If you are looking for a convenient, comfortable and high-quality listening experience when using your mobile phone, then there are many advantages to using a bluetooth stereo headset. Not only are they hands-free and wire-free, but the latest models have excellent battery life and can work from virtually any audio source, not just cellphones. There are a growing number of models to choose from, including some excellent offerings from Motorola, Blueant, Samsung and Jaybird, all of which offer good features and quality for the money. The purpose of this article is to give you the best advice, so that when the time comes to choose a stereo bluetooth headset, you will know what to look out for.

Bluetooth is a really clever and convenient technology that allows electronic devices to talk to each other without the need to be connected by wires.Bluetooth stereo headsets take advantage of this technology, allowing you to talk hands-free on your mobile phone and to listen to music in high fidelity stereo without actually being physically connected to anything other than the headset on your head! This means that you are freed up to do whatever else you want to do, like driving, working out at the gym, cooking dinner or typing away at a keyboard. Most bluetooth headsets are very easy and intuitive to operate, generally having the music controls on the right earpiece and the call/phone controls on the left. And some headsets are so comfortable that you hardly realize they are sitting on your head!

When bluetooth headsets first came on the market, battery life was pretty abysmal. But recently there has been a big improvement in this department. Some current models such as the Motorola HT820 offer up to 500 hours standby and 12 hours talk/listening time, which should be enough for mostcircumstances. One great thing about bluetooth headsets is that they can work with pretty much any audio device through the use of a bluetooth adaptor, which is a small transmitter that plugs into either the headphone socket of your music player or your iPod docking connection. Not to get too technical here, but most of the latest devices now use A2DP, a bluetooth protocol that can stream high-quality audio over a range of up to 60 feet.

There is probably no single contender for the prize of best bluetooth stereo headset, but some models that are well worth considering, priced low to high (ranging from about $35 to about $120), are:

• Motorola S9 (small, extremely lightweight, comfortable, combining in-ear buds with a behind-the-head band)
• Samsung SBH500 (inexpensive, light and functional with good quality sound)
• Motorola HT820 (larger, over-the-ear model with a behind-the-head band, excellent audio quality and long battery life)
• Blueant X5 (compact, light, sleek and stylish, over-the ear model)
• Jaybird JB200 (one of the smallest headsets around, stylish design)

Each of the models listed above will do an excellent job, so it will probably come down to your own personal taste and budget when deciding which model to choose.

Finally, if you want the "last word" in bluetooth stereo headset luxury, Nokia recently announced the launch of their BH-905 Noise Cancelling Headset, a high-end model that will set you back around $300-$400. Ultra-cool, ultra-comfortable and offering pristine audio quality, here is their promotional video.