INTRODUCTION

    Remember those Rubik’s
Snakes from the eighties? I can’t stop thinking about the one I
had as a kid each time I pick up the Movon MF200 Bluetooth headset.
It’s a snake, but it’s a headset, but it’s a snake, but it’s a…well
I digress, but the similarities are indeed striking.

    The
stylish Movon
MF200 is designed for easy transport in a ‘pen configuration,’ and
then quickly converts into a usable headset for either ear. Combine
this with a DSP chip to reduce ambient noise and echo, and Movon could
have a real winner on their hands. But is the Movon headset all beauty
and no brains? Does its performance live up to its sleek design or should
it be set on the shelf next to my Rubik’s Snake?

(All images link to higher resolution)

SETUP

    Setting up the headset was trivial. I plugged
the included AC adapter into the headset and let it charge for an hour
and a half. I was a little surprised to note that there was no way to
determine if it was charging, nor was there any indication that it had
completed its charge. The documentation mentions that I should see a
red LED, and as this is a pre-production unit, I assume that the kinks
will be worked out in the production version

   
The above is the charging jack. After holding the multi-function button for six seconds, the headset
went into pairing mode, and I noticed that the LED was flickering red-blue.
I found the headset from my phone and paired without any trouble.

SPECIFICATIONS

    Here are the specifications for the MF200:

Bluetooth 1.2 compliant

PRODUCT FEATURES

    The most striking feature of the Movon MF200
is its innovative design. I imagine that the main design intent was
to create an easily portable headset, because if you don’t have your
headset with you, what good is it? In ‘pen mode’ it easily slips into
a breast pocket, or a front pant pocket. Then when it’s needed, you
can easily convert into a headset for either right or left ears.

    As a headset, the
MF200 is comfortable (albeit a tad bit heavy compared to other new headsets) and fits surprisingly securely on your
head. The ‘air-cushioned ear-piece’ is fantastic, and provides a solid
acoustical seal. It also carries the majority of the weight. A sprung
ear clip completes the attachment to your ear. This clip can rotate
360 degrees, both ensure your comfort, and to move it out of the way
while in ‘pen mode.’

    Above is the "air-cushioned ear-piece." The MF200′s DSP is
very noticeable and significantly reduces background noise and echo,
but not as drastically as something like the superb
nXZEN plus. The audio I hear from the headset seems to be tweaked
towards the treble end, and while initially I found it a little unusual,
I quickly discovered that this made conversations much more intelligible
in loud situations.

    The last notable feature
is that this headset can pair with two phones simultaneously, and can
switch between the two phones on the fly. Unfortunately I wasn’t able
to test this feature.

Continue
On: Bugs and Wishes / Pros and Cons / Conclusion . . .

type="text/javascript"

src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">

HELP SUPPORT

    My review unit was a pre-production headset,
and as such, came with pre-production documentation. However the booklet
was informative, and answered all of my questions. I could only find
a Korean
web site for additional information and pictures.

BUGS AND WISHES

   
My
biggest concert with the MF200 is durability. During the course of the
review I dropped my unit 3 feet from my desk to a plastic mat. The silver
cover on top of the boom popped off. When I examined it more closely,
I noticed that it had broken in not one, but two places. A little super
glue fixed it, but I was surprised at how easily the unit broke.

   
Along
these same lines, I’ll be interested to see how the articulated joints
hold up after extended use. Of course, headset manufacturers face a
tough decision. Headsets must be light enough to be comfortable, but
have enough material in them to be durable.

   
I
was also frustrated by the lack of a charging indication. However the
documentation mentioned that I should see a red LED, and as my review
unit was a pre-production version, I’m confident that Movon will address
this in their production units.

PURCHASING

   
As of the post date of this review, the
Movon MF200 is not yet available in North America. When released, the price is rumored to be $100-$125. We wil update the review when it becomes available.

PROS

• 
  

  Stylish Design

• 
  

  Good DSP performance

• 
  

  Convenient ‘Pen Mode’ for
  transport

CONS

• 
  

  Durability and longevity questions

• 
  

  Less than 6 hours of talk
  time

• At 15g, a bit heavy

Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

What
do these ratings mean?

OVERALL IMPRESSION

    WIth its noise reducing DSP and innovative
design, the Movon MF200 is a stylish and fully featured Bluetooth headset
that will be a welcome addition for any mobile professional. The unique
convertible pen design ensures that you’ll always be able to have the
Movon with you, because it’s simply so convenient to carry. Now, where’s
my Rubik’s Snake?

type="text/javascript"

src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">