Bluetooth - the technology, rather than the 1000-year-old Danish King - has always suffered from something of an identity crisis. In the public eye it has tended to hover somewhere between real and imaginary, as one project after another failed to deliver. So far, almost seven years after Ericsson first proposed the Bluetooth project, no products have reached the market.

The bottom line is that Bluetooth has been perceived as a letdown simply because it has taken time to reach this stage, which is rather unfair given that similar technologies, such as DECT, took much longer to reach maturity and had the benefit of not having to do so in such a blaze of publicity. Part of the problem has been unrealistic claims, from both developers and the press, while - strangely enough - many observers feel the catchy name has led many to expect too much too soon. After all, who would ever come over all excitable about the latest DECT phone?

Enough about what it isn't; the burning question remains: "What exactly is Bluetooth, anyway?" Put simply, Bluetooth is nothing more than a standard for wireless networks. It has been designed solely for short-range communication between devices no more than 10m apart. One of the hooks upon which plenty of hopes have been hung is the fact that - unlike infrared, for example - Bluetooth does not require line of sight between devices.

The much-bandied example of using your Bluetooth-capable mobile phone, which is in your briefcase, to get online via the laptop on your desk really will work. There's nothing particularly new in the principle - Apple's AirPort does a similar job for small computer networks; rather, it's the versatility of the technology and, ultimately, the potentially low cost of the hardware that makes it attractive to manufacturers and end-users alike.

Given that background, it was with more than a little curiosity that we eased the futuristic-looking Ericsson HBH-10 headset from its biscuit-tin case. The box is labelled 'Limited Edition Kit' and, at £200, we imagine it'll be a very limited edition. It would be unnecessarily harsh to criticise Ericsson over the price, as early adopters are legendary for their willingness to pay through the nose for exciting new technology. Realistically, the HBH-10 is aimed at that market, so we'll put monetary matters to one side for now.

First impressions are excellent, thanks mainly to the excellent build quality of the headset and the slick presentation of the whole package - there's even a selection of plug adaptors for all your power-charging needs across Europe. On the downside, you'll need to Bluetooth-enable your phone using the supplied DBA-10 adaptor, which is ugly indeed.

The headset design is - and we're sorry to be predictable here, but it's so fitting - very Star Trek. This is all very well as long as you enjoy your hands-free chatting in the comfort of your own home. Walk the streets of any British city with this clamped to your head, howeverer, and the pain of derision will surely be topped only by that of the inevitable mugging induced by the sight of such valuable hardware merely balancing (it's wireless, remember) atop your lug.

Such reservations aside, a major problem with the HBH-10 lies with call quality. Not once in dozens of attempts did we even approach the crystalline end of the clarity spectrum. Nevertheless, call quality is still generally acceptable.

The final verdict can't escape being influenced by the price - the HBH-10 is an innovative product and, although it's far from flawless, it does a reasonable job. At £50, it might be worth considering, but until then we'll just have to tolerate a wired world.

Ericsson has finally come up with the Bluetooth goods, but the HBH-10 is overpriced and far from perfect. Best for early adopters and those with money to burn.

Contact
Ericsson 0870 523 7237, www.ericsson.co.uk