REVIEW: PC-Mobile Hands-free adapter headset for the Hitachi G1000

PC-Mobile was kind to send me a test sample kit of their Hands-Free Audio Adapter to try on the Hitachi G1000.

Here's what I received in the mail:

The clear plastic casing has a note saying: "<< Important >> Hold both ends and PULL TOGETHER Do not hold the centre and pull one end". I will be going over what it means later in this review.

Complete photo of the kit.

Contents in the Hands-Free Kit:

- 2.5mm Plug (Connects to the G1000)
- Retractable Cord
- Adapter with one button (Call/Answer/End), mic. volume dial and a 3.5mm jack
- Single earpiece headphone with a 3.5mm plug
- Clip & Ear Cushion

Here's a photo of my generic headset used in this test.

The Generic Headset

I have been comparing the PC-Mobile headset with a generic headset that I've been using prior to receiving this headset. Theres no buttons or volume dials to worry about. It's a simple, yet reliable headset.

Adapter showing the one button, mic, and volume dial.

The PC-Mobile Button

This button worked flawlessly. I was able to answer, end and activate Fonix from this one button. (*Note*: You must have the "Auto Answer" option in your Phone Settings checked in order for the button to operate properly.)

To Answer calls - Pressing the button once when your phone rings will immediately answer the call.

Ending calls - Holding the button down for 3 seconds while on the phone will disconnect the call.

Making calls - Holding the button down for 3 seconds while the phone is on will automatically activate Fonix VoiceDial.

Unfortunately, holding the button while the phone is off will not automatically wake up the device. You must first turn on the G1K in order to activate the Fonix VoiceDial.

If you require "TTY" to be enabled, the button will be disabled throughout the use of the phone.

Microphone

The quality of the mic wasn't as crisp as the built-in G1K mic. However, it worked pretty well. It does produce a better sound than my other headset. I was able to hear clearly on the other side and in the person's actual tone of voice.

Picture of the volume dial.

I'm not sure whether it was just the set that I received, but my dial was extremely stiff. I had to apply pressure to force the dial to move. With the dial turned to the loudest setting, it still wasn't as loud as my other generic headset. (And it doesn't even have a volume switch!) Using the G1K volume button was a much easier solution for me.

Photo showing the 3.5mm jack

Comparing the adapter with the PC-Mobile plug and Sony Headphones plug.

The 3.5mm Jack

This 3.5mm jack fits any standard mini-plug stereo headphones. I've used my Sony headphones to test with the PC-Mobile adapter. Both earphones produced sound but the left earphone was louder than the other. Both the PC-Mobile and Sony earphones sounded identical in my tests. I wasn't able to tell the difference between the two. If only the PC-Mobile Adapter had an option to turn on stereo mode, I would have loved it even more.

Behind shot of the Headphone

Frontal view of the Headphone

The PC-Mobile Headphone

At first glance I thought there was an additional button built into the headphone, but it was just part of the design. I definitely do hear a difference in quality when comparing it to my generic headset and Sony Headphones with the G1K Adapter. The PC-Mobile headphone sounds a bit muttered, much lower tone compared to the others.

Thinking that my ears might have been playing tricks on me, I had my girlfriend test both headsets. She says the PC-Mobile had a very slight echo or minor buzz sound and wasn't as loud as the other generic headset. It wasn't as "crisp" as the other headset.

We both thought it might have been the PC-Mobile Headphone speaker that was limiting the sound. I plugged in my Sony headphones into PC Mobile Headset, but unfortunately the sound was the same.

Even though it wasn't as "crisp" as we would have liked it to be, we had no problems hearing the person on the other side.

Photo of the retractable base

The retractable cord

I've found this retractable cord very easy to use. One important note, as stated above, do not hold the retractable base and pull on one end of the cord! If you do the whole thing gets jammed and tangled. I've tried this twice to see what happens and spent a good 15 minutes untangling everything. Pulling both ends at the same, no matter how fast you pull will release, retract and lock perfectly everytime. Locking the cord was quite simple. Pulling one end while the other is plugged will cause it to make a "clicking" sound which locks the cord. Tugging the cord slighty after it's been locked will retract the cord smoothly back into it's base.

Photo of the PC-Mobile Adapter Plug with 3 rings

Photo comparing both the PC-Mobile (Left) and Generic Plugs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the PC-Mobile Headset performed well. I really liked the retractable cord, the answer/end/call one push button and the compact design. The headset is lightweight and wasn't a drag to carry around. The headphone cord that connects to the adapter could have been shorter so it wouldn't dangle around so much when not in use. Even though the quality of sound the headphone produced was moderate to fairly good, it could use some improvement. I've been using this headset for the past week and it's been reliable.

PC-Mobile Website: Pc-Mobile data cables audio adapters for PDA, GSM and GPS Bluetooth, Nikon
Price: $27.50

Pros:

- Compact Design
- Working Answer/End/Call Button
- Retractable Cord
- Decent Microphone
- Detachable Headphone

Cons:

- Sound quality could use some improvement
- Volume Dial was useless
- Needs to function as a stereo adapter

Headset attached to the G1000.