Hasta La Gadget!

Motorola has unveiled the H17, a Bluetooth headset with an extended mic boom that folds up and turns the unit off in the process. This is nothing new for Motorola–the idea dates back at least to the Motorola HS850, if not earlier. But it’s interesting to see it make a return in a new product.

In addition, the H17 features Motorola’s CrystalTalk technology for better audio quality, along with RapidConnect, which lets H17 owners power-up the unit and answer a ringing call just by unfolding the boom. The H17 also includes voice prompts for pairing instructions and battery status. It lacks the bone conduction found in the company’s high-end Endeavor HX1 headset, though.

Motorola claims the H17 offers five hours of talk time on a single charge; a quick 15-minute charge will bring back two hours of talk time. It also connects simultaneously with two devices (like many recent Plantronics models). No word yet on a price or release date.