Since I'm from California, and the state of California is requiring the use of hands-free devices starting in July 2008 if you want to talk on your cell phone while driving, I thought I would review a headset model. (Incidentally, Maryland already has a law like this on the books.)
The Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth Headset comes in three colors: red, silver and black. I have to say that this is one of the most aesthetically pleasing headsets out on the market right now, with its rugged, yet simplistic design. The buttons are actually built-in on the surface of the headset, and there is only a small, unobtrusive LED light at the top of the headset.
The buttons are really easy to push, so it's a big step above other headsets with tiny, hard-to-reach buttons. The downside I see to this is that there are only two physical buttons on the Jawbone, so each button handles a lot of commands.
The earpiece comes with six different adapters, and for me, the headset is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It also has a snug fit, so it doesn't wobble or flap on your ear like some of the other headsets out there.
You might wonder, why the name Jawbone? The answer lies within a little white stub that rests on your jaw when the headset is properly placed on your ear. This headset detects movements in your jawbone when you speak, and thus tells the headset to pick up your voice only when you're speaking.
This feature allows the headset to distinguish the speaker's voice from background noise. In fact, when I called other people with the Jawbone headset paired to my iPhone, the other party couldn't tell that I was driving my car, had my radio was on and had my window rolled down.?
In terms of audio quality, this headset is rock solid and is among one of the best, if not the best, that I've owned.?
The Jawbone does use its own proprietary charger, meaning you have to carry yet another charger with you. Battery life was impressive; I got a almost two weeks' use out of one full charge, when I was just using it for about two hours standby each day, with about a half-hour of talk time thrown in.
A small gripe: I would like to see Aliph introduce a newer version of the Jawbone with a mini-USB port so it's more user friendly.
The major hurdle about this product is the price. Its retail price is $119.99, which is almost double the cost of most Bluetooth headsets on the market. Overall though, I think the high price is justified by its great audio quality and its unique ability to cancel out background noise.
