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!
The BlueAnt V1 Bluetooth Headset for iPhone 3G/3GS [$68.92 - TiPb Store Link] has been a pleasant surprise as I did not think I’d find another Bluetooth headset that I would prefer over the highly regarded Jawbone PRIME.
The Motorola MOTOROKR S305 Bluetooth Stereo Headphones [$49.95 - TiPb Store link] for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G are great for enjoying your music on the go. Whether you’re on your daily jog or spending some time in the gym, these headphones are the perfect fit that will not hurt your wallet.
The Jabra SP200 Speakerphone for iPhone 3G/3GS [$59-95 - TiPb Store link] is a great Bluetooth headset alternative that you really have to try yourself to fully appreciate. I can not recommend it enough.
I’ve been using the Jabra SP200 for about a month now and I can honestly say that I’ve stopped using every single Bluetooth headset I own while driving my car. Simply connect the SP200 to your cars visor, flip the power switch and you are good to go. And go you will – Jabra claims the battery life comes in at 10 hours of talk time and 23 days of standby time. I am happy to report that these claims are dead on accurate.
Now to get to the most important part of a Bluetooth device, sound quality. I was pleasantly surprised on how well not only the person I would speak to sounded, but how well I came across to them as well. Volume is definitely not an issue with the SP200 as not once have I had to turn it up to it’s full capability.
Early word from TiPb commenters and the Twitter show some new iPhone 3.1 features found already:
Non-destructive video editing means trimming a clip no longer saves over the original video but gives you the option to “Save as copy…”
Voice Control now works over Bluetooth
iPhone vibrates when moving icons
Updated AT&T profile to 4.2
Updated modem firmware to 5.08.01
Behind the scenes changes abound as well:
Improvements to OpenGL and Quartz.
APIs to allow third party apps to access videos and edit them.
Update: Yes, MMS buttons appear to be back for AT&T users, but as with early iphone 3.0 Betas, they’re non-functional on standard devices. Whether they survive to the official release this time (they were removed in 3.0 Beta 5), who knows?
Come this “summer”, iPhone 3.0 — see our walkthrough — will allow iPhone 3G (and perhaps next-generation iPhone users) to enjoy new Bluetooth functionality including stereo headsets, both the A2DP audio and ARCP control protocols. For consumers, the Motorola HT820 Stereo Bluetooth headset (available from our sibling store, WMExperts) may be an option you want to consider come release day. For developers testing using the A2DP/ARCP profiles on the iPhone 3.0 Beta, they might even be something you want to consider now.
Note: This pre-review will not be focusing on iPhone 3.0 functionality, which is currently in closed beta. It will concentrate only on the headset itself. However, for those developers needing an A2DP headset for testing 3.0, it’s our understanding this one works well on multiple units, over multiple carriers.
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!
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Come this “summer”, iPhone 3.0 — see our walkthrough — will allow iPhone 3G (and perhaps next-generation iPhone users) to enjoy new Bluetooth functionality including stereo headsets, both the A2DP audio and ARCP control protocols. For consumers, the Motorola S9 Stereo Bluetooth headset (available from our sibling store, WMExperts) may be an option you want to consider come release day. For developers testing using the A2DP/ARCP profiles on the iPhone 3.0 Beta, they might even be something you want to consider now.
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.
