Bluetooth

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…


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…


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…


Magellan RoadMate 9055-LM GPS Review

Smartphones and tablets are “category killers” that have decimated numerous standalone products. As I have written previously, from one perspective the iPhone and the iPad are like “Rorschach devices”. They are “blank slates” (pun totally intentional) that can take the form and function of a wide range of devices depending on whatever software they are currently running. That means that, with the right apps, they can double as a camera and do photo and video editing on the fly. The result has been the demise of the Flip camera and some serious “hurt” on the point-and-shoot camera market. (Once the…


iPad Accessory Video Review: The ZaggFolio and ZaggKeys Solo

ZAGG makes some great accessories and I was intrigued when they released a keyboard folio case for the iPad 2. I was even more intrigued when I heard that they would be releasing the ZAGGkeys Solo, the keyboard folio minus the folio since it meant you could buy a standalone iPad keyboard that has specialized shortcuts just for the iPad AND a built-in stand. When I reached out to Zagg I was told the ZAGGkeys solo would ship in a short while OR I could take a closer look at the ZAGGfolio and just focus more on the keyboard since…


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…


Cobra Tag Helps You Find Anything Including Your Phone

Are you the type that misplaces things like keys, your car remote or your purse?  Then the Cobra Tag may be for you.  Cobra Tag is a Bluetooth device that works in conjunction with your phone.  Once set up, if you walk away from the item your phone will alert you that you forgot your keys. What if that item is your phone?  Cobra Tag has that covered too.  If you walk away from your phone AND have the tag, then the tag itself will alert you that you left your phone behind.  The app works on Blackberry and Android devices.  No…


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…


Summer Tech: Qi-wear by iharmonix Bluetooth Enabled Sunglasses

I’m someone who ALWAYS wears sunglasses when I am outside. I also always have my iPhone and am often either making calls or listening to music when I am out and about. As such the idea of sunglasses that can double as a Bluetooth headset for making calls or listening to music really appeals to me. There was something like that on the market a few years ago but by the time I went in search of them the line had been discontinued. That’s why I took note of the announcement of iharmonix’s Qi-wear Bluetooth Enabled Sunglasses. As the company…


Wakemate May Help You Wake up Feeling More Refreshed

  Wakemate looks like an interesting device that promises to help you get a better night’s rest.  Wakemate 2, works with software that runs on iOS, Blackberry and Android devices. To use it, you just set the 20 minute window that you want to wake up in and slip the band on.  The band will then keep track of your movements and trigger the alarm to wake you at just the right time; it promises to help you feel more refreshed. They have also included a way for you to report your activities, like going to the gym and how…


Mac Accessory Review: Magic Connector for Apple’s Trackpad and Bluetooth Keyboard

Elana and I are both using our MacBook Air’s as our primary computers and could not be happier. (She has an 11″ and I have a 13″.) Both of us have Rain Design’s mStand and love the simple, elegant way it raises the laptop up so that the screen is at perfect eye-level. And we both use a Bluetooth keyboard and pointing device. Elana uses Apple’s MagicMouse, and I use a Magic Trackpad. That’s where the issue comes in. Having the trackpad and keyboard separate from one another doesn’t work all too well at times. If I move the keyboard…


Bluetooth Car Accessory Review: SuperTooth Buddy

I recently spent a week driving my father-in-law’s late-model Acura TL. I loved the power but the thing that really impressed me was the integrated Bluetooth. No, it wasn’t anything that you cannot find in most cars today but the combination of a super quiet ride and state-of-the-art Bluetooth was impressive for me as the not-so-proud driver of a 2003 Subaru Outback. The ability to get into the car and immediately have my phone re-pair with it was awesome. Even better was being able to seamlessly stream audio form the iPhone through the car’s audio system. I went back to…


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…


A Mac Keyboard Accessory I Really Want: the Mobee Magic Bar

Mobee Magic Bar Both Elana and I use an Apple wireless keyboard with our MacBook Airs when we are at home. We love the keyboards and the flexibility they offer but we hate the wastefulness of constantly having to replace the batteries. Sure we could use rechargables and and we were about to get a system when I saw this: The Mobee Magic Bar. The Mobee Magic bar offers a USB-powered recharge dock for your keyboard that lets you cut the cords but then, when needed, charge it up once more by simple plugging it into the computer. It looks…


Review: SuperTooth Disco Bluetooth A2DP Stereo Speaker

I love my music and have something playing pretty much all the time unless I am speaking to someone. For quite a while that meant having some sort of speaker dock in the various room where I spend time. Lately though it has increasingly meant setting up various room so that AirPlay is available. (Yes, I finally understand the power and utility of the AirPort Express!) That does not, however mean there isn’t a place for some of the growing number of Bluetooth enabled speakers on the market. Sure, Bluetooth doesn’t offer the same level of audio quality as streaming…


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…


Review: BlueAnt S3 Compact BlueTooth Speakerphone

One of the more interesting Bluetooth accessory manufacturers that I’ve encountered over the last year is BlueAnt. I wasn’t all that familiar with the company until the fall, but they have been making some impressive moves with regard to product design and innovation, and I’ve been quite impressed with their offerings. Currently their portfolio includes car speakerphones, the S3 and S4, with the S3 being the lower end of the two. Lower end does not, however, mean “not awesome”, since both speakerphones have impressed me quite a bit. Today we are going to look at the S3 and then follow-up…


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…


iPad Accessory Review: Sena Keyboard Folio

There are times when you need to write something on the iPad that is just too long for the software keyboard. Sure you can carry a Bluetooth keyboard, but that may become cumbersome and heavy. That’s where having a mini Bluetooth keyboard built into a case for the iPad comes in. Sure, it is a relatively new concept, but by combining the keyboard with the familiar and popular folio style iPad case, many of the limitations people find with the iPad can be resolved. Finding the perfect solution, however, is difficult at best. Several companies have provided options. One of them,…


iPad Accessory Review: The Kensington KeyFolio Wireless Keyboard Case

When the iPad was first released Apple make sure to immediately offer a keyboard dock so that people who wanted to use the device for productivity would be able to type on it with great speed and accuracy. The dock was rather expensive and because of its size, shape and weight it wasn’t the most mobile accessory. I purchased one immediately I found myself not using it all that much. This was in part because, when my iPad was in a case which is 99% of the time, the dock was unusable. It assumed the iPad was entirely naked and…