Archive for the ‘Product Reviews’ Category
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
I like to use my phone for all my worldly needs, i.e. texting, surfing, listening to my music and social networking. After all that’s why there are so many built in functions to handsets these days and my Nokia 5230 is no different. The functionality is there to let me access all these things whilst I am on the go, but this is giving me a problem – I can’t protect my phone when I’m constantly rushing around, here, there and everywhere and do the things with it I want to do.
Whatever your lifestyle, and for however you use your phone you’ll find a massive range of Nokia 5230 cases over on the main Mobile Fun site, from plush all rounders like the Krusell Orbit Flex to the simple yet effective Nokia Silicone Covers.
This is the case I prefer as it incorporates the Krusell Muliadapt system that allows me to change the clip on the back allowing me to change the way I keep the phone secure. So most of the time I use the belt clip, but occassionaly when I go cycling I can clip into the Krusell Bike Holder.
Nokia 5230 Krusell Case with belt clip
Protects the touch screen perfectly
If a case is not what you are after, there is a huge range of other Nokia 5230 accessories available too including Nokia 5230 charger for when you need that back up power pack, Nokia 5230 screen protector, useful if you just wish to protect the screen of your phone without adding to the bulk of the handset and or course the all essential Nokia 5230 car holder, keeping you from breaking the law without breaking the bank or your body!!
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
The Torch is a great new phone from Blackberry that combines a large touch screen with a slide-out Qwerty keyboard, and is proving very popular. The configuration of the phone means however that protecting it is particularly tricky as it has moving sliding parts and a large vulnerable screen.
My favourite BlackBerry Torch Cover is from Case-Mate and is their barely there bespoke fitting case, which covers all the vulnerable areas of the phone, but without making it too bulky.
The barely-there cover also comes with a screen protector included!
It comes in 2 slim fitting parts that will protect the sliding, back part of the phone, and the second piece will also protect the bezel on the front. This leaves the screen, but they have thought of that too, and the case comes with a high quality and easy to fit screen protector too.
Slim fitting but has all-round protection
So to conclude this BlackBerry Torch Cover really does cover everything including the screen!
If this doesn’t suit you there are other BlackBerry Torch Cases and BlackBerry Torch Accessories available, and soon there will be a silver case BlackBerry Torch version.
Saturday, October 2nd, 2010
I have decided to give a quick review for the, recently arrived, Sony Ericsson VH-700 which is a headset with a difference, as it clips to your clothing and has a more discreet earpiece than most.
The VH700 is a stylish and small earpiece with a thin 12″ cord connecting it to the clip that contains the electronics and battery. This means the earpiece can be smaller than normal, and when not in use you can let it dangle from the clip/cord and pop it in your ear just when needed.
The battery and clever gubbins are built into the clip, so the earpiece is therefore smaller
Sony Ericsson do make good quality accessories and this latest addition to their bluetooth handsfree range of headsets is certainly well built. Connecting via bluetooth to my HTC Desire took less than a minute to set up, and it has never dropped a call or misbehaved. It is worth mentioning that the VH-700 is not the headset for those looking for music as well as phone use, and for this I’d recommend the Sony Ericsson MW600.
I have been using this VH-700 on my commute to work whilst driving, and also when cycling at the weekend to test the sound quality, and overall it is an impressive piece of kit, and for the price it won’t break the bank either.
The call quality is first class as it incorporates full duplex echo cancellation and intelligent realtime noise reduction – well that is what Sony Ericsson call it! In reality I found it to be excellent when I was cycling, with all wind noise reduced. Also when driving with the roof down on my car none of the callers I talked to were even aware I was driving!
Love the button on the earpiece, the one on the main body, not so much.
My one disappointment was the ease of turning it on and off. The rubbery button is recessed into body of the main clip, and it is hard to find in a hurry and too small for my fat fingers. In contrast the button to answer calls is dead easy to operate as it stands proud from the earpiece and can be found without needing to look see it.
Charging is by a Micro USB connection, and the headset came with a mains and USB charging cable, and I also got a spare set of ear buds included. The headset was always comfortable, and light too as the heavy part is in the clip.
Overall I would award the VH-700 a score of 7/10
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
When it comes to Bluetooth Headsets you are spoilt for choice as there are just so many available, but with so many brands available, deciding on one can be a bit overwhelming.
There are numerous bluetooth headset manufacturers, but the top three are Plantronics, Jabra and Jawbone. I’ve already reviewed the Jabra Stone and Jawbone headsets, so I thought I’d take a look at the Plantronics Voyager Pro+.
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
In The Box
Plantronics are quite generous when it comes to the accessories in the box. As well as the standard mains adapter, you also get a continental adapter, a Micro USB charging cable, a car charger adapter and a supply of spare ear buds – more than I’ve seen in any other Bluetooth Headset recently.
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
Features
The Voyager Pro+ is more than just an everyday headset. It’s aimed at road warriors and heavy users that need a strong, clear and reliable headset. In terms of features, the headset packs a lot in to a surprisingly small shell. The pictures don’t really do much to convey the size of the headset, but I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box.
The Voyager Pro+ features a boom mic which houses dual microphones . The microphones have three layers of noise reduction built in to eliminate background noise, road noise and wind noise. One microphone listens out for your voice, while the other one picks up background noise – clever software then removes these noises from the voice microphone for exceptionally clear audio.
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
Another handy little feature that’s built in is the voice prompts. These audible alerts will let you know when your battery is running low and confirm when the microphone is muted. It works well, but it would have been nice if it also read out the callers number when you receive a call.
Battery life is also worth a mention here. It offers up to 6 hours talk time and five days of standby, so even the heaviest of uses shouldn’t have a problem with it running out of power.
Design
Not every one will like the design of the Voyager Pro+ as at first glance it looks quite bulky, but when you see it in the flesh you’ll be surprised at just how small it is. The bulk of the unit sits behind your ear, leaving just the earpiece and boom mic visible.
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
It can be worn in either ear and the microphone is fully adjustable, so finding a comfortable fit isn’t a problem. The number of buttons have been kept to a minimum, both to improve the look of the headset and to keep it simple to use.
Controls & Set Up
There are just 4 buttons on the Voyager Pro+, but they aren’t all that obvious. The answer/end key is exactly where you’d expect it, but the power and volume keys are a hidden away on the main part that sits behind your ear. For the power button, this isn’t really a problem as you’re not really all that likely to turn it off while you’re wearing it, but some people may find the volume keys a little on the small and fiddly side.
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
They’re located on the top of the headset and are quite close together. You shouldn’t have any problems in pressing the wrong one, but as there are no raised markings, you might struggle to remember which is up and which is down!
Setting it up is incredibly easy. I tried one with the iPhone and pairing was almost too easy. The first time you turn the headset is on it goes into pairing mode, so all you have to do is search for Bluetooth devices on your phone. I wasn’t asked for a Passkey on the iPhone, most other new handsets don’t require one either.
Audio Quality
As you’d expect from Plantronics, the audio quality is excellent. The noise cancellation on the Voyager Pro+ is brilliant, I actually prefer it over the Jawbone (which can sometimes make people sound robotic) The ear gels fit well and are quite open in order to channel the sound into your ears, unlike some ear gels that partially cover the speaker.
I had no problems in hearing the caller or being heard even at 70mph on the motorway. It still worked well with the window slightly open, although road and wind noise were increased, but not to the point where the headset became unusable.
Why Choose
Plantronics have been around for a very long time and it shows in the quality of their headsets. The Voyager Pro+ is well built, easy to use and exceptionally clear. It is by far the best option if you spend a lot of time in the car making calls and don’t want a loud speaker.
There are a few features that I’d have like to have seen on the Voyager Pro+, Text To Speech, Support for music playback being the main two but neither are really that important and neither feature prevents the Voyager Pro+ from being an outstanding bluetooth headset.
Also Consider
Jabra Stone
Jawbone Icon
My Rating
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010
The Nokia BH-104 is a simple and easy to use bluetooth headset that won’t break the bank. Having used un branded budget headsets in the past, I’ve never been that impressed by them, but I thought I’d give Nokia’s latest offering a go to see how well it performs.
Nokia BH-104
Controls
The BH-104 is simple to use as it has one button for just about everything – turning it on/off, answering/ending calls and activating voice dialling. Unlike some of the other budget headsets, the BH-104 has got volume controls built in, so you won’t need to reach for your phone to adjust volume levels.
Speech & Audio Quality
The Nokia BH-104 isn’t designed to compete with top-end headsets such as the Jawbone Icon or Jabra Extreme, so you won’t find dual microphones or voice detection sensors. Instead, the BH-104 relies on one single microphone and DSP and noice cancellation software to make your call clearer.
It does a pretty good job. I found that using the headset while driving on a motorway at 60mph with the windows closed I had no problems in hearing the caller or being heard. At around 70mph I found I had to increase the volume, but could still hear/be heard. Opening a window pretty much killed it as there was just too much wind and road noise for me to hear anything, although I could still be heard. It’s also worth pointing out that there’s little in the way of wind shielding on the BH-104, so if you’re using outside on a windy day, the person on the other end of the call may hear a fair amount of wind noise.
Comfort
The BH-104 is an over the ear headset that’s held in place with a flexible earhook. It’s a pretty solid fit, but you may find it a little uncomfortable if you wear glasses, but the same can be said for any over the ear headset. The earpiece sits nicely against your ear and I found that it was still comfortable after several hours of being worn. The ear hook is adjustable and allows you to wear it on either the left or right ear.
Extra Features
There aren’t really any extra features on the BH-104 as it’s such a simple headset. Voice Dialling (if your phone has it) can be activated by pressing and holding the answer key for around 2 seconds, last number redial is activated with two taps of the answer button on the headset.
Charging & Battery Life
Battery life on the BH104 is great, it gives you up to 10 hours talk time and over a 8 days standby time. Charging is nice and easy too, especially if you’re using a Nokia phone as the BH-104 uses the same small pin charger as most Nokia phones. You only get a mains charger included though, so if you need to charge it in the car, you’ll need to invest in a car charger separately.
Overall it’s a cracking headset if you just want something simple and inexpensive and it makes a perfect first headset.
My Rating: 8/10
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