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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Consumer Hardware & Components > New Bluetooh Headset - advice needed

New Bluetooh Headset - advice needed
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Noonster
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Apr 30, 2008, 04:25 AM
 
Advice needed (from those that know)... I am in need of a bluetooh headset and its between 2 that I go for I think.

Jawbone
- The Highest Rated Bluetooth Headset. Ever.

or

BlueAnt Z9
- BlueAnt Z9

The Jawbone was expensive but you can get it for around £35 and the BlueAnt one costs around £40. I have been reading really good things about the BlueAnt and how it is actually better than the Jawbone - but looking for some more advice.

Anyone?
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bishopazrael
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Apr 30, 2008, 12:48 PM
 
When it comes to headsets you don't really want to skrimp on the dough. Buy the jawbone. It works amazingly well.
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Noonster  (op)
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Apr 30, 2008, 01:08 PM
 
Originally Posted by bishopazrael View Post
When it comes to headsets you don't really want to skrimp on the dough. Buy the jawbone. It works amazingly well.
Well the Jawbone is cheaper than the other... and I am not worried about the money I just want the one that is the best.

Was reading this earlier - seems to think the Z9 is better
- MY iTablet Review: BlueAnt z9 Bluetooth Headset | iPhone Buzz

Thanks.
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IceEnclosure
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May 1, 2008, 02:11 PM
 


Jawbone is HUGE, and IMO pretty ugly. Scale it down and it's pretty, but as it is the thing is like 3+ inches long on the side of your head.

Samsung Jabra and Moto all make some good and some bad headsets. Going by online reviews is really the only way to figure out how these devices are. Unless a friend has a particular model they're not exactly easy to test-drive.

The Z9 looks real nice though!
ice
     
turtle777
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May 1, 2008, 11:50 PM
 
Plantronics Voyager M510, hands down the best BT headset I have ever used.

For under $ 50, you absolutely can't beat it.



Amazon.com: Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth Headset with Multipoint Technology [Retail Packaged]: Cell Phones & Service

-t
     
bishopazrael
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May 2, 2008, 01:39 AM
 
I'll take ugly and SUPER functional any day. It picks up the vibrations of your jawbone as you talk so it goes straight into the mic... making for exceptional clarity. Friend of mine has one and uses it to call when he's in a convertible. Clear as a bell. Still.. if you gotta buy what looks good, do what you like. The other recommendation if you want something UBER small is the plantronics discovery... or something like that. Pen shaped earpiece that you just stuck INTO your ear with a small plastic pen sized tube coming out of it... worked ok but i lost 2 so I quit buying them.
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Cold Warrior
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May 2, 2008, 01:53 AM
 
Another vote for the Voyager M510. I got it for Christmas and it's been going strong since. Great audio quality, fits in and around the ear very well and comfortable to wear for long periods. Never used anything as good.
     
Noonster  (op)
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May 2, 2008, 05:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by bishopazrael View Post
I'll take ugly and SUPER functional any day. It picks up the vibrations of your jawbone as you talk so it goes straight into the mic... making for exceptional clarity. Friend of mine has one and uses it to call when he's in a convertible. Clear as a bell. Still.. if you gotta buy what looks good, do what you like. The other recommendation if you want something UBER small is the plantronics discovery... or something like that. Pen shaped earpiece that you just stuck INTO your ear with a small plastic pen sized tube coming out of it... worked ok but i lost 2 so I quit buying them.
Hi mate,

Took your advice and went for the Jawbone - as decided to agree with the "you get what you pay for" policy. Hopefully it will be here tomorrow so will let you know how I get on with it.

Thanks everyone for the replies
Darren
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CharlesS
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May 3, 2008, 12:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by Cold Warrior View Post
Another vote for the Voyager M510. I got it for Christmas and it's been going strong since. Great audio quality, fits in and around the ear very well and comfortable to wear for long periods. Never used anything as good.
I have one of those. It's good for indoor use, and the sound quality is good. Take it outside, though, and the wind noise will make it utterly impossible to hear anything you say, even if it's just a light breeze.

Also, the battery life isn't great, and the thing is quite huge, and not very comfortable.

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bishopazrael
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May 3, 2008, 04:24 AM
 
Noonster,
good luck with that, I hope it works out well for you. Just make sure you give it a REALLY good test before the return period expires. With electronics it's always been a YMMV kind of thing.

Cheers Mate!
Backups are like guns and condoms. It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
     
turtle777
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May 3, 2008, 01:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by CharlesS View Post
I have one of those. It's good for indoor use, and the sound quality is good. Take it outside, though, and the wind noise will make it utterly impossible to hear anything you say, even if it's just a light breeze.

Also, the battery life isn't great, and the thing is quite huge, and not very comfortable.
Re: outdoors

You are correct, that the weaker side of the M510.

Re: battery life

I get easily 4 days stand-by, and mine is almost 2 years old.
Talk time I dunno, I never timed it.

Re: not comfortable

That's not my experience, I find them quite comfortable. Much better than those flimsy types, that will fall off as soon as you start walking or change positions.

-t
     
CharlesS
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May 3, 2008, 02:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Re: not comfortable

That's not my experience, I find them quite comfortable. Much better than those flimsy types, that will fall off as soon as you start walking or change positions.
I've never had a problem with that kind falling off (although my cheapo Scala 700 did eventually end up falling apart - I ended up sticking the case back together with crazy glue and it still works great), but I can see your point. To me, the large size of the 510 is kind of annoying and makes it hard to take on and off quickly, and the fact that the earpiece goes down into your ear eventually starts causing irritation to my ear canal after I've been wearing it for a while, although I'll admit that it does make it a lot easier to hear what the other person is saying.

I forgot to mention one other thing that bugs me about the 510 - the interface is terrible. You have to hold it down just precisely so long and then let go to get into the voice-dialing prompt - wait too long, or not long enough, and nothing happens. Supposedly, if you press the button again immediately after doing this, you can redial the last number you called, but I've only been able to get this to work a few times. The vast majority of the times I've tried to use this feature, I eventually ended up just giving up and pulling out the phone to redial the last number.

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Timothy Maxwell
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Aug 30, 2008, 05:21 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
Re: outdoors

You are correct, that the weaker side of the M510.

Re: battery life

I get easily 4 days stand-by, and mine is almost 2 years old.
Talk time I dunno, I never timed it.

Re: not comfortable

That's not my experience, I find them quite comfortable. Much better than those flimsy types, that will fall off as soon as you start walking or change positions.

-t
I agree with you regarding comfort and battery life. I had one and had no trouble with the comfort or battery life. Unfortunately, I broke mine after only having it for a couple of months. I was using the Palm Treo at the time and did not have great success staying connected to the phone.

I just bought the iPhone G3 and am now trying to decide which earpiece to get. But I did like the 510 but I also had the Jawbone. The Jawbone was definitely not comfortable. Someone said that the new generation Jawbones are better. I am undecided.
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