Adopting new technology often requires compromise. In the case of Bluetooth headsets, we traded boring ol’ sound quality for ease of movement, freedom from cords, and a tech fantasy dating back to Lt. Uhura with a silver chess piece in her ear. In the early Bluetooth years, many made the trade and went about their lives with poor audio assuming – at some point – quality would catch up to convenience.

Fast-forward ten years, though, and the picture hasn’t changed as much as we might have hoped. While there are many more – and far better – Bluetooth headsets available today, half of the original tradeoff remains: while what the user hears has improved, sound quality on the other end of the “line” still leaves much to be desired.

For this reason, many steer clear of Bluetooth headsets, not wanting to subject family, friends, or business associates to audio dropouts or the “tin can” effect. I, too, have tried a number of wireless headsets, only to set them aside and return to the phone-between-ear-and-shoulder paradigm.

So, a few weeks ago, I decided to see if the tradeoff could be eliminated once and for all, or at least significantly mitigated. I would gather several Bluetooth headsets of a specific type – those with boom microphones that extend near the mouth for the best outgoing audio – and see if there is, at last, a Bluetooth headset that can offer bi-directional satisfaction. What I discovered was somewhat disappointing, but incredibly useful. Put another way, there are at least a couple of Bluetooth headsets available that offer phone-like sound quality, going or coming.

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Google is now selling an unlocked GSM version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus Android phone for $399.  This model of the Galaxy Nexus will work on both AT&T and T-Mobile wireless networks and is unlocked and contract free.  It’ll even work with high speed HSDA+ networks, where available.

This isn’t the first time Google has played the smartphone sales game, but we’re not entirely sure why the company has decided to get back on the horse when it was thrown off so sharply the last go around.  Still, at $399 it’s cheaper than unlocked versions of the phone sold by Amazon and other online retailers.  And for about double what Verizon and Sprint charge for an on-contract version of the phone, it’s a pretty fair price.

Of course, if you want a Galaxy Nexus and don’t mind Verizon or two-year contracts, you can nab the phone for less than $50 here and here.

Counting the days ‘til May 6th?  You can get in line for the upcoming HTC One X from AT&T by pre-ordering now.

AT&T is accepting online pre-orders for the HTC One X Android 4 smartphone, both in gray and white.  With a two-year contract, the direct AT&T price is $199, due at shipping.

Amazon Wireless is also offering the AT&T HTC One X for pre-order (white or gray), but for $149 – a price good for both upgrades and new accounts. Same two-year contract requirement applies. 

Learn more about the AT&T HTC One X…

AndroidPolice has new details – or at least purported details – on the upcoming HTC Incredible 4G. 

Thanks to a tipster, the site reports that the new Incredible will feature a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon SoC, a 4-inch display and Android 4.0.  No real surprises there. 

We’ll keep you posted as new information is released.  The HTC Incredible 4G is expected to hit Verizon Wireless sometime in the next month or so.

Nokia has identified a software-based memory management issue that can, in particular instances, keep a Lumia 900 Windows Phone from connecting to the internet.  Some users began noting the problem shortly after the phone went on sale Sunday, and the company says they already have a fix.

If your Lumia 900 has been affected, Nokia is offering two options:  You can either swap your handset at an AT&T store for a unit that has the software fix, or you can apply the update via Zune starting Monday, April 16th. 

Even if you haven’t experienced this issue, it’s probably a good idea to check on April 16th to see if your particular Lumia 900 needs the update.  And whether or not you’ve been affected, everyone who purchased the phone – or does so by April 21st – will receive $100 from Nokia on their AT&T bill, though the company didn’t say when this credit would be posted to users’ accounts.

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