Comments for bluetooth headset

Comment on Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone (Black, Retail Packaging) cheap by Kathleen San Martino

Kathleen San Martino — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:38:22 +0000

31 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

Jabra Freeway is very sleek; VoiceAssist is great!, May 28, 2011

Kathleen San Martino (New Jersey) -

This review is from: Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone (Black, Retail Packaging) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

The Jabra Freeway is very sleek and comes with a free and optional one-year subscription to VoiceAssist.

Setting the unit up was easy.
1. Before I could use the Jabra Freeway, I charged it for two hours using the supplied USB cable with car charger.
2. Next I made sure the cell phone was Bluetooth-enabled and turned on the Jabra unit.
3. It immediately went into pairing mode. As it is pairing with the phone device, the prompts on the phone needed to be followed and the supplied security code had to be entered (not everyone will have to enter a security code; it depends on the phone)
4. After this I began making and answering calls using voice commands, checking the battery power of the unit, etc. To make a call, I had to press the Voice button to wake up the unit and say "phone commands." If I was unsure of how to speak to the unit I would say "What can I say?" and it would give me options.

What I found very frustrating was:
1. Once I was done with a call, ending the call is not hands free. I couldn't say "hang-up, or cancel, or end" because that doesn't work. Instead I had to press the "answer end button" (which is the "phone icon" on the Jabra device) or end the call via the phone end button.
2. I also disliked having to press the Voice button every time I wanted to make a call because this meant it was not totally hands free. The only hands free part is if someone is calling you, the unit then automatically awakes and you can tell it to "answer" or "ignore" the incoming call.
3. Many times I asked the unit to make a call. Twice it brought up the EZ tip calculator, once it brought up the one-minute beep "application," and another time it brought up some other application on the phone that I didn't ask for. Another time I tried to call someone and instead it brought up the address book and rambled off both the mobile and work number without giving me the option to dial either one.

What I really loved was the optional VoiceAssist package even though I had difficulty getting this set up because the code to redeem the free one-year subscription was hidden underneath a sticker either Amazon or the manufacturer put on the box. However, VoiceAssist has the best live customer service around. In fact we called each other almost five times to get this situation resolved in a few hours. Hopefully, new purchasers won't have this experience where the offer code is hidden between stickers and impossible to read even after being held up to the light.

Below are the steps I took to get VoiceAssist to work:
1. I had to first redeem the free offer code on the box by going to [....].
2. Once signed in online to [....], I imported all my Gmail contacts into the VoiceAssist application and also set up a connection to my review_maven twitter account ([....]).
3. Once registered and after I cleaned up the Gmail import which had about an 85% accuracy rate, I then needed to program the number of 949-257-0923 under the name of VoiceAssist into the Bluetooth phone.
4. After this I had a lot of fun:
- I used the Jabra unit to call VoiceAssist.
- Once connected I used another set of VoiceAssist commands to "call" people in my contact list (they had to have a phone # in the Gmail contact listed that was imported), to "post to Twitter," to "read my e-mail" on Gmail--which it read very well (except it said it couldn't read the pictures), and to send an email, which it sent okay though some of my message was garbled. However, since an MP3 was attached to the email, the person receiving it could play that to get the full message.
- The two posts to my Twitter account were okay, buy it got VoiceAssist wrong and typed voices instead and it typed Jabra as Java. You can look on the review_maven account to see the posts for May 28. 2011.

I didn't have the phone functionality to try the FM Transmitter or play music features of the Jabra device.

Below are some of the key features that I liked and some things I disliked:

PROS:
1. The Jabra unit is pretty easy to set up
2. The Jabra Freeway has a long battery life (about 14 to 17 hours)
3. You can pair two Bluetooth phones to the device with the last phone paired being the primary one
4. Jabra Freeway comes with a car charger for charging in your vehicle or with a 12Volt Battery Pack; the USB cable that is used to plug in the car adapter can be used without the adapter for charging with your PC
5. A free one-year subscription to VoiceAssist is supplied with purchase
6. Voice Assist understands commands better than the Jabra unit itself
7. I could check and send email and post to Twitter with VoiceAssist (Posting to Facebook is also possible.)
8. VoiceAssist provides SUPERB customer service.

CONS:
1... Read more

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (6)

Comment on Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone (Black, Retail Packaging) cheap by Kiyo M.

Kiyo M. — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:36:24 +0000

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

Love it! Turns your car into a luxury., May 24, 2011

Kiyo M. -

This review is from: Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone (Black, Retail Packaging) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

Customer Video Review Length:: 2:17 Mins

I don't give 5 stars that often, but I love this thing.

The calls are very clear as advertised and they can hear me fine as well. It's fantastic being able to finally answer calls hands free in the car; no having to have an earpiece or anything.

I love that you can connect two Bluetooth devices at once; I don't have a smartphone, but I can connect my basic cellphone with Bluetooth to this device, as well as my iPod Touch to send music to it!

The size makes it great to take it with you anywhere and use it as a speakerphone/speakers at home.

It looks great on the sun visor of the car, as well on a desk.

There is also a built-in FM transmitter. Personally, the transmitter doesn't seem that much of an advancement to send a clear strong signal than other FM transmitters that I've owned (still getting a static or fuzzy sound on a higher volume), but still, it is definitely a nice bonus to have!

The device is also firmware upgradeable if there are any improvements in the future.
It uses a Micro USB to charge.

If you ever feel like using your cellphone in the car, when you think about the safety and traffic ticket costs, this product is a no brainer worthy investment. The versatility of this product being suitable for home use just makes it even better. Fantastic design.

Recommended.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comment (1)

Comment on Plantronics 360 Bluetooth Headset by S. Van "skating11"

S. Van "skating11" — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:49:22 +0000

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Wow. Amazing for the itty bitty price, May 29, 2008

S. Van "skating11" (Tampa, FL) -

This review is from: Plantronics 360 Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory)

Actually I really like this, price not withstanding. My 2 year old just broke my 2nd Plantronics 510 Voyager so I figured I'd get a cheap one the 3rd time around. I'm really surprised how much I like this. Sound is great! Distance signal not. I can go about 30 feet before hearing bad static. It's either crystal clear or loud static. Volume up and down is a little irritating as when you change the volume setting, it makes a little beep which blots out for those brief seconds what the person on the other side said. Comfortwise amazing. The 510 Voyager is bulky around the ear but light in the ear. You really felt the weight which got painful or irritating after a long talk time of 1 hour or more. With this one, the weight around your ear is nothing. The "bulk" of the weight is what goes in your ear and it's quite light at that. It's a little different to get used to, like there's water in my ear that I need to shake out but I'm sure it's just something to adjust to after time. I'm not on my cell phone all day for business meetings or anything but I spend long times on the phone as a mommy who is trying to do a million errands or phone calls while taking care of a toddler and infant. Ever tried crawling on the floor picking up Cheerios or running after a toddler to get him dressed while trying to schedule doctor visits at same time? For all the running around I do while talking/waiting on the phone, this thing stays PUT with no problems.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comment (1)

Comment on Plantronics 360 Bluetooth Headset by JD

JD — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:02:49 +0000

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Decent headset. Better than some of the pricier ones!, May 17, 2008

JD (Orlando, FL USA) -

This review is from: Plantronics 360 Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I have yet to find any reviews about this product, so here one is...
I bought this headset along with a Motorola and LG (both were about $30 more) and compared them to the Explorer 360. The 360 stays in your ear great and is barely noticeable, but the earpiece is large, so some users may not like it. According to listeners I called, this sounded best unlike the others which sounded either 'distant' or like i was talking into a walkie talkie. The volume level was a bit tricky at first, but I was able to get that taken care of.
Cons: Battery cover is a bit difficult to get open. No option to turn off LED (Motorola has that). I wish it was black, but it is a bluish metallic.

Other than that, I would highly recommend this headset over the more expensive ones!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (2)

Comment on Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] by J. Randolph "Lover of all gadgets."

J. Randolph "Lover of all gadgets." — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:23:43 +0000

75 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset is Superb in almost every way., May 18, 2008

J. Randolph "Lover of all gadgets." (San Francisco, CA USA) -

This review is from: Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I bought the Motorola Bluetooth H710 based largely on the reviews I've read about it here on Amazon. I agree with most that the sound quality (hearing and being heard) is excellent. That was the number one criteria for me and nothing else was that important. Any "extra" benefits would just be gravy. While my Virgin Mobile cell phone is not listed on the compatibility lists of Motorola and LG (the cell phone manufacturer), I had no problem pairing the headset and cell phone on the first try. My cell phone has a voice dialing feature and this Bluetooth headset allows for voice dialing (flawlessly).

I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about the claims of some stating that this unit was so light that they forgot that they were even wearing it. I must apologize for doubting them, because after wearing this headset a few times, I actually DID forget that I had it on. I consider it also to be a huge bonus that this unit is so small and unobtrusive. I've seen some Bluetooth headsets that looked like the wearer had a small brick strapped to the side of their head and I wished to avoid that look at all costs. No worries with this headset. Even with the microphone folded out, this headset is very inconspicuous; with it folded in, even more so.

My other concern was wearing this headset with glasses. Thanks to Lasix, I don't wear prescription glasses anymore, however, my eyes are more sensitive to light now so I wear sunglasses whenever out and about and I take my shades on and off numerous times. This headset easily fit over my ear and I found that I could put on or remove my sunglasses without dislodging the headset.

I was also pleased that it was so easy to convert the headset to wear on either ear. The change over literally takes a few seconds and couldn't be easier.

I have two negative things to say about this headset and they are:
1. I don't wear this headset every day. I only use a cell phone and this headset once a week or so. Since the headset has a fairly long standby time, I expected that with the headset turned off that it would remain charged for quite some time. Wrong! With my headset fully charged (and turned off), I went to use it 6 days later and the battery was completely dead. Why the battery drains completely in a few days (with the unit completely turned off) is a mystery to me and a very unpleasant surprise. I don't know if my headset is faulty or if others have experienced this same issue.

2. My second complain is that before I purchased this headset, nowhere in the description did I read that this headset's battery is not replaceable AND that the battery is only good for a limited number of charges (I don't have the manual in front of me but I believe it stated that the unit was good for about 200 charges). With this headset, after the battery fails, you have to toss the whole thing and buy a new headset. Prior to this purchase, I had narrowed my Bluetooth headset choices down to two different makes and models and while the other headset initially cost more, the battery could be replaced.

Because the battery in my headset completely loses its charge in less than a week, I now keep it plugged into the charger all of the time when I'm not wearing it. I don't know what this will do to the longevity of the battery (especially with the limited number of charges it will take), but usually Lithium-Ion batteries last longer by letting them run down completely before recharging them - not leaving them constantly hooked up to a charger. Only time will tell if leaving my headset plugged in to the charger most of the time will shorten its lifespan.

Bottom line, I really like this headset. Outside of the battery issues, I have nothing but high praise for this model, the Motorola Bluetooth H710. If I can get a full year of use out of this headset before it bites the dust, then I'll consider this a great bargain.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (4)

Comment on Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] by Canned Heat

Canned Heat — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:43:49 +0000

93 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

My Favorite!!, March 22, 2008

Canned Heat (California) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I've owned a number of bluetooth headsets (Jawbone, BlueAnt x3micro) , including the H710's predecessor, the H700. For me, comfort is the most important feature. Both of the Motorola headsets are among the most comfortable headsets that I have owned or tried. They could be worn for hours without a hitch. Voice quality is a close second to comfort, and the H710 doesn't disappoint. I believe voice quality goes hand-in-hand with fit; because the other headsets that I mentioned were "in-the-ear" types, if you cannot get them to fit exactly, their sound quickly deteriorates. This is not the case with the H710, which sits "over-the-ear". The earloop is barely noticable.

I knocked off a star for two reasons: (1) neither myself nor the party I was speaking with while using the headset could tell their was any realistic noise cancellation occurring, even though it was supposedly "improved" from that of the H700; and (2) Motorola changed the charger connector! The H700 has a mini-USB connector. I had a bunch of those mini-USB chargers laying around . . in my car, my office, at home. Well, time to toss them because the H710 uses an all together different micro-USB connector.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (3)

Comment on Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] by T. N. "Seattle"

T. N. "Seattle" — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:22:39 +0000

367 of 370 people found the following review helpful:

I have already tried every bluetooth heaset you're thinking about buying, and this one is the best one!, March 19, 2008

T. N. "Seattle" (Seattle, WA United States) -

This review is from: Motorola Bluetooth H710 Headset [Retail Packaging] (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I own and have sitting in a box somewhere a Samsung WEP 500, Aliph JawBone, Plantronics Voyager 510, Plantronics Discovery 665, Jabra BT500, the older Motorola HS850, and some Sony Ericsson model that I don't even remember. Crazy, I know. Also I have tried the Apple bluetooth headset (I have an iPhone), the Motorola H9 mini bluetooth, the Motorola slider H800, and the latest MOTOPURE H12 from Motorola. All of these have fit and/or form and/or feature and/or function issues that drive me nuts. The only one I ever use, and my favorite by far, is this Motorola H710 !!

Ever been frustrated because the volume of your headset was too low on even the highest setting, so you had to shove it deeper into your ear (defeats the purpose of 'hands free', I know) ?? Not with this sucker. This is the first headset that is actually *too loud* on the highest volume, so I keep it midway!! Wow. With all the others the first thing I would do is max the volume and never touch it again.

Ever gotten tired of holding down a tiny button for five whole seconds to turn your headset off and on? Join the rest of us. With this, you flip the voice boom open and it's on in 2 seconds; flip the boom closed and it's off just as fast. Brilliant. So easy. Have other companies seen this at all, I wonder? Can I sell this idea to Plantronics and Samsung?

Sick of gimmicky poor-fitting little custom eargels designed for f***ing Shrek or some other ear mutant? Yup, me too. Bypass completely with Motorola H710, and also skip the gnarly plugged-ear sensation before you step out in front of a semi truck coming at you from your headset side because you couldn't hear it.

How about accidental calls? Did the bastards who designed the Samsung WEP500 ever even ONCE try putting that thing in their pocket? Is it some sort of unfunny practical joke? I was blissfully unaware that I was redialing whoever my unfortunate last callee was over and over all fracking day long, and leaving like 5 minute long mostly blank messages (ok, maybe some rustling sounds) all over the place. The accidental redial call is IMPOSSIBLE with this brilliant headset.

GREAT HEADSET!! BUY NOW AND CRAIGSLIST YOUR OLD ONE THAT YOU HATE!! Oh yeah, I gotta run--craigslist awaits! Now where did I put that box full of headsets?

************************************ UPDATE ******************************

Obviously I have now updated to the Motorola H17 which is pretty much just a smaller cuter cooler version of the exact same thing!

I would now have to recommend the Motorola H17 -- such a great headset!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (15)

Comment on Plantronics Discovery 665 Bluetooth Headset cheap by W. J. Kocik Jr.

W. J. Kocik Jr. — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:10:24 +0000

57 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

Good, but falls considerably short of great, March 8, 2007

W. J. Kocik Jr. (Charles Town, WV United States) -

This review is from: Plantronics Discovery 665 Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory)

I gave up on cheap headsets and spent the money on this one as soon as it came on the market. Overall I like it. The AudioIQ works pretty well, but not quite as well as I would have hoped. I still get complaints of wind noise and background noise when I'm driving. Still, I can definitely tell a difference in the clarity of incoming audio. It's far easier for me to hear the other end of a conference call or other conversation than it was with other headsets, or even with just the handset by itself.

Additionally, I have had complaints on numerous occasions from the party I was speaking to that they could barely hear me - as if I'm calling from halfway around the planet - and I've had to switch from the headset to the handset. I personally find that to be pretty much unacceptable for a higher-end headset like this one. It not only happens, it happens often enough that I've taken notice, and I may have to seek tech support to see if maybe mine is defective.

The buttons are badly positioned and hard to press. Especially the main button; if I need to operate it (which I do in order to do just about anything) I find myself grabbing hold of the unit with my thumb and middle finger, and using my index finger to press it. Otherwise it feels like I'm trying to drive the thing into my brain because you have to push *really* hard in a direction that's almost straight in toward your ear canal. The volume buttons are almost as bad, and are equally poorly placed.

The Bluetooth connection to my phone seems weaker than it ought to be. It seems that if there isn't a direct line of sight between the headset and phone, or if you're more than just a few feet away, you'll get static in the audio. If I have my phone in my shirt pocket and I hug someone, the connection is lost even though the two units are only about 10 inches or so apart. I can't say for sure if that's the fault of the headset or the phone (a Samsung A900M).

The unit is pretty light, and easy to wear. I wear it without the behind-the-ear piece, because I hate those (that was one of the main attractions to this unit for me; it doesn't require the use of one). It's very easy to put in, and once it's there it really does a great job of staying put, even without the behind-the-ear piece to secure it.

I have to admit after long periods of wearing it my ear does begin to get a bit bothered. I find myself switching it from one ear to the other several times throughout the day. Thankfully, that's very easy to do, and it doesn't bother me to do this. They include three sizes of ear piece with the headset, but having rather small-ish ears myself (or at least no larger than average), I find the unit cannot stay put unless I use the largest one. I have no idea who the medium and small ones are meant for. Children, maybe.

Battery life is outstanding. I wear the thing 4 - 8 hours per day (sometimes more), and I only need to charge it every week or two, depending on how much I actually talk on it.

The unit seems to be very solidly built. The manual is pretty clear and easy to follow, and the hands-free support the 665 has is very nice. I rarely need to touch my phone when I'm using the headset. Pairing it with my phone went flawlessly, but that isn't really a unique feature of this product these days.

I think Plantronics made an unfortunate decision when they elected not to include an AC charger with this unit, instead only providing a car charger and USB charger. That doesn't actually affect me since I bought it from a reseller who packages an AC charger with it, but it's something you should be aware of because yours probably won't come with one.

Overall I'm pretty happy with it. I use it a lot and I intend to keep it. If I were back in the market for a headset, though, I think I probably would look around a bit more at some other units. I don't know for sure if I'd buy this one again or not, but I'm not looking to get rid of it, either.

Update, March 23, 2009: I've been using the Aliph Jawbone I bought after this one a while back exclusively for a long time now. Over the weekend I managed to lose the earbud for it, so I'm using my 665 again until I can get another earbud for the Jawbone. As soon as I switched back to the 665 I started hearing "I can't hear you" and "What did you say?" and "You sound like you're far away" quite a lot. I had heard nothing of the sort when using my Jawbone for more than a year, ever.

I really want to like this Discovery. I love its styling (I think the Jawbone is ugly) and features. But sadly, at the end of the day these things are intended for talking on the phone, and if people can't hear me then all the styling and features in the world don't matter. I'm gonna get another earbud for my Jawbone (or maybe a whole new Jawbone if I'm feeling particularly saucy), and the 665 will be once again be... Read more

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comments (4)

Comment on Plantronics Discovery 665 Bluetooth Headset cheap by B

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:17:47 +0000

59 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

Edges out the Jawbone, March 16, 2007

B (NY, USA) -

This review is from: Plantronics Discovery 665 Bluetooth Headset (Wireless Phone Accessory)

In my mind there are only 2 bluetooth headsets to consider right now, the Aliph Jawbone and the Plantronics 665. I owned the Jawbone and this headset. They both are fine in terms of noise cancellation and clarity. Miles ahead of the competition. I prefer the Plantronics in the end though. I can wear it all day and barely notice I'm wearing it. The Jawbone starts to hurt the back of my ear after an hour. 'Pocketability' is better with the Plantronics as well. I can keep it in my jean pocket and not worry about breaking it. I thought it looks better as well than the Jawbone. I also find if I keep the headset in my pocket and pull it out the Plantronics is easier to stick in / on my ear than the Jawbone. Upgrading from any other headset you won't be disappointed with either headset but the form, style and charging options made me stick with Plantronics over the Jawbone.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comment (1)

Comment on Plantronics Explorer 330 Bluetooth Headset (Dusty Pink) cheap by C. Briones

C. Briones — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 23:53:13 +0000

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Okay for the price., July 15, 2008

C. Briones (Long Beach, CA USA) -

This review is from: Plantronics Explorer 330 Bluetooth Headset (Dusty Pink) (Wireless Phone Accessory)

This is a pretty piece of equipment and worked great in a stationary setting (i.e. in the house or in the office) but had horrible static during movement (i.e. in the car or walking outside at the park or even in my driveway). The new law passed in California where drivers MUST use an ear piece so it really doesn't do me any good to have a great ear piece in a stationary setting when I need it most while driving. I gave it to a friend in the hopes that it wouldn't be staticy in the places she travels to/from. She has yet to try it out but if not it's going to have to go up on ebay bec I ended up buying the Plantronics Discovery 925 in Cerise Pink (my original choice but at the time the pink was not yet available). I've had absolutely no problems with that unit and it was costly but worth it. As they say- you get what you pay for!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you?

Comment