Ontario has recently implemented a new law banning the use of handheld devices while driving, since October 26 people were given warnings when caught using a cell phone, but as of February 1, 2010 you can now expect to get a ticket of up to $500. The way around this is to use a Bluetooth or hands free setup. I recently purchased a new Bluetooth headset by Jawbone, this is the second headset I’ve bought and so far I’ve been very impressed with their offerings.
Jawbone Prime
On the technical side the Prime is comparable to any other Bluetooth, supports Bluetooth 2.1, has a range of up to 10 meters (33 ft), 4.5 hours talk time and 9 days of standby, etc. For the most part this is standard on most name brand devices. For a full list of technical specs check out the site.
The feature that really makes the Jawbone stand out is NoiseAssassin with digital wind filter, with this feature much of the ambient noise is removed giving a very clear, natural sound to the recipient even in windy conditions. I’ve tested this doing 100km/h on the 401 with all the windows down and the person on the other end was surprised at how clear the sound was.
What I like
Beyond NoiseAssassin, Jawbone’s styling has always impressed me, I had an original Jawbone and really liked the small sleek low profile. The Prime is even smaller and now comes in 7 different colours, very cool!! (I got ‘yello!)
Sound quality from the ear piece is excellent, I’ve never had an issue hearing the person on the other end. Even though the volume control is not readily evident on the device (controlled by the NoiseAssassin button) I’ve always just used the volume control on my phone.
Pairing to my iPhone is dead simple, with the last Jawbone, I needed to put it into pairing mode then enter a password (I always forgot it was 0000) and wait. With Prime just put it into pairing mode then select it from the devices list on the Bluetooth page.
One of the biggest improvements is the power adapter the new one is a magnetic clip much like the Mac power adapter. The original Jawbone had to to be plugged into the back and if it wasn’t removed properly there was a chance that the end piece would break. The new one is much easier to connect and disconnect and to me is one of the biggest improvements.
What I don’t like
The fit, this is not unusual for me I’ve had issues with other devices but sometimes it just does not sit properly. I think I just have small ears, removing the earbuds makes it fits much better.
As stated above the volume control is not readily evident, volume can only be changed while on a call and using the NoiseAssassin button (on the back of the device). Again not a huge issue I’ve always found the volume to be fine and you can change the volume on the phone.
The buttons are hidden under the cover and I find them to be a little too sensitive sometimes. I’ve hung up on people before trying to adjust the ear piece to fit properly. Grabbing it by the top and bottom instead of front and back solves that.
What does it all mean
All in all the Jawbone Prime is a sweet Bluetooth device. The look and style of the device is second to none and it’s backed up by premium technology that consistently gives good quality reception and sound.
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