Gooroo Headset Reviews
| A good cellphone headset needs to have great audio quality, long battery life, and be comfortable enough to wear for extended periods of time. While the popular headsets that you'll find at the local electronics store usually have one or two of these qualities, you can find much better products online ... if you look hard enough. So we've purchased each of these headsets and put them through their paces. Here's what we found. |
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Escape From The Boring Headset
October 18, 2005Ok, let's face it. Judging from the current crop of plain vanilla headsets out there, manufacturers are suffering from a lack of imagination. So we thought we'd make a few suggestions. Here are the improvements we'd like to see in 2006.
1. Better Sound Quality
It should go without saying that a superior headset should have the same sound quality as the cell phone it’s being used with. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. Even the top headsets suffer from a drop in sound quality and complaints of speaker-phone quality.
Why can’t headset makers get it right? If we can transmit perfect reproductions of CD quality music over the internet, we should be able to transmit near perfect reproductions of phone quality sound. Bluetooth 1.2 is a step in the right direction and promises to reduce that annoying static, but it can’t get here soon enough.
And put a foam windscreen in the microphone, out of sight. It works better than any of those sophisticated noise-cancellation gadgets and doesn’t eat up the battery life either.
2. Longer Battery Life
Eight hours of talk time is about as good as you can get today. But in the headsets of tomorrow, we’d really like to see hundreds of hours of talk time. For $100, I should be able to go without plugging my headset in for a week or two.
Also, “auto off” functionality should be required on every headset. It’s such a simple feature and greatly extend battery life, so why isn’t it standard? It’s obvious omissions like that which make us suspicious of the marketing behind these products.
3. Make Them Smaller!
Strangely enough, some of the most popular headsets today are absolutely gigantic – bigger than your ear, and bigger than most cellphones. This is not a desirable feature. Nobody wants to look like a borg (or do they?), and bigger headsets are more likely to break in transit. Shrink ‘em down, headset makers. Let’s shoot for the invisible headset.
4. How About a Headset That Doesn't Hurt?
After three generations of Bluetooth headsets, we’d expect manufacturers to get it right when it comes to comfort. But there are still basically only two options: Over-the-ear (stays put but hurts) and front-of-ear (comfortable, but flops around).
We’d really like to see some alternative designs. How about a super thin, bendable-wire headset? Or maybe a headset that stretches over the entire ear? Or how about headset-earrings (in stereo, of course)?
5. An End To Ugly Headsets
We’ve seen a mountain of headsets here at Gooroo and one thing is obvious: headsets are patently boring. In the race for high margins, most manufacturers use cheap-looking black and silver molded plastic. Headsets with programmable colored LEDs or replaceable plastic skins would be a welcome change. Or how about headsets that match your hair color?
6. And Now For Something Completely Different...
Finally, why don’t we push the envelope on other features? The most imaginative upgrade we’re seeing at this point is support for stereo sound (another Bluetooth 1.2 feature). While this makes for better sound quality with music, it isn’t that useful for anything else. A major improvement over this would be the ability to use two headsets simultaneously – true stereo, not a simulation. While this wouldn’t appeal to the casual buyer, gamers would welcome this with open arms.
Another obvious improvement: My toddler is fond of my headset and likes to crawl away with it when I'm not looking. It would be nice if I could press a button on my phone to page my headset (or vice-versa). Lost headsets would be a thing of the past.
Have a suggestion for a headset feature you’d like to see? Send it to headsets@goorooreviews.com.
Why Bluetooth 1.2 Is Better
October 16, 2005If you've been shopping around for headsets, you may have noticed that some products prominently state that they are Bluetooth 1.2 compatible. What does this mean, and is it worth the extra price? This short article will show you why Bluetooth 1.2 is better than 1.1, and why you might want it.
What is BlueTooth 1.2?
Most cellphones and headsets today support Bluetooth v1.1. The newer ones are supporting the latest version of this technology, which is version 1.2. Version 1.2 offers a number of advantages over the previous standard:
* Better sound quality through echo cancellation and enhanced voice processing.
* Improved resistance to radio interferenace from cordless phones, microwave ovens, and certain wireless LAN technologies, all of which can degrade signal quality.
* Higher transmission speeds - not all that important if you just use your headset with your cellphone, but it can be important if you are using the headset (and perhaps other Bluetooth devices) with your laptop.
* The ability to listen to music via your Bluetooth headset - although you could listen to music with non-1.2 headsets, it would be much like listening to a friend's radio over the phone. This is because v1.1 heavily compresses the audio stream and can not transmit in stereo. For this reason, many phone and PDA manufacturers have disabled this feature with v1.1 .
* Contrary to some rumors, Bluetooth 1.2 does not use less power than 1.1, and you won't get longer battery life from a 1.2 headset.
Who Might Benefit From Bluetooth 1.2?
In short, if you plan to use your headset to listen to music, or perhaps with your laptop for gaming, then you should definitely go with version 1.2. You might also want it if you spend a lot of time on the phone and you are sure that your cellphone will support the new version.
On the other hand, if you aren't willing to spend as much on a headset, your cellphone doesn't support Bluetooth 1.2, or you just don't care about having the best sound quality on your headset, then a 1.1 headset will satisfy your needs.
Note: not all cellphones support Bluetooth 1.2. If you use your new 1.2 headset with one of these, it will automatically revert back to Bluetooth 1.1. Before buying a headset that supports this standard, check the documentation that came with your cellphone to make sure your phone supports it.
Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)What is BlueTooth?
October 09, 2005Technically speaking, Bluetooth is a digital communication standard that allows electronic devices to communicate with one another, even those from different manufacturers. But for all practical purposes, a "Bluetooth" enabled headset is one without wires.
Remember Ear Buds?
Consider the headsets of a few years ago. These were little more than tiny speakers that lodged in your ear canal and were connected to your cellphone with a long wire. They were ugly and uncomfortable. The wires tended to catch on clothing and pull the speaker out of your ear. The internal connections were fragile and frequently came loose, causing the headset to cut in and out. And when you put the headset in your pocket, more often than not the wire became knotted up.
There were compatibility issues as well. Cell phones from different manufacturers had different types of sockets for their headsets. For instance, while some cellphones used a common 1/8" mike plug, others (such as some Nokia models) made use of complicated 14-pin connectors. To find the right headset for your phone, you often had to go to a local cell phone accessory store.
So the cellphone headset became the poster-child for Bluetooth. Bluetooth headsets don't have wires and are generally far more comfortable than the old "ear bud" type headsets. They are more durable and last a lot longer than the el cheapo headsets of the past. And these products are really compatible with just about any phone. That's right - any bluetooth headset from any manufacturer will work with just about any Bluetooth phone. What better application of technology could there be than this?
The Disadvantages of BlueTooth
But all is not perfect. Bluetooth has its costs as well. The most obvious of these is that you now have a second device that requires charging. And what's more, using a bluetooth device with your cell phone will drain your phone's batteries quicker. So you should expect to charge your phone more frequently with these headsets.
Second, the sound quality of Bluetooth headsets is generally not as good as the old wired arrangement. Some headsets come indistinguishably close, but most don't.
Third, setting up a Bluetooth headset isn't as easy as plugging in an ear bud. There are a few steps involved and you'll have to read the instructions, but the latest models are pretty painless.
Fourth is the price. Bluetooth headsets are more expensive than the old $20 headsets. Expect a decent headset to run from anywhere around $80-$150, with the luxury units costing as much as $300.
Finally, you'll either love or hate the way Bluetooth headsets look. Most are big and bulky and make you look like either a cyborg or a secret serviceman. Manufacturers are starting to get a grip on design though and there are plenty of models to choose from.
Picking the Headset That's Right For You
While we can do some of the legwork for you, such as testing the range, sound quality, and battery life of these units, you'll ultimately have to decide which headset to pick. If you go with our top picks, you really only have to consider price and style. When you get the headset home, you should wear it for a few hours to ensure that it has a good fit and won't cramp your ear. But whatever you do, just make sure you don't settle for whatever is on the shelf at your local Best Buy, as the selection there is very limited and as you'll find out on our site, most of the units there tend to be very poorly rated.
Ready to get started? Just pick a category on the left-hand navigation menu. If you aren't sure what you're looking for, start with "Our Top Picks".
Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)How We Rate Headsets
September 29, 2005Every product at Gooroo Reviews is rated on a 10 point scale. The higher the rating, the better the product:
9.0 - 10.0 Amazing - reserved for the few products that receive high scores in every category. Very rare.
8.0 - 8.9 Excellent - these products score high in all categories and have no meaningful disadvantages.
7.0 - 7.9 Good - The strengths of these products more than outweigh their weaknesses.
6.0 - 6.9 Fair - The strengths of these products outweigh the weaknesses, but there are no standouts.
5.0 - 5.9 Average - Functional but unremarkable.
4.0 - 4.9 Poor - Average products with additional major flaws.
3.0 - 3.9 Bad - Products with many flaws and perhaps only a single strength.
2.0 - 2.9 Awful - These products score low in every category and do not deliver any meaningful value.
0.0 - 1.9 Rip-off - These products are so bad they shouldn't have been made.
Specifically, we score each headset from 1 to 10 in each of the following categories and then average the individual scores to come up with an overall editors' rating. Products which receive a rating of 8.0 or higher are automatically placed into "Our Top Picks" category.
Setup
A high score is assigned if the headset can be setup and paired with your cellphone quickly and with no problems. Complicated setup procedures, lack of support for certain phones, or the need for additional equipment (such as a plastic stylus) will cause points to be deducted.
Ease of Use
A high score is given if the product works immediately and intuitively. Unnecessary buttons, lack of power status, complicated beeping codes, or the need for additional charging equipment (other than a wall charger) are common reasons for deductions in this category.
Sound Quality
Here, a high score is given if the audio is clear and sufficiently loud with the headset less than two feet away. Hissing, cracks, pops, or low volume are common reasons for deductions.
Range
The range is tested by carrying on a conversation as the headset is slowly walked up to 30 feet away from the headset. The score is assigned based upon the distance reached before the audio begins to degrade. A headset that scores well in this category will function well at 15', while a perfect score is awarded at 30'.
Battery Life
Both standby and talk time between recharges are considered in this category. The current crop of headsets tend to peak out at 8 hours of talk time, and over 150 hours of standby (depending on your phone).
Comfort
This category is scored based on how comfortable the headset is to use for a period of an hour or more. Generally, lighter headsets with the electronics mounted in the front of the ear do much better than bulkier headsets with the electronics mounted in the rear. Conversely, front-mounted headsets tend to flap around the head while rear-mounted ones tend to sit firmly on the ear, so there is some subjectivity involved here.
Style
Products are given high scores for use of aesthetic design. Small size and the judicious use of LEDs tend to score well here, while larger headsets with no LEDs score poorly. The average headsets today is made from cheap pressed plastic which comes in black and dull silver, so we look for designs which deviate from this middle-of-the-road standard.
Additional Features
Finally, we consider whether the phone has additional useful features, such as USB chargers, LED menu displays, swivel ("boom") mikes, additional ring tones, etc. A product which has nothing more than volume controls and a call/swap/redial button will receive a 3.0.
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