Shiny and Tiny Bluetooth (1/2)
Argard M10 Bluetooth Headset
INTRODUCTION
A new company called
Argard is now running for the title of the world's
smallest bluetooth headset with their M10 model.
While this headset certainly is small, its most
impressive feature is its stunning look. The round
silver metallic body sits beautifully on a
triangular A-shaped dock and charging station. But how does it perform as a Bluetooth headset? Read on for the details!
WHAT'S HOT
The first thing you'll notice about the
Argard M10 is the intriguing and over-the-top
packaging design which compliments the design of the
device itself. Even the manual includes velum sheets
inside the cover. My first thoughts were that it
must have cost a fortune to produce this packaging.
(all images link to higher resolution)
The box is surrounded by an opaque plastic sleeve and the bottom of the box has an angled corner cut out of it.
The M10 is encased in custom cut foam to fit the box. You also see a nice half-sphere plastic package containing the extra earpieces. The top piece of foam lifts out to reveal smaller boxes that include the manual and AC adapter.
Bluetooth Headset
|
Our Rating |
Talk Time | Standby (hours)
|
Street Price |
| Bluetrek Metal |  |
5 | 180 |
$50 |
| Jabra BT8010 |  |
10 | 300 |
$70 |
| BlueAnt Z9i |  |
5.5 | 200 |
$70 |
| Aliph Jawbone 2 | |
4 | 192 |
$119 |
| iqua BHS-303 | |
6 | 150 |
$35 |
| Gennum nx6000 | |
6 | 75 |
$110 |
|
10 | 300 |
$75 | |
|
5 | 150 |
$80 | |
|
5.5 | 200 |
$70 | |
|
4 | 75 |
$50 | |
|
6 | 120 |
$110 | |
|
9 | 250 |
$40 | |
|
12 | 360 |
$75 | |
|
3 | 100 |
$120 | |
|
6 | 300 |
$45 |
|
|
3.5-10 | 80 |
$80 |
|
|
7 | 180 |
$50 |
|
|
4 | 250 |
$40 |
|
|
5 | 120 |
$60 |
|
|
6 | 300 |
$80 |
|
 |
6 | 300 |
$60 |
|
 |
30 | 700
|
$40 |
|
|
15 | 300
|
$80 |
|
|
7 | 300 |
$80 |
|
|
6 | 300 |
$55 |
|
|
7 | 100 |
$115 |
|
|
5 | 250 |
$40 |
|
|
2 | 100 |
$250 |
|
|
8 | 1000 |
$25 |
|
unrated |
4 | 200 |
$40 |
SETUP
The process of pairing
the M10 with your phone will vary between
manufacturers. Once you've charged the battery, you have to put the M10
into pairing mode by holding down the talk button until the LED light
blinks red and blue. Then you're ready to initiate a pairing on your
phone. The PIN number for the M10 is 0000.
PRODUCT FEATURES
The M10 is a Bluetooth 1.2 Class 2 device.
It has one large circular button at
the top and two smaller circular buttons on one end.
The smaller buttons control the volume for the
headset while the larger button is for
answering/ending calls, toggling the power status,
and initiating bluetooth pairing mode.
The large talk/end button is easy to press while the headset is in your ear. There's also rubber footers on the sides to help you grip it while pressing buttons. I'd recommend holding the sides of the headset while pressing the main talk button since pushing it straight against your ear canal could be painful.
Here you can see a size comparison between the Argard M10, Bluespoon 5G, and Bluespoon AX. It's a close call, but the Bluespoon 5G is still the smallest at 30 mm by 17 mm compared to the M10's 31.5 mm by 22 mm.
The crevasse surrounding the main button is where you'll see the glow of the status LEDs.
The silver plastic A-shaped charging dock looks great on your desk. Unfortunately this is not an automobile-friendly charger.
Here you see the charging dock with the Qtek 8500 smartphone as a size comparison.
The ear mounting system on the M10 is just a rubber ear plug. There's no loop or spring to hold it in place, which means it actually has to go into your ear canal. This will block out all external sound which will make it easier to hear your callers, but impossible to hear anything else out of that ear. Also, you have to make sure you have a tight fit because a strong wind can easily loosen the headset and let it fall out. Also notice that the volume buttons are practically sitting next to the pinea which makes them a bit difficult to access sometimes.
