The quest for the ultimate mixture of Bluetooth headset and personal digital assistant is still on despite Motorola’s valiant but flawed efforts with the Moto Hint, and many a beta tester would say that Sony has a real contender for quest-ender on their hands with the Xperia Ear. The uber-smart headset is able to read head gestures and use a natural conversational interface to help you get things done without ever laying hands on your phone, and has been available for pre-order in some markets since back in October. Finally, the device is starting to roll out to retailers and will be heading out across the globe starting this week.
Calling the Xperia Ear full-featured would be a bit of an understatement. The device has a huge range of features, all of which you can assign to customizable head gestures and vocal triggers. It uses a conversational interface to make issuing voice commands as natural as possible, and can deliver notifications, schedule details, and other various heads-ups throughout the day, either periodically or on a set schedule. The device features a lightweight, comfortable design, all day battery life, and special audio enhancements to make incoming and outgoing voices exceptionally loud and clear. On top of all of that, the device features some basic water resistance, meaning that rain or sweat won’t be a big deal. All things considered, it serves as a wonderful alternative to traditional Bluetooth headsets, on top of the myriad smart functions on offer.
The Xperia Ear is currently available in select markets on Sony’s website for $299, and will begin making its way to various retail outlets from this week onward, where it is expected to carry the same price tag. Aside from Sony stores, you can likely expect to see units at mobile carrier stores and places like Best Buy. At the moment, exactly what outlets aside from physical Sony stores will be carrying the Xperia Ear is a bit unclear, so those interested in throwing down their $299 for a wearable personal assistant will have to check out their local shops in the coming weeks as it rolls out to more and more retailers.