Hands On: Huawei TalkBand B1 – A Bluetooth headset that doesn’t make you look like a twit

Huawei's TalkBand B1 might just have solved one of the biggest problems of our time, well, first world problems. Bluetooth headsets are pretty convenient, but you look like a bit of a twit wearing one. Sure, their designs have gotten more stylish, but in reality you don't want to be seen with one anywhere other than your car.

By Alex Choros

Huawei's TalkBand B1 might just have solved one of the biggest problems of our time, well, first world problems. Bluetooth headsets are pretty convenient, but you look like a bit of a twit wearing one. Sure, their designs have gotten more stylish, but in reality you don't want to be seen with one anywhere other than your car.

The TalkBand B1 looks to change this. As strange as it sounds, the B1 is a fitness tracker that doubles as a Bluetooth headset. Crazy, right? Well, it might be more accurate to say it's a Bluetooth headset that doubles as a fitness tracker, as the earpiece does all of the work.

For most of the time, the B1's earpiece will live docked away in the accompanying band. The device's screen can display the time, the number of steps you've taken, the calories you've burnt and the amount of sleep you've had. Then, when you get a phone call, the B1 will display caller's name. Pressing the larger of the band's two buttons pops the "brain" out, leaving the device ready to slot into your ear. Fortunately, it seems like the B1 is clever enough to not act as your phone's default headset when docked in the band.

The B1 is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, and as with other fitness trackers, has a dedicated app. The device pairs over Bluetooth, but can also be connected using NFC on support phones.