Tag: Headset

Plantronics Voyager Pro – performance based bluetooth headset

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Plantronics’ latest Bluetooth headset has been unveiled to Tech Digest and, we have to admit, it looks pretty good. Whereas the Discover range, which we’ve featured before, focuses on style, the Voyager Pro is much more concerned with performance.

First off, there is a huge emphasis on sound quality. Stuart Bradshaw of Plantronics explains: “On a noisy street, where a lot of people use headsets it’s important to have clarity in what you’re hearing.”

The headset contains Plantronics’ audioiQ2 technology – which they claim is the latest enhancement to DSP technology. The two built in microphones – one for voice and one for ambient sounds – should both act as noise cancellers to minimise background noise.

The phone has some nifty features too, such as voice prompts for low battery and mute status and there is also the option to connect the headset with multi-points. This means you could set it up to your work phone as well as your personal one.

The headset will cost you £79 and is available first through Orange on 1st July.

Expect a Tech Digest review in the next week or so.

Paul Lamkin Mobile phones

Etymotic shows off its ear-moulded headphones for the iPhone and iPod

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Uber-high-end headphone manufacturer Etymotic is releasing a set of its personalised earphones for the iPhone and iPod. The hf2 Custom Fit headset integrates a microphone and ‘answer call’ button into the cord, so that you can use your iPhone without getting it out of your pocket.

A partnership with ACS (Advanced Communications Solutions) means that the headphones are custom-moulded to your ear. They stick a load of goo in your ear, which sets, and then produce a set of headphones the exact same shape as your inner ear.

That custom moulding ensures that a perfect fit is achieved, so the headphones are completely isolating. As a result, you can listen to music much more quietly and still get fantastic detail in the sound without damaging your hearing. They also stay put in your ear – they won’t fall out if you’re exercising.

I’ve tried the earphones myself, and they’re incredible – I’ve spent the last couple of days obsessively listening to all the songs I love, because everything sounds so much better. It’s amazing how much detail there is in songs that you’re often unaware of, even if you’re using a respectable pair of headphones already.

The custom-moulded headphones don’t come cheap. The kit is £90, plus another £90 for the fitting session. But if you’re an audiophile then that’s cheap for what you’re getting – almost perfect sound reproduction. Though, of course, you’ll need to re-encode everything into Apple’s lossless format to get the most out of it.

The hf2’s will be available from April 28th.

Etymotic

Duncan Geere Headphones / Earphones

Niche of the week: Headset Hotties

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Welcome to Niche of the Week, an irregular feature where we highlight the slightly more bizarre corners of the internet. This one looks at models on websites with headsets on, usually promising live support, or customer chat, or something along those lines, called, brilliantly, Headset Hotties.

You can’t deny, this has Gary Cutlack written all over it. Unfortunately I can’t verify whether it’s his work or not, right now. I suspect the former. If you’re not familiar with Mr Cutlack’s modus operandi, then I suggest you go and visit Idiot Toys right now. It’s fantastic.

Headset Hotties (via Instant Rimshot)

More niches: Trukz – a haulage-based MMO | Brokers with hands on their faces

Duncan Geere Websites, Weirdness

Logitech shows off its revamped gaming lineup – two keyboards a headset and a mouse

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Next up, it’s Logitech’s turn to show off its new products to the world. They’ve got the G19 keyboard, the G13 gameboard, the G9x mouse and the G35 surround sound headset. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that the G stands for ‘gaming’, because these are all very squarely focused at PC gamers.

I’ll start with the G19, which we spotted previously, but called the G18. In every other respect, though, it seems to be the same model – it’s got the same 320 x 240 colour LCD, the same 12 macro keys, and the superb “game mode” switch that disables the Windows key so you don’t hit it by accident at a crucial moment. No sign of that D-pad, though.

Duncan Geere CES 2009, Computers, Gadget Shows, Headphones / Earphones, Keyboards, Mice, Peripherals

Etymotic launches hf2 earphones with handsfree calling

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Etymotic has announced the availability of its hf2 handsfree headset, offering the same sound quality of their ER-4P earphones and coupled with a microphone and end/send switch for pairing up with the iPhone or any other mobile phone with a 3.5mm jack.

The unit features noise cancellation technology, ensuring both music and calls can be heard more clearly even in noisy surroundings…

Andy Merrett Headphones / Earphones, Mobile phones