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Bluetooth Earpieces

Arms_Reach

Arms_Reach

Member
Well, I've never really had a need or wanted one, but do now.

My new job has me on the phone and flipping through job plans/blueprints making notes all the time. I sure would like to have two hands for that! Also, I find myself in DC often enough. You aren't allowed use a phone there while driving without a handsfree device.

I'd like a unit with good functionality, one where the person on the other end can't tell I'm using it. I'd also like one that does a good job dealing with noisy places for both me and the recipient. Last, but defiantly not least, battery life. I'll buy two units if I have to, and just let one live on the charger when not in use.

Thanks.
 
I have had wonderful luck with my Jawbone Icon Hero. It does everything you need it to. And I think I got it for $45 on Amazon.
 
I will break away from the string of Jawbone users and suggest looking at the BlueAnt line. Very comfortable, great sound (especially in noisy environments), as a setting to add more noise cancelation (tho tends to be a bit "electronic-y" sounding), and I was able to get the Z-9 model for $15 a year ago through one of the CNET bargain alerts.
 
I had the blueant T1, the earpiece is way too loose, I got rid of it.

The plantronics voyager 975 is good, stays in place, clear, etc.

I also like the plantronics Voyager pro, battery life is 6 hours. It's a behind the ear headset, a bit bulky for some, but works well.

What I currently use as my primary headset is the plantronics savor m1100. It's small, stays in place, clear on both ends, even when sitting outside with all of the birds and yardwork going on people can still hear me clearly.
You can answer or ignore a call with your voice, and there is an app in the market that will read your text messages to you. Battery life is only 4 hours though.
 
I'm not going to set-it-and-forget-it. I heard that the Jawbone will hang up if you touch it. Also, I don't want anything in my ear, I'd only buy an over the ear piece.
 
Heres the problem with asking for help with ear pieces. Can you name two people whos ears are exactly the same? Probably not. The physical shape of ears and canals, the amount of hearing loss you have accumulated, and the environment you work in will make a huge difference on what works for you. Keep this in mind, and thats also why trial periods exist where you can return a product.
 
I can only say that I have a Plantronics Explorer 232. It was dirt cheap and worked great with my Samsung Rogue. Now, I've moved to the LG Revolution and this bluetooth device is sorely lacking. If I put the earpiece in my right ear and the phone in my left front pocket, it keeps dropping and reconnecting.

It works better in the car with the phone in a bracket on the console, but with the LG it's noisy and suffers drop outs. I'm looking for a replacement and the Jawbone line consistently reviews well at places line Cnet. My daughter has an Aleph Jawbone2 and it seems to work well with her iPhone.

Just wanted to say so.

Mark
 
Plantronics Explorer. Water/dust proof. Extremely durable and holds a charge for a long time. 3 days with heavy use.
 
I use the Plantronics Voyager 855 and I have always had good luck with Plantronics. They have always been at the forefront of noise cancellation with their higher end sets.

I should mention though that these are in-ear buds. One side looks like a regular BT headset and can be used alone for just phone calls or, you can plug in a short (18") wire with an ear-loop on one end and an regular in-ear bud on the other to listen to music in stereo. The ear-loop just plugs into the top of the regular BT set and you put the wire behind your neck.

Now I know you said you don't like "in-ear" buds but realistically, you will never get the kind of "quiet" to hear the other party from anything that sits on and outside your ear. And, the same holds true with listening to music. You always get much better sound reproduction from an in-ear bud that seals your ear canal from outside noises and this set in particular sounds very good.

Over the years, I have tried probably 10 or more different kinds of single and stereo BT headsets and I find these to be the best sounding and most comfortable to wear for extended periods.
 
Just picked up a reconditioned Jawbone ERA that has some accelerometer gimmicks for controls. The controls are fine, the audio quality is fantastic. The volume control is strictly automatic (controlled by phone and compensated by earpiece). I would highly recommend this device if you can find it for a reasonable price. The msrp of $130 or so is a bit much.

Mark
 
So you really like the Jawbone ERA. I've had Plantronics 510,520 then the Jawbone Icon which I washed in my pocket and I then got the Blue Ant Q2. Love how you can say answer and ignore but I use Vlingo and the headset doesn't let you totally do hansfree. You have to say Phone Command then even if i pick Vlingo as my default app it says my phone isn't supported with something or other. I want to be able to just push a button on my headseat and speak call so and navigate to so and so or send text or email or update my FB status even all by headset. Anyway my Blue Ant something broke off of it and my earloop broke and then I lost it the other day. I have been reading about the ERA and am very interested in it. I wish you could say answer and ignore but the tap tap feature sounds cool. I had the icon and forgot how it worked but on the ERA can you just push the button and then speak call so and so with out doing anything else. I hate how on the blueant you have to say phone command and it doesn't work so well.

I wish I knew people that had the ERA and had the EVO 3D. I called Jawbone cause there is a newer one out after the ERA but he said for me mainly using it to talk while driving the ERA is probably more suited for me. So I am trying to find it the cheapest right now. But I did love my Plantronics 510 alot it was just too big for me. So you still really like the ERA? Would like to hear more.

mark9117 said:
Just picked up a reconditioned Jawbone ERA that has some accelerometer gimmicks for controls. The controls are fine, the audio quality is fantastic. The volume control is strictly automatic (controlled by phone and compensated by earpiece). I would highly recommend this device if you can find it for a reasonable price. The msrp of $130 or so is a bit much.

Mark
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Arms_Reach said:
Well, I've never really had a need or wanted one, but do now.

My new job has me on the phone and flipping through job plans/blueprints making notes all the time. I sure would like to have two hands for that! Also, I find myself in DC often enough. You aren't allowed use a phone there while driving without a handsfree device.

I'd like a unit with good functionality, one where the person on the other end can't tell I'm using it. I'd also like one that does a good job dealing with noisy places for both me and the recipient. Last, but defiantly not least, battery life. I'll buy two units if I have to, and just let one live on the charger when not in use.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

This is my $ 0.02:

http://androidforums.com/android-ac...ra-plantronics-voyager-pro-hd-jabra-wave.html

The Jawbone Era and the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD have excellent, really excellent noise reduction.
 
I just got the Jawbon Era the other day and so far I like it. Sound is loud and clear music I have to turn it down in my ear. My 3D speaker isn't so loud. But this Jabra stone sounds neat too. I was just reading about it. Kind of reminds me of my old Plantrnoics 510 that I loved so much but didn't like the looks of it but it worked great. I had a Blue Ant Q2 previously that part of it broke then I lost it but it worked good do. My favorite on it was the voice action you could say answer or ignore when your phone rang. I'm still setting up my era and I liked how it said you can program ten names for it to recognize and it will speak there name. Blue Ant only said numbers. I'm trying to set mine up now and my talk page said there is a firmware update already. But I think I'll like this. I have a problem with misplacing my headset all the time so I think this one may stayin my car.

cdl said:
This is my $ 0.02:

http://androidforums.com/android-ac...ra-plantronics-voyager-pro-hd-jabra-wave.html

The Jawbone Era and the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD have excellent, really excellent noise reduction.
Click to expand...
 
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