Technology Report » headsets http://technology-report.com Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:40:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Aliph Jawbone BT Headset; worth the extra $. http://technology-report.com/2008/12/aliph-jawbone-bt-headset-worth-the-extra/ http://technology-report.com/2008/12/aliph-jawbone-bt-headset-worth-the-extra/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:00:44 +0000 TechGhy http://technology-report.com/?p=799  

The Jawbone, comes in several colors
The Jawbone, comes in several colors

By John R. Ghysels, Special to Technology-Report.com

Product Review:

It is remarkable how ubiquitous the Bluetooth headset has become. It seems they are hanging on ears nearly everywhere you look. Prices on these devices have also been dropping like a rock, recently breaking the $20 barrier.
In this environment, I have heard some folks gaffaw at the $70 price of the Jawbone. However, in my opinion, rarely has the much higher quality of a headset been more justified.
First off, the Jawbone seems to pair easily and quickly with just about any phone. This is a great advantage, since I and lots of folks I know have a drawer full of cheaper BT headsets that refuse to reliably pair up.
Further, the Jawbone also has a strong signal that avoids the interference that seems to plague these headsets, especially in urban, RF choaked settings.
If should be noted that Bluetooth frequencies are actually not far from those for cellular PCS phones. Thus, if you are driving around underneath high powered PCS sites hanging 12 feet above your car, it’s easy for the signals to overpower a cheap bluetooth headset, even one a few feet from your phone.

Finally, the Jawbone has great background noise cancellation, so people can hear you without road noise. I’m surpised how many clients ask me if I’m actually driving, while wearing my Jawbone.
In all, I would suggest you go for quality over price in getting a headset, especially if you are in a headset mandatory state. It’s worth the extra money for easy, fast pairings and a reliable signal. Cellular phones are bad enough without having to worry about a bad bluetooth adding to your connection problems.

Note that sources for Technology-Report have informed us that the traditional model, pictured above, seems to fit better on the ear than newer, smaller Jawbone models.  Fit is critical, so be sure to keep this in mind. If you are ordering mail-order, consider going with the old model, or go to a store that will allow you to try one out. 

–John Ghysels 12/4/2008

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