Ever since Kerry introduced me to the wonderfully descriptive and perfect term “ear roach”, used to describe those obnoxious Bluetooth headsets that so many people wear, I have been hard-pressed to think of them as anything but.
However, the Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece I am writing about today is one earpiece that does not deserve my usual mockery. This earpiece is elegant, light, and dare I say pretty? It is one of the few headsets that looks like jewelry for your ear. But can it handle calls comfortably and with clarity? Read on to see…
Included in the box are the earpiece, three pairs of stabilizing eartips (sized small, medium and large)…
…an AC charger, a USB charging cable…
…and a special charging case which allows you to boost the charge on the earpiece every time the headset is inserted.
The Discovery 925 can also be charged by inserting the micro USB cable directly into the earpiece’s port. A full charge takes three hours either through the AC charger or USB cable; a minimum charge can be accomplished in one hour. If you are charging the earpiece through the case while using USB, it can take up to nine hours; consider yourself warned.
The 925 measures approximately 2.6″ long x 1″ wide x 1″ deep. Instead of an ear loop or hook, it uses a soft silicone eartip with a stabilizing bar that hooks into the rook of the wearer’s ear. The earpiece is feather light, and the entire setup is quite comfy. Since there are three eartips included, finding one that fits should be easy enough.
The decorative diamond shaped middle of the earpiece also serves as the call button, with the design in the middle acting as the indicator LED panel.
Here’s a shot from the side, showing the removable silicone eartip.
The earpiece’s speaker is directly under the silicone eartip, and below that you can just see the volume control button.
The removable diagram sticker that’s affixed on the inside flap of the charging case shows the proper procedure for inserting the headset into the case; insertion is quite easy, but removal can be a bit tricky if you forget to pull up from a left-ward angle.
Inside the charging case is a Nickel-metal hydride battery, the earpiece has a Li-Ion battery. Talk time on the headset is rated at up to five hours, with standby rated at up to 175 hours with the multipoint feature off, or up to 100 hours with the multipoint feature on.
I paired the Discovery 925 to my Vertu Constellation (which, by the way, the black and chrome earpiece beautifully matched) in a manner of a few easy steps: with my phone’s Bluetooth turned on and discoverable, I pressed the large center button on the earpiece. The middle light began to alternately flash red and blue, and it was almost immediately found by my phone. When prompted, I entered the PIN “0000″…
…and was thereafter paired.
The Discovery 925 uses multipoint technology, which “allows you to use one earpiece with two different Bluetooth mobile phones.” Those of you who have to carry two phones will appreciate the convenience that this affords, even thought the cost is a significant loss of standby battery time.
This headset is relatively simple, because it only offers voice activated calling and redial as its two hands-free features. You can answer or reject a call, end a call, make a call, transfer a call between earpiece and phone, or swap between mobile phone handsets, all by pressing the call button at the appropriate time.
When using the 925, I found that on my end, reception was very clear. People I spoke with were not able to tell that I was using a headset (until I told them) – once I got the earpiece properly seated, and that was even when I was walking outside on a breezy day. When it was improperly seated, I was told that I sounded like I was inside a barrel because there was a bit on an echo. Since the headset is so amazingly light and the eartip grips so well, the 925 didn’t move at all when I whipped my head from side to side or when I shook my head forcibly; I suspect that it could be worn when jogging, but I did not test that theory. It proved to be quite comfortable through hours of wear, as I simply forgot that I had it on.
Overall, I was quite pleased with the Discovery 925. I went into this review thinking that it would be yet another Bluetooth headset, but it pleasantly surprised me with its good looks and comfortable fit. I think that this is a headset which any woman would be happy to own and wear; as long as they purchase the black, I think any man would be, too. If you want a simple to operate headset that can pair with more than one mobile phone, that looks good and sounds good as well, then this may be the one for you.
The Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers. It is available in black, cerise (pink), and gold.
MSRP:$149.95
What I Like: Stylish, light, well fitting; ability to pair with two phones at the same time; charging case allows you to top off earpiece’s battery if needed
What Needs Improvement: Significant battery drain when using multipoint feature
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