April 22, 2005 Take your eye off the consumer electronics ball for a moment and it has moved a long way. We realised that this week when we saw one of the new Jabra BT800 Bluetooth headsets. Claimed by Jabra to be the most advanced Bluetooth headset in the world right now, it has caller ID display, built-in ring tones, vibrator alert and DSP technology. The Bluetooth headset market exceeded 15 million headsets worldwide in 2004, so it makes sense that headsets incorporate many of the standard features normally accessed through a mobile phone directly into the headset.
It is the first Bluetooth headset to combine caller ID display, built-in ring tones, vibrator alert and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology for superior sound quality. The headset features a jog wheel for volume control and menu navigation, a mute button, and USB connectivity for charging directly from a PC.
Users can view ‘Caller ID’ for incoming calls on the Jabra BT800 blue backlit display when they are not wearing the headset or between calls. The display also allows you to view the phone’s call list and menu options for selecting ring tones, ring type, language and Bluetooth connection.
Outstanding audio quality
This is Jabra’s first Bluetooth headset to feature a fully-integrated DSP solution. By integrating the DSP within the Bluetooth chipset, the Jabra BT800 delivers enhanced audio performance through reducing background noise and automatically adjusting the volume control when the headset is used in noisy surroundings such as in a car, airport, busy office or on a train.
“By incorporating DSP technology, the Jabra BT800 offers superior sound quality by significantly reducing interference from background noises such as traffic or in-car noise. The headset continually adjusts the volume level based on the ambient background noise, resulting in the incoming voice coming through much clearer. Since the headset digitally improves the signal, the user would be able to hear the person they are speaking to much better,” said Jabra’s VP of the asia pacific Region, Henry Tai.
Single handed control
The Jabra BT800 features are easy to use and access, and are similar to the operation of a mobile phone. Just four controls - the mute button, jog wheel, call ‘Answer’ and ‘End’ buttons - provide access to all the functions in the headset. The jog wheel can be used as a volume control during a call or for scrolling through menu functions in standby mode. Users can also select from five different ring tones in the headset, or use the call-vibrate feature so calls can be silently detected. The display allows users to view either the name or number of the caller (depending on the mobile phone) and is placed on the inside of the headset ensuring privacy during the conversation. The display also offers information in multiple languages including English, German, French and Spanish.
Summary of Key Features
The Jabra BT800 offers direct charging from a PC through its own USB cable and once charged can deliver up to six hours of talk time and 125 hours standby time. It supports Bluetooth version 1.1 and 1.2 headset and hands-free profiles and weighs 25 grams.
The Jabra BT800 is now available in all major markets as of this week - pricing varies in different markets, with prices in the US$149 to AUD$199 area.
