Jawbone Bluetooth Headset with NoiseAssassin-Jawbone 2(Black)[Retail Packaged]

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Average Customer Rating:	3.0
Release Date:	2008-06-28
Brand:	Jawbone
Model:	Jawbone II
Color:	Black
Format:	CD
Weight:	2.6 pounds
Dimensions:	1 inches x 0.5 inches x 2 inches [Width x Length x Height]

Product Categories

New in Electronics; Hands-Free; Everything Else; Bluetooth

Product description

The Jawbone 2 is the next step in the integration of best-in-class noise elimination technology with personal design that is both humanistic and minimal. It has powerful noise suppression algorithms for use in the most extreme acoustic noise environments including battlefields and helicopters. The algorithms use Jawbone's two microphones and the VAS (Voice Activity Sensor) to accurately model the noise environment. Jawbone detects when and how a person is speaking, models the noise, and aggressively eliminates it. Conventional "noise eliminating" headsets do not have the VAS and can only estimate when speech is occurring with software-based Voice Activation Detection (VAD) systems. For these systems to work, the speech must be significantly louder or spectrally different from the noise. These systems fail in loud environments or in the presence of other people's speech. Furthermore, because they can't accurately identify the speech signals, they distort the speech in the process of attempting to eliminate the noise. The result of this distortion is a significant degradation in intelligibility and quality in order to achieve a perceptual reduction in noise.

Setting new standards for mobile voice clarity and personal style, the new Jawbone Bluetooth headset by Aliph represents a complete departure from the gadgetry of the mobile headset industry. Originally developed for military use in extreme environments, Jawbone features NoiseAssassin--a proprietary technology that eliminates background noise from mobile phone conversations. Jawbone is the only Bluetooth headset with a Voice Activity Sensor (VAS) that actually feels your speech, which helps Jawbone distinguish your voice from background noise.

The new Jawbone in black.

Widely recognized as the best Bluetooth headset on the market, the new Jawbone is 50 percent smaller than the original, award-winning Jawbone, offer over 4 hours of talk time, and comes with three earbuds and four earloops for a comfortable and personalized fit.

Military-Grade NoiseAssassin Technology
Developed over years of research for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Jawbone's NoiseAssassin eliminates real world noise better than competing headset because it's the only hands free device that accurately separates human speech from ambient noise. Unmatched in its ability to remove noise from loud environments like busy streets, cars, crowded cafes, and airports, NoiseAssassin is comprised of two features unique to Jawbone: a patented Voice Activity Sensor (VAS) and proprietary Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms. Jawbone is the only Bluetooth headset with a VAS that feels the speech vibrations from your jaw. This enables Jawbone to capture the distinct frequencies of your voice. Proprietary DSP algorithms work in concert with two powerful microphones and the VAS to accurately model surrounding noise and aggressively eliminate it from the conversation.

Conventional "noise suppression" headsets do not have a Voice Activity Sensor and can only estimate when speech is occurring. This causes performance issues like voice distortion, especially in the presence background noise.

Not Just a Headset, It's Earwear
Made with premium materials like medical-grade plastic and fine leather, the new Jawbone with NoiseAssassin combines science and beauty in the most unassuming, yet richly detailed product. Every effort has been made to contain best in class noise suppression technology in a miniature form that is 50 percent smaller than the original, award-winning Jawbone.

The new Jawbone accomplishes a clean and sophisticated look thanks to invisible buttons. Touch-surface technology allows the user to operate switches by lightly pressing the outer shield. Curved and rectilinear to follow the face, the outer shield is lightly textured and inspired by three-dimensional noise abatement surfaces. The infer surface, the one touching your face and creating contact with the Voice Activity Sensor, is gently curved to be ergonomic and comfortable on your skin.

Offering a comfortable and personalized fit, the new Jawbone comes with three sizes of earbuds and four earloops--two sizes of leather and two of slim, which are ideal for use with eyeglasses. Jawbone can also be worn on either ear and with or without an earloop.

Specifications

Talk time: Over 4 hours
Standby time: Over 8 days
Range: Up to 33 feet (10 meters)
Weight: 10 grams (0.35 ounces)
Supports Bluetooth 1.0, 1.1, 2.0
80 percent charge in 35 minutes (full charge in less than 1 hour)

What's in the Box
The new Jawbone with NoiseAssassin by Aliph headset, magnetic USB cable and wall charger, 3 earbuds, 2 leather earloops, 2 slim earloops, QuickStart Guide

Features

Bluetooth headset in gold with military-grade noise elimination technology and invisible touch controls

Patented Voice Activity Sensor that feels your speech

Includes 3 earbuds, 2 leather earloops, and 2 slim earloops for a personalized fit

Magnetic USB cable and wall charger delivers 80 percent charge in 35 minutes (full charge in less than 1 hour)

Over 4 hours of talk time and 8 days of standby time

Customer reviews

« improved but not perfect just yet! »

i have had my jawbone II a little over 2 months now and i must say, the smaller size and improved ear loop are very good upgrades. Works great with my blackberry curve. The new size makes it so you can put it in your pocket when not in use (a big deal when wearing dress pants) unlike the larger original jawbone. The noise cancellation system works great just like the original (even with the roof open in the car). Unfortunately, you still have limited volume control, so even though the other person can hear me with the roof open, i usually have to close it to hear them. The click button cycle to raise and lower the volume is still a PITA and if your not careful it's easy to hang up on someone, so your better off adjusting with the volume control on the phone. A slider or small wheel would be more functional, if my ipod headphones can have one i can't see why this unit couldn't. But even so, well worth the C note investment, should you be on the phone a lot while driving. I use my jawbone for about 1 to 3 hours daily during the week and it hardly ever runs out of juice! "buy it"

Rating: (4 out of 5) @ 2008-12-01

« JawBone 2 Greatness bluetooth at the monment. »

I wanted a good fitting bluetooth that I could hear people talking and they could hear me as well. I was surprise with my first jawbone as it did not produce any sound and I sent it back amazon was great with their service and I got my new jawbone in a couple of days. The second jawbone worked great I have no compliants about this product. The price made be a little higher but the quality and comfort make it worth it.

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2008-12-01

« Best bluetooth I have had »

I have had a few, the comfort is ok, the noise control works well for me. It is not as secure on the ear as the plantronics Voyager 510, but I can now talk in my truck without repeating myself and agravating the callers with background noise.

Rating: (4 out of 5) @ 2008-12-01

« The Reality of the Jawbone 2 »

As an avid bluetooth user, after reading countless reviews, and taking the chance to find out if this product would live up to reviews and standards, I am very happy.

The key- if you want to use this product sucessfully...GET THE EARBUDS!

Don't waste time with the supplied ear hook and ear nub. They will not work and what is (to me) a very good product will only become frustrating to the customer. I have NO idea why they just don't give you the earbuds, 5 dollars on amazon (6 sizes)?!

-note- upon getting the earbuds, sometimes you have to order another set due to the inconsistencies of the cheap earbud product, but well worth it once it works

-I will tell the good, and bad

Good: absolutely cannot tell its in my ear, doesn't flash annoyingly when wearing, i work in construction and on the road, never any complaints, has 4+ hrs of talktime per charge, charges 30-45min, easy to sync

Bad: you have to hold the SIDES of the earpiece when adjusting during a call in order not to lose your call, the button for the volume can be tricky at first, but after 5 min you should be able to figure it out. its kinda small, but that is also a good thing

Overall- if you get this product, find a compatible earbud and you will probably never get another bluetooth for a while. but who's to say, alot of different ears exist, so try one out at a local cell phone store AFTER buying the 5 dollar earbuds and placing them on the jawbone.

Rating: (5 out of 5) @ 2008-12-01

« amazing noise cancellation »

Like many others, I need to use the Jabra gel inserts for it to fit my ear correctly. I originally used the smallest earpiece that came with the headset, but it still didn't fit into my ear well enough. I just have really small ears I guess. This was working out fine for me, but the problem I was having is it was difficult to hear everyone even with my volume all the way up. Once I started using the Jabra gel inserts (I had some at home) the fit was amazing and I actually had to turn the volume almost down to the lowest setting, so I have much more volume range to work with now.

I have had no other issues with it besides my ears being too small. I have to say that I would never feel comfortable wearing it without the earloop; it feels like it would fall out. I wish it came with a small earloop. It does have 4 earloops, but it was 2 mediums, a large and an extra large (where's the small??).

The noise cancellation is quite amazing. I have tested it with the radio blasting in my car, I have answered the phone while vacuuming, and tested in the worst of my conditions which was just walking outside or driving in my car (ambient wind noise). All of these situations proved to be extremely clear and crisp to my callers. You can hear some noise very faintly in the background (the caller can) but you can't really make out what it is and my voice is loud and clear for the caller. It's absolutely amazing and what I really bought the headset for. I was waiting for a 2nd edition to this since I heard mixed reviews of the first Jawbone with wind noise.

As far as what people say about hitting the wrong buttons or buttons by accident when adjusting the headset, I don't have any of this or see where you could have an issue unless you had huge, clusy fingers. I hit the rear button sometimes when I adjust the headset, but this won't send any functions unless you're in a call, which will just cycle the volume control once. If you're not on a call it won't do anything since you need to hold it or press it at least three times to get a function command. So, I can't see this ever being a problem because it's not easy to hang up on someone accidently just by adjusting the fit during a call.

One negative since there must be something, right? I wish it came with a small travel USB charger. My old jabra came with 2; one for home and one for travel. I leave the small one in my laptop bag so I can charge off my laptop when travelling or at work. I leave the other one at home to charge at night (by the way, battery life is excellent on this thing!). The Jawbone only comes with one. I guess this is good if they're trying to go green. I must add that the one will work in an outlet or USB, since it is a USB cable (proprietary charging end) that plugs into the AC adapter, but I'm not going to take the cable with me every day in case I need it for work, and then plug it back into the wall when I get home. I guess I could just leave it in my laptop back all the time and only take it out at home when I need to charge it. It would have been nice if the charging connection was just standard mini-USB or something so I could just use a small cable I already have.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your new headset!