Do you use a Bluetooth headset while driving? A lot of us do. How would you like to do the same thing, but hands free with nothing in your ear? Now you can! The Blueant S1 stereo Bluetooth headset is awesome for the iPhone! you can get it in the TiPb accessory store for $59.95. Now, why would you want to do that? Because this hands-free headset rocks!

I have been using the Blueant S1 for a while now and I have to tell you it is great for so many reasons. First of all the speaker is really lightweight and small. It has a detachable clip that allows you to slip it on to a window visor in your car. if you don’t want the clip, it easily pops right off. There are only three buttons on the Blueant S1; Green for power on/off as well as activating the iPhone’s Voice Control. Green also answers your calls. Red ends a call and if you hold it down, it will dial the last phone number from the phone app.

Using Voice Control with the iPhone could not be simpler; press the green button and wait for the Voice Control prompt from the iPhone. this works like a charm. You can call anyone or play music all from the press of the green button.

Speaking of music, you can use the Blueant S1 as a standalone speaker in your car. You can use the Blueant S1 for making calla but plug in your iPhone to your csr stereo and enjoy the freedom of Apple’s Voice Control.

Outside of using the Blueant S1 as a car-based hands-free device, you can also just slip it in your bag and use it as a desktop Bluetooth speaker, or as I have, use it as a portable speakerphone! During the last month I have been away from my desk at work and have been working in random meeting rooms across campus. Not all of these rooms had phones and some of the rooms were quite large. As an iPhone owner we all know our speaker phones are not very loud, problem solved with the Blueant S1! This little guy came in handy in many of my meetings!

Personally I could not be happier with the Blueant S1. The only improvement I could suggest is a more robust speaker. The audio when playing music is tinty, but sounds great with spoken words. This device has come in handy on many occasions and I know it will for you too!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Blueant S1 Sun Visor Bluetooth Car Kit for iPhone 3GS- Reality Review

With WWDC 2009 right around the corner, there is excitement in the air. The iPhone OS 3.0 software and a highly possible next generation iPhone are right around the corner. Now what does this have to with the Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset? The answer to that question is simple – A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). Finally A2DP is coming to an iPhone near you… unless you still plan on keeping that first generation iPhone. (Sadly, for A2DP, you guys will need to upgrade to a current 3G model or the soon-to-be-announced next generation hardware.)

So, iPhone 3G owners, what better way to get a jump on things than by picking up the Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset?! It is available in TiPb’s sibling store WMExperts for a cool $69.95. After the break, a full review!

Design

The Voyager 855 consists of two pieces: a headset unit, which is where you will find all of your controls, and the detachable earpiece, which is what you will use to turn the 855 into a stereo headset – pretty crafty indeed.

The headset is sleek and stylish with its black coating with silver trimmed accents. The mic boom slides out to bring the microphone closer to your mouth. That not only makes it easier for the person with whom you are speaking to hear you, it’s also a way to answer and end calls – more on that a bit later.

Next up is it’s size. The Voyager tips the scales at mear .53 ounce (11 Grams) so it is surprisingly on the lighter side compared to other headsets available. It measures 2.25 inches by 0.5 inch by 0.6 inch. So again, not large by any means unless you have the boom extended. With the boom, look to add another inch or so to it’s length. To get a better grasp on it’s size below you will can see the Voyager next to the Jawbone 2 and Apple’s no longer available headset.

Now if you are looking to get in on the stereo bluetooth action you will need the separate stereo plug-in cable with earpiece. It looks just like a regular earbud attached to an ear loop. To get stereo bluetooth you simply need to attach the ear loop with earpiece to the main headset. The stereo setup is meant to be worn with the cable resting behind your neck.

Also included in the box: ear loop stabilizer (2 sizes), sound isolating ear buds, micro USB charger, lanyard, and carrying case.

Usability

I’ve been using the Voyager 855 for about a week now and I will admit the sound quality is pretty good compared to other headsets I have used in the past. While the headset is not as clear as — or does not boast noise cancelation like the Jawbone — it does contain AudioIQ, which is simply a fancy name for digital signal processing or DSP. Without noise cancelation, loud conditions did create a bit of background noise but people I spoke with did not have any problems hearing me or vice versa. So overall the AudioIQ does it’s job well. To make your voice heard even better you can also slide the boom down closer to your mouth. The boom can also be used to answer and end calls simply by sliding it out or in respectively.

The added bonus of the Voyager 855 is it’s ability to turn into a stereo bluetooth headset by simply adding the stereo plug-in cable. The sound quality for listening to music was pretty decent as well. I have no complaints in that department.

The big question I always have when it comes to bluetooth headset is how comfortable is it to wear and how is the battery life? This headset comes with three earbud pairs in different sizes, allowing you to pick and choose the most comfortable fit for you. You can wear the headset with or without the included earloop, on either your left or right ear. So with that said, you should not have any issues finding the right combination that will comfortably fit your needs. Battery life was excellent. Plantronics claims 7 hours of talk time, 6 hours of listening time, and 160 hours of standby time. I’ve put it through the ringer this week and have had to charge it two times within the week with a good amount of usage.

Conclusion

The Plantronics Voyager 855 Bluetooth Headset, which is available in the WMExperts store for $69.95 is a fantastic deal. Not only will you be able to take full advantage of the upcoming 3.0’s A2DP feature you get a very good overall bluetooth stereo headset.

Pros

• Low price for what you get
• Stereo Bluetooth
• Fits comfortably
• Great battery life

Cons

• No noise cancelation
• Micro USB charger

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Pre-Review: Plantronics Voyager 855 A2DP Stereo Bluetooth Headset

The iPhone and music pretty much go hand and hand. Your music deserves to be played through a more than decent stereo headset, one that can deliver clear, clean, crisp sound at any volume. That said, I jumped at the chance to try out the iharmonix Pro i-Series Stereo Headset and put it through some serious usage. You can purchase this exact headset right in TiPb’s very own store, for the low price of $39.95. Honestly, I did not know what to expect while waiting for UPS to drop these babies off but I will admit, I was pleasantly surprised. For a full review, read on after the break!

Design

Lets start out by taking a look at the Pro i-Series design. All in all, I am fairly impressed with its build quality. Is it as fancy as some of the higher priced headsets out there? Not at all, but for a $39 it’s not to be scoffed at. The quality is definitely sturdy enough to last for the life of your phone. The headset’s wires are designed fairly well with a thickness and coating that keeps them from getting tangled easily. That would be good news for all of you who are jamming them into your pockets. It is also important to note that they are about 4 inches longer than the stock Apple headset.

Also included is an in-line microphone with an end and send button. You can use the same button to pause, skip tracks, etc., just like you are able to with the headset included with the iPhone.

Iharmonix even tossed in two different earbud sets so that ears of all sizes get the perfect fit. The memory foam earbuds, which you compress with your fingers and put into your ears, were difficult to insert but I did get them to fit. The rubber earbuds on the other hand were way more comfortable for me. Granted this all depends on your ears and what you prefer.

With every aspect of it’ design being positive up until this point, I did I manage to find one negative. Compared to the Apple headset, the 3.5 mm headset plug stands out a bit more than I am comfortable with and does not offer any flex or give if it were to be bumped or tugged on. I’ve always been a bit leary with any headset I’ve used for the simple fact that, with one good whack or tug, you are bound to end up with a crack in the plastic around your iPhone’s 3.5 mm jack. So that is something that should have been taken into consideration. Other than that one minor concern, iharmonix did a really nice job designing this particular headset.

Usability

Now this is where the Pro i-Series shines. Out of all the headsets I have used since getting my first iPhone I can tell you that you will be hard pressed to find one that will outperform this headset, especially in this price range. The sound quality while listening to music is definitely splendid. You get good bass and more importantly it is clear and heavy without getting distorted at higher levels. As is the case with similar headsets, the bass does not take away from the mids or the treble, so the balance is spot-on at low or high volumes. For all you fans of Dieter and Mike, who star in TiPb’s Phone Different Podcast, you’ll be really pleased to know voices come across superbly.

Color me impressed. You will not get a better bang for the buck than this.

That brings us to call quality. The Pro i-Series is very good. For the most part, the person on the other end of the call sounds very natural and there’s very little background noise. Most of the time friends told me I sounded loud and clear. There were a few instances that I was told I sounded distant but overall that was far and few between.

Conclusion

If you have been looking for a modest replacement for headphones that come with the iPhone, I would not hesitate to pick these up. Sure there are other headphones out there that outperform the Pro i-Series but you better be ready to fork over $100 plus. For $39.95, you really can’t beat the overall quality of the iharmonix Pro i-Series Stereo Headset.

Pros

• Excellent quality for the price
• It’s cheap!

Cons

• Lack of flex in 3.5 mm plug
• Earbuds may not fit comfortably depending on your ears

TiPb Accessory Review Rating

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Review: iharmonix Pro i-Series Stereo Headset for iPhone