We’ve been impressed with Plantronics last few Bluetooth headsets, finding the company’s DSP offers a decent balance of background noise reduction while not making callers sound hopelessly artificial. What happens when Plantronics tries to do DSP on a budget, however? The new Plantronics Explorer 395 has a bargain $49.95 MRSP and, the company reckon, is ideal for first-time Bluetooth headset users. Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.
The Bluetooth headset market has split in recent years, with the budget end of the market being served by low-cost, simple devices for $50 or under, and the high-end packing complex noise-reduction and DSP for $100 upward. Into that fray steps Motorola, whose Endeavor HX1 headset packs military-type bone conduction in order – they claim – to completely vanquish background noise. After the cut, check out the full SlashGear review and why we reckon the HX1 isn’t quite ready for the urban battlefield.
You could talk for ages about where the Plantronics Discovery 975 fits into the company’s range, but the simplest explanation is that the Voyager PRO and Discovery 925 had a baby and it’s the new prodigal son. Combining the audio excellence of the Voyager PRO and the nifty charging-case of the Discovery 925, find out why we rate the Discovery 975 so highly after the cut.
Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset was good enough to make even Vincent look twice at his Jawbone PRIME, and it remains the SlashGear choice if you're looking for a sturdy, long-lasting hands-free kit with excellent audio quality. Now Plantronics have announced European availability for the Voyager PRO, with the headset going on sale for £79.99.
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Plantronics have announced their latest wireless headset, the Plantronics .Audio 995. Rather than use a standardized wireless technology such as Bluetooth, Plantronics have plumped for their own 2.4GHz system which requires a USB dongle.
The range is similar to that offered by Bluetooth, at around 40 feet, and the Plantronics system also includes control of volume, play and track skips in iTunes and Windows Media Player from buttons on the headset itself. The microphone features noise-canceling technology and automatically mutes when raised into the upright position.
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Motorola, Plantronics and Jabra have offered to settle in a class action lawsuit that accused them of insufficiently warning of the possible impact Bluetooth headsets could have on a user's hearing. Since the number of headset users are so great, however, the financial compensation - $100,000 - is going to hearing-loss related charities; the real winners are the lawyers, who will likely take in excess of $2m.
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It’s been a week of mobile device reviews, along with the Bluetooth accessories that go with them, here at SlashGear, with Samsung’s Tocco Ultra S8300 and Instinct S30 showing up for playtime. We also gave our opinion on the big news in Bluetooth headsets, in the shape of the Plantronics Voyager Pro and the Aliph Jawbone PRIME. Finally, HTC’s Touch Diamond2 flaunted itself in a video unboxing, while the Mophie Juice Pack Air for the iPhone 3G got its review.
You wait for a new high-end Bluetooth headset and along come two at the same time. If Aliph’s Jawbone PRIME is the jewelry-like fashion model, the Plantronics Voyager PRO is the suited business version. We’ve already seen the Jawbone PRIME live up to its tech-packed spec-sheet; Plantronics promise just as much noise-processing magic from the Voyager PRO. I’ve been testing it out on the busy streets of Rome.
Plantronics has a new website up that features hi-res photos of portions of a new Bluetooth headset, as well as the process in manufacturing the headset and ear pieces. We don't have any more information yet, but from the looks of it, there's something stylish coming out of Plantronics and soon. They add a new picture every few days, so keep checking back to see what they're up to.
SlashGear's Plantronics Discovery 925 Giveaway ended this week, and we're pleased to announce the winner: Zoey Smith, of Escondido, California. Zoey takes away six Bluetooth headsets worth almost $900, the perfect Christmas present and perfect to keep safe (and legal!) when behind the wheel. Many thanks to Plantronics for helping out with the giveaway.
Remember, you can still win a Tokyoflash Radio Active Active Reactor watch - no longer available to buy - in our current giveaway, together with two runner-up prizes of any watch from the company's current catalog. Head over to the competition to find out how to enter!
Review of the week was ASUS’ Eee Top ET1602 touchscreen nettop, which proved itself quite capable of taking on any doubts over an Atom-based PC and throwing them out. It’s certainly left us excited about next-year’s models, which are meant to have bigger displays and improved media capabilities. Meanwhile we’re still playing with Nokia’s 5800 XpressMusic Tube; check out our first impressions.
Remember the Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Headset? Back in our review we praised its audio quality, specification and design; in fact the only frustrating thing was the price. Now Plantronics have offered us not one, but six Discovery 925 headsets to give away as part of their Laws of Style promotion. It’s a prize package worth almost $900, and one lucky SlashGear reader will be walking away with it.
Find out how to win after the cut!
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