In terms of how Bluetrek has packaged and accessorized the Mini, it really is similar — which is a great thing, because it means that it has:
* The headset
* 3 sizes of ErgoBUDs
* A wall charger
* A car charger
* A USB charger
* A lanyard
* 2 sizes of earhooks
* A Quick Start Guide
A more complete package than many headsets at twice the price, especially the full complement of chargers: wall, car and USB. You're not left hanging with just one of the three, as many otherwise good companies increasingly find acceptable. The charging socket on the headset is micro-USB. All that's missing is the full manual, which has to be downloaded from Bluetrek's website.
Unlike headsets from other companies, Bluetrek headsets can't be used straight out of the box; they come uncharged. The initial charge took three of the four hours the manual said it would — definitely postponed gratification. Instead of alternating colors, the indicator light around the talk button remains a solid red while charging, then goes off when fully charged. The battery is rated at up to seven hours of talk time, and up to 10 days of standby time.
It doesn't hurt that the Mini is extremely light (about 10 grams), so it's not difficult at all to wear without an earhook. The earhooks themselves, being plastic, don't look very durable; nor do they look very comfortable — they arc from a 45-degree angle. But when I put them on, they more or less vanished from my awareness after a minute or two. They're so thin and light, that there's enough play in the plastic to keep from pinching your ear.
The Mini has two buttons: a volume button on the top (or bottom, relative to the lettering on the inside), and a talk button on the out-facing side. The positioning of the talk button is less than ideal if you have a tendency to push in buttons with more force than necessary. You're basically pushing the ErgoBUD further into your ear each time you need to use this multifunction button. Though it doesn't look like it, the volume button is actually a rocker switch, so the up/down volume orientation isn't obvious at first glance — the side toward the talk button is volume-up.
Most lanyards that come with Bluetooth headsets are pretty utilitarian, but the Mini features an attractive plated ring pendant that snaps onto the base of the earphone. Between the headset's plated surface, its rounded corners, and the design of the pendant, the Mini almost looks like jewelery when hung from your neck.
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