Jabra’s Stone Is First Non-Dorky Bluetooth Headset
12:26 am, October 20th, 2009, Leander Kahney
Jabra’s new Stone headset is the first non-dorky Bluetooth headset I’ve ever seen.
Actually, it’s the second. The first was a Secret Service-style single earbud from Hong Kong that clipped to your shirt. Trouble is, it sounded awful.
The Stone should have no such trouble: it supports A2DP (good for music, even though it’s a single earpiece) and has nice, clear noise-canceling microphone. Volume controls are handled by the surface of the Stone, which is touch-sensitive – how cool is that?
It’s called the Stone because when docked into its portable charging dock, the pair look like a polished stone.
But boy, does it need that charging dock. Battery life is a skimpy two hours talk time, according to Jabra (and less than an hour according to one early review). The charging dock is good for three charges of the headset before it too has to be recharged. Standby is 12 hours.
Jabra’s Stone costs $130 and will be available exclusively from AT&T in early November. Might be worth the price for the cool touchscreen volume controls — and for not making you look like Lieutenant Uhura.
Posted by Leander Kahney in News, iPhone, iPod Accessories | Comment on this article
yah, but can you imagine that hanging from the ear of an average Midwesterner?
deepkid, on October 20th, 2009 at 1:29 am
I miss their BT250-BT500 design.
MacRat, on October 20th, 2009 at 1:44 am
“non-dorky” sure doesn’t mean what it used to I guess. That thing is U-G-L-Y!
itsme, on October 20th, 2009 at 7:25 am
May not be “dorky” but that guy still looks like a tool.
Tommy, on October 20th, 2009 at 7:58 am
NON – DORKY? SAYS YOU DORK…
me, on October 20th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Tommy, spot on mate!
Love the planks who come running into the local supermarket, bluetooth earpiece fitted, just to buy a paper on a Sunday morning!
“No mate, you do not look cool and Zeitgeisty, you look…well as Tommy said, you look like a fecking tool, and one who is desperate for attention!”
People who need a phone active and need their hands free are the only ones allowed to have one of these, ‘cos when your working you’re allowed a certain amount of license to look like a prat!
Fuzzypig, on October 20th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
I love the design but that battery life is a deal breaker for me. Do a little better on the battery life and get the price under $100 and I am in.
bluetooth, on October 20th, 2009 at 10:11 pm