Mar 25

Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on

Posted in: bluetooth, ctia, headset, Today's Chili

We got a glimpse at Spracht’s new Aura EQ Bluetooth headset back at CES this year, but in reality, we sort of didn’t — what was being shown back then didn’t constitute final ID, turns out. The company’s back at it here at CTIA showing something closer to what you’ll be seeing on store shelves later this half — though they only had one, and it wasn’t in final retail packaging — so we took a minute to check it out. It’s using the same tricky earbud that we saw before, but the front of the unit has changed significantly — gone are the matte ridges, replaced with a glossy black surface broken up by a few bumps that represent the range of the capacitive volume slider. If “understated” is the look you’re going for, the Aura EQ is generally going to do the trick — and even if you like something a little more edgy, it’s got those funky points on the front and rear. Quite the crowd pleaser, eh?

Gallery: Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on

Spracht Aura EQ (the really real version) hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 25

Jabra Offers Bluetooth Exclusives

Posted in: audio, bluetooth, headset, Today's Chili, Wireless

Jabra-CLIPPER.jpg

Exclusivity just makes things a little more desirable, right? The cell phone carriers certainly think so, which may be why premiere Bluetooth headset-maker Jabra is offering a couple exclusive products.

The Jabra Clipper, a clever stereo headset introduced at this year’s CTIA Wireless show, will be available exclusively in Verizon stores in May for $59.99. The Clipper includes a tiny clip-on device with noise-blocking ear buds. It works with both phone calls and music, and looks like a great way to enjoy stereo sound without a lot of bulk.

The company’s innovative Stone, which combines a Bluetooth headset and charger in one compact package, is getting whitewashed and sent to AT&T. AT&T stores will have the new White Stone exclusively starting May 16 for $129.99.

Also at CTIA, Jabra announced the Jabra Mobile Developer Program, so that developers currently producing voice-enabled apps can get access to Jabra technology. Can’t wait to see what comes out of that.

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Mar 25

Cell-Mate headset heads-on

Posted in: ctia, hands-on, headset, impressions, preview, Today's Chili

CTIA always has its fair share of dodgy goods, from mildly quirky to downright laughable, we see all kinds. The Cell-Mate admittedly touches on all of these but is surprisingly useful, comfortable, and at $14.99, dirt cheap. The box includes the wire headset and a couple Velcro adhesive pads that you apply to your set; slap one on to your phone, attach to the wire frame and you’re ready to talk handsfree. Our own Paul Miller agreed to put it through its paces including: assembly, a test call, and then a fast lap around the press room here at CTIA. Please join us after the break as we torture test the Cell-Mate.

Continue reading Cell-Mate headset heads-on

Cell-Mate headset heads-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 23

Samsung trots out Modus Bluetooth headset, complete with dual mics and multipoint

Posted in: bluetooth, ctia, headset, samsung, Today's Chili

And you thought the Bluetooth headset was gone forever. Samsung Mobile’s keeping the dream alive here at CTIA by introducing the “convertible-style” Modus — a noise cancelling BT headset that’s able to convert for Bluetooth stereo connectivity on a whim. It’s also equipped with a pair of microphones and multipoint technology, the latter of which enables users to have the device synced to two handsets and respond to whichever rings first. Samsung’s also tossing a stereo earbud headset in the box for those times when monaural just ain’t cuttin’ it, and the built-in rechargeable battery (which gets juiced via micro-USB) can go for six hours strong before petering out. Shame there’s no mention of a price or ship date, but it’s probably for the best — remember that pact you made with your SO to keep your ear free of foreign objects?

Samsung trots out Modus Bluetooth headset, complete with dual mics and multipoint originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 23

BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

Posted in: Android, app, bluetooth, ctia, headset, rugged, Software, Today's Chili

BlueAnt’s been slinking along in the shadows of the (thankfully) dwindling Bluetooth headset market for years now, and aside from that one voice-controlled V1 that popped two years ago, we haven’t seen much from the outfit that really got our juices flowing. Until today, naturally. The rugged, May-bound T1 headset ($79.99) doesn’t look drastically different (or smaller) than the aforesaid V1, but it’s the firm’s first to feature Wind Armour Technology — something that’s engineered to “deliver clear audio in wind speeds up to 22mph.” It’s also built to withstand the occasional drop and bout with dust / moisture, and in case that’s not enough, it’ll also audibly announce who’s calling so long as they’re in your address book. As you’d expect, A2DP streaming audio is fully supported, as is multipoint (which allows it to remain connected to two phones at once and respond to whichever rings first). In related news, the company also announced its new Q1 app for Android (due April 1st), which helps Q1 headset users by reading text messages aloud to you via a presumably flawed text-to-speech system. Hit up the source links for the fully skinny on each, or just hop on past the break for a pair of superbly informative videos.

Gallery: BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

Continue reading BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app

BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 16

Astro pleads for street cred with $150 A30 Cross-Gaming headset

Posted in: audio, gaming, headphones, headset, Today's Chili

Ah, Astro Gaming. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? After going on a year-long hiatus from crafting new hardware, the company is hitting back with an all-new headset based around the same DNA found in its A40. Rather than cranking out yet another pair of mic-infused headphones that do users little good outside of the LAN party setting, the A30 Cross-Gaming actually boasts a street-style design that enables them to double as vanilla headphones. The boom mic is removable (though an in-line mic allows for communication in any situation), and you’ll find interchangeable speaker tags if you’re scouting a way to “be yourself.” It’s up for order today at $149.95, but if you’re looking to pick up a Dolby-powered Astro MixAmp — which is said to “seamlessly blend voice and game sounds” — you’ll be looking at a grand total of $229.95.

Gallery: Astro A30 Cross-Gaming headset

Astro pleads for street cred with $150 A30 Cross-Gaming headset originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 02

Sony outs good looking PC gaming headsets

Posted in: gaming, headphones, headset, sony, Today's Chili
PC gaming headsets aren’t really something you think of when the word ‘stylish’ comes up — in fact, you can usually file them somewhere after fanny packs and parachute pants for style points. Sony‘s aiming to change that a bit with a new series of ‘phones, and we have to say, they may have just pulled it off. The DR-350USB, DR-320DPV and DR-310DPV headsets feature updated stylings, but other than that, they’re pretty standard headsets, with features like volume controls and voice muting. Unfortunately for most of us, these headsets will only be available in Asia when they arrive in March. There’s one more shot after the break.

Continue reading Sony outs good looking PC gaming headsets

Sony outs good looking PC gaming headsets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 02

SteelSeries Launches Gaming Equipment at CeBIT

Posted in: gaming, headphones, headset, keyboard, peripheral, Today's Chili, video games

steelseries_keyboard.jpg

Competitive gamers: SteelSeries has three new products debuting today at CeBIT that you’re going to want to know about. All are available for pre-order on Amazon.

The SteelSeries 7H headset is a luxurious over-ear model that travels well and offers two ear-cup choices, hear-through cloth, and noise dampening leather. The 50mm drivers in the ear-cups deliver a clean soundscape of high, low, and mid tones for everything from mood-setting sounds in MMO games to 3D positional alerts in FPS games. They’re available for pre-sale now at Amazon for $119.99.

If you prefer, you can pick up a USB version of the 7H headset, which offers 7.1 virtual surround sound and ensures the exact same sound and settings, no matter what computer you’re using. It’s available at Amazon for $149.99.

Finally, PC gamers will love the SteelSeries 6Gv2 keyboard (shown), which offers 18-karat gold-plated mechanical switches. Use it to get quicker reaction times and advanced key combinations for more actions per minute. Amazon has this one for $99.99.

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Mar 01

Turtle Beach Unveils Ear Force X11 Gaming Headset for PC, XBox 360

Posted in: headset, Today's Chili, video games, xbox 360

Turtle Beach X11 - HeadsetAt CES earlier this year, Turtle Beach was quiet about new products might be coming down the pike and didn’t show off much in the way of new audio hardware. But the company has a long and storied history of superior audio quality, especially among gamers and audiophiles, both for its sound cards and its gaming headsets. Today, Turtle Beach announced it would build on the popularity of its X1 gaming headset for the Xbox 360 with the Ear Force X11 headset for the Xbox 360 and PC.

The X11 adopts the design and some of the popular features of Turtle Beach’s X31 and X41 headsets, such as an extra-long audio cable that allows you to game on the couch without worrying about pulling your XBox out of your entertainment center, and large ear cups that fit all the way around your ears for maximum comfort during long gaming sessions.
 

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Feb 15

Jabra Clipper stereo Bluetooth headset gets official

Posted in: bluetooth, headset, mwc, mwc 2010, Mwc2010, Today's Chili
Well, it just wouldn’t be MWC without a few Bluetooth headsets to go along with the new phones now, would it? Thankfully, Jabra has come through with its new Clipper headset which, like Jabra’s BT3030, packs a standard 3.5mm jack to let you pair it with your own headphones (although Jabra also supplies a pair of its own noise-canceling buds). Otherwise, you’ll get some full, discreetly hidden controls on the clip itself, and a promised six hours of talk time and eight days of standby. No official word of a North America release just yet, but this one is expected to run £39 in the UK (or about $60).

Jabra Clipper stereo Bluetooth headset gets official originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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