Jabra CRUISER Bluetooth hands-free speakerphone reviewed

Depending on where you live, the law may prohibit using your mobile phone without a headset or speakerphone. And even if the law is on your side, driving around while trying to juggle your phone is just not a good idea. So, to keep you and everyone else on the road a bit safer, we’ve taken the Jabra CRUISER car speakerphone for a ride.

The CRUISER is a very compact device, on the top are a couple of buttons, on the side is a charger port and power switch, and on the back is a flexible metal clip for attaching the speakerphone to your visor.

Using the CRUISER is simple – you turn it on, and pair your mobile phone. This pairing process is a one-time thing, and is made easy thanks to clear voice prompts from the unit. The power switch is a “real” switch, and you can leave it on as much as you want, because it turns off if your phone is out of range for more than ten minutes. A quick tap of the call button turns it on again.

Where the CRUISER excels is in call quality and features. Lets face it – you’ll never get amazing call quality out of something this small, but it does come damn close. The CRUISER features dual microphones and a variety of noise canceling technologies, so even if you are making a call while driving 65 down the interstate, it’ll sound pretty good for both sides of the call.

Audio can be sent to the internal speaker or to your car stereo using the built in FM transmitter. And to be honest, this FM transmitter is one of the best I’ve ever come across. The unit first scans the FM ether, then tells you what to tune your radio to. Best of all, it supports RDS, so when you have it tuned on a car stereo with RDS, you’ll see the incoming phone number on the display of you car stereo..

To top it all off, the CRUISER also supports Bluetooth stereo music streaming, either to the built in speaker, or over FM. This means you can listen to the music on your mobile (smart)phone and beam it to your radio. If you are on the road, you can bring the CRUISER to your hotel room and use it as a conference speakerphone or music speaker.

The CRUISER charges using microUSB, and a long car charger cord is included. Best of all, even though its MSRP is $99.99, you’ll find it online for well under $50, at places like Amazon.com.

I’ve covered over 2000 miles with the Jabra CRUISER, and am highly impressed with how reliable it has been. It never drops calls or fails to connect, and the music streaming feature is absolutely perfect for rental cars where you usually don’t get an iPod or line-in jack. The low price just makes it even better.

Unless you already have a Bluetooth headset or built-in Bluetooth system, the investment in the Jabra should be easy to justify, and your fellow drivers will be grateful. To find retailers, or to learn more about this product, head on over to the Jabra CRUISER mini site.

Gadling review: Motorola H17txt Bluetooth headset with MotoSpeak

In the world of Bluetooth headsets, most innovations happen in the design department – but the new Motorola H17txt with MotoSpeak is one of the first headsets to really add some long overdue new features to more than just looks.

The H17txt is a dual microphone Bluetooth headset with everything you’d expect from a top notch headset – multipoint pairing (allows you to connect to two phones at the same time), automatic volume adjustment and long battery life.

What sets the H17txt apart from the competition is its ability to read your messages, email and incoming caller ID to you. The headset does this through a smartphone application that can be installed on Android and RIM devices.

Once installed, you’ll be alerted when you receive a message, and if enabled, the headset will actually read the message to you. The same speech system is used to announce incoming calls and other features on your phone. The quality of the speech is very impressive, and makes it possible to drive without reaching for your phone to check on your latest email.

The headset itself is very compact, and features a flip microphone, which also acts as the on/off switch. This means you can turn the headset on (or off) without having to fiddle with a power switch.

The headset charges off MicroUSB, and operates for up to five hours off a full battery, or up to a week on standby. The Bluetooth options on the headset support the headset and hands free profile, as well as Bluetooth streaming music.

Other neat features include quick connect and an easy pairing mode which makes the pairing process easier, without the need for a pin.

The comfort level surprised me – once correctly inserted, you quickly forget you are wearing the H17txt – but the plastic ear clip was a bit of a pain to use, and I managed to have it snap my ear several times, which is quite painful.

Call quality is excellent – and passes my Bluetooth headset test by not making it obvious to callers that I was talking to them on a headset. Bluetooth music does not sound as good as on dedicated stereo headphones, but that can hardly be expected from a mono headset.

The headset also has several of its own voice prompts, so even if you don’t use it on a phone with the MotoSpeak software, you’ll still get helpful pointers. Volume is good, and no matter how much you shake your head, there is no way the headset will fall out.

The software for the H17txt is provided by DriveSafe.ly, and offers a huge list of options and features. If the default voice doesn’t do much for you, you can tweak its settings, or pick a different voice.

All in all a very well designed headset, with the added bonus of the MotoSpeak features. Sadly, users with an iPhone won’t be able to use the voice features as it only works on Android and RIM (>version 4.5.)

The H17txt with MotoSpeak is available from BestBuy, the Moto Store or Verizon Wireless for $99.99, putting it in the same price range as most other high-end Bluetooth headsets.

Plantronics giving away Bluetooth headsets in Twitter contest

As the end of the year approaches, some new states will be on the list of places where it is against the law to use your mobile phone without a hands-free device.

On January 1st, Hawaii joins the states and cities banning the use of mobile devices when driving. You are still allowed to use a hands-free headset, but you can not hold your phone, read your email or send text messages.

Violations will cost $150, or $500 if you caused an accident when using your phone.

A new Oregon state law also goes into effect on January 1st prohibiting the use of mobile devices for text messaging. Only adult drivers will be allowed to make phone calls when driving, and only when using a hands-free device.

To raise awareness of these new laws, Plantronics is offering free headsets to Twitter users. If you fancy a chance at winning one of their Voyager Pro or Discovery 975 headsets, head on over to Twitter and follow @plantronics, then send a tweet including @plantronics, #behandsfree and a link to www.plantronics.com/handsfree during the Sweepstakes Period (December 1-29, 2009). One winner will even receive a headset and a $1000 gas card!

Plantronics also has a great overview of the laws by state, and as these laws all seem to vary from state to state, it really does pay to play it safe and invest in a good headset.

Gadling gear review – Jabra HALO Bluetooth stereo headphones

Welcome to my Gadling gear review of the new Jabra HALO Bluetooth stereo headphones. When it comes to Bluetooth headphones here on Gadling, I’m only interested in products that stand out in the busy headphone market. The Jabra HALO headphones fit that quite well.

The HALO’s are very stylish, and look more like a pair of DJ headphones than Bluetooth headphones. For travelers, the HALO’s have a couple of pretty handy features – most importantly, they can fold. When folded they may not be as compact as a pair of in-ear headphones, but it certainly decreases their size. . Their best travel feature is the ability to become wired headphones. Included in the box is a cable that plugs into a normal headphone jack, which means you can listen to music in-flight without worrying about the “No Bluetooth” rule.
Controlling the headphones

Controlling the HALO’s is simple – there is just one button,and a touch sensitive sliding control. Sadly, that touch sensitive controller is a pain to deal with. It is usually too sensitive, and when your hair gets in front of it, it becomes even harder to control. It is a great design feature, but not very practical.

There is no power button – to turn them on, you simply unfold them, turning them off works the same way – just fold them up. This is a really elegant solution to something that usually annoys me. This also means you’ll never forget to turn them off before flying.

The single button is for picking up a call, ending a call and pausing your music. When listening to music, the touch control adjusts volume (by sliding) and changes tracks (by tapping). As you can probably guess, this sometimes goes wrong, and you’ll change tracks when trying adjust the volume, and vice versa.

Comfort

The Jabra HALO’s are very comfortable – the entire inside of the headband is covered in black velour, all the way down to the earpieces. Those earpieces can slide up and down about an inch and a half, so even those with a larger than average head won’t have a problem getting a good fit.

Because the headband fabric lacks “grip”, the HALO’s don’t sit too tightly on your head. This is obviously fine if you are relaxing in your first class seat, but don’t plan on running through the airport with them.

Sound quality

I put the Jabra HALO’s through a whole bunch of tests. As Bluetooth stereo headphones, they sound good – really good. In fact, I could not really detect any difference between wireless or wired mode. Audio does lack some bass, but without a pair of massive cans, you’ll always suffer from this.

Volume is good, but because the earpieces don’t go around your ears, too much ambient noise will mean you’ll need to turn them up quite a bit.

Call quality is decent, and obviously depends on the environment. In a moderately noisy room, they performed very well. The HALO’s feature dual microphone noise canceling circuitry, which obviously works hard in the background. That is, until the outside noise becomes too much for them to deal with. In a noisy location, like a train station, the HALO’s pick up quite a lot of noise. The call is still quite acceptable, but you’ll need to talk up, and the person on the other end of your call may start complaining.

Design and features

Jabra headsets have always had a strong emphasis on design, and the HALO’s continue that tradition. From the inner fabric lining to the touch sensitive controls, they certainly manage to stand out in the busy Bluetooth world.

The folding mechanism initially scared me – when you fold the HALO’s, there is a loud “click”, and the first couple of times, I was worried that I’d break them. I’ve now opened and closed them 100’s of times, and they are still going very strong, so Jabra clearly put some effort into this mechanism. The black velvety fabric on the inside feels nice, but it also acts as a bit of a dust magnet, so may need some cleaning every now and then.

The HALO’s come with multi-use technology, which essentially means you can pair them with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. This allows you to connect them to your mobile phone and Bluetooth enabled MP3 player simultaneously.

Battery life is rated at 8 hours talk/music time, which means you can use them all day long. You can charge them using the included adapter, or any powered USB port.

In order to use the Bluetooth stereo feature in the HALO’s, your phone will need to support the A2DP audio profile, and for controlling music, they need to support the AVRCP profile. Most Bluetooth enabled phones tend to include support for this nowadays, though some phones have a limited implementation. The iPhone supports Bluetooth audio and remote control, but only for pause/play, not for track forward/backwards.


Final thoughts

Despite the average call quality, I like the HALO’s a lot. Music sounds good, but could have a little more “oomph”.

The one feature that went from quirky to annoying is the touch sensitive control – it really is a good idea, but poorly executed. Sometimes “real” buttons work best.

PROS: Great Bluetooth stereo audio, ability to fold and become wired, fold to power on/off

CONS: Confusing touch sensitive controls, average performance in loud environments

The headphones come complete with a USB charger, AC charger, audio cable and carrying pouch. You’ll find the Jabra HALO’s at your local Best Buy store, or bestbuy.com. They retail for $129.99.

Gadling gear review – Motorola Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth headset

Welcome to my review of the Motorola Endeavor HX1 Bluetooth headset. If headset reviews bore you, let me say right away that this review is going to introduce you to the best Bluetooth headset I have ever tested. Got your attention now?

The HX1 does not look particular special. The only noticeable feature is a longer than normal earpiece and a sleek chrome finish around the sides.

Buttons are on the side (power and volume) and on the front (call control and steath mode control). Operating the headset is a treat – all functions are assisted with friendly voice prompts telling you how to pair the phone and whether stealth mode is on or off.

The power button is worth some extra attention – it is a “real” power button. By this, I mean it is a sliding switch that will turn the headset on or off. No silly “hold down for 10 seconds” on the HX1.

The HX1 charges using MicroUSB, the same kind of cable used on many modern mobile phones. What this means to travelers is one less charger, and no investments in dedicated charging cords.

Technology inside the headset

The most interesting parts of the HX1 are hidden away inside the headset. Motorola advertises the HX1 as being equipped with true bone conduction technology.

The Motorola HX1 actually features two different noise isolation systems – its CrystalTalk circuit uses dual microphones and some nifty electronics to cancel out noise in most normal situations. This means it’ll work fine when you are walking down the street or riding a bus.

When things get a little more intense, you can activate the bone condition technology, referred to as “Stealth Mode”. Stealth Mode actually uses a tiny balloon on the earpiece, inserted in your ear to pick up your voice. No microphone, just bone conduction. This means very little of the outside noise gets picked up.

Sound quality

So, with all those nifty technologies, how well does the HX1 perform? As the opening sentence said – this is the best headset I have ever tested. For starters, it is extremely comfortable. The earpiece goes inside your ear a little more than I was used to. Because the earpiece forms a pretty decent seal, you’ll have a much easier time hearing the other side of your call, without having to turn the volume all the way up.

The basic noise cancellation is very impressive – when standing outside in a very windy station platform, the other side of my call could not hear the difference between me talking on the HX1, talking on a wired headset or talking directly on my phone. There was very little outside noise pickup and virtually no wind noise.

For my second test, I waited 25 minutes for a train to pass, and turned on the “stealth mode” feature. When turned on, the person on the other side of my call could still hear me, and did not know I could barely hear myself talking over the noise of a passing express train. Sadly, the stealth mode does make your voice sound muffled, but without it, there is no way you’d be able to have a conversation.

Performance, power and range

Battery life is listed as 7 hours talk time, and 10 days standby. I did not talk for 7 hours, but after 5 days and multiple calls, the headset still says its battery life is good. Since it uses the newest Bluetooth version, you’ll get a very decent range, without the old fashioned crackle and pop of first gen Bluetooth headsets.

The headset weighs just 0.4 ounces (about 11 grams). Attaching the headset is easy – you pop it in your ear, then you use the ear hook to keep it in place. No matter how hard you shake your head around, there is no way this thing will fall out. I kept the HX1 on for several hours, and eventually just forgot I was wearing it.

Final thoughts

As I said earlier – this is currently the best headset I have ever tested. Every aspect of the Motorola Endeavor HX1 impressed me, from the design, to minor details like the physical power switch. I love that it charges over MicroUSB, and I’m pleased that it really does deliver the sound quality it promises.

Personally, I would have loved to see the headset come with a carrying case, especially since it retails for a pretty steep $129.99. At the moment, Sprint is selling the Motorola Endeavor HX1 for $110.49. Sprint is also the only place where you’ll be able to order an HX1, through their web site and in their own retail stores.

My final conclusion is simple – this is the headset you need if you demand the ability to use it anywhere, without sacrificing sound quality on either side of your call.