Headset ear detection that controls alerting signals so as to be less noticeable if the device is in proximity to the user's ear

A device (headset or mobile telephone) capable of providing information to a user through a plurality of different alerting signals, comprising: a sensing system (e.g. capacitive proximity detector, pressure sensor) capable of sensing indications that the device is in a first particular physical relationship to the user's body (e.g. proximity to the userâ s ear); an alerting system capable of conveying information to the user through a plurality of different alerting signals the alerting signals including: a first set of alerting signals and a second set of alerting signals (which have different information formats or have different levels of intensity) that are such as to be less noticeable to the user if the device is in the first particular physical relationship to the user's body than the first set of alerting signals. Aspects of the invention include: a controller responsive to the sensing system; one of the information formats being visual, audio or vibration. Embodiments include the device being a mobile telephone.