For $100, the new Plantronics BackBeat Go Bluetooth headset isn't just super-cheap—it's probably the best-designed, most-convenient set we've ever seen. This is a headset that thinks it's a set of earbuds.
The Plantronics BackBeat Go consists of two buds connected by a short cable with an inline mic and volume control. It would be easy, in fact, to confuse them with a set of in-ear buds except that there's no cable that reaches down to your smartphone. Instead, the headset pairs with your phone or other Bluetooth device using the common standard and will play music as well as allow you to make calls.
Even with the familiar bud design, the headset packs in an impressvie amount of features. One bud holds a micro-USB connection and battery shielded behind a rubber seal. The other bud carries the Bluetooth radio. Plantronics managed to squeeze all of this into an itty bitty 13-gram package. The battery charges in just 2.5 hours and gives you 4.5 hours of talk and listening time.
This is a Bluetooth headset so don't expect overwhelming sound quality from the 6mm drivers. We had the opportunity to test out the new BackBeat Go and it sounds, well, like a decent Bluetooth headset. But for $100 with a convenient design, even audio snobs should be willing to give these a shot. [Plantronics]
