TechImpact / it happens there first

I've had the unique privilege of buying 4 blue tooth headsets in the last year. Not because I wanted to experience the gamut of what the market offers, but because my wife has lost, broken or outright mangled every headset I have given her. We started out a few years back, with a cheap 20-40 dollar Motorola that came with the purchase of every phone. The phone worked great, and the headset was worth what we paid. What it did do extremely well though, was to open my wife's imagination to the potential of hands free talking to people. After a week of not having to burn the side of her face off from exposure to an over worked cell phone battery, we were ready to push the limits of bluetooth.

Our first "advanced" headset was the Plantronics 925. Given that this was an older generation (before everyone started adding some form of noise cancellation), I won't bother to discuss the details of performance beyond saying that the microphone worked exceedingly well. It worked so well, that anyone on the other end would hear every detail of on-goings on our side. This was great until the dogs across the street barked, or a car passed by outside -- and God forbid anything with noise happen in the same house as the headset. Instant deafness for our listener. But the real beauty of the 925, and what continues to set it apart today, is the style and fit. The 925 fits inside your ear without the need for the dreaded ear loop. The fit is natural, and after a few moments only noticeable if you stop to realize that you can not hear from one side of your head. This of course isn't a problem since it's what any sane person would expect for having small electronics stuck down your ear. Of course, I will be thankful the day they fix that.

Our next purchase came in the form of a second generation Jawbone. This was necessary since my baby is just hitting what most people refer to the terrible 2's. This is not a particularly hard time for us except for the fact that she has no concept of a volume control. You can hear the child clearly across the house, regardless of what activity she is partaking. To the delight of my friends and family, the Jawbone's second generation system was everything it promised, and normalcy was restored. My best experience was blending a Pina Colada (half Pina Colada, Half OJ and Coconut Rum to taste), while talking to my brother. He knew I was mixing drinks, and half way through the conversation asked if I was going to start the blender. The device paid for itself at that moment. Of course, we still had our issues. The entire time I had this headset, I tried fighting and eventually pleading for it to go in my left ear. The fit would just never stay. The slightest of bending over and I could guarantee that I would continue to the floor to pick up my little headset. Plop it on the right ear, and we were good to go. Wear time was also not great. Regardless of which of the included pads I used, my ear would get sore after prolonged use. Switching ears was out of the question, so this was just a nuisance I learned to live with -- until my wife mangled her Plantronics.

I haven't mentioned this before, but my wife is the greatest. She is more than happy to take my technology hand-me downs while I upgrade to the new toys. In comes the BlueAnt V1. I had read that the Blue Ant was a great piece of tech. The noise cancellation is second to none, and even a bit better than second generation Jaw Bone, the fit is amazing, and the accessories are unparalleled. In the box, which took a master lock pick to get into, there was everything you needed to run and charge this device. It comes packaged with chargers for USB, wall, and the car! No extra purchases needed, which already makes it $20 cheaper than the comparable Jaw Bone. It also comes with 4 different ear cushions of 2 different types. The first two are the standard rubber covers which lack any special features, but the second two are the magic. They are a self molding foam that adjust inside your ear to make the perfect fit for comfort and quality. Although the BlueAnt requires the traditional over the ear holder, the package comes with a transparent holder that is also extremely light. Cushions and holder together formed a duo that would allow me to talk on the headset for the entire 5 hours that the battery life allows. But, I am a techie by nature, so my favorite feature has nothing to do with fit or performance. No, my favorite feature is that the firmware in the unit is easily upgradeable. This means small problems in the noise cancellation or voice recognition can be corrected. It also means that stores selling out of date firmware because it's what they had on their shelves is no longer an issue. Just plug it in to your pc, follow a few quick steps, and you are running the same firmware everyone else is. That's what I call supporting your hardware. Of the other units I have owned, not a single other one had the option to make this type of update. The only question now is: will my wife be able to break or loose it before the next firmware update. Only time will tell.

by Chris Gamble