When deciding on a new mobile phone for your personal use, it is no longer enough to look at elements covering cost, features and appearance but also the availability of add-ons and accessories. Take, for example, an accessory that turns your mobile phone into one that is hands-free for most eventualities. Although most mobile phones come with an ear bud style of headset, this is one popular area that is often considered for upgrading. Recently I have been checking out the stereo portable hands-free HPM-82 device from Sony Ericsson.
As you might guess, this hands-free kit has been designed specifically for use with Sony Ericsson mobile phones. This is due to its proprietary connecting plug. As supplied this kit comes in two parts joined together by a 3.5mm connector that also provides microphone facilities. One section contains a set of ear bud style headset with a choice of silicone ear buds to suit different ear sizes. The second section, which connects to the phone, has both the linking socket and a control pad. This arrangement means that you can, if you so wish, exchange the supplied ear bud section with your own favourite headset, as long as it has a 3.5mm plug, without loosing any of the functionality offered by this kit.
As mentioned earlier the connecting socket contains a microphone unit and also has a switch for accepting calls when the phone is tucked away in a pocket or bag and is not easy to get at in a hurry. The control panel performs similar functions but with regards to the music playing capabilities of the phone. A centrally positioned button can start/pause/stop playback. Above and below controls allow for adjusting volume level while those on the left and right can move you backwards and forwards through tracks.
While the HPM-82 is capable of producing audio of reasonable quality and allows you some control over your mobile phone, it is only suitable for those with a Sony Ericsson phone. It has also been priced at £39.99 which might seem a lot to pay for its functionality especially if the phone was originally provided free of charge as part of a contract.
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