Headsets

Bluetooth Earrings Let You Walk, Talk AND Look Stylish

Here’s a piece of ear-wear that you aren’t going to want to miss. We already KNOW that everything goes better with Bluetooth. Still, who wants to walk about with something stuck in their ear? It look funky, it feels funky and preferring the sound being injected into your ear canal, it blocks out the sound that is right around you. Well Judie has been Beta-testing a new approach for some time now and it is ready to be shared with the world. Yes, you would never know that Judie was wearing a Bluetooth headset… she is. In fact, you can…


Jabra SUPREME UC, Calls At Your Desk and On the Go

  We reviewed the Jabra SUPREME last year. It is the first non-stereo headset that includes Active Noise Cancellation. It is a bit bigger than I usually like but it sounds great and is a good choice if you are in the market for a new BT headset. Here’s what we had to say at the time I’m really impressed with the Jabra Supreme. It is comfortable, sounds good and offers all of the features that I want and need in a headset. The active noise cancellation is an interesting new feature. It works quite well and allows for good…


Phiaton PS 20 BT Stereo BT Headset Bring Advanced Technology

Phiaton’s PS 20 BT Stereo Headset may look like any other pair of Bluetooth headphones but they pack in a huge amount of new technology that makes them stand out fro the crowd. The PS 20 BTs have Bluetooth 3.0 capability and use the 2.4GHz frequency for things such as pairing and taking phone calls but for activities that use heavier data they switch to Wi-Fi (802.11). That, for example, allows “more information to be sent to your listening device, providing drastically improved sound quality”.



Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth Headset Review

It is not uncommon for us to have an item or two as part of a giveaway but to have four of the same item ready to send to four lucky Gear Diary readers… that IS unusual. The giveaway item is, as Judie posted the other day, the Plantronics Marque M155 Bluetooth headset. Yes, we have two of the M155s in white and two in black to give away and the contest doesn’t end until Sunday. At an MSRP of $59.99 (you can get it for less if you price check on the internet) it is one of the less…


Plantronics GameCom 780 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset Review

Most modern games come with some use of stereo sound, and games with higher budgets make use of Dolby Surround Sound to provide realistic experiences of being surrounded and FEELING the impact of what is going on around you. If you are using a pair of Apple earbuds in your gaming laptop … you are really missing out. I recently looked at another set of Dolby enhanced headphones, but to truly get the experience you needed entirely too many cables. Now we have a new headset from Plantronics that offers Dolby 7.1 surround … but only requires a USB connection!


Jabra 900 Series Wireless Headset review

Back in July we took a look at the uber-cool Sennheiser OfficeRunner Headset. It comes with a base that was designed by someone with a keen aesthetic sense and it sounds great. In fact, I’ve been using it at the office ever since. It does, however, offer a few significant downsides. It takes up a bit of desk space, has a few too many cumbersome wires and it is pricey! The one we reviewed included the handset lifter and was close to $400. (The unit alone is $299.95 in our Amazon Affiliate store.) Jabra has also released a line of…


Native Union MM 03i Bluetooth iPhone Accessory Review

Point 1: As much as I love my iPhone using it as a phone isn’t all that comfortable. As a result, even when I’m not on the go, I will often use a headset, wired or Bluetooth, when using my iPhone for a call. In other words, if I use my iPhone a headset is a must. Point 2: iOS 5 .0 isn’t giving me the battery life that I am used to and need. That may change with the next iOS update but for the time being it is an issue with which I need to deal. That means…


Andrea SuperBeam Phones SB-405 Stereo Headset Review

If you are into voice recognition, then you need to have a good microphone. It’s a basic fact of life. Yes, you can use the built-in microphone on the MacBook Air (for example), and you’ll probably get good results. But if you want great results you’ll need something that’s going to help filter out the background noise; that means a good headset. Among the issues with such headsets? The best of them have boom microphones that make you look like a Bell telephone operator. Sure, this is all about getting the work done and dictating your text but what if…


Bluetooth Headset Review: Sound iD SIX

A few weeks ago we brought word that Sound iD was coming out with their newest Bluetooth headset the Sound iD SIX. We have reviewed the company’s previous headsets, so I was anxious to get my hands on the SIX. Unlike those headsets, they were entirely black, the SIX has an attractive carbon fiber look to it. So it looks nice, but how does it sound? From Sound ID: The power of EarPrint™ for iPhone®, Blackberry® & Android® smart phones. Patented VoiceMenu technology is Sound ID’s answer to Voice Recognition. Unlike voice recognition, Voice Menu is discrete in public and is…


A Day in the Life: Using a Bluetooth Headset as a Remote Recording Device for Lectures

I have been teaching for the past few years and have found that recording my lectures is helpful for students that are sick or that need assistance due to attention deficit issues. Many of the programs to record lectures are costly, so I set out to see if I could use my MacBook and a Bluetooth headset to accomplish the task. I found that not only can I, but that it works remarkably well. The Bluetooth Device: The Bluetooth device I opted for is the Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset [affiliate link]. Not only is it a good headset, but…


Sound ID is Back with the Sound iD SIX, a Siri-Ready Bluetooth Headset

I have had the opportunity to review each generation of Sound iD’s Bluetooth headsets. The first was a small but excellent device and with each generation the devices have gotten better and better. Now the company is back with their Sound iD SIX Series headset and it looks great. Here’s what the company has to say about it: Sound ID redefines the Bluetooth experience with the new SIX. Destined to be your go-to headset, the SIX boasts a sleek look and more than one new audio trick, resulting in a true marriage of outstanding sound, true comfort and advanced technology….


Bluetooth Headset Review: Jabra SUPREME

I have been using one specific Bluetooth headset in my car for the past year or so, but I lost it a few weeks back. Okay, I didn’t exactly “lose” it but, rather, my wife Elana took it. I was thrilled to have her take the headset because: A. She’s my wife, and I like her to have stuff she wants B. She’s my wife, and I wanted her to have and use a headset so she would be safer on the road C. I knew I had a headset on the way that would be just as comfortable and…


Gaming Headset Review: Sharkoon X-Tatic SR Surround Sound Headphones

It is hard to believe, but not everyone wants to listen as you pump sound from video games through your home theater system. That is why there are gaming headsets to begin with – they provide a microphone, but can also provide very sensitive audio … or blast your face off with mega-sound! I use basic Apple or Sony earbuds most of the time, which are adequate but don’t begin to emulate the home theater experience – which is why there are ‘portable sound-systems like the Sharkoon X-Tatic SR. Let’s take a look! The Hype: Sharkoon headsets are sophisticated in…


Bluetooth Headset Review: Jabra Sport Bluetooth Headphones

I’m sitting on an old-fashioned rocking chair on the porch of an inn in Martha’s Vineyard with a cup of coffee. The air is a bit brisk but the sun is shining and there is a nice breeze. It is about as close to a perfect fall morning as you are going to get. My iPad has served me well as my Sunday New York Times for the past hour or so and now I am writing this post. And the scene is made close to perfect by a soundtrack provided by Pandora. (I’m listening to a custom station I…


Ooma Updates and Gets Even Better

One of the standout piece of consumer electronics I have discovered over the past few years is the Ooma phone system. The system brings an unusual business model to the business of phone service. Instead of charging a monthly fee Ooma sells the hardware that connects to your high-speed internet service and then lets you have your phone service for free. Sure they sell a number of useful accessories and there are some value-adding services to which you can subscribe (Ooma Premier is one of them and is totally worth the price) but you don’t HAVE to do so to…


Sennheiser MM450 Bluetooth Headphones Review

As I have been reviewing more and more audio equipment one thing has become clear to me: you get what you pay for in the sound department. True, every now and then a lower-end audio product may surprise you but, as a general rule, the more you pay the more features and audio-quality you are going to find. Sure, this holds true in most areas, but I tend to find it is more apparent in the audio department than in other places. That noted, I never imagine I would lust after a pair of headphones that cost just south of…


Review: The Joy Factory Zip USB Touch-n-go Multi-Charging Station with ZipTail Receivers

Charging cables and cords… they’re everywhere. Literally everywhere. Have an iPhone? You need a 5W wall adapter and a USB cable. An iPad? You need a 10W wall adapter and a USB cable. Using a Samsung Galaxy Tab? You’ll need one of their proprietary chargers. Have a Blackberry or Android phone? Most likely you need a microUSB adapter connected to a wall charger. And the list goes on and on. I hate the mess of cords. That’s why I’ve been so interested in the various conductive charging systems that have been coming to market for the past few years. The…


Review: Bluetrek SPEAKY Bluetooth Speakerphone: “The most friendly car kit”

I thought I had seen it all until the SPEAKY showed up at my door. SPEAKY looks like a little Kewpie Doll, albeit without hair and not quite as cute but has some interesting hidden features. Yes, SPEAKY is a full-service Bluetooth speakerphone. I took a look at one and we’re giving it away so… read on. From BLUETREK: A cute, interesting speakerphone developed for those who need a good audio quality as well as ease of control. Speaky is the first Bluetooth carkit in market which enable automatic switch on/off functions. Speaky is equipped with the best in class…


Office Gear Review: Sennheiser OfficeRunner Headset

I spend a lot of time on the phone and have long thought about getting a good headset to use. I was close to buying the OfficeRunner some time back but did not. Why? In part because I read a fairly scathing review of it.The “review” that turned me off to a great extent and prompted me to not purchase the headset talked about the fact that this headset doesn’t work with cordless phones and that the volume that was so low that the person on the other end couldn’t hear the conversation. Both criticisms were, as I discovered, unfair. (I…


Jabra CLIPPER Headset Bluetooth Stereo Headset Review

In the world of Bluetooth (BT) headsets, the choices and options are wide and varied.  Quite a contrast from the early days when Motorola was the first and only BT headset that was widely available nearly 9 years ago.  In my position, employees often ask for advice about BT headsets and BT ear pieces. When the CLIPPER was announced by Jabra, I placed an order for one to see what I thought of it.  I was so pleased with the headset that I continued to use it long after my opinion had been formed.  In this review, I will highlight…