I just discovered THIS ARTICLE at the Boy Genius Report, and I'm quite surprised that no one's talking about it yet! RIM, it would seem, will be releasing a BRAND NEW BlackBerry Bluetooth headset, possibly as soon as this month or sometime in July!

Here's the details:So, anyone else excited about this?

I'll admit, I've never used the previous BlackBerry Bluetooth Headset model. I've been perfectly happy with my Jawbone. BUT... Aliph has changed. They no longer seem interested in making a Jawbone headset that can fit MY ear, as both the Jawbone 2 and the new Jawbone Prime won't stay on my ear. My Jawbone won't last forever, and will eventually need to be replaced, so maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll find that the Alpha 1 will make a better replacement than the current Jawbone models!

Anyone else have any thoughts on this announcement?

I'm with you...the specs on this sound very interesting and like what I'm looking for. I have the Plantronics Voyager 855 and while I do like it, it's a tiny bit too heavy and therefore doesn't stay "seated" as well as I need it to. I find myself constantly readjusting it. I've been on the hunt for a bluetooth with noise cancellation and the ability to stream music. I am anxious to see what this will end up looking like. Thanks for posting...I had not seen on BGR.

Thanks to a new report, which was posted yesterday by TechFresh.Net , we FINALLY have our first picture of the BlackBerry "Alpha 1" Bluetooth Headset! Here it is:



But STILL no word on pricing or availability. RIM has obviously missed their original target date of July... we're now half-way through August, and the "Alpha 1" still hasn't shown up on any store shelves, at least not as far as I've heard, anyway.

Also mentioned in the article is RIM's Bluetooth watch they're working on, but the final appearance of that accessory still remains a mystery, as the article just reuses the same image of a Sony Ericsson MBW-100 with a PhotoShopped logo that's been floating around the web for the last 2-3 months.

OK, so where the hell is this blasted thing? It's now SEPTEMBER... and October is rapidly approaching. And I still have yet to see the "Alpha 1" in any retail stores in my area, and I've seen no mention of it being available online, either. What gives?!?

EDIT: Decided to check out BlackBerry.Com, and RIM has FINALLY given the "Alpha 1" an official page on their site, along with an official name and a price: It has been officially designated the BlackBerry Wireless Headset HS-500 and is "coming soon" for a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of $79.99. Click on the name to go to the official page on BlackBerry.Com, where the only thing you can do right now is sign-up for an email update when more info (hopefully the on sale date) is available.

I too have been anxiously awaiting this earpiece. As a woman with small ears it is difficult to find one that is comfortable. I've had all three Jawbones and if I get it in just the right position the fit is "okay". The price isn't bad either. Thanks for the updated info.

No problem.

But still, no one has answered the $80 question: WHEN CAN I BUY ONE?!?!?

I bet it's getting closer.

Today is the day I've been waiting for...

THE BLACKBERRY WIRELESS HEADSET HS-500 IS NOW AVAILABLE!!!

I just received an email a little bit ago from the folks at ShopBlackBerry.Com. Here's what they had to say:Unfortunately, money's really tight for me for the next week and a half, so I can't order one right away.

Therefore, I now expect one of YOU to order it immediately, and post your thoughts here for the rest of us to see!

It really is a nice bluetooth unit... good battery life, great audio on the music and easy to use. I'd equate it to the JawboneII in size and weight. It comes with three different sized earbuds and two over the ear loops. I've used it with the loops and without, both work.

You are one lucky guy, you know that? I've been waiting for this thing since July, when it was originally supposed to be out!

So, how's the noise cancellation when compared to competing headsets such as the Jawbones?

By no means have I done any scientific testing, or side-by-side testing, but I have noticed my callers comment a couple of times they heard wind noise if my driver's window is down.

I like the dedicated on-off switch, and I like the MicroUSB charging port... one less charger I need to have handy.

Aye, that it will... especially when I'm traveling. A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Seattle, and due to limited outlets in the hotel room my girlfriend and I stayed in, I could only plug in my BlackBerry OR my Bluetooth headset, not both at the same time. So I had to alternate chargers, and charge the 2 at different times. If I'm gonna have to do that, might as well at least be able to do it with the same charger.

I'm very disappointed that almost no one else is interested in talking about this headset. I guess I'm the only one that's really interested in knowing if it's worth buying.