Jørgen Sundgot dons Jabra's BT620s stereo Bluetooth headset, in the process ridding himself of a pair of tangle-prone wires and gaining another charge status to keep track of. Is the future truly wireless?
Review summary of the Jabra BT620s:
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 Release: March 2006. Price: $130.
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Full Jabra BT620s Review:
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While proper music phones equipped with stereo Bluetooth audio are taking their sweet time to hit shelves, wire-tired music lovers already have a few options to choose from among their natural counterparts; stereo Bluetooth headsets. Mainstay Jabra is among the first to jump into the fray with both feet, producing the behind-the-head BT620s which is sure to draw attention with its wire-free look.
Buttons galore
Getting the modestly attractive BT620s up and running is a no-brainer courtesy of a straightforward installation process and easily-distinguished, intuitive controls with excellent tactile and audible feedback. Once charged either by means of its AC adapter or a bundled USB cable, users can pause and resume playback; adjust volume; skip back and forth through tracks; and even fast forward and rewind with ease, as well as receive, end and mute calls and initiate voice dialling.
Naturally, the latter four abilities suggest the BT620s isn't content merely with streaming audio in stereo - which it does very well indeed - but also supports the Handsfree profile which enables the headset to pull double duty as a wireless handsfree kit for the vast majority of recent phones. Courtesy of an integrated DSP (Digital Signal Processor), the BT620s also makes a decent stab at noice cancellation, and although audiophiles may frown upon its general audio quality it will suffice nicely for most everyone with good performance both in the high and low frequency ranges.
In fact, the sole drawback of the BT620s is the combination its behind-the-head design and weight, which measures to a full 100 g. Despite a reasonably tight fit, the headset tends to become uncomfortable when worn for longer periods of time - which is a pity given its ability to stream music for 9 hours straight, or alternatively talk for just a little bit longer. Lastly, its range hovers around 5 meters under difficult conditions, extending to approximately 8 meters under favourable conditions.
Price and availability
The Jabra BT620s will start selling for $130 () in March 2006.
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