Headsets | Gear Diary

Reviews May 24, 2010

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)…

Reviews May 12, 2010

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…

News & Features May 7, 2010

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…

Reviews March 31, 2010

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…

Reviews January 22, 2010

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,…

Reviews January 20, 2010

Jaybird Sportsband Review

Jaybird has brought out some good stuff in the last year. The last two things I checked out were the Tigereyes and Endorphin Rush wired headphones. I liked them a lot. This time, Jaybird sent me their new Bluetooth headset, the Sportsband. Is it as good as their original headset? In a word, no.

Events January 9, 2010

Plantronics .Audio 476 DSP Headset- A Gear Diary First Look

As I’ve written numerous times here on the site, I am a huge user of voice recognition software. I’m blown away by Dragon Dictation on the iPhone, use Dragon NaturallySpeaking on my Windows 7 machine, and I have MacSpeech Dictate on both my iMac and my MacBook Pro. When I upgraded to the current version of MacSpeech Dictate I discovered that it isn’t configured to allow you to use the built-in microphone for dictation. Turns out there is a reason for this for as good as the microphone is, it isn’t ideal for voice recording. Without a proper headset, there…

Reviews January 3, 2010

Jabra HALO Bluetooth Headphones Review

Jabra None of the previous Bluetooth headphones that I have had the chance to use have really felt “right”. Many of them were either just like two enormous earbuds in each ear tethered to each other with a wire behind my head, or were too large to chuck in my slender laptop bag that I carted to uni everyday. The idea of cutting the cord between my head and my pocket was a good one, but there were just too many drawbacks. That’s until I tried the Jabra Halo, which has brought me that much closer to wireless freedom. The…

News & Features December 13, 2009

synapticapple Unboxes the Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hSLR4LV949E In conjunction with Headsets Direct, we recently gave away a Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset (reviewed here) to Gear Diary reader synapticapple. Michelle (that’s her real name) has just posted an unboxing video of the headset, and I thought it was good enough to share. Enjoy! 🙂

Reviews November 29, 2009

Sennheiser MM400 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones – Review

The other day I was having lunch with a good friend. He enjoys his gadgets as much as the rest of us and was excited to tell me about this latest acquisition. He had purchased a pair of Sennheiser MM400 Bluetooth stereo headphones and couldn’t stop raving about them. At a cost of over $260 they were bit on the pricey side but he kept talking about them so positively that I finally said I would need to go check them out. “Hold on a minute” he said and he ran out to the car. He brought them back into…

Reviews November 25, 2009

Jabra Stone – Unboxed and Reviewed

The Jabra Stone Bluetooth headset came out a few weeks ago. It is, by far, one of the most unusual Bluetooth headsets we have seen. Larry and I have been using it for a little while, and we’ve found that it has some significant pluses and minuses. Let’s take a look.

Reviews November 7, 2009

The Plantronics Discovery 975 Bluetooth Headset Review

photos by Kevin It seems as if finding the perfect Bluetooth headset has become a never-ending quest for me; it’s not just about finding one that keeps me from sounding like a fish in a barrel anymore, it’s also about finding one that fits my ear without making me look like a telephone operator or worse – a borg. Just to make things really difficult, so many headsets seem to fall into one of two camps: ridiculously complicated and over-featured or utterly simplistic and featureless. Finding a headset that strikes a balance between sound, comfort, and features has become my…

Reviews October 5, 2009

SoundID 400 And Sound ID Remote Microphone – Review

Last April I reviewed the SoundID 300 Bluetooth Headset. I described it as “Comfortable; Great sound on both ends; Looks good.” Did I really like it? Well let’s just say that since April it is the headset I most regularly use. So how do you improve on at headset that already is comfortable to wear, not obvious when worn and offers great sound? The company has found a way. Here’s a look at the new SoundID 400 Bluetooth Headset…

Reviews September 28, 2009

The Motorola H790 Bluetooth Headset Review

In the time I have been writing here at Gear Diary, I have made it my mission to find the perfect Bluetooth headset. Although we have tested dozens of headsets, that quest continues. In fact, considering the rate at which new headsets are developed, I would not expect this process to reach a conclusion anytime soon. Today, we will be looking at the Motorola H790, the latest entry in Motorola’s already extensive line of Bluetooth headsets.

Reviews August 10, 2009

AblePlanet PSM500 Gaming Headset Review

As someone who is a gamer but also has a busy family and work schedule, I often find my video game time late at night when the house is quiet and most everyone else is asleep. This gives me two options – mute the sound or use headphones. Sometimes it is a hybrid of these, as I leave my headphones sitting my desk as low-volume speakers. For the past several years I have used fairly cheap headphones, starting with a pair from an older Sony portable CD player, moving on to a pair of cheap headphones I bought for my…

Reviews July 6, 2009

Jaybird Endorphin Rush Earbuds Review

A couple of days ago I reviewed the Jaybird Tiger Eyes earbuds, which include a microphone and are designed primarily for mobile phone users. But what if you aren’t looking for earbuds to use with a mobile phone? Enter the Endorphin Rush earbuds from Jaybird. These earbuds have the same titanium drivers that the Tiger Eyes, which promise similar true to life sound. The Endorphin Rush sound exactly the same as the Tiger Eyes. They sounded a little tinny, but were more than adequate for use when working out. The thing that the Jaybird line of products is known for is…

Reviews June 15, 2009

Plantronics Voyager Pro Review: A New Flagship for the Voyager Fleet

I’ve used a Plantronics 510 series for about 2 years now. It’s been a nice, steady workhorse for me. It isn’t the flashiest, or the loudest, but it has always been rock solid. Now along comes the new Voyager Pro. It offers a host of new features and technologies – a whole host of improvements. Let’s see if it lives up to the “Pro” moniker…

Reviews April 18, 2009

Griffin SmartTalk Bluetooth Headset Review

Can you hear me now? Of course you can. And now…now…and now. why? Because I am using the Griffin SmartTalk Bluetooth Headset. This one uses a dual microphone design to ensure that you can be heard by every caller, in any environment. Want to know more? hit the jump for a closer look.

Reviews April 15, 2009

Sound ID 300 Review

One of the benefits of writing for both Gear Diary and whatsoniphone.com is that when I find a truly outstanding product, one about which which I am totally enthusiastic, I’m able to share that enthusiasm with a larger audience of both iPhone AND general tech enthusiasts. That’s certainly the case with the Sound ID 300 Bluetooth headset I have been using since last week and the reason I am posting this review on both sites. Bluetooth headsets are commonplace these days. They come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. When evaluating them there are, to my mind, four criteria…

Reviews April 7, 2009

Sennheiser MM50 IP Headset for iPhone

I’m always on the quest to find new headphones to use with my phones and as we all know the headphone set that comes with the iPhone are most inadequate to the task. In my own case, I couldn’t keep them in my ear!

Reviews January 3, 2009

iVOICE Baby-ai Review

Bluetooth headsets are commonplace these days — especially since most states have now made it illegal to drive while holding a cell phone. Bluetooth headsets that are both comfortable and sound great, however, are anything but commonplace. More often than not I get a new headset that looks promising, use it for a couple of days, and then discover that there’s something problematic. Perhaps it’s not as comfortable as I’d like, or it doesn’t sit securely enough in my ear when wearing it. Or it may sound great to me, but sound like I’m in a tunnel to the person…