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Jabra Go 6400 and Pro 9400 with capacitive touchscreen base redefines overkill, want

Here's what you get when a manufacturer tries to justify a $199 price tag on its newest headsets. The Jabra Go 6400 (pictured above) and Pro 9400 look to be standard noise-cancelling Bluetooth and DECT headsets, respectively, with a multifunction button to answer/reject/redial/mute calls and adjust the volume. However, these headsets are paired with an industry first touch-screen base for call management. The 2.4-inch capacitive LCD displays caller ID, call records, and lets users switch between their mobile, desk, and corporate softphones via a spin of the carousel. Fun sure, and exceedingly geeky, but hardly worth the $199 to duplicate functions already built-in to the headsets or accessible via the displays on the devices it connects to. Then again, these are aimed at office professionals (read: corporations) when they launch in September and $199 is nothing when you're spending someone else's money. DECT configuration pictured after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Motorola Endeavor HX1 ears-on


We've been playing with Motorola's recently-announced Endeavor HX1 for the past few hours, and we're just going to come right out with it: this is the best Bluetooth headset we've ever used. Moto claims that the HX1 is the world's first consumer headset to use "true bone conduction technology," a veiled (but obvious) reference to the external cheek-resting sensor found on Jawbone's devices -- and indeed, the Jawbone Prime is the most obvious direct competitor to the HX1. Both devices offer decent styling, feature optional earloops and a selection of earbuds for a tighter fit, are being positioned as premium headsets, and -- most importantly -- pack a ton of innovative circuitry all in the name of cutting noise in harsh surroundings. Head on over to Engadget Mobile for our quick take!

Engadget's recession antidote: win a FREETALK headset and Skype voucher!


This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn't want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back -- so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We'll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we've got a FREETALK Wireless Stereo Headset along with a Skype voucher that'll net you free calls for three whole months. The World Plan voucher will link you up anywhere in the world that Skype supports, and coming off of a trip to Central America, we can certainly say it comes in handy (and works well, to boot). Read the rules below (no skimming -- we're omniscient and can tell when you've skimmed) and get commenting!

Major thanks to Skype for the goods!

The rules:
  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for "fixing" the world economy, that'd be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you'll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you'll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don't make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one FREETALK Wireless Stereo Headset along with a Skype voucher that'll net you free calls for three whole months.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, June 23rd, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

Creative's Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII hands-on, and news of its sequel

Creative's Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII hands-on, and news of its sequel
Cans are so hot right now; the bigger and gaudier the better, because nothing says "Don't talk to me" like giant domes covering your ears. Creative's latest set, Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII, don't really have much to offer in the flash category and certainly aren't excessively sized, but for serious gamers they seem to be a solid option and just the thing to keep your mom from interrupting your session. Shipping next week for $99, they offer an over-ear design with memory-foam surrounds and a sophisticated but not particularly flashy look that says "I want to look cool while wearing these, but I'll leave the chrome to my CPU fan, thanks." They sport a detachable boom that has not one but two microphones in it and some apparently fancy-schmantsy processing that can discern your howl of war from your dog's howl of neglect, meaning your CS teammates hear only the former. Unfortunately we weren't able to try that out for ourselves, so we'll have to see how well that pans out in the real world. The set uses the standard jumble of 3.5mm audio jacks to connect to your machine, but a Creative rep was kind enough to disclose plans for a USB version that'll work sans-soundcard. That model is due sometime next month for a $30 premium.

Nokia's Bluetooth BH-905 is 'the best headset ever made'

Pretty strong words from Nokia calling its new BH-905 headset "the best headset ever made." The claim comes as a result of a partnership with Wolfson Microelectronics to add its 10-microphone "feed-forward" active noise-cancellation technology to the headset -- 8 mics for capturing background noise, 2 for your voice. The headset can connect wirelessly over Bluetooth or via a selection of plugs for your home stereo, MP3 player, or airplane jack. It also features high-performance speakers with stainless steel audio controls on one can, phone controls on the other. They'll hit globally in August for a steep pre-tax price of €285 / $403. Hey, that's not bad for the best ever.

[Thanks, Stephen R.]

Read -- Announcement
Read -- Microsite with video

Plantronics Voyager PRO gets purchased, unboxed early


Plantronics isn't planning to share intimate details about its Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset until April 23rd, but evidently its supply chain executives didn't exactly touch base with marketing before sending out stock to Best Buy. Jeff and John both managed to procure the $119.99 Bluetooth headset over the weekend, and we've got the shots to prove it. Based on the teaser site down in the read link, this here headset should be it's most advanced yet, but for a buck twenty, it better answer and respond to our calls without us having to intervene.

Update: Plantronics pinged us to say the price point here should be $99. Interesting.

[Thanks, Jeff and John]

Nokia shows off song-inspired Bluetooth headset designs


It didn't exactly cause that big a stir when it was first announced, but it looks like Nokia's Music Almighty headset design competition still managed to attract a respectable 6,000 entrants, and Nokia is now showing off the five winners that have been manufactured as fully-functional, one-off headsets. The hook of the contest is that all of the headsets had to be inspired by a song, which expectedly drew a whole range of designs from the stylish Daft Punk "Robot Rock" set above to feat of subtlety that is the R. Kelly "I Believe I Can Fly" headset after the break. Hit up the link below to check out the remaining winners, including not one but two Michael Jackson-inspired sets, and look for the whole lot to make their way to the Nokia Regent Street Flagship store in London next month.

[Via Core77]

Razer Carcharias headset: unboxing and impressions


Razer's Carcharias headset is yet another audio-related diversion for the input peripheral company, and as with its mighty impressive Mako 2.1 sound system, this here headset was remarkably solid. Originally announced at CES this year, this gaming headset is a multi-functional tool that works first and foremost as a two-way communication device for gamers who love to yap while fragging. Secondly, it can double as a really, really decent set of cans. The flip-down microphone can easily fold up and out of the way, and considering just how light these are, they can be worn for hours on end (trust us, we tried) without any sort of ear pain and unusual pressure on your dome.

The lengthy braided cable was slick, the in-line remote was a thoughtful touch and the headband was amongst the most comfortable we've had the pleasure of coming into contact with at this price point. When speaking with Razer CEO Robert Krakoff, he confessed that these were specifically designed to be worn comfortably for upwards of 10 hours, and we believe it. He also noted that customers were clamoring for deeper bass response in its headphone products, and yet again, it delivered in bringing the low-end to these cans. Not once did we feel the bass was magnified out of proportion, and while it's obviously designed to let gamers feel the "booms," we thoroughly enjoyed how it handled good ole rock 'n roll.

All in all, we're comfortable recommending these to PC gamers who could also use a new pair of headphones for music alone. At $79.99, these are solid enough to last you for quite some time, and the superior comfort level here is really what sets it apart. Razer may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think audio, but these are definitely worth a listen.

Astro Gaming's Headset Hanger needs little explanation


Astro Gaming may not produce the most invigorating products out there, but you'd never know it by its marketing approach. In fact, we dare any HP Blackbird owner to give the read link a look and not have even the slightest desire to pick this here gizmo up. The Headset Hanger, contrary to popular belief, actually isn't a makeshift racing wheel; rather, it's designed to be the first (and only, probably) accessory to bolt directly onto the Blackbird's built-in VESA-compliant hardpoint. The purpose? To hold your gaming headphones, which would obviously be the A40s if Astro had any say in the matter. You could spend $19.95 on this just to satisfy your curiosity, but we'd recommend just glancing through the gallery a time or two until you're over it.

Samsung's Capella Bluetooth earpiece invades CES


Samsung swept into CES this year like an alien invasion. Tucked away beneath its awards, massive booth presence, and disrupter blast of products is this sexy Bluetooth earpiece. The Capella (shown tucked inside the receiver) is meant to be worn as a fashion accessory. Hey, that's what they say. And at the risk of being juiced by a Martian, well, we're not going to argue.

iVoice debuts Diamond-X dual mic Bluetooth headset

Sure, it's not as thin as the Bluetrek Metal or as eye-catching as the Swarovski crystal-infused Shimmer Kit, but iVoice's Diamond-X Bluetooth headset is sporting some very nice features, including noise-canceling dual microphones and the ability to report the callers' name from a phonebook. As for the other stats, we've got 5.5 hours of talk time and 200 standby. The Jury's still out on how convincingly it can tell us when our friend Slartibartfast gives us a ring, but for one Benjamin Franklin, you can find out for yourself later this month.

Logitech introduces G-series peripherals for gamers who need lots of buttons

Logitech introduces G-series peripherals for gamers who need lots of buttons
Flush with the success of its G13 gameboard, Logitech is now creating a whole series of peripherals that will all work together to celebrate the seventh letter of the alphabet. The G-series line includes a new $199 G19 keyboard, offering a 320 x 240 color LCD mounted on top and 12 "G-keys" that can have up to three macros assigned to each. Next up is the $129 G35, a 7.1 surround-sound headset with integrated "voice-morphing" options for those who'd rather sound like a space squirrel than domestic gamer. Finally, there's a new flavor of the G9 mouse, dubbed the G9x, which loses the photo-overlay in favor of a maximum DPI of 5000 -- that's a whole 1800 more than before! Those extra dots will set you back $99 when the G9x releases in April, while the keyboard and headset should come about a month earlier.

Ultimate Ears intros Triple.Fi 10vi headphones with built-in mic


We've always drooled after the top end of the Ultimate Ears headphone line, and it looks like we've got a new lust-magnet -- the company just introduced the Triple.Fi 10vi in-ear buds with an iPhone and Blackberry-compatible mic / button. The triple-driver 'phones are said to have the same essential guts as UE's far more expensive custom monitors, and they'll kick out frequencies as low as 10Hz and top out at 17kHz. Yes, we want them. No, we can't justify spending $420 on them. Yes, we're totally thinking about it anyway.

[Via iPodNN]

QPAD rolls out new high-end gaming headset


QPAD may be best known for its gamer-minded mousepads, but it looks like it's now branching out in the peripheral business with a little help from beyerdynamic, which has helped it put together its first gaming headset. From the looks of it, they certainly seem to be off to a decent enough start, with the headset boasting a frequency response of 5Hz to 30KH, ambient noise attenuation to around 18 dBA, a noise-canceling microphone, and a USB converter with volume control and a mic mute button. The ear and headband pads are also replaceable, but it looks like you just get one set with the headset. No word on a price just yet, but it looks like you'll get a fairly generous five-year warranty with 'em.

Walmart exclusive Xbox 360 controller has dragon, lady


There's nothing super special about this exclusive-to-Walmart Xbox 360 controller, other than the fact that it's adorned with a ferociously awesome dragon, a beautiful lady, and an old-timey telephone, and it comes bundled with a terrifyingly hideous headset -- but we bet your new Xbox Experience avatar will appreciate the effort you put into sprucing the place up before his / her arrival. It's on sale now and can be yours for $49.74.




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