Product review – Callpod Dragon V2 Bluetooth headset

by Scott Carmichael on

Welcome to my review of the Dragon V2 Bluetooth headset.

When looking for products to review, I’ll usually stay clear from Bluetooth headsets. There are simply too many of them, and rarely does a headset do anything special. The Dragon V2 is different, and has a long list of features not found on most other headsets.

The Dragon V2 promises a couple of things that made me pay some extra attention to it; amazing battery life, huge range, the ability to connect to other Dragon headsets and use it as a Walkie-talkie, and the ability to pair to multiple Bluetooth devices at the same time. I’ll go over each of these features one at a time.


Battery life

One of the main reasons I’ve never been a big Bluetooth headset fan has always been the lack of endurance from their batteries.

A headset becomes pretty useless on a trip if you need to recharge it every 8 hours. The Dragon V2 has a manufacturer specified battery life of 8 days standby or 300 hours talk time.

Since I wasn’t willing to devote a full week to talking on the phone, I simply left the Dragon paired to my phone in the on position for over a week. After 7 days it was still able to make a phone call for me.

Transmission range

If you have ever been suckered into buying one of those $10 headsets from the bargain bin at your local drugstore, you’ll probably have some experience with the Bluetooth crackle of death. This is when you start to lose the signal as soon as your phone moves more than 5 inches away from the headset.

Improvements have been made with Bluetooth devices, including a newer version of the technology, and most A-name headset companies have switched to this new system.

The Dragon V2 naturally supports this, but takes it one step further with an even larger range. In my test, I was able to leave my phone in one corner of the house, and walk outside to the mailbox before I started noticing a very slight drop in call quality. This extended range is fantastic if you leave your phone in your jacket, and walk away from your desk to get a cup of coffee.

Dragon to Dragon communications

This feature on the Dragon V2 is one that impressed me the most. To use a Bluetooth device with another Bluetooth compatible device, you need to “pair” them. This involves letting each device know who they are allowed to communicate with. In a normal setup, this would be between the headset and a phone, or a laptop computer.

The Dragon V2 actually allows you to pair with another Dragon headset. By pairing 2 headsets, you instantly turn them into a Bluetooth enabled walkie-talkie! The headsets communicate directly with each other, without the need for a phone.

When you are wearing the headset, you simply press the multifunction button to open a voice channel to the other paired headset. This feature is perfect for at the airport, or anywhere else you don’t want to make an expensive phone call.

Of course, the range is limited to the transmission range of the headset (about 330 feet), so don’t expect to be able to talk from one end of Disneyland to the other. One other advantage, is that Bluetooth is an approved system in almost every country in the world, so you don’t have to worry about the legality.

Multipoint communications

Another benefit from the newer Bluetooth standard is the ability to use a headset with multiple devices at the same time. If you are often on the road, you’ll probably have some kind of VOIP or Internet calling program on your PC (Skype is a prime example).

Using multipoint means you can have the headset connected to your PC and your phone at the same time, and don’t have to worry about connecting or reconnecting each time you need to use either one.

The Dragon V2 in day to day use

If you are used to a tiny headset, then you’ll probably find the Dragon to be a bit of monstrosity. It really is quite a bit larger than most headsets on the market today. That said, it is still about a third the size of my very first Bluetooth headset (the Ericsson HBH-10).

The headset has an easy to adjust ear clip, and once you find the right fit, it actually feels very comfortable, without feeling like it will fall out of your ear at any moment.

The headset has 2 buttons; one is a rocker switch/power button on the side, and the other is the multifunction switch on the front. The rocker switch also controls the volume.

The headset charges using a regular mini-USB charging cable, which in my opinion is absolutely brilliant. Almost anyone on the road will have at least one mini-USB charger in their bag. The headset package includes an AC charger, a DC (car) charger, a USB cable and a mini-USB charger tip for the Callpod Chargepod (recently featured as one of our top 25 travel products of 2008).

Also included in the box is an assortment of ear pieces and a carrying pouch with enough room for the headset and all its chargers.

Audio quality on the Dragon V2 is outstanding, and I found it to be one of just a few headsets that is actually able to produce a good amount of volume. The headset features an active noise cancellation system and dual microphones, and not once did I hear any complaints from people on the other end of my calls.

The Callpod Dragon V2 costs $99, but is available from retailers like Amazon.com for around $67.

Final thoughts

The Callpod Dragon V2 has restored my faith in Bluetooth headsets. Good battery life, excellent range and the ability to charge using a common mini-USB charger make it a winner in my books.

Of course, the one thing no Bluetooth headset will ever change, is the “dork factor”, don’t be one of those people wearing their headset 24/7, and remember that there is no need to yell when you are making a call on your headset.

Daily deal – Aliph Jawbone 2 Bluetooth headset for $80

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the Aliph Jawbone 2 Bluetooth headset. This headset combines a stylish look with the noise canceling features only found in Jawbone headsets.

I’ve never been a huge Bluetooth headset fan, but if you are going to wear one anyway, it might as well be a pretty one.

The Jawbone 2 headset comes complete with a USB charger, replacement ear loops and 3 different earbuds.

The headset has a manufacturer rating of 8 days standby time, or 4 hours talk time.

The MSRP of the Jawbone 2 is $139.99, but it is currently on sale at Cellhut for just $79.99 with free shipping. You will need to enter coupon code ALIP2B in order to get the shipping charges removed.

(Via Crunchgear)

Product review – BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth handsfree carkit

by Scott Carmichael on

In this product review I’m going to review the BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth carkit. This portable handsfree carkit connects to your phone using Bluetooth, so naturally you’ll only be able to use it if your phone has this feature (most do nowadays).

The carkit itself is very compact and has just 4 buttons; on/pickup, off/hangup and 2 volume controls. I have to admit that most Bluetooth carkits I’ve tested in the past never impressed me much, they were usually tinny, did not go loud enough and were too basic for making a good quality phone call.

The Supertooth 3 is different in every possible way; calls are amazingly crisp, the volume goes up loud enough that you’ll be able to make a clear call with your windows open and you can have a conversation without the other party asking if you are trapped inside a barrel.

The device itself is very cleverly designed; on the back of the carkit are 2 very strong magnets which stick to the included sun visor clip, the smart people at BlueAnt have made it possible to stick the unit to the front and the back of this clip, which means it is possible to fold down your visor and still have access to the buttons. It’s a simple design feature, but one I’m very impressed with.
When the Supertooth 3 is turned on for the first time, you can select the language of its spoken commands. It goes through all the languages programmed in the device until you reach the one you understand (don’t worry, English is first).

These spoken commands actually announce an incoming call, which brings me to the most powerful feature of the Supertooth 3; Text To Speech. Once you have “paired” your Bluetooth phone with the device, you can transfer your address book to it.

With this address book stored in the carkit, you’ll get spoken announcements of the caller name! The unit even has voice recognition for answering phone calls completely hands free. Initially I set the device to “American English”, but quickly changed it to “British English” as the lady in that voice just sounds more friendly.

There is actually one other feature built into the Supertooth 3 that I have never seen before in any other portable carkit; a vibration sensor. This sensor detects whether the car is moving, and turns the unit off if it thinks you have stopped. This means that you don’t have to reach for the power button every time you get in or out of your car. In everyday use, this feature worked brilliantly. It would turn the carkit off about 5 minutes after turning the car off, and the unit would turn on the moment someone gets in the car.

The Supertooth 3 has an internal Lithium-Ion battery pack. In my review I’ve managed to get about 2 weeks of use out of a full battery with about 30 minutes of calls a day.

I tested the Supertooth 3 with a variety of phones, and none of them had any issues pairing with the carkit. I did notice that some phones (Windows powered devices) do not support address book transfers, but that is a missing feature of the phone, not the Supertooth 3.

Included in the box of the Supertooth 3 is the device itself, a car charger, an AC charger and 2 visor clips. The Supertooth 3 has a regular MiniUSB port, so you can even use your computer to charge it if you carry your own MiniUSB cable.

After several weeks with the Supertoth 3 I have to say I’m very impressed, it has completely changed my view of Bluetooth carkits. With several states completely banning the use of your phone without a handsfree device, it is the perfect little product for using in a rental car, but would work equally well as a handsfree phone in your hotel room. The microphone is so sensitive that it would even function perfectly as a conference phone if you need to make an emergency call back to the office with several people at a table.

The MSRP of the Supertooth 3 is $129.99, but retailers like Newegg have it in stock for just $78.99. The Supertooth 3 comes with a 2 year manufacturer warranty.

Daily deal – Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset for $42

by Scott Carmichael on

My daily deal for today is for the Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset.

This particular headset is one of the highest rated Bluetooth products on the market, and while it may not be the sexiest, it does have stunning sound quality (for both people on the call). The microphone boom also features a noise reducing microphone which can cancel out noise from wind and other sources of distraction.

The Voyager 510 has great battery life, and the manufacturer rates it for up to 6 hours of talk time and 100 hours on standby. The headset also features “multipoint”, which allows you to connect to more than one device at the same time.

The Voyager 510 usually retails for around $60, but Amazon.com has it on sale for just $41.99. Since the item is over $25, Amazon will even ship it for free.