Based on magnetic communications, a new wireless headset from foneGEAR looks set to give Bluetooth a run for its money.
Aura Communications, a fabless semiconductor company, and foneGEAR has announced what the two companies claim is the world’s first universal wireless headset based on magnetic communications technology. Using Aura Communications' LibertyLink technology, the foneGEAR Cord Free headset uses an enhanced form of 'near field' magnetic communication rather than conventional radio frequency technology to achieve short-range wireless connectivity.
 | foneGEAR's new wireless headset relies on magnetic communication rather than Bluetooth
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The foneGEAR Cord Free solution is comprised of the headset itself, powered by two rechargeable NiMH batteries, and the base station which charges the headset by means of a single AA alkaline battery. According to foneGEAR, this combined solution enables the headset to achieve up to 25 hours of talk time and 3 months of standby power from one AA battery, an approach radically different from now-popular Bluetooth headsets.
Another unconventional trait of the foneGEAR is its lack of a conventional standby or 'on-off' button - instead, users dock the headset in the base station after each call where it is automatically recharged. The base station on its side connects through a 2.5 mm headset jack, which is a fairly common standard for connecting wired handsfree kits to mobile phones.
To be available at a price of between $59 - $79 USD (depending on retailer), foneGEAR also sets out to compete head-on with manufacturers of the very cheapest Bluetooth headsets on the market, yet said its solution compares well to Bluetooth in terms of audio quality, and can even surpass it in areas where RF noise is prevalent due to the inherent benefits of magnetic communications.
While the concepts behind magnetic induction communication have been known for quite some time, Aura Communications is the first company to develop a solution of suitable size for application in mobile devices. Conventional radio frequency (RF) wireless communication systems are optimal for sending large amounts of information and communicating over long distances. However, this consumes power, creates security issues through its widespread broadcasting of information and results in interference and "crowding" among devices. An example would be the 2.4 GHz band, where simultaneous operation of a portable phone, WiFi network and Bluetooth headset frequently suffers from degradation of quality.
Aura Communications' solution, on the other hand, offers a personal 'communication' bubble, which is made secure not only by its limited range of up to 1,5 meter (as applied in the foneGEAR headset), beyond which the technology does not 'leak' data, but also through a process of "bonding" devices so that these cannot communicate with one another without physical approval.
An additional hi-res picture of the foneGEAR Cord Free headset is available on the following page.
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