Jawbone Preliminary Review

Posted Mon Mar 12, 2007 in Technology

I became disenchanted with the Plantronics Discovery 640 Bluetooth headset I bought last May when we bought our BlackBerries from Cingular. I loved the light, unobtrusive nature of the 640, but the unit worked well only in quiet environments.

After becoming increasingly frustrated trying to talk to Wife while driving, I finally decided to do something about the situation. So, I started researching Bluetooth headsets Saturday morning. I’d had enough of not being able to talk when walking or when driving.

I did some research a few weeks ago, but couldn’t find a unit that offered prospects better than what I had. So, I didn’t have high hopes Saturday morning.

But I found something new called the Jawbone that includes noise-cancelling technology so the transmitter filters environmental sounds from the input stream. A review on Brighthand sounded promising. So did the review on CNET. So, after finishing my morning chores around the house, I headed for Best Buy to see if their Cingular kiosk had the unit. Sadly, they did not. But, the assistant working the Kiosk directed me to the Cingular store in Carson City. I intended to drive through Carson to Mound House to visit the Carson Armory anyway, so I added the stop to my plans.

The store was busy. The mobile phone business still looks very good. (I’m pretty happy with my ownership of both Telephone and Verizon these days. I think I’ll stay invested in those companies, even if the market is not growing like it was ten years ago.) A clerk asked me “Can I help you find something?”

“I’m not pleased with my Bluetooth headset. What’s the best headset in the store?”

She showed me one of the Samsung units. “Do you have the Aliph headset?”

“Aliph? What’s that?”

“It’s a new unit that offers noise-cancellation.”

“We have the Jawbone.” She pointed to a small video-display screen. “The demonstration shows how it works.”

“That’s it. The company who makes it is called Aliph.”

She started the demonstration. A young man is standing in the median area of a busy street. Two other young men start a lawn mower and a string trimmer. It’s very loud and difficult to hear him. Then he starts the noise filter and the background noise basically went away.

“These don’t come back,” she said. “You have thirty days — if it doesn’t do what you want it to, bring it back.”

“I’ll take one.”

“I’ll see if we have any. They basically sell-out as soon as they come in.”

I could see why, if they perform anything like they do in the demonstration. I spent over $100 for the Plantronics headset. It was decent in the proper environment, but not that technologically advanced, except for its size. So, I happily plopped down another $120 for the unit, confident that if it doesn’t perform on my trip home next weekend, then I’ll simply return it and see if I can find something else.

Sunday afternoon I had errands to run, so I took my Jawbone along with me. I left it hanging on my ear¹ while out and about. I finished my grocery-shopping and carried my things to the car. When I got into the car, I called Wife to do a little live-testing.

“Can you hear me now?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve got the window down. The wind is blowing on the headset. Can you hear it?”

“Yes, but I can still hear you fine.”

I drove down the road a ways then rolled up the window as the Bimmer came up to speed. “How’s that? I’m on Highway 395 headed home.”

“I can still hear you fine.”

So, I may have found a solution to the background-noise problem that plagued the Plantronics Discovery 640. The real test will come next weekend when I’m driving home. I’ll make some calls from the car while on the road at highway speeds and that should be the test.

Oh yeah, the image… I made a self-potrait of me modeling the Jawbone. Aren’t I pretty? ;)

¹ My colleagues learned that sometimes it appears I’m either talking to myself or them when I’m really on the phone. I don’t wear the headset while I’m working in the office, in general. I could, but I don’t get that many calls on my mobile phone while working at the office. I typically receive calls when I’m out and about, such as during my lunchtime walks. Then it’s quite possible I’m talking on the phone while walking, or when I return to the office. I also go to the conference room to talk to Wife at the end of my lunch breaks. That way I don’t disturb my colleagues when they’re trying to focus on their work.