Headsets

Bluetrek CARBON Headset: Super Strong and Super Light

Bluetooth headsets have been given a bad rap by some. Yes, they can look kind of geeky. And yes, they can make you look like you are being even more anti-social than ever. And yes, some of the bigger ones make you look plain stupid. But Bluetooth headsets ARE convenient, they DO make speaking a big easier by leaving both hands free and they ARE safer if you are speaking in the car. And now, thanks to Bluetrek Bluetooth headsets CAN be a fashion statement. The new Bluetrek CARBON is “equipped with the best in class audio enhancement technology” but…


Ways to Help Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Victims: Jawbone & John Zorn Relief Efforts

Everyone shares the pain and difficulty of the people of Japan dealing with the horrible tragedy, and many of us look for ways to help out in whatever way possible. Judie wrote about some ways to help, I mentioned some here and here and here and here, and more ideas keep pouring in every day! Here are a couple more of the latest! First off, Jawbone – whose Icon bluetooth headset I use every day – is providing $50 for every Red Dot JAMBOX bought between now and April 15th. But you need to purchase it on Jawbone.com for the…


Review: BlueAnt T1 Rugged Bluetooth Headset

As our world grows more mobile, the importance of being able to go hands free and pay attention to what we are doing also grows. Not only is texting or emailing and driving dangerous, but we are discovering that driving and using a handset for any use can be disastrous. With this said, the market if flooded with hands free devices from headphones to bluetooth solutions. I have attempted to use some of the bottom tiered products with limited success. When someone calls, I still tend to pick up my phone to see who is calling and I also have…


iPhone Headset and Case Review: Mogo Talk XD2 for iPhone 4

Just after CES we reviewed the Mogo Talk XD for iPhone 4. The Mogo Talk HD is an iPhone case plus Bluetooth headset in one. When I had first seen the product released I thought it was a bit silly, but after trying one for myself I was sold. The case is decent enough and the convenience of always having a good, comfortable BlueTooth headset around is fantastic. Well ID8Mobile, the company behind the product, has now released the Mogo Talk HD2 for iPhone 4 and we’ve got a quick look at one. . What’s in the Box: MoGo Talk…


Arctic Gear Review Pt 2: P301 Professional Stereo Headset

Image courtesy of Arctic Last week in Pt 1 of the Arctic reviews, I took the P531 5.1 Surround Headset for a spin, and found that they were indeed impressive. This week I am checking out the P301 which is your basic 2 channel with adjustable microphone. I again turned to my gaming roots and suffered through a few more hours playing Black OPS on my PC. I like testing sound equipment with games because of the many different types of sound and how precisely you can measure the smallest of details. Black OPS has a quite the soundtrack, and…


Nuance Gives the New Jawbone ERA Headset a Voice

Nuance, the leaders in voice-to-text and tech-to-speech technology, have brought their powerful Vocalizer Network connected text-to-speech (TTS) functionality to Jawbone’s ERA headset. The new integration brings a unique Caller ID by Name feature via Jawbone’s MyTALK platform by letting users load an address book onto the headset itself. Once this is done, as calls come in, the headset announces the caller’s name in “an incredibly natural sounding voice through a combination of pre-recorded names” As Travis Bogard, Jawbone’s vice president of product management and strategy explains “The Caller ID by Name feature of the Jawbone ERA takes the hands-free experience…


Review- Altec Lansing inMotion Air Speaker System

I had the opportunity to spend some time at Altec Lansing’s headquarters in Milford Pennsylvania the other day. They were kind enough to let me see the inner workings of the company and to visit some of their sound labs. While I can’t go into detail on much of what I actually saw I can tell you that I came away from the visit more than a bit impressed. The company puts so much care, concern and expertise into their products; and it shows. Perhaps the best way to summarize the difference between the company and some of their many…


Arctic Gear Review Pt 1: P531 USB Powered 5.1 Surround Sound Headset

I’m pretty particular when picking out my PC gaming gear. I have been through a pretty good amount of hardware over the years and keep up my life cycle of gaming gear. Arctic sent us out some gear to check out and review a few weeks ago. I had a chance to check it all out and see how it fared on a few solid hours of Call of Duty Black Ops for the PC. I had a chance to check out some gaming oriented hardware including 2 headsets, a mouse, and a standard slim profile keyboard. Arctic offers some…


Jabra’s Lineup: an Overview and a Review of the Stone2

Football mania is in high gear, and it seems that Jabra’s Bluetooth headsets and speakerphones have recently become favorites of three NFL players – Jake Long, Brian Orakpo and Michael Griffin. As a recent press release notes, Whether they’re rocking out to tunes after practice, kicking back at night with video games, or passing the time watching Hulu or YouTube on the weekends, Jabra’s headsets and speakerphones offer wireless connectivity in-style – and with a 30 foot operating range. Jabra’s catalog is extensive, but there are 5 key products in the current Jabra lineup that stand out. Among them —…


CES Snippets: Mogo Talk XD iPhone 4 Case and BlueTooth Headset in One – Review

Sometimes you have to see a product up close to actually appreciate it. That was the case for me with regard to the MoGo Talk XD. Judie had mentioned this headset and case in on to me a few months ago and I scoffed at it. “After all,” I thought, “who needs a case that actually HOLDS the headset in it?” The idea struck me as an example of “just because you CAN do it doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it.” Then I saw the Mogo Talk XD at CES and ate my words. The idea of a case and…


NOX Audio’s Scout Headset

When I last looked at a product from NOX it was their gamer oriented Specialist set of headphones which I liked really well.  However, most of the time I have been preferring earbuds.  Well NOX sent me a set of their new Scout earbuds to check out.  Are they as good as the Specialist?  Let’s find  out. The Scout headset is of the type that fits in your ears with adjustable silicon cushions.  While some might not like this style I really like how they feel in my ears plus with the different cushion sizes they tend to stay put in your ears when…


Headset Review: FREETALK Handsfree Headset

I have a number of headsets that I use on a regular basis. Some are relatively inexpensive deals such as the buds Apple includes with each iPhone, and others are far more expensive units such as the Etymotic HF2s I have been using for about two years. When FREETALK reached out and offered a review unit of their new FREETALK Handsfree headset, I was intrigued. Their site describes the unit as “The only headset you’ll ever need“. That is a pretty bold statement to make, and I just had to see for myself if it was anywhere near the truth….


Arctic Sound P311 Stereo Bluetooth Headphone Review

The iPhone added stereo Bluetooth capability some time ago, but I have yet to try it. Finding quality with affordable prices can sometimes be difficult, so I never looked very far. There are times when wireless stereo headphones can come in pretty handy, so I was excited to test out the Arctic Sound P311 headphones. Most mornings I workout early in the morning long before the rest of the family wakes up.  Speakers are not really an option to avoid waking the crew, so I always use headphones. Some of the exercises allow me to hold my iPhone in my…


Moshi Moshi 03 Review: Lets You Go Hands Free in Style

Back in April, I told you about the Native Union Moshi Moshi 01.   The sleek and sophisticated handsfree unit allows the users to make and receive mobile calls while experiencing the ease of comfort of a landline base. Native Union is out with the next release in the Moshi Moshi line.  The Moshi Moshi 03 draws from the original 01 unit but now adds Bluetooth into the fold.  And it’s not your regular old Bluetooth stack either.  The 03 uses a multipoint chip which allows two Bluetooth devices to be paired to it simultaneously.  At home, I paired the…


Samsung HM3200 Bluetooth Headset with Active Noise Cancellation and Multi-Point Technology – Review

Driving up to our lake house the other day I was shocked to see just how many drivers were holding their cellphones and chatting away. Years after handsfree laws went into effect a huge number of drivers are still holding phones and talking. Scary. There is really no excuse for this kind of behavior since every phone now has Bluetooth and good sounding headsets are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Among the headsets fitting this description are the soon-to-be released Samsung HM3200. I have been using one for the last few weeks. Let’s take a look. What’s in the…


Atomic9 Bluetooth Speakerphone Wristband- Dick Tracy Would Love This! – Review

Let’s face it, technology has finally gotten to the point where some of the gadgets we lusted after in cartoons and science fiction programs as children are now becoming a reality. I mean, the iPhone does even more than a Star Trek communicator (well everything but communicate intergalactically but I’m sure that is coming). The iPad looks like one of the tablet information devices that were so common in scifi shows 30 years ago. And Dick Tracy’s 2-Way Wrist Radio (first introduced on January 13th, 1946 and then upgraded to a 2-Way Wrist TV in 1964) how cool was that?!?!?…


Sound ID 510 Bluetooth Headset and EarPrint iPhone App- Available June 6, but We Already Have a Review

I previously reviewed Sound ID’s last two headsets, the Sound ID 300 and the Sound ID 400. Both headsets were among the most comfortable and best sounding Bluetooth headsets I have used and both packed some nice features into rather small device. Well this morning Sound ID announced their next generation Bluetooth headset, and it is rather impressive. The headset packs in A2DP Technology, advanced noise reduction, multi-point technology and… get this… an iPhone app that works with the headset. The new headset, the Sound ID 510 will be available in black from AT&T (available in the store and online)…


Jabra EXTREME Bluetooth Headset Review

My first Bluetooth came from Jabra. Because the phone didn’t have Bluetooth, I needed to use an additional Bluetooth dongle that connected to it via the 3.5 mm jack. The was the “traditional” design that Jabra used for many years. It wrapped around the ear and stayed completely stable no matter what you were doing. Yes, you looked like a bit of a dork while wearing the headset, but it stayed in place and was super comfortable. In addition, it had a boom mike that brought the microphone close to your mouth for better sound quality. That didn’t much matter…


iSkin’s CERULEAN Line of Bluetooth Accessories Perfect For Use With Apple’s iPad

The iPad makes you want to use Bluetooth more than ever. The reason is simple. Like the iPhone and the iPod touch it is great for carrying a lot of music, podcasts or audiobooks on the go. Like the iPhone and the iPod touch its capacity is amazing. Unlike the iPhone and iPod touch, however, you can’t easily stick the device in a speaker dock or plug in headphones and put it in your pocket.  Because of its size Bluetooth MAKES SENSE with the iPad in ways it never did before. Imagine this. You walk into your office, tap the…


SmallTalk Mini Bluetooth Headset Review

Bluetooth headsets, although very practical , still, in my opinion, haven’t received the widespread acceptance they deserve.  Perhaps it’s the fact that they’re just another battery that needs charging, perhaps people just forget them or perhaps it’s there size.  With many states introducing laws that require drivers to use some sort of hands free device when using their phone in their car it’s time people got behind owning and using a Bluetooth headset. If size is one of the issues that’s been keeping you from using one the SmallTalk Mini Bluetooth Headset from Mobile Fun is just what you’ve been…


Plantronics Voyager PRO UC Review

My work here on Gear Diary has given me the opportunity to try a wide variety of Bluetooth headsets. The biggest common denominator with all of them is the degree to which they have improved in recent years. They have, for the most part, become more comfortable, easier to pair, and they have much-improved sound quality. Most recently I’ve had the opportunity to be using the Plantronics Voyager Pro UC. Plantronics describes it as “the most advanced noise-canceling Bluetooth headset available”. In my experience over the last week and a half, I can’t argue with that statement. It’s comfortable, easy-to-use,…