Headsets

Nokia hasn't been making huge splashes in the handset market lately; however they are developing headsets that seem to be landing on the 'favorites' list of many industry experts. We recently looked at the Nokia Luna Bluetooth headset, one of the many new gadgets they've brought to market in the last couple of months. Creative thinking went into the design and shape of the Luna. It looks like it fell right out of a spaceship.

The Luna includes a base for charging and storing your headset. Removing it from the base automatically powers on the Bluetooth and saves on battery life when it's not in use. When you place it back in the base, the Luna will power down.

But that's not your only connectivity option here. Nokia has incorporated an RFID chip inside, allowing you to pair it with a smartphone bearing the same technology simply by physically tapping the two together. Other handsets with built-in NFC, such as the Nokia C7, Oro, 600, 603, 700, 701 and N9, will all be able to play nice with it, freeing up Bluetooth for some other device to work with your phone.Read more

Bose technology in a headset? You bet. Bose this week introduced the Bose Bluetooth headset Series 2, a Bluetooth headset that lets you hear conversations clear and natural, even in challenging environments.

Featuring a proprietary dual microphone system, speech intelligibility is far better than your standard Bluetooth headset, rejecting background noise and reducing the audible effects of wind. The headset also has a new internal antenna and the company's TriPort acoustic structure and Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology, features that automatically react as noise levels change, so there's no need to adjust volume settings.

The Bose Bluetooth headset comes in both left and right side versions and include StayHear tips for long-wear comfort and stability. Taking calls requires just one easy top-to-bottom pinching motion on the buttons, and LED indicators allow you to check battery life and confirm the Bluetooth connection with just a glance. Read more

This fall, PlayStation 3 gamers will have a new option when shopping for a wireless headset. Sony just announced that the official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset will be joining the PlayStation 3 accessories family in September 2011.

Featuring 7.1 virtual surround sound, the Wireless Stereo Headset lets you hear in-game audio crystal clear - whether you're in the middle of a firefight in a first-person shooter game or racing for the checkered flag in Gran Turismo. Volume controls and microphone mute are easily accessible too, so you never have to interrupt gameplay to fumble for buttons. On-screen headset status updates also display battery status and sound controls. Just want to listen to music or play a single player game? The mic is retractable, so it's out of your way.

The official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset will be available for $99.99 at retailers nationwide this September.

Sony introduced the official Bluetooth Headset for the PS3 back in 2008. Two years later, they are bringing us a new version of the official Bluetooth Headset for the PS3 system. Available later this month, the new Bluetooth Headset will sell for $49.99 – the same price as the original.

The new Bluetooth Headset is 30% smaller than the original model and now includes built-in noise cancellation for filtering out ambient noise. Additional features include a dual-microphone design, automatic pairing via USB cable with the PS3, an in-game headset status indicator, a microphone mute button, and a charging cradle which can also be used as a desktop microphone. A High-Quality (HQ) mode is also included for crystal clear voice chat while gaming.

Giving you more bang for your buck, the new Bluetooth Headset isn't just for gaming. The mobile phone feature support has been improved, allowing you to use features such as three-way calling and call waiting.

The new Bluetooth Headset is compatible with devices with Bluetooth 1.1 or higher. It will be available for $49.99 later this month.

Remember the Q1 Bluetooth headset from last year? Popular for its ease of use (and its pretty looks), the Q1 was a hit. Now BlueAnt Wireless has introduced the Q2, featuring the industry's first integrated Text-to-Speech feature that announces the caller's name from a database of up to 2,000 phonebook entries. The Q2 also has better wind noise reduction at up to 22 mph, and can access stock quotes, movie times, weather, sports, news and traffic updates through integration with Microsoft's Bing 411 service.

The Q2 also supports a free, downloadable Android app, which allows any Android 2.0+ handset to play text messages through the Q2 headset. Additional features include A2DP audio streaming for listening to music, GPS directions; and multipoint functionality allows two mobile phones to be connected simultaneously.

The BlueAnt Q2 is available now at AT&T stores for $129. Get information on at www.blueantwireless.com.

Lady Gaga fans pay attention! Earloomz just launched new Lady Gaga themed Bluetooth headsets. But that's not all! To celebrate the launch, Earloomz is sending two lucky winners to meet Lady Gaga at her sold-out concert in Las Vegas on August 13, 2010!

Available in the Earloomz GL500 Glamorous Life line, the Lada Gaga headset features Bluetooth 2.1+ EDR technology, noise cancellation, Mic noise reduction, lower power consumption, voice prompt, and 16-bit resolution audio. Four styles of Lady Gaga headsets are available for $59.99.

The Lady Gaga prize package includes airfare, hotel accommodations for each winner and one guest, transportation to and from the airport, and concert venue. The winners will also be invited to an exclusive meet-and-greet with Lady Gaga backstage. Contestants will receive one entry for every Earloomz Bluetooth purchased on www.Earloomz.com before midnight August 10, 2010.

But don't worry, the company also offers an online entry form with no purchase necessary. Visit www.Earloomz.com for all the details.

Turtle Beach has a new headset for Xbox 360 and PC gamers, the Ear Force X11. With improved sound over the Ear Force X1 and an ergonomic design, it is even better for playing games such as Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, HALO 3, Assassin's Creed II, and Guitar Hero.

The X11 sports a black and white design and has larger, deep-cushioned ear cups and a cushioned headband. It also has an adjustable boom mic and an extra-long 16-foot cable.

Features include:

• Independent volume controls for game and voice signals to balance XBOX LIVE chat and stereo game sound.
• Large, acoustically-tuned ear cups with 40mm drivers produce superior audio with deep bass
• Integrated bass-boost makes explosions, gun shots and other deep-bass effects more dramatic by increasing the impact of low frequency sound cues.
• DC-coupled amplifiers provide super-wide bandwidth down to 0Hz while eliminating the distortion
• A microphone with an oversized, flexible boom accurately reproduces the gamer's voice during chat sessions.
• A microphone monitor keeps gamers from raising their voices louder than necessary and avoids the "under water" feeling that results when you can’t hear yourself speak.

Callpod recently announced the Onyx Bluetooth headset…what the company says is the "next generation of Bluetooth headset."

The Onyx has a customized internal amplifier which gives it 5 times the operating range of your standard Bluetooth headset – allowing you to roam up to 164ft. away from your mobile phone. The device also features a two-way walkie-talkie function that allows you to connect the Onyx to any other Callpod Bluetooth headset and communicate up to 84,000 sq ft. while you are still connected to your mobile phone.

The device can also pair to Skype and a mobile phone or two phones at the same time with auto switching. It can store several devices in memory for automatic pairing. The headset also supports voice dialing and call controls.

The ear bud on the Onyx is made with a GummyGel material which molds itself to the inside of your ear for a comfortable fit. When removed, it goes back to its original shape.

The Callpod Onyx Bluetooth headset will be available Q1 2010 for $69.95.