LG'S HBM-570: The Only (And The Funkiest) Bluetooth Headset at CTIA 2009

Where there are cell phones for show, accessories aren't usually far away. But at this fall's CTIA, I've seen shockingly few headsets (I think, in general, apps might be the new accessory). In fact, the only earpiece I've seen is by LG, whose HBM-570, announced earlier this week, is on display.

And it's interesting looking. Not like the Aliph Jawbone, which is made of medical-grade plastic, but instead, with a brushed metal, thumb-sized body and glowing blue LED that takes up a third of the headset. I can't decide if I would wear it, but I appreciate the design nonetheless. I prefer it in silver, as pictured, but you can get it in three other colors, including purple, pink, and black.

The other interesting thing: the price. At $69.99 it's one of the few mid-range headsets left (for the most part, the category has splintered into budget headsets, selling for well under $50 at retail, and high-end headsets with suggested prices of $100 or more). So, while it has a higher suggested price than any budget headset, it's inexpensive for a headset that offers both noise and echo cancellation. It's the budget of premium headsets

The headset supports Bluetooth 2.1, which is designed to pair with devices more easily than previous generations of Bluetooth. It also claims a fairly average talk time of 5 hours.