Talk about a sweet sounding and feeling headset!  

Ultimate Ears' Super.Fi 4vi is designed for the iPhone and features voice integration with in-line microphone and control button.

(But it still worked great on other phones -- like the BlackBerry Curve.)

The Super.fi 4vi incorporates the same speaker technology and sound signatures used in their custom personal monitors, which are used by some of the music industry's top artists.  The phones deliver detailed bass with crisp and clean mids and highs. In addition, the noise isolating design reduces ambient interference and enhances sound quality.

The ultra compact and lightweight housing gives a very comfortable fit, while an inline control button allows you to answer and end phone calls and control music and video playback functions.

Oh, and did I mention you hardly know you have them on?

Price: $149.99

www.ultimateears.com

 Time to upgrade your headphones or ear buds for some high-quality iPod music listening? Not to mention some high-quality VoIPing, Skyping, etc. etc. Well, why not get cash back for your headphones to offset the costs of a new one? Check out this news I just received...

Due to the wild success of Sennheiser's upgrade program, the high-end German headphone manufacturer has relaunched the trade-in program with several enhancements. The cash back offer now includes wired AND wireless headphones of all sizes:

+ Audiophile headphones
+ Wireless headphones
+ Hi-Fi headphones
+ Portable headphones
+ Sport headphones
+ Noise cancelling headphones

(yes, you can even trade earbuds for $50 bucks off of the mighty HD 650)

Even better, the program has been extended to the end of September 2008 to include summer travel and back-to-school shopping.

From now through September 30, 2008, upgrade to a high quality pair of Sennheiser's and they will give you cash just for unloading the old ones...even if they are broken, crusty, damaged or an obscure brand. Best of all, you're likely to find a better type of headphone for your needs than what a stock earbud can provide: sport headphones, in-ear headphones, noise cancelling headphones and more.

Here's how it works:

• Gather up your old headphones, which can be new, old, broken, used, any brand - they don't care!
• Upgrade to a pair of Sennheiser's (see link below for eligible models)
• Mail us the old headphones E-Z trade form and get $$ for your trade. It's really that easy.

Simply visit www.sennheiserusa.com/upgrade to get started

Looks like you can only trade-in Sennheiser brand headphones (and earbuds) per their Terms and Conditions included below. Still I think this is a nice deal that helps build customer loyalty. They know they will at least get something for their old headphones if they want to upgrade. It doesn't appear this trade-in cash back deal applies to Sennheiser headsets (i.e. built-in microphones). Bummer.

Terms and Conditions
$5 rebate applies to Sennheiser MX 51, MX 55, MX 55V, MX 560, MX 660, MX 760, MXL 51, OMX 50, OMX 52; $10 rebate applies to Sennheiser PMX 100, PMX 200, PMX 60, PX 100, PX 200, LX 70, MX 75, MXL 70V, OMX 70, PMX 70;
$15 rebate applies to Sennheiser CX 300, CX 400, CX 500, CX 55, CX 95; $20 rebate applies to Sennheiser MX W1, RS 110, RS 120, RS 130, RS 140; $25 rebate applies to Sennheiser PXC 150, PXC 250, PXC 300, PXC 350, PXC 450;
$30 rebate applies to Sennheiser HD 515, HD 555, HD 595; $50 rebate applies to Sennheiser HD 600, HD 650;

Headphone exchanges are limited to one per customer, household, or organization per rebate form submission. Headphone exchanges greater than (1) per rebate form will be discarded. Headphones submitted cannot be returned under any circumstances (all trades final). Offer valid only on consumer purchases made between April 1 - September 30, 2008 from an Authorized Sennheiser USA dealer. eBay purchases are excluded from this offer. Rebate claim forms must be postmarked no later than 10/31/2008. Sennheiser distributors, retailers, their employees or their families may not claim rebates on behalf of consumers (end users). Rebate requests not including proper documentation (this official coupon, original UPC code, and dated sales receipt containing model # and retailer's name) will be ineligible. All checks will be issued in U.S. dollars. Sennheiser is not responsible for lost or misdirected mail. Sennheiser reserves the right to terminate program at any time. Void where prohibited by law. Sennheiser is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Rebate eligibility as determined by Sennheiser is final. Offer valid to U.S. addresses only, for new product only.

The new Jawbone, made by Aliph, is 50% smaller than the original Jawbone. This Gen 2 Jawbone Bluetooth headset enhances the original Jawbone's claim-to-fame capability - namely its superb ability to suppress background noise.

Here's some more pics of this sexy Bluetooth headset:






The noise reduction feature was originally called "Noise Shield" but is now called "NoiseAssassin". Jawbone's NoiseAssassin technology feels your speech with its patented Voice Activity Sensor (VAS). The Jawbone headset uses the VAS to distinguish the sound of your voice from ambient noise with incredible accuracy and then uses proprietary Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms to subtract the noise so only the sound of your voice comes through.

The NoiseAssassin technology was originally developed by Aliph for DARPA (The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), which creates and delivers breakthrough technology for the U.S. military. It is tested and designed to work in the toughest, most inhospitable terrain, when clear communication is critical, which means for the average user it is designed to perform everywhere.

Check out the before and after sound quality with this graph:


The original Jawbone didn't perform as well as other headsets in reducing wind noise. It was one of my major complaints. The new Jawbone claims to have solved this problem and does much better in wind.

Similar to the previous version, the new Jawbone headset has two buttons that are operated by touching the outside shield, and they control all the functions of the headset, which is extremely lightweight at just 10 grams. Now you would think the new Gen 2 Jawbone would have better battery talk time, right? Wrong. The new Jawbone actually only has four hours of talk time compared to the old version's six. The reason is the smaller battery, which is a worthy sacrifice considering the original Jawbone felt like a boat anchor on my ear. But the good news is that it has a standby time of over 8 days vs only 5 days on the original Jawbone!

Here are the specs:

Weight: 10 grams
Talk Time: Over 4 hours
Standby Time: Over 8 days
Range: Up to 33 feet (10 meters)
Charge: 80% charge in 35 minutes, 100% charge in less than 1 hour
Colors: Black / Silver / Rose Gold
Supports Bluetooth(R) 1.1, 1.2, and 2.0

Additional features:

•  50% smaller than the original Jawbone
•  Military-grade noise elimination technology
•  Ten times better voice clarity than competing headsets -- meaning it transmits 90% less noise
•  Faster processing eliminates unexpected noise bursts
•  Unmatched intelligibility -- voices sound human, not robotic
•  Sophisticated dual microphone array reduces wind noise
•  Invisible touch controls
•  Three-dimensional texture on shield inspired by noise abatement surfaces
•  Premium materials including medical-grade plastic and fine leather
•  Magnetic USB cable & wall charger included
•  Three (3) earbuds -- small, medium, and large
•  Two (2) fine leather earloops -- medium and large
•  Two (2) slim earloops ideal for use with eyewear -- medium and large
•  Fits either ear

Availability and Pricing
The new Jawbone is available today for $129.99 at AT&T retail stores nationwide and online at www.jawbone.com. It's a bit of a premium for this headset, but well worth the voice quality in my opinion. It is available initially in matte black, it will be coming soon in silver and rose gold.

Rich and I reviewed the Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB Wideband headset, featuring wideband codec support for use in VoIP applications such as Skype and Microsoft Office Communicator. Rich actually got two pre-production models and was kind enough to give me one of the SupraPlus headsets. Actually, he wanted me to be his guinea pig to test the audio quality since I get to hear and review quite a few VoIP products.

We tested the monaural style Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB using both Skype and Microsoft Office Communicator. The audio quality was quite good. I believe the microphone captures a wider range of frequencies to enable the wideband support. The noise-canceling microphone filters out excessive background sound.

The Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB features inline button controls. The headset itself features volume up/down buttons, mute, and even a disconnect/end call button that works with Microsoft Office Communicator. Interestingly, if Skype is running and if you press this disconnect/end call button you get simulated dial-tone. Not sure what that was about.

I noticed one end of the headset actually uses a RJ45 clip to connect into what I believe is the DSP processor. I've never seen Plantronics use a RJ45 clip for their headsets, but in theory they must be making some of their components more modular for interchanging various headset components. Or at least, one can hope. Nothing worse than having an incompatible base unit to a headset.

The headset is wired (to your USB port) and I'm much more a fan of wireless headsets even for desktop PCs. The Plantronics Voyager 510-USB Bluetooth headset is one of my favorites (see my review) and it works with your mobile phone and your desktop PC with the Bluetooth USB dongle. Of course, the 510-USB isn't a wideband codec headset, so if superior voice quality is your gig, then the SupraPlus HW251N-USB might be a better choice. Certainly organizations using wideband VoIP applications that have call center agents that don't roam around while on phone calls will find the SupraPlus HW251N-USB a good choice.

Lastly, go check out Rich's in-depth review here for his thoughts on this headset.

Say hello to the new Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece Collection! According to Plantronics, the Plantronics Discovery 925 "blends Distinctive VFrame™ Design with award-winning audio technology for the ultimate in Bluetooth performance."

Plantronics, Inc. today unveiled the Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece collection, a signature line of designer headsets for both men and women. Delivering exceptional audio performance, complemented by bold lines and distinctive finishes, the Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece represents a technical craftsmanship previously unseen in the mobile accessories category.

The revolutionary design of the Plantronics’ Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece provides outstanding incoming and outgoing audio clarity in any environment. Central to its performance is the unique VFrame™ design, structured to follow the contours of the face and draw the microphone closer to the mouth for a headset that is as much objet d’art as it is audio ingenuity. The signature elongated design, housing an extended microphone, enhances audio performance and connection range. Plantronics’ AudioIQ noise reduction technology adds to the Discovery 925’s performance by removing background noise while simultaneously adjusting the incoming volume – ensuring crystal clear sound on both sides of the conversation.

“When designing a Bluetooth headset, it is critical to fully understand the physical and emotional relationship between the product and the end user,” said Darrin Caddes, vice president of Industrial Design at Plantronics, Inc. “Similar to high performance watches or automobiles, our Bluetooth headset is designed to deliver a first-class experience - in this case to permit clear, wireless conversation without the distraction of background noise. It is equally imperative that the product expresses individual taste and style and is comfortable and easy to use.”

Plantronics’ inaugural collection of Discovery 925 earpieces includes a unique palette of colors for both men and women: Onyx Black, Alchemy Gold and Cerise Pink. Each earpiece is treated with glass beads and fire-blasted for a deep, enamel-like finish.

Features:

• VFrame™ design captures your eye as well as your voice
• Rechargeable case keeps you in charge
• AudioIQ® noise control technology for clear calls
• Three sizes of self-stabilizing eartips let you tailor the fit
• Quick and easy set up with Bluetooth phones
• Available in metallic and jewel tone colors
• Enjoy up to 5 hours talk time or 7 days standby from a single charge

Each Plantronics Discovery 925 comes with a matching, soft textile carrying case that recharges and stores the earpiece. The Discovery 925 earpiece supports up to five hours of talk time, while the charging case provides an extra five-hour charge on the go. Self-stabilizing, custom-fit eartips create a light, perfectly balanced fit without the need for an earloop. Plantronics QuickPair™ greatly simplifies pairing with most Bluetooth phones.

“From the onset, our vision for the Discovery 925 was to deliver remarkable audio clarity from within a supremely comfortable and distinctive package,” said Renee Niemi, general manager and vice president, Mobile and Entertainment at Plantronics, Inc. “Plantronics leveraged the talents of its Industrial Design team to create the Discovery 925 as a true ‘tech-cessory,’ and bridge the gap between high-grade audio performance and high-fashion – a gap that has previously eluded most headset designs."

Introduced at an exclusive showing during the Spring 2008 New York Fashion Week, the Plantronics Discovery 925 has received rave reviews among fashion press, stylists and celebrities.

Here's a few more photos of the stylish Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece







Pricing and Availability:
The new Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece in Black Onyx (MSRP $149.99) will be available at major consumer electronics retailers, www.amazon.com and www.plantronics.com in April 2008. The Plantronics Discovery 925 in Alchemy Gold and Cerise Pink will be available in May 2008.

Just got an email that Jawbone is offering their Jawbone Bluetooth headset in exchange for your current Bluetooth headset. The deal is you visit their booth at CES, give up your old BT headset, Jawbone will smash the competing BT headset into tiny little pieces (for recycling purposes of course) and they'll hand you a brand spankin' new Jawbone. A brand new Jawbone in exchange for my current old Bluetooth headset? Wow! Better run, not walk over to their booth before their headset exchange program is sold out!

Their PR emailed me:

Wanted to give you a heads up in case you or your readers are interested in joining in the free Bluetooth fun at CES.

The CES show floor can be a wild and noisy place – wouldn’t it be nice to be able to hear yourself think?

Give the Jawbone® Bluetooth headset a try. Just swing by the concierge desk in the main hall and you can trade in your old Bluetooth headset for the highest rated Bluetooth headset ever.

When you trade in your old headset, you’ll get a brand-new Jawbone, which will be charged and ready to go. We’ll even set it up with your mobile phone and make sure you get the best possible fit. Your old headset will be recycled and your new Jawbone will let you call from the show floor but sound like you’re calling from the privacy of your hotel room.

Jawbone revolutionizes incoming and outgoing voice clarity with Noise Shield, a military-grade technology that eliminates background noise. Jawbone also improves sound quality by seamlessly analyzing and adjusting microphone and earpiece performance throughout the call. Simply put, Jawbone eliminates noise.

This could come in quite handy for calling from a late-night party!

Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can provide you with more information about the Jawbone. This opportunity is open to anyone at the show who would like to trade in their old headset – if you’d like to reserve one for yourself, please let me know.

Windows Vista Ultimate Edition is my latest desktop machine at work and some USB audio devices have given me nothing but problems. While most USB audio devices have installed just fine, since they use the standard Microsoft USB audio class, some devices, such as a Jabra Netcom 9350 wouldn't install correctly. Apparently Vista does mandatory DRM checking for USB Audio Devices. I've heard of many users complaining that their Bluetooth headsets no longer work once they upgraded to Vista due to this new DRM protection. After hours of frustration trying to get it to work, I finally decided to call Jabra (who acquired GN Netcom - See today's interesting video of Jabra/GN Netcom on the 10 blog - to see if a Vista driver was available. At first they told me the drivers for all the products were online. I explained this wasn't true - I already looked everywhere on their site and there was no 9350 drivers anywhere. Perhaps the transition from GN Netcom to Jabra due to the acquisition has them a bit confused. In any event, I then spoke to another technician who told me they would need to upgrade my 9350's firmware to be compliant with Vista's more stringent USB audio requirements. He said they do this free of charge if I just ship them the unit to:

Jabra
ATTN GN Repair Center
77 Northeastern Boulevard
Nashua, NH 03062

The Plantronics .Audio 910 Bluetooth VoIP headset was recently released. It works with Skype and other VoIP softphones, so I'll have to get my hands on one to review. Looking at the Plantronics .Audio 910 features, it looks very similar to the Plantronics 510-USB headset I reviewed. Just look at the product photos to the right, including one from my Plantronics 510-USB review. Both the Plantronics 510-USB headset and the Plantronics .Audio 910 headset support Bluetooth and both feature Plantronic's Multipoint technology which lets you connect to both your mobile phone and your PC. Thus, both headset models can answer and end Skype calls from the headset while away from your PC. The ability for Skype users to have remote ring detection and call answer/end from the headset is a very cool feature.

To be perfectly honest, I don't see anything different for the Plantronics 510-USB vs. the Plantronics .Audio 910. They even look identical. They both have the Windsmart technology as well. I read some reviews that stated the Plantronics .Audio 910 is better suited for "home users" and the Plantronics 501-USB is for "business users" since it supports enterprise softphone applications from Cisco, Avaya, and more. In my Plantronics 510-USB review, I wrote: "The system integrates with enterprise softphone software from leading companies — including Avaya, Cisco, Nortel, Skype, and others — to offer call notification and remote call answering through the headset. It also is compatible with most popular consumer VoIP services, like AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! although it doesn't feature remote call answer with these yet."

That last part, may be the key part. One theory I have is that Plantronics is differentiating the 510 vs the .Audio headset by customizing their Persono softphone application to either business or home users. Thus, the Persono application on the 510 headset will focus on enterprise telephony applications (Avaya., Cisco, Nortel) plus mobile phone support, and the .Audio headset will focus on home users (Skype, MSN, Yahoo) plus mobile phone support. Of course, the 510-USB does support Skype, so that sort of shoots that theory to hell.

However, I believe Plantronics when they initially developed the 510-USB, they tried to make this headset an "all purpose" headset targeting both business users and home consumers. I think with the saturation of the Bluetooth headset market and tons of competitors, Plantronics is now attempting to use "software" to differentiate their various headset models. I am 99% certain the 510-USB and the are the the identical hardware, however Plantronics is bundling different software capabilities depending on if you purchase the "enterprise model" (510-USB) or the "consumer model" (.Audio 910).

You know what's going to happen, right? People will buy the less expensive model and get a copy of the more advanced Persono Call software on some P2P network like Bittorrent. Of course, Plantronics could easily put some firmware on the headset to check if the headset should be running the more advanced software. Check out the

Features:

• USB Bluetooth adapter gives you connectivity to Internet calls
• Skype users can receive notification of incoming calls and answer/end calls remotely via the headset
• Improves incoming and outgoing Internet call audio quality with Noise-Canceling microphone with WindSmart technology
• Approximately 6 hours talk time makes it easy to stay connected
• Roam up to 33 feet from your Bluetooth device
• Convenient USB charging right from your PC
• Perfect for cellular phones, PDAs or VoIP through your laptop or PC.
• Includes BUA-100 Adapter with extra ear pieces and USB charging cable.

You can buy the Plantronics .Audio 910 headset on Amazon now.

I just discovered an interesting new USB headset specifically designed for Skype called the Accutone USB500. On the headset's USB cord it has an in-line controller that lets you dial Skype, page up/down through Skype contacts, adjust the volume, popup the Skype client, mute Skype, and hang-up Skype - all without touching the keyboard!

It's also a stereo headset with good-sized 40mm speakers, perfect not just for Skype, but gaming with lots of bass as well.

It has an MSRP of $56.00



Here's a closer product shot:

GN Netcom's GN 9350 DECT 6.0 headset (now called the Jabra GN 9350) is one of the most versatile headsets I have ever reviewed. When GN Netcom told me they had a new headset that did both PC audio and Phone audio, while leveraging the range and interference-free characteristics of the DECT 6.0 standard, I just had to review this headset. (Note: DECT 6.0 operates at 1.9Ghz so it is less apt to have interference from WiFi 2.4Ghz signals) With the GN 9350 you can get your Skype on, your iTunes on, and your phone on, all using one wireless headset. Sweet!

Comparatively speaking, the GN 9350 is similar in functionality to the Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset, which I reviewed here. Both support VoIP, both can use any PC audio application, both use USB, and both are wireless. However, the similarities stop there, since the Voyager 510 uses Bluetooth and the GN 9350 uses DECT 6.0 for wireless connectivity. The advantage of the Bluetooth wireless spec is that you can use the same headset both on your PC (using the Bluetooth USB dongle) and your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone. The GN 9350 wasn't designed for mobile phones, but rather for traditional enterprise desktop phones, which the Voyager 510 cannot connect to. Thus, these products target a slightly different target audience. Although, I should mention that Plantronics has a higher-end model of the Voyager 510 called the Voyager 510S, which supports mobile phones, desktop phones, and PC audio (VoIP) using Bluetooth.

Here's a picture of the higher-end Plantronics Voyager 510s:


One advantage of the DECT 6.0 spec over using Bluetooth is range. When I tested the Bluetooth-enabled Plantronics Voyager 510, the audio started to get choppy just 15 feet away. On the other hand the DECT-enabled GN 9350 worked flawlessly with no choppiness even 250 feet away. GN Netcom claims 300 feet of range for the Jabra GN 9350 headset.

Installation
Installing the GN 9350 was a breeze. You simply connect the phone wire to one of its ports, the handset cord to the other RJ11 port. I will say that connecting the phone connectors was a bit tricky because the ports are recessed about 1/2 inch in with a lip that hangs over and a tiny opening, making it difficult to get your fingers inside to clip the phone clips. I basically had to hold the wires from the outside and gingerly aim the RJ11 clips into the female ports - I felt like I was defusing a bomb like the injured "Cappy" in the scene from Executive Decision. It was then that I realized that the cover on top is actually removable making it easy to make the connections. Silly me. Under the cover I was surprised to discover an LCD display and a 4-way thumbpad allowing you to customize various features, including volume, bass/treble/normal, hookswitch selection, range/power selection, and finally protection level, which protects against sudden spikes in volume. There is also a switch for choosing which type of phone system you have. In any event, after hooking up the phone wires and playing with the LCD settings, I then hooked up the AC adaptor and the USB connector and was good to go.



Base Unit Features
On the front of the base unit are 2 buttons for switching from PC to phone and 7 LEDs. One LED indicates when the headset is charging on its base (flashing) or when the headset is in use (solid). Another LED, red in color indicates when you have the headset muted. Another LED indicates USB connectivity, another for power, and 2 blue LEDs indicate whether you are in PC or Phone mode.

Headset Features
The headset is very flexible in it's wearing styles. You can wear it headband wearing style, neckband wearing style (wraps behind your head), as well as "over the ear" wearing style. features automatic volume adjustment that sets the volume on all calls (phone or VoIP) unless you set the auto-volume protection to level 0. The headset also features noise reduction which can remove background noise from your environment.

The headset features a noise-cancelling boom mic, a charging port, and a three-way switch on the end that performs volume up/down, as well as mute when you press it in. On the outside of the headset is a blue LED that blinks when in use and is off when not in use.

In addition, your headset can also be used with DECT cordless phones, which are GAP (Generic Access Profile) compatible. You simply have to pair the headset with the cordless phone's base station by pressing the headset's talk and mute buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds after entering the cordless telephone's GAP mode. Relatedly, the headset supports a multi-unit conferencing capability. Simply start a call, then place a 2nd headset on the base unit for 2 seconds. Then remove the headset and this headset will be conferenced into the call. You can repeat for any additional 2 headsets for a total of 4 headsets in the call.

Here's an interesting feature - emergency dialing via VoIP. The base unit supports "speed dialing" emergency services using your VoIP application (softphone) simply by pressing the PC mode button and the Phone mode button simultaneously for 5 seconds. This is useful for when your workstation is locked and you're trying to shave off some seconds. Of course, I can type my password in less than 5 seconds as I'm sure most people can, but perhaps the emergency is that you injured your hand - which would make it a little difficult to do the three-fingered-salute (Ctrl-Alt-Del) to log on.

Testing
The voice quality was excellent and I was very impressed with the ~250ft range before the audio started to cut out. Overall, I was pleased with the sound quality, range, and the ability to switch from streaming music (PC) to an incoming call (Phone). If your phone is supported, you'll even hear a beep in the headset letting you know of an incoming call. If you have the optional handset lifter, it can even lift the handset so you can take the call without being at your desk. The 9350 also supports EHS (electronic hookswitch) to automatically answer a call, which does not require the handset lifter. Only certain phones support EHS. You can go to www.gnnetcom.co.uk/UK/EN/EHS-setup.htm to see if your phone is listed.

Unfortunately, when you set the base unit to default to the “phone”, it appears that you can't toggle from music to phone and then back to music using the headset button. You can only go from music to phone. So for example, say you are away from your desk, listening to streaming radio, and then an incoming call comes in. You click the headset’s button to switch to the phone connection, which uses the remote handset lifter to answer the call. You talk for a bit, you end the call and then wish to return back to the PC’s streaming audio. You can't do this remotely. You have to press the button on the base unit in order to switch back to the PC audio. 

Similarly, when you set base unit to default to “PC” audio, on an incoming call, you cannot switch to the “Phone” using just the headset. You have to be physically at the base station and press the phone button.

Not a big deal, since in most cases you will be near your PC & phone (and therefore the base unit). Nevertheless, wireless headsets do add some nice office mobility, so it would be nice if you could hold the headset button for say 3 seconds and it would toggle to the opposite (PC or phone) connection. Perhaps this is a simple firmware or software upgrade of the 9350. I'll contact my sources at GN Netcom and see if its possible.

I found it a bit of a pain to put the 9350 headset back on the base unit to charge it. If you are slightly off, the charging prong hits the plastic on the headset and won't insert all the way down. I had to wiggle the headset a bit to get it to dock. However, with a little practice, I was able to get it docked on the first try about 90% of the time.

Beeping and blinking... Beeping and blinking (William Shatner - Airplane!)
When simply using the headset to listen to PC audio (music) I found that the mic picks up sounds and plays it back over the earpiece. For example, if listening to music, with the mic unmuted and you hit the mic boom with your hand, it picks up the sound and plays it over the ear piece. Or if I simply turn my head and the mic hits my cheek, it will pick this sound up. I was able to mute the mic, but then it beeps every 10 seconds which is annoying.

Beeping is a great reminder when using the phone feature – so you don’t accidentally forget you are muted, but when in PC mode, unless using a VoIP software all the time (requires the mic is unmuted), I prefer that the microphone be muted with no beeping.

Pros:

• Better range than Bluetooth headsets (300 feet).
• Battery life is 9hrs PSTN talk time and 6hrs VoIP talk time.
• Connects to both desktop phone and PC (USB)
• Uses DECT 6.0 spec and DSP for excellent sound quality.
• Integrates with DECT 6.0 cordlesss phones.
• 3 wearing styles.
• Multi-unit conferencing capability.

Cons

• Slightly heavier than the Plantronics BT headset.
• Can't toggle from PC/music mode to phone and then back to PC/music. Can only go once from PC to phone. Or when in PC default mode, and currently on a call, you can only switch once to PC and cannot return back to the phone mode.
• Bit of a pain to dock the headset into the base unit.
• Can't disable the “beep” when muted feature is on

Conclusion
Even with the beeping issue and the toggling issue, overall, I was very pleased with GN Netcom's GN 9350. It is now my office headset of choice due to it's excellent range and very good feature-set. This multi-purpose headset is great for the office since you can be working, listing to streaming music (without distracting fellow employees) and then switch instantly to phone mode on an incoming call. Having all these features, range, and sound quality will set you back $349 MSRP. However, I checked Amazon and I see the GN 9350 listed on Amazon for under $299.