Aliph Jawbone headset
AliphCom
Typical Price:
Overview
CNET Editors' Rating: 4.0 / 5
The good: Exceptional sound quality; adaptive noise cancellation; comfortable fit; eye-catching design.
The bad: Clunky cord setup; loose-fitting phone connector; a bit on the pricey side.
The bottom line: If you're looking for a cool, wired headset and have the cash, you can't go wrong with Aliph's Jawbone.
Design, Features & Performance (out of 10)
Review
The Jawbone has a striking design--in fact, it recently was featured in an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The basic form factor consists of two rectangles connected to the phone jack and each other by a thick wire. The first rectangle holds the ear loop, the earpiece, the microphones, and the voice-activity sensor (see below). Measuring 2 by 0.7 inches and outfitted in sleek silver, it has a highly flexible ear loop that swivels effortlessly for use on both ears and a smooth earpiece that protrudes only slightly into the ear. The overall result was an extremely comfortable fit, and the Jawbone slides on and off with ease.
The second rectangle holds the belt clip and the user-friendly control buttons. Slightly larger at 2 by 0.8 inches, it's styled in the same silver and has a ring-shaped light that glows green when the headset is activated and red when a call is on mute. A power switch turns the headset on and off, and an action button mutes calls on Motorola phones and answers and ends calls on Sony Ericsson and Nokia handsets. We had small complaints with the cord and the phone jack, however. While the cord is exceptionally strong, it's stiff and difficult to wrap up for traveling (a small bag is included). It was also quite long, which made the overall setup a bit cumbersome when on the go. Also, the fit of the phone plug was loose. We had to check it a couple of times while on a call to make sure it was secure.
While we like the style, the Jawbone's real attraction is its excellent sound quality. Using an adaptive sound technology developed at Lawrence Livermore Labs, the headset incorporates two microphones and a unique voice-activity sensor. When placed against the cheek, the sensor actually detects the vibrations produced by speech, rather than picking up the sound from your mouth. When we tested the Jawbone using a Motorola V600, the effect was immediately noticeable. Callers said we sounded crystal clear, and we heard similar comments when we loaned the headset out to other users. Be aware that there's no volume control on the headset so you must make any adjustments on your phone.
But that's not all. The Jawbone also uses adaptive microphones that capture and cancel out background noise, so incoming audio also is enhanced and adjusts to the varying noise levels for your location. We tested the Jawbone in a quiet room and on a busy street corner, and it performed well. We had no trouble hearing our callers in either situation, and they reported that they could hear almost none of the background noise when we were on the street. The noise-canceling feature does require power, however. Instead of running off an integrated battery, the Jawbone pulls power from your cell phone. Aliph promises that the headset draws only about 15 percent of your battery life, but if you often use the headset, you should frequently charge your phone just to be safe. In our tests, we didn't see any real impact on our V600's battery life.
Basic Specs
User Reviews
Average User Rating: 4.0 / 5
User Rating Breakdown
5 Star: 11
4 Star: 7
3 Star: 4
2 Star: 5
1 Star: 12
Too Big. No Volume Control
Rating: 3 / 5
on December 5, 2004
7 out of 9 users found this review helpful
Pros: 4 out of 5 people I talked to loved it. 1 person reported a very annoying beeping occassionally. The design is very cool looking and seems solidly built. Comfortable and light to wear. Amazing technology. I bought it within 5 minutes of hearing about
Cons: The default volume is so low I couldn't hear the person on the other end without pressing the product tightly to my ear. There is no easy way to boost the volume and voice recognition no longer worked. I probably needed to re-record all the voices using
Summary:
Works on Chicago's "EL" trains perfect!
Rating: 5 / 5
on January 12, 2005
3 out of 3 users found this review helpful
Pros: Outstanding performance! This is the first headset that allows people to hear me when I'm standing next to the Chicago "EL" with a train going by! This thing is awsome!
Cons: A little expensive but worth every penny. Wish it was bluetooth...but I hear a wireless version is in the works.
Summary:
Amazing Sound Quality
Rating: 4 / 5
on January 12, 2005
3 out of 3 users found this review helpful
Pros: Fantastic sound quality in a jawbone-dropping beautiful desing.
Cons: No mute capability and a I'd love to see a wireless version. Still, it's the best headset I've ever owned.
Summary:
The jawbone is a must in noisy situations.
Rating: 5 / 5
on January 12, 2005
2 out of 2 users found this review helpful
Pros: The comfort level is great, as the design, but the real deal is the noise suppression. Testing it in various atmospheres, it is awesome at filtering out background noise. The uses are endless!
Cons: None
Summary:
I have used it on the Washington DC Metro, at Fed Ex Field, Dulles Airport, in Europe, and in a Mall
Rating: 5 / 5
on November 21, 2005
1 out of 1 users found this review helpful
Pros: It cancels out all of the background noise so everyone thinks that I am sitting alone in a room.
Cons: Obviously it doesn't work for every single phone and is still wired (not blue tooth)
Summary: Ever know the feeling when you get a new piece of technology, and it changes the way you live your life? Well, the Jawbone has certainly done that for me. No matter where I am, I can now talk on the phone and not have to raise my voice or cup my mouth over the phone. That means when I am in public, I don't disturb others around and and it means that I can always take a business call thus improving my efficency.
And for once there is a headset that is somewhat stylish. Compared to my old motorola and plantronics headset Jawbone is a fashion statement!
Sorry if I am glowing, but I just struck gold.. I am surprised that I had to find out about this 3rd hand, and surprised that it is not carried at retailers nation wide... What gives?
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