearance is more important to you. It costs less than many other headsets we've looked at, but offers relatively short standby and talk times. If you're looking for a headset for occasional rather than everyday use, the Clip does the job adequately.