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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Jawbone (Functions, Sound Quality, Range & Conclusion)
Functions
The Jawbone’s functions include all the basics of a Bluetooth headset and then some. Remarkably, all these functions are taken care of by two buttons hidden within the headset’s design (see graphic). They operate intuitively and both buttons are easy to find while the headset is on the ear:
The Noise Shield Button, hidden beneath the black end of the headset, turns off the Jawbone’s proprietary technology for canceling background sound, though I’m not really sure why anyone would want to do that. It also turns it back on. Besides controlling the Noise Shield function, the button rejects incoming calls and controls pairing and volume. The Jawbone will adjust the volume automatically depending on the background noise environment, but users can advance through six manual volume levels by pressing the same button.
With the talk button, hidden underneath the perforated surface of the Jawbone, users can turn the device on and off, answer and end a call, engage voice dialing, redial the last number called, and transfer a call from the mobile phone to the device.
The headset’s ear loops fit intuitively into a half circle slot on each side of the Jawbone. The loops are labeled at their tip, which makes it easy to identify whether it is a short or long ear loop for the left or right ear. The ear buds fit into two slots, then rotate 90 degrees into a locked position. The speaker on the other side of the ear bud functioned flawlessly regardless of which ear bud I used, but some buds felt better than others.
Sound Quality
It’s hard to say more than “unmatched” in explaining the Jawbone’s sound quality. The device designers clearly made audio their number one priority, which makes the headset my number one choice in the Bluetooth headset market.
I used Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset while washing dishes, changing my crying newborn daughter, walking down a busy street and driving down the thruway with music playing. The Jawbone’s Noise Shield technology delivered my voice clearly to the people I was talking with, and I heard them clearly because of the device’s audio enhancement software. The background noise was irrelevant.
According to Aliph, the Jawbone’s proprietary Noise Shield technology originally developed for the military includes an intelligent system of sensors and software, which continuously adjusts – at a rate of 500 times per second – to improve audio quality based on what it “knows” about the environment. The Jawbone’s voice activity sensor identifies and isolates the user’s voice precisely when they are speaking. The device’s software samples the sound in its environment and subtracts those sounds from its user’s speech signal. The Jawbone constantly adapts, boosting frequencies that increase voice intelligibility.
I never had to adjust the headset’s volume once. The Jawbone just “knew” the volume that it needed to use for incoming voices during my conversations.
I can’t tell you how important Aliph’s audio technology is to me. To have a device that delivers unbridled clarity when I’m on the go and want to connect with friends, family, colleagues or business associates is simply wonderful. Using the Jawbone sounds better than using my mobile phone by itself. It sounds better than a landline phone.
My father, a musician with perfect pitch, who complained about all but one of the other Bluetooth headsets I’ve reviewed, could not tell I was using the Jawbone. When I told him I was using it, he said it sounded better than when I talked directly into my mobile phone. Don’t just take my word for it; check out the sound quality for yourself on YouTube.com.
Range
Aliph does not state the range for its Jawbone Bluetooth headset, but no matter. I tested the Jawbone’s range at distances up to 30 feet. Through two walls and that distance, the headset performed the same as it did with my mobile phone in my pocket. Only when I walked out the front door and down the concrete steps of my front porch did any interference come into play.
Conclusion
Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset just sounds better – for its user and the person he or she is talking with. Its Noise Shield technology is a step above regular noise cancellation software, which should be required in all Bluetooth headsets. The headset is stylish, comfortable and functions well. It is difficult to put the headset on the ear quickly and the ear hooks and ear loops may be susceptible to damage, but these are minor setbacks for a device that otherwise soars above the competition. Without a fraction of a doubt, I can strongly recommend the Jawbone Bluetooth headset to anyone seeking a wireless headset to work with his or her Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.
Pros
- Unmatched sound quality, for callers on both ends
- Intelligent sensors, software and features work flawlessly
- Excellent range, great connectivity
- Ideal battery life, charging devices
- Ease of use
- Comfortable fit (once it’s on the ear)
- Nice looking (subjective)
- White, rather than blue, LED light
Cons
- Hard to put on the ear quickly
- Ear loops and ear buds may break
- Expensive (but worth it)
Jawbone (Setup, Battery Life, Pairing...)
What's in the Box?
- Jawbone Bluetooth headset
- Wall charger with USB socket
- USB charger cable
- 1 standard right ear loop, labeled “Standard R”
- 1 standard left ear loop, labeled “Standard L”
- 1 large right ear loop, labeled “Long R”
- 1 large left ear loop, labeled “Long L”
- 4 ear buds of various sizes and shapes to fit your ear
- Jawbone user’s guide
Features
- Noise Shield technology
- Voice activity sensor technology
- Directional microphone and signal processing algorithms to remove background noise
- Incoming audio enhancement
- Automatic volume enhancement with override
- Up to 6 hours talk time and 120 hours standby time
- Hidden, intuitive multifunction and volume buttons
- Call answer/end/reject, voice dial, last number, transfer, volume adjustment
- Weighs less than a half-ounce (14 grams)
- Colored LED indicator for pairing, charging and battery status
- Reset button
Pairing
I tested Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset with Motorola's RAZR V3c Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone from Verizon Wireless. I made sure my phone’s Bluetooth antenna was turned on before proceeding and charged the headset first (see below).
The pairing process in general was intuitive and not unlike the procedure for most Bluetooth headsets. Yet, consulting the manual may be useful for less experienced users.
For me, the process went smoothly. I placed the Jawbone, while it was turned off, near my RAZR, and then engaged the phone’s Bluetooth pairing function. Next, I pressed and held the Jawbone’s hidden “Noise Shield” button (the black end that connects to the charger) for 3 seconds until the LED status indicator alternately flashed white then red. The pairing mode will last for 2 minutes, or until pairing is complete.
While the Jawbone is flashing white and red, I set my mobile phone to search for all available Bluetooth devices. The RAZR found the Jawbone within two seconds and displayed “Jawbone” on the screen. I entered the passkey found inside the user manual and pressed “Yes” on my phone to pair the two devices. When the Jawbone has paired successfully, it will beep and the LED status indicator will flash white repeatedly eight times. Then it will flash white about once every 8-10 seconds to indicate it is ready for use.
Battery Life and Charging
The Jawbone Bluetooth headset takes a short 2 hours to charge. To charge, I simply plugged the wall-charger into a socket, attached the USB cable to the wall-charger and the Jawbone to the cord’s other end. Jawbone users may also choose to plug the USB charger cord into a powered USB port on their computer.
After charging, the Jawbone gets almost exactly the 6 hours of talk time stated by Aliph in the user manual, if not a little bit more. It seems likely that it would get the stated 120 hours of standby time, but I wasn’t able to test this because I routinely plugged the device in at night as a force of habit. Jawbone automatically enters standby mode at the end of each call.
During one test of the Jawbone’s longevity, however, I spoke on the phone for at least 4 hours and allowed the headset to sit in standby mode for at least two days before having to charge the device on the third day.
When the Jawbone’s internal rechargeable battery is nearly depleted in active or standby mode, the LED indicator will flash red and the headset will beep every minute. The LED light will be red during charging and will change to white when the headset is ready for use. It will turn off if the headset remains plugged beyond the necessary 2 hours.
The end of the USB cable that attaches to the Jawbone has four prongs that connect with four-of-five metal strips on the black end of the headset. The middle strip is the headset’s reset button, which you can press with the metal end of an ear loop to activate. When plugging the headset into the USB cable, make sure the side that says “top” is aligned with the black end of the headset where the “Jawbone” brand name is embossed.
Style and Comfort
Aliph’s Jawbone Bluetooth headset has a perforated surface that curves to match the outline of its user’s face. Its underside is smooth, which makes the headset comfortable to wear pressing against the skin. The red-colored Jawbone looks the best to me, but color preferences are in the eye of the beholder. The device comes in black and silver, too – though the color of the Jawbone we reviewed looks more like a grey than silver.
The headset didn’t seem to fit snugly in my ear with any of the ear tips without also using an ear loop. The headset fell out of my ear with a simple shake of my head without an ear loop. With an ear loop (I used the standard left ear loop first until it broke), the Jawbone fits well, stays where it is and feels good. The Jawbone is not the most comfortable wear I’ve experienced in a Bluetooth headset, but it is probably second best.
One of the Jawbone’s flaws is its accessibility. The device is difficult to put quickly on the ear to answer a call. The ear loop seemed to get in the way and it was sometimes painful to get the device past my ear lobe. I often fumbled with the device when my phone started ringing, which led to some confusing conversation starts.
I like to carry my Bluetooth headsets in my left side pocket with my mobile phone, a preference that became troublesome with the Jawbone. On one instance when I received a call, I reached in to find the ear loop had broken off from the Jawbone.
At 14 grams (0.49 ounces), the Jawbone is of mid-range weight, but I could barely feel it on my ear. The headset is 5.87 cm (2 5/16 inches) long, 2.2 cm (7/8 inch) wide, 2.54 cm (1 inch) thick – slightly larger than some of the sleeker units on the market. The extra space seems to be put to good use when it comes to the Jawbone’s superior sound technology. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t care if a device is on the medium-to-large side so long as it’s comfortable and functions well.
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