2 Months with the Aliph Jawbone
November 27, 2007
By: Denny Oh
Author's Website: http://www.sandiegoh.com
If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time on the phone and being able to actually hear the person you’re speaking to is important to you. I’m a Treo fan and have had my Treo 700p for about a year or so now (previously owend the 650p until I dropped it on the concrete floor, during my friends bachelor party). And while it’s by no means perfect (lack of memory, it freezes on me daily, speaker phone isn’t that great and the camera has no flash), I’d have to say I do like my phone, a lot…even more than the BlackBerry 8830 I tested out for three weeks.
But getting back to the point, this blog is about my first two months with the Aliph Jawbone Bluetooth headset. I own a 1990 Toyota Landcruiser and it gets pretty loud in there, especially when I’m on the freeway. After trying several different headsets (I first tried the basic wired one that comes with the phone, then two different Motorola headsets, including the H700), I finally did the smart thing and asked around and did some research.
After checking out CNET.com, other online forums and discussing it with some friends, I finally went out and bought my own Jawbone. I paid about $140 after taxes (sells for $119.99 at several stores) from an AT&T kiosk by my office and haven’t regretted a thing.
The Aliph Jawbone supposedly uses military technology to reduce ambient noise, which delivers a clearer transmission to your listener. The Jawbone uses three different microphones to differentiate where sounds are coming from, as well as a “proprietary voice activity sensor identifies precisely when you are speaking.”
In lamens terms, the headset can differentiate between when you’re speaking and when your loudmouth co-worker is blabbing next to you. The Jawbone will actually filter out his voice and focus in on yours by using the multiple microphones, “jawbone” sensor and other noise filtering technology.
I tested the Jawbone out in my Landcruiser, going 70 MPH on the freeway, with the windows down and the person I was speaking to could actually hear me. I’ve also called people from my desk, with my stereo on fairly loud and they said that they could hear the music, but barely and that my voice was loud and clear.
The Jawbone is pretty comfortbale (I’ve only had an issue with it once, when I was wearing it for about 3 hours and I had sunglasses on) and I like it more than other Bluetooth headsets I’ve tried. Aside from the, “It looks like you’re wearing a cheese grater on your head” comments, I think the Jawbone looks pretty cool. The headset comes in silver, red and black. The battery life is great and I can use it for 2–3 days, no problem. The one complaint I do have however, is that it sometimes has trouble syncing with my phone. I think this is more of a Treo/Verizon problem than anything else though.
I have tried updating my Treo software, but it hasn’t seemed to have made an impact – if you have any suggestions, let me know.
All in all, I think the Jawbone is a great headset and it lives up to everything it boasts. Ranked as the highest Bluetooth headset ever, by CNET, I’d say I must agree.
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- Categories: Gadgets, Mobile Devices
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john harper on November 27, 2007 8:59 pm
I love my jawbone BUT half the time I turn it on I can hear but the mic seems to be muted. I can’t seem to discover the magic combination to get it working with one click. But if I fiddle with it – it seems to straighten itself out.
It can be frustrating for the first two people I call though.
RyanB on November 27, 2007 9:06 pm
I’ve been using my jawbone for closer to 6 months now. I ride the bus to and from work, and let me tell you the bus stops are some of the loudest places to try and carry a conversation; formerly I didn’t even try it.
Immediately after I bought mine, I put it through its paces, calling friends on the old headset, and then calling them on the jawbone with the noise canceling enabled and disabled both. I haven’t been on the receiving end of a call to know first hand how it sounds, but everyone I talked to could hear me clearly.
Now it isn’t uncommon for me to get on a bus, ride it to my destination, and get off without the person on the other end even knowning.
RyanB on November 27, 2007 9:11 pm
I forgot to mention the two gotchas I’ve had. Sometimes I’ll get into a mode where there is a loud buzz… it is like john harper’s experience, whereby things are muted and I can’t be heard. Also, recently the ear piece arm bent and broke. While the mute problem isn’t all that common, it is enough that I’ve noticed it, but the arm is by far the weakest aspect of the jawbone. There are 4 included in the packaging, for big ears and small ears, and for left and right. Now, I don’t even use that. I just plug it in my ear and it seems to stay secure enough. Not a perfect solution, but the good outweigh the bad.
Denny Oh on November 27, 2007 11:27 pm
Hmm…I haven’t noticed any “muted” incidents, nor has my ear piece broken, but I have read that the ear piece is prone to breaking. My biggest complaint is that it will go in and out of connection with my phone – but only when I’m not on the phone. I’ve never lost a signal while talking.
Denny Oh on November 27, 2007 11:30 pm
And…if you’re looking to get one, I just saw that AT&T is having a sale on the Jawbone…$96.75
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/accessory-details/?q_categoryid=cat1370023&q_sku=sku1000182&_requestid=257909?WT.srch=1
Jott - The New Way of Texting, Emailing and Blogging? on November 28, 2007 5:44 pm
[...] used this while I’m driving, with my Aliph Jawbone ear piece. To see how this works, check out the video [...]
2 Months with the Aliph Jawbone on November 29, 2007 10:41 pm
[...] here to read [...]
Theo on March 10, 2008 1:39 pm
Just a few stylistic issues. Sorry, I just had to comment on that because the errors are so glaring and annoying.
1. No need to begin the post with “If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time on the phone….” That is unnecessary. What you are trying to say is that you talk a lot on the phone and consequently, being able to be heard and hearing the other person on the phone speak is important to you. The “If you’re like me” part is unnecessary. It distracts from the post because it makes me have thoughts like: “Well, I’m not like you” or “What if I’m not like you?”
2. It’s not “lamens terms”. It’s spelt, “laymen” for plural or “layman” for singular.
Thank you.
Denny Oh on March 10, 2008 2:01 pm
Theo,
1. Thank you for the writing/grammar lessons.
2. I’d recommend that in the future, when correcting someone’s grammar, you proofread your own work (try to use complete sentences and commas) first – just a thought.
3. I’m glad that reading my blog made you think and that you were able to realize we’re not twins…that’d be kind of weird.
And again, thanks for reading!
Denny
Funny on April 14, 2008 7:54 am
That is funny… “spelt” is a hearty wheat grown in Europe… you meant “spelled”.
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks.
The review is meant to communicate an opinion on the product – not style or grammar. Your reply is rich in both gramatical and stylistic issues that are equally glaring and annoying.
Denny Oh on April 14, 2008 2:29 pm
Wow – who would have thought one review of an ear piece would have created such an interest?! At least we know people are reading.
“Funny,” thanks for the support.
Juliana on June 10, 2008 1:45 am
Hi,
I have been using my jawbone for a few months and I love it. Tragically, tonight the earpiece broke off. The metal part is embedded in the headphone so I’m unable to put another one of the earpieces in the little hole.
Do you know if there’s anything I can do or do I have to buy a whole new one?
Thanx!
Ryan B From Zillow on June 10, 2008 10:59 am
Does it not push through? I admit I bought mine shortly after they first came out, but I believe the hole for mounting the earpiece goes straight through allowing you to wear the headset on either the left or the right.
Arthur on September 5, 2008 7:08 am
I have had the same problems as John, with the mic being muted, but after a few minuits it will work fine. Like to smash it with a hammer, but it cost too much!
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