An open letter to people who wear those Bluetooth headsets that blink:
In case you haven’t noticed, your eyes are actually located in front of your ears.
So that blue light that blinks incessantly can’t actually be seen by you. The rest of us, however, do see it. And it annoys us. Stop.
“But how else will I impress the ladies?” you ask. I suggest purchasing some of those rims that keep on spinning after you stop.
Michael Doan
on 18 Jul 07this is the best 37s post ever! Hilarious!
Justin
on 18 Jul 07I’m hardly a headset apologist - “You’re with humans now, take off your headset” - but the blinking light does make sense. It lets others know that you’re having a phone conversation and not simply going crackers.
That said, all hardware manufacturers except Apple and Nintendo seem to buy their LEDs from the same “blinding light of a thousand stars” supplier and then don’t have the decency to put a filter over it. Grr.
Jeff
on 18 Jul 07No, the blinking happens even when the damn things are just ‘on’, not when you’re only in a call.
I fixed mine—black paint, yeah! Left and itty bitty, teeny tiny uncovered portion so I can still read the light for syncing info. Can’t see it normally, so it’s excellent.
deef
on 18 Jul 07Can you incorporate blinking blue lights into the new version of Backpack? Maybe put one next to each list item, and have a setting so important ones blink faster.
Kevin Tamura
on 18 Jul 07I saw a guy walking around a concert with a blue tooth headset in his ear. What the hell, you going to really take a call in the middle of the concert.
Josh P
on 18 Jul 07Ohhhh man. People who wear bluetooth headsets drive me CRAZY. It’s not so much the fact that when they are actually using the phone they look like a psycho talking to themselves, it’s the fact that THEY NEVER TAKE IT OFF.
News flash, you look like an idiot when you’re sitting in a restaurant eating lunch with your friends/co-workers and you’ve still got that stupid thing on.
David Chartier
on 18 Jul 07I completely agree with the sentiments that Bluetooth headsets shouldn’t be worn 24/7, and that’s why they were originally designed to blink the way they do: the idea was to take the headset off and put it down on your desk. It would continue blinking to let you know that it was still powered on.
That said, I feel like punching people who simply wear them day in and out, to lunch and even when they’re sitting down and chatting with a friend right in front of them.
Thomas
on 18 Jul 07Haha, I do love the unnecessary lights. Just like the ones on laptops. Going round my friend’s house yesterday on her laptop had a huge beaming light for the power button above the keyboard. And like 3 random ones on the side.
I don’t understand power light buttons. The light that tells me the computer is on is the computer screen itself.
deef
on 18 Jul 07@Thomas: Well it wouldn’t be high-tech if it didn’t look like the bridge from the original Star Trek, would it?
Ryan McMinn
on 18 Jul 07It’s really no better than walking around with a Starfleet communicator badge on your shirt…c’mon.
It will make for some hilarious pictures in the future (Dad I can’t believe you wore those in 2007..you all looked ridiculous).
How do we know for sure it’s stupid… cause women tend not to wear them… that’s a sign!
Jamie Tibbetts
on 18 Jul 07I sat behind one of these assholes at the movies once. Talk about annoying. I almost said something to him, but I knew if he had one of those headsets on during a movie that he was clearly a very important person and could probably have me rubbed out, so I just sat there holding my hand up to block my peripheral vision instead.
Justin
on 18 Jul 07@Jeff: Seriously? Then I take it back. Shoot to kill.
Dr. Pete
on 18 Jul 07Good call: technology is getting to be bling for people who think they’re too sophisticated for big gold chains and diamond-studded teeth.
Dr. Pete
on 18 Jul 07In an act of almost immediate hypocrisy, I just turned around after posting my comment and saw my NETGEAR RangeMax wireless router, which has a dome on the top with seven randomly flashing blue lights. Shiny…
Smarts
on 18 Jul 07The blinking is to let people know their phone is on so people won’t start talking to them. Amateurs.
blinker
on 18 Jul 07I think the point is just to make more people aware of the fact that you have this piece of plastic sticking out of your ear and how cool that should make you. It really isn’t about functionality – it is all about making a statement. The sad thing is the statement is not “I am so flippin’ cool.” the statement really is “Man I look like a moron.”
Matt Lee
on 18 Jul 07They do look dumb.. I’ve not seen anyone using an iPhone in person yet, but it appears they make you look kinda silly too.
People who walk around town on their handsfree kits look dumb too – I always think they’re talking to themselves.
Bryan Price
on 18 Jul 07It’s no worse (or no better) than people carrying on a conversation with themselves when it turned out they were using a wired head jack to talk.
Hell, I had somebody interrupt me with my phone to my ear because they weren’t observant enough to notice the silver piece of aluminum that I was talking into.
Britt
on 18 Jul 07I still don’t have a cell phone so I have to rely on old-fashioned way to annoy people.
sandofsky
on 18 Jul 07I bought a cheap USB hub at Fry’s, and upon plugging it in discovered the circus grade blinking lights. I had to fix it with a sharpie.
Blinking lights are as stupid as an “Everything’s OK Alarm.”
Dave would never be caught dead with a headset
on 18 Jul 0737s seems like the old crotchety man shaking a stick at youngsters. “You kids and your blinking headsets! Get off my lawn!” And with “some of those rims that keep on spinning after you stop”, it just makes the image work.
They are called spinners, by the way.
Don Schenck
on 18 Jul 07As a car aficionado, der blinkin’ lights rank right up there (down there?) with idiot lights in cars.
“Check Engine”
WTF? Yeah … it’s there!
Whatever happened to temp … oil pressure … battery? Loved those gauges in my 71 Pinto (aftermarket, right next to the 8-track player and FM converter).
Ha! I’d rather drive a Pinto than wear a Cyborg Phone.
Cringer
on 18 Jul 07Clue to 37signals: Some people just might perceive racial bias in a post
illustrated with a picture of a black guy wearing a blinged out product,
linking to a shockingly offensive site with caricature pictures of a blinged out black guy dubbed over in a mocking caricature voice and
*featuring a comment about “big gold chains and diamond-studded teeth”.
Not that you should care, since 37signals is so racially diverse and there is no racism in the computer industry and you are never wrong about anything and this thread could never possibly make any potential clients question your ability to effectively engage the black community.
In fact just delete this comment and leave in the one that says “shoot to kill.”
I’m just glad I didn’t refer any black (or racially clueful) friends to this blog at this point. Cringe cringe cringe.
Homer
on 18 Jul 07I prefer the rims that do not spin even when the car is moving.
Homer
on 18 Jul 07Implying racism based on hyper-sensitivity and no sense of humor. Cringe cringe cringe.
Christian
on 18 Jul 07hi all, did anybody notice this 37signals design clone? http://www.boxcloud.com/tour.html
Mrad
on 18 Jul 07During my Valentine’s dinner with my fiance this year, I watched a guy wear a blinking headset throughout his entire meal with his special lady friend.
I just wanna know, how the hell do you pull that off?! How do you keep her from noticing the “someone more important than you will probably call, and I WILL take it” vibe?
Also, I’m a fan of the plastic spinning rims. They’re really high class.
Dr. Pete
on 18 Jul 07@Cringer: Funny, when I made the comment, I actually had an image of Dr. Teeth from the Muppets. Seriously, I was making fun of people who are obsessed with themselves; I don’t care what race they are.
Steve
on 18 Jul 07@Cringer: You must not get out enough. Spinners, as you like to call them, are primarily found on cars driven by white boys from New Jersey and bluetooth headsets are almost universally found in the ears of 20-30 year old white guys with overly styled hair.
in dc
on 18 Jul 07I asked a dude in the theater to turn off his blinking blue headset and he was mad at me.
hardcoreUFO
on 18 Jul 07First against the wall when the revolution happens.
Aaron
on 18 Jul 07I have a neighbor at home for disability (for years now) walking around with a neck brace on and a bluetooth headset. I can MAYBE justify it because he’s disabled but the neck brace appears and disappears all the time. He just looks like a fool because nobody calls him. EVER.
J. Cobra
on 18 Jul 07I’m surprised we don’t see more of these hanging about the faces of those who feel the need to look super cool.
J. Cobra
on 18 Jul 07Correction: these
Zoli Erdos
on 18 Jul 07Oh, man… you’re picking a fight with the Borg :-)
Igor
on 18 Jul 07I wonder what the anthropological - you know primate - reasoning is for our universal distaste for sitting down to lunch with a person who insists on wearing his BT headset.
dlb
on 18 Jul 07A radio station in Minneapolis has coined a word for people that wear these headsets all the time, especially annoying when they’re not on a call:
Bluedouches
zing.
Don Schenck
on 18 Jul 07This thread, I predict, will be the … hold on, got a call …
Mister Snitch!
on 18 Jul 07At least no one can say you offered no alternative.
David Chartier
on 18 Jul 07So what if the light is designed to remain solid and turned on? Instead of blinking, it would be a bright, shining beacon of technology from one’s ear? :)
Tyk
on 18 Jul 07I hate those headsets. They look so idiotic. Not only can you be accessible every waking minute with your cell phone, but NOW have an idiotic thing in your ear too! Awesome.
mare
on 18 Jul 07Speaking of annoying blinking lights: Ever tried to sleep in a room with a PowerBook (or MacBook Pro now) next to you? If you close the lid the laptop goes in sleep mode and starts emitting a pulsing light from the open/close button. It’s very bright and really annoing, especially because it pulses. I always have to cover my Power/MacBook with a towel/T-shirt/pillow…
Eric Stoller
on 18 Jul 07@Steve: “Spinners, as you like to call them, are primarily found on cars driven by white boys from New Jersey and bluetooth headsets are almost universally found in the ears of 20-30 year old white guys with overly styled hair.”
How does the photo illustration or linked site validate your comment? It would seem that you just made Cringer’s point.
Cheers.
Big Ben
on 18 Jul 07Not even reading all these comments to see if it’s been noted before, but it’s worth pointing out.
This is one of those snarky holier-than-thou complaints that makes the writer feel very smug that, while some portion of the world has gone gaga over a bit of technology, he and those who think like him have sagely avoided it. You might remember this from cell phones, PDAs, laptops, iPods, CD walkmen, portable DVD players and pretty much any flashy new tech people use in public.
Ever consider that the blinking light is a feature that you cannot turn off? Truth is, many people probably would turn it off for those times when they’re not talking. So, guess what, it’s not about impressing the ladies or pissing you off (though that latter is just fine).
And yes, I might have investigated whether or not the headset i chose had that feature and I could have picked one that doesn’t blink. But how you feel about the blinking light (and let’s be honest, that’s what it is—you being annoyed, not looking out for other people) factored in very little when I picked the headset out.
Cringer2
on 18 Jul 07@Cringer: I feel you on this one. It’s unfortunate that I had to see that on my first visit to 37s. I read on to see if anyone else was left with the same impression of the post.
Martin
on 18 Jul 07I rather hate those permanent-blue-tooth-earpiece-wearing types as well.
But over here in the Netherlands, another HIGHLY annoying thing is occurring in the streets: groups of teenagers walking around with their cellphone in their hand, on speakerphone… playing music.
You only hear the clicking-ticking noise in the mid to high frequency range which vaguely represents a beat, and can hardly figure out what’s playing. The kids who walk around that way seem to think it’s cool.
Is this the ghettoblaster of the new generation?
showkiller
on 18 Jul 07Am i looking at the wrong kind of spinners?
Els
on 18 Jul 07@Mare – instead of covering your MacBook’s flashing sleep-light with a cloth of some sort, you could always consider switching it off…
Steve
on 18 Jul 07@Eric Stoller: The exception proves the rule :-)
Alex Bunardzic
on 18 Jul 07Please do not deride mobile devices that allow people who are alone to speak freely in public places. There are many mentally deranged people on the streets of Vancouver who feel compelled to walk around the city waving their hands violently and shouting obscenities. Yet they still have some glimmer of coherency left in them to know that manifestations of such disease are repelling to others.
So, now that, thanks to these technological advancements, they can walk around with an earpiece and a mic sticking from the side of their heads, they feel vindicated. People glance at someone walking alone gesticulating and yelling, notice the blue douche sticking out, see the blinking blue lights, and immediately feel relieved thinking that it’s just another corporate drone wannabe.
So you see, it is possible to please everyone, after all.
the other steve jobs
on 18 Jul 07feel free to send me a Jawbone headset that doesn’t blink.
oh wait.. THEY DON’T MAKE THEM. I can’t help it that i owned a blackberry – i wanted a way to be able to check side-business email while at my “day job”. The BB was the only way until the iPhone.
The only way to talk to someone in my car while driving is the Jawbone because i have a manual transmission. The Jawbone comes complete with a blinking light.
Now… if you want to rant about people that leave headsets in their ears when not talking to someone as they go thru their day-to-day life – feel free.
but it seems moronic to be pissed at me for using a headphone with a blinking light when i didn’t make the damn thing.
Jonathan
on 18 Jul 07You guys do sound like crotchety old men complaining. “Hey, you kids. Get off my lawn!”
Yeah, I didn’t know my eyes are in front of my head.
Instead of blaming the people that wear them why don’t you blame Motorola who are the ones that designed it that way.
I have one but I do not wear it when I am not on the phone. How stupid. Those people annoy me too.
Jonathan
on 18 Jul 07I just remembered who you guys sound like in this post.
Andy Rooney on Sixty Minutes.
Chris Anderson
on 18 Jul 07Shouldn’t your post be directed at the designers of the bluetooth headsets? I have no idea why the blinking blue light was adopted by so many designers and would disable the one on my headset if I could.
But, blinking blue light or not, I agree it’s annoying when people walk around with those headsets permanently attached to their heads even when not actively taking on them.
ML
on 18 Jul 07Instead of blaming the people that wear them why don’t you blame Motorola who are the ones that designed it that way.
How about I blame both? Yes, it’s a silly design but the people who make the choice to purchase and use these headsets egregiously are responsible for their actions too.
Jonathan Brodsky
on 18 Jul 07nathan barley with one in each ear: http://www.dvdoutsider.co.uk/dvd/pix/n/na/nathanbarley2.jpg
Gio
on 18 Jul 07agree with big ben & steve…
matt, it sounds like you’ve never used a bluetooth headset before. They’re a genuinely useful piece of technology. you guys should be able to relate to that.
and as stated above, directing the rant at users is also inane, given that they don’t control how the things are manufactured. I chose mine based on features and quality, not whether it blinked or not. that would be a ridiculous reason to choose a product.
if you want to berate the habits of bluetooth users, fine. but it seems pretty childish. you come off like an insecure 6th grader sitting around with his buddies making fun of some kid’s clothes.
it would be nice if 37s kept their rants mildly intelligent…
Gene
on 18 Jul 07Whenever I see someone with one of these, I worry that they are about to be “upgraded” to a Cyberman.
ML
on 18 Jul 07I chose mine based on features and quality, not whether it blinked or not. that would be a ridiculous reason to choose a product.
That sounds like a great reason to choose NOT to buy/use a product (i.e. because it’s really obnoxious to those around you).
Consider this: What if every time you put on one of these headsets, a skunk-like odor was emitted that offended all those near you. Would you still use it and say, “Don’t blame me, it’s the designer’s fault!”...or would you search for some non-stinky alternative?
Tyson
on 18 Jul 07I’m with Gio on this one. No sarcasm or humor allowed on the internets! Ever!
High Fructose Corn Syrup
on 18 Jul 07“The only way to talk to someone in my car while driving is the Jawbone because i have a manual transmission”
Holy jeez. I just just thinking, is there any was possible to make the process of piloting 3500 lb. objects at 65 mph even MORE dangerous? As if it’s just not scary enough already. And then I remembered, oh yeah, every yutz going slow in the passing lane, blowing through stop signs or swerving to make turns at the last second happens to be on the phone. Have a little more respect for the lives of other people on the road as well as your own.
jjs
on 18 Jul 07Jamie, no excuses. You’re just a wise. You people all get annoyed way too easily…
jjs
on 18 Jul 07haha- * wuss.* Thanks, iPhone. Time to eat up Martha.
montyfood
on 18 Jul 07@Martin: Not just NL, UK (and I suspect elsewhere) too. Nice to see that a designer in a recent idea for London Underground ticket redesign felt the same.
Is it an anti-iPod backlash – when instead of hearing it properly in your ear you think music actually sounds good on such shitty little speakers? I thought at first it was a social ‘sharing my music’ thing, but I keep seeing kids doing it solo.
But we’re getting off the subject. Bluetooth earpiece wearers? Tossers.
Jonathan
on 18 Jul 07@ML: In your post, you clearly blame the ones wearing them, not the designers.
If you are that offending by blinking lights, you might as well not own anything electronic. Are you going to bitch about the lights on Macbooks, which have a pulsing light on the front, battery indicator lights on the bottom and light on the charging cable.
Also, comparing a blinking light to a skunk’s odor is a really bad comparison.
You should have made this post about the people who wear them all the time when they are not talking on the phone rather than the design of them which has nothing to do with the people wearing them.
R
on 18 Jul 07Those blinking lights are great!
I love ‘em – it makes it sooo easy to spot the wankers!
grover
on 18 Jul 07I agree that this is irritating beyond all reason, but it’s not something we as the consumers have a lot of control over. Nearly all bluetooth headsets do this and “blinky lights” isn’t generally a bullet point on the back of the box. So how exactly does one go about finding one without blinking lights?
And while I also agree that it’s obnoxious to wear one everywhere you go, it’s entirely useful when you’re in the car or doing tech support over the phone.
Gio
on 18 Jul 07@Matt: Your skunk example is totally ridiculous. And no, I’m not going to start making purchases based on what you or other people think. The blinking light doesn’t impede anyone from going about their daily business, and honestly it wouldn’t be such a big deal if you didn’t make it one.
@Tyson: I have nothing against sarcasm and humor on the internet, as long as it’s funny and/or relevant.
silvarios
on 18 Jul 07I don’t get the design either as I wear my bluetooth headset quite a bit. I can’t see the light so why does it blink incessantly? However, why should I have to constantly remove and reinsert the freaking earpiece because a bunch of nimrods think wearing an earpiece while walking around is somehow offensive.
Here’s a clue, I get tired of having to fiddle around with the headset every time someone calls me during the day. Granted if I was in the movies or other unnaturally darkened ripoff of a multimedia event (as if I’d pay $10 to go to the movies) then certainly I’d remove the headset. As an aside, if the earpiece is in my ear it still makes an audible to me sound when people call me, even though my phone is on silent/vibrate. Handy for not bugging others with the ungodly “sounds” packaged with all modern phones. So pick your poison, me looking like an idiot or you hearing an annoying ring tone.
Dan
on 18 Jul 07I cannot stand those futureman ear-bling bluetooth idiot badges. Honestly, do you think you’re Masterchief or something? Everytime I see one I just think of a six year old pretending to be a “spaceman.”
I’m as much a gadget freak as the next person, but that is one unfortunate trend that I skipped and I hope dies a quick a painful death.
Andy
on 18 Jul 07For what it’s worth, my Scala 700 allows me to disable the status light by holding the control wheel down for three seconds. Straightforward enough.
PatrickQG
on 18 Jul 07Still not sure why you berate the users here.
My bluetooth headset (which I hardly ever use, and is quite probably not even set up to work with my current phone) has a blue ring, that flashes when you do something (pushing buttons, basically), but otherwise stays on when the headset is on. I use it with Skype more than a cellphone, at any rate.
I chose this device because it had the best noise cancelling of the available options, while remaining comfortable. The fact that some person on the street might go crazy because the thing I use to talk has an indicator that it’s turned on was the last thing on my mind.
Personally I’ve never been bothered by anybody’s bluetooth headset. Could it be that most people just don’t care what other people have in there ears, and just ignore any kind of blinking light it might have?
Dave1982
on 18 Jul 07To those who feel that bluetooth headsets are somehow inherently stupid or offensive:
YOU are the ones being offensive by choosing to ridicule someone for taking advantage of the latest technology. YOU are being offensive by comparing users of BlueTooth headsets to the mentally ill. YOU are not making the situation better. You are also violating the posting rules here (the part about blatantly imflammatory, inappropriate, or vapid comments).
Allow me to point out a few simple facts that would be made clear after using one of these for a few days:
-These headsets are often so light and comfortable to wear(and I’ve been wearing glasses nearly all my life, so having something on my ear is second nature to me) that it’s very easy to forget that you have the thing on. On more than one occassion I’ve completely forgotten about it and walked into work wearing it, only to be reminded to take it off (we aren’t allowed to have electronic devices visible on ourselves at my store (except of course for hearing aids and the like)). It would not surprise me one bit if most of those sitting around with one on had forgotten as well.
- The small size of bluetooth headsets make misplacing them very easy, even with the blinking light (put a piece of paper over it in a lit room and it will disappear). When out and about, it is therefore much easier to leave it on your ear than risk losing it.
-Most models (the ones with the curving ear loop) are NOT pocket friendly. Whenever I am forced to put mine in my pocket (usually because of point #1 above) I worry about damage. Again, the easist way to avoid this is to keep wearing it (when possible).
-If you find flashing lights annoying, don’t look at them. It doesn’t take much discipline to do that.
-If the light is somehow unavoidable (or if some jerk is wearing one at the movies) just ask them to take it off. If someone were to do that to me (and it has happened) I would do so, with an apology.
-To whoever said that these make driving even more dangerous: that comment clearly wasn’t thought over at all. Hand-free devices make driving while talking LESS dangerous than talking (or worse, dialing) with the phone in your hand. Moreover, BT headsets are vastly superior to wired headsets and are much simpler to use (once set up). Please, think before you speak. Now obviously, it would be better to stay off the phone altogether while driving, but as anyone who has a cell phone can attest, sometimes it’s unavoidable. Again, using a BT handfree device is SAFER than using no hands-free device.
-As Bluetooth capable phones and bluetooth headsets becomes cheaper and more widely available (which – frankly – has already happened) their usage will increase. They arent’ going to go away, so getting your undergarments in a bunch over it is a waste of energy and creates unnecessary stress.
-BT headset users are WELL AWARE of the annoying light. I wish that I could turn mine off with leaving the device on, but I can’t.
-Walking around with a BT headset on is NO DIFFERENT (NO different) than walking around with a cell phone glued to your hip. It does not make you “more available” to call than having a cell phone in the first place. Whoever here said that it does wasn’t thinking.
-It’s called PROGRESS. Get used to it.
Don Schenck
on 19 Jul 07Maybe they only blink if you’re a racist?
Koliedrus
on 19 Jul 07My Motorola H700’s blinker stays off until it’s in use and for a few seconds afterward. Bought it to keep from crashing while driving but since then, I’ve seen several posts like this one regarding the annoyance people feel over something I purchased as a necessity.
Call it passive-aggression but I recently went to D.C. as a tourist and purposefully intended to annoy those who are overly sensitive about little shyte like this.
I was the guy navigating with a Razr, wearing my bluetooth ear jewelry, recording people’s expressions with a head-cam, Melodistik strapped to my arm, headphones around my neck and carrying more gadgets in my double-water-bottle-holstered FANNY PACK. Next trip, I plan to have some miniature spinners somewhere on my person. Knees, shoulders, ankles or ears are possible locations. Of course, they’ll need to be lit up.
The best reactions I got were from people on the subway listening to their iPods, glancing at me, grinning and shaking their heads.
Some people just don’t get mockery. More grins for me.
Koliedrus
on 19 Jul 07Oh, what the hell…
Bermuda shorts, white socks and sandles it is.
(sigh) Time for a refresher in self defense.
sandofsky
on 19 Jul 07Dave1982, - It’s easy and comfortable to leave your fly open. - Use a pocket. Orifices are not designed for transport. - Buy a headset that can be placed in a pocket. - Being attracted to blinking is wired into our brains. That’s why fire alarms flash. - You shouldn’t have to ask. - Unless your phone is rigged to a bomb, you don’t need to talk while driving. - McDonalds is popular. - Use a sharpie. - You look like you are trying to be more available. - If it were progress, more people would do it. I see the same percent as a few years ago, and they still look like tools.
Josh
on 19 Jul 07Those things remind me of a Jack quote from Will and Grace:
“How Madonna is this?!”
Marc
on 19 Jul 07Somehow I have the feeling that all the people here who are annoyed by the headsets probably are the same people who take laptops into conference presentations and surf the Web or chat in IRC while the presenter is speaking; or constantly check their cell phones, even during meetings (under the table); or who use the vibrate setting rather than just turning off the phone.
Now I know how to retaliate … buy a blinking headset. :-)
Saint Fnordius
on 19 Jul 07Well, I use a Bluetooth earbud whilst driving (it’s the only time the wife calls me), and I never bother with the blinking. After all, I’m alone in the car most times. When I am with the family I don’t use it and just fob off the phone to whomever is in the passenger seat.
However, it can be annoying. I was driving at night once, and the blinking reflected off of the door window. This was misinterpreted at first by me as a police or ambulance light, and it took a couple of seconds for me to recognise the source, but to turn it off I had to wait until I was home to go read the instruction manual and find the instructions.
That’s the real problem, I think. The blinking blue light is turned on by default, and it requires effort on the part of the user to turn it off. Since the user doesn’t see it, he isn’t bothered by it. As long as the person doesn’t perceive any drawbacks by leaving it on, that person won’t make the effort to deactivate, and deactivating isn’t intuitive.
This all leads to the question of why these devices blink in the first place. My theory is that the only reason is marketing: the advantage of Bluetooth isn’t visible at first, so manufacturers decided to make the lights as a method of promoting Bluetooth and hopefully generating buzz.
Mario Savio
on 19 Jul 07I think that this post is a bit racist, though perhaps not intentionally. I frequently hang out near a cell-phone kiosk (in the mall) and I do get the impression that most of the guys buying such earpieces were black. Then again, that could just be my internal racism speaking (perhaps I pay more attention to the black guys coming out of the shop than I do to the white guys). The selected photo, as well as the spinners and ladies’ man references, when considered alongside the blinking bluetooth critique, only further contribute to my discomfort. Can you go back to making fun of white people?
Yaroslav
on 19 Jul 07Lacks “digg it” button.
Non-American
on 19 Jul 07you americans, taking care of each other´s lives
go get something to do! so what if the thing blinks, or if the guy with the headset looks like he´s talking to himself? What if he was, would that be a problem too ?
you people are seriously getting out of control
and don´t get me started on the racist thing…
Danny Hope
on 19 Jul 07If the light was on the inside then: a) people wouldn’t see it b) if you wanted to remove the headset and have silence the light could be visible to you
Martin
on 19 Jul 07ooh, ooh, ooh, and don’t you hate sunglasses, cos you can’t see the person’s eyes, and you don’t know if they’re looking at you or not, and you can’t see the subtle nuances that indicate something said was in jest, or ironic, or sarcastic, or serious.
I bought a BT earpiece, so that I could work on my computer whilst someone (usually a boss/colleague/customer) was phoning me. Instead of having a customary crick in my neck, I was able to use the comp at full speed. However, it kept falling out…
And the blue LEDs are because blue LEDs were only just invented when BT earpieces were invented.
GUESS
on 19 Jul 07oh snap!
drone
on 19 Jul 07you get blinking lights because marketing thinks that blinking lights sell. they might be right.
The amount of effort that goes into programming the light blinking cycle is ridiculous compared to its utility.
Brady J. Frey
on 19 Jul 07I’m definately a geek, and I love my gadgets… but no matter how you swing it, you guys look like dorks sporting your bluetooth headset 24 hours a day at every public function. Sorry, you’re going to have to live with that fact, you can’t debate against it. Blinking light increases the dork factor. Even the busiest salesman does not need to look as if they don’t have your undivided attention by needing immediate wireless access to their phone at all times. Inaccessible users are null and void.
Dave1982
on 19 Jul 07Brady J Frey:
That’s an OPINION. Opinions are NOT fact, and are ALWAYS debatable.
If I say you look like like a dork for having a cell phone glued to your hip, would you debate it? Of course you would. And again, you are no more or less “accessible” with a BlueTooth headset than you are with a plain ol’ cellphone.
sandofsky:
“It’s easy and comfortable to leave your fly open.”
Yeah, it is. That happens to people too, sometimes. Doesnt’ change my argument a whit.
“Use a pocket. Orifices are not designed for transport”
Quite the specious argument. I’ll be sure to pass that along to the person who invented eyeglasses, the person who invented contact lenses, the person who invented hearing aids, and the person who invented in-ear headpnoes (ie iPod earbuds). This is no different.
“Buy a headset that can be placed in a pocket.”
Wait a minute, I thought you were railing against headsets? Does this mean you’re ok with them? Should this not be “Don’t use a headset?” In any case, there realyl arent’ any pocket-friendly BlueTooth headsets.
“Being attracted to blinking is wired into our brains. That’s why fire alarms flash.”
Like I said, it doesn’t take very much discpline to ignore a flashing light. Once you know it’s not singalling danger, you can ignore it easily. Try it.
“You shouldn’t have to ask.”
First of all, we live in an imperfect world. Deal with it.
Second, re-read the points I made before saying that. That will explain why you have to ask.
“Unless your phone is rigged to a bomb, you don’t need to talk while driving.”
That does not address my point AT ALL. I am not trying to argue whether or not you should talk while driving. My point is – assuming you are going to do so – it is less dangerous with a handsfree device than without one.
“McDonalds is popular.”
Point being…......what?
“Use a sharpie.”
Deface my device to avoid annoying you…...hmmm. Only if you agree to keep you cell phone on full silent mode at all times.
“You look like you are trying to be more available.”
Looks can be deceiving. It also looks like you are trying to be more available simply by owning a cell phone.
“If it were progress, more people would do it. I see the same percent as a few years ago, and they still look like tools”
This is very bizarre. You claim not to have seen an increase in usage of BlueTooth headsets while at the same time ranting and raving about how annoying they are…..... I dont’ get it.
In any case, yes, the usage IS going up. That is a fact. Deal with it.
Saxdiva
on 19 Jul 07I’m a musician, and a trumpet player I run into a lot always has one of those ridiculous things on… even at rehearsals and gigs. It sends a very distinct message of, “Whatever call I might get is FAR more important that the gig you’re paying me to play right now. Furthermore, I’m so important that I don’t have to listen to anyone else in the ensemble—you cats just need to listen and adjust to ME.”
Maybe the rest of us will get lucky and the mothership will recall these idiots very soon.
Brady J. Frey
on 19 Jul 07“That’s an OPINION . Opinions are NOT fact, and are ALWAYS debatable.”
No *#&% Sherlock, when did I say it was a fact? Nevertheless, trendy geek tools justified as productivity devices like so are always debatable in cool factor. Some of it’s hype, some of it’s market, some of it’s personal. Usage maybe going up, but so too maybe your dork factor.
...and for the love of god, stop going anonymous if you’re going to have a debate, even for a juvenile headset discussion, it lacks credibility.
Don Schenck
on 19 Jul 07I think they are the geek equivalent of a redneck who wears a Big Johnson t-shirt.
That’s just my opinion.
:)
Dave1982
on 19 Jul 07“No *#&% Sherlock, when did I say it was a fact?”
Right here. In your own post:
no matter how you swing it, you guys look like dorks sporting your bluetooth headset 24 hours a day at every public function. Sorry, you’re going to have to live with that fact, you can’t debate against it.
“and for the love of god, stop going anonymous if you’re going to have a debate, even for a juvenile headset discussion, it lacks credibility.”
Maybe I just don’t want to put my email address out there for the whole world to see? So that I can limit this argument/debate/whatever to this location and not have it spill over into my personal email? And how does not posting my real name or email make my points any less valid?
Pius
on 19 Jul 07Definitely cringe-worthy!
Brady J. Frey
on 19 Jul 07“Sorry, you’re going to have to live with that fact, you can’t debate against it.”
That was sarcasm. I’ll put a smiley face on there next time, I can understand that blog posts have little tone.
“And how does not posting my real name or email make my points any less valid?”
Anonymity for fear of personal harm is understandable, but for such a cheap arguement you’ve put no weight on an attack. How do I know you’re not a 15 year old parroting a debate from your buddy, or a motorola employee trolling the value of your headset marketing prowess? Keep yourself anonymous if you’d like, that’s fine – but it’s akin to hiding in my book.
Regardless, this cheap conversation is over – there’s very little value on either end of this debate, and I’m sure all of us have more important business to address.
craz
on 19 Jul 07just buy one that has no blinking light on it.
Dave1982
on 19 Jul 07Fine
Rob
on 20 Jul 07...or just put the phone to your ear instead! that way you won’t look like a complete tit!
Scott
on 20 Jul 07Here here! This is a pet peve of mine as well.
Does anyone know if the Apple Bluetooth headset blinks? If not, I’ll retire my Jabra to the green pastures of video home conferencing.
And Matt is right. You can influence product design using your purchasing power as a consumer.
sandofsky
on 20 Jul 07Dave,
I’m sorry for using similes. I’ll spell things out for you.
“Doesnt’[sic] change my argument a whit.”
Yes it does. Easy and stupidity are often related.
“Quite the specious argument. I’ll be sure to pass that along to the person who invented eyeglasses, the person who invented contact lenses, the person who invented hearing aids, and the person who invented in-ear headpnoes[sic] (ie iPod earbuds). This is no different.”
Your argument was using your ear to carry it when not in use. Most of those products are constantly in use. However, people who wear earbuds all the time are indeed tools.
“Wait a minute, I thought you were railing against headsets?”
Please tell me when I said this.
“Does this mean you’re ok with them?”
If you aren’t a tool with them.
“Should this not be “Don’t use a headset?””
No. You are inventing a straw man.
“In any case, there realyl[sic] arent’[sic] any pocket-friendly BlueTooth headsets.”
I doubt that statement, but even if it’s true, it doesn’t change how it makes you look like a tool.
“First of all, we live in an imperfect world. Deal with it.”
Aw no he did’unt! I got SERVED!
“Second, re-read the points I made before saying that. That will explain why you have to ask.”
I re-read your points. They explain nothing, so I’ll simplify the question.
Can you assume people will tell you if you’re being inconsiderate?
“I am not trying to argue whether or not you should talk while driving.”
You said sometimes you have to. That is incorrect, but it shows the root of your problem. You confuse “have to” with “I want to.”
“Point being……...what?”
Popularity proves nothing. I can name a dozen stupid popular things.
“Deface my device to avoid annoying you……hmmm. Only if you agree to keep you cell phone on full silent mode at all times.”
When I’m in public, I do.
“Looks can be deceiving. It also looks like you are trying to be more available simply by owning a cell phone.”
No, it looks like it if I’m always holding it up against my ear.
“This is very bizarre. You claim not to have seen an increase in usage of BlueTooth headsets while at the same time ranting and raving about how annoying they are…….. I dont’[sic] get it.”
I’m sorry you get confused easily. Here is what I have said: Those headsets are annoying in public.
“In any case, yes, the usage IS going up. That is a fact.”
Please provide me statistics.
“Deal with it.”
And that’s your character in a nutshell.
Sean Scott
on 22 Jul 07Funny, i just thought the blinking light was an indicator of whether your headset is on. On the jawbone it also doubles as a battery meter. I’d love to hear your thoughts on ways of doing this through some other interface.
BTW I own and use a jawbone because its the damn best headset out there. The fact that it annoys folks to this extent to me is just a bonus.
sadsite
on 22 Jul 07I really wanted to like 37 signals…. this was my first visit. BUT, it is obvious that this site is just another idiot parade.
I won’t be back.
Headsets Indead
on 25 Jul 07Hi just checked out basecamp today after a colleague recommended it. Looks cool…...but just wanted to mention that I am now seeing 37signals everywhere. Must be an underground web thing! Keep up the good work.
This discussion is closed.