Accessorize Mobile » Bluetooth

Jawbone Getting Ready to Launch BIG JAMBOX!

Accessorize Mobile Team — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:53:28 +0000

I’ve said many times before that the Jawbone JAMBOX is one of my favorite accessories. Recently we showed you the new limited edition colored JAMBOX, but now let us tempt you again. AndroidPolice is reporting that Jawbone is getting ready to unveil the BIG JAMBOX which will be a much larger version of the current JAMBOX Bluetooth speaker. The BIG JAMBOX has huge dimensions of 10.1 x 3.2 x 3.7 inches and is rumored to be retailing for $300 (according to iLounge). The BIG JAMBOX also recently made a visit to the FCC where it gained approval as much number J2011-03-US. Here are some rumored specs of the BIG speakers:

Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 3.2 x 3.7 inches ; 2.7 pounds
Item model number: J2011-03-US
Bluetooth Wire Free Speaker and Speakerphone
Up to 12 hours of battery life
Wall Power Adaptor, 60″ USB Cable, and 3.5mm Audio Cable Included
Wireless range of 33 ft.
Fill up any room with unbelievable sound

There is no word when the product will be officially available, but we hope to get our hands on one real soon…

* Image above is only a mock up and NOT official.

Deal Alert: Refurbished Jawbone JAMBOX for $129

Accessorize Mobile Team — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:56:23 +0000

Have you been dying to get your hands on the JAMBOX by Jawbone, but didn’t want to fork out $200? Well we have some good news for you. Jawbone is now listing refurbished JAMBOX’s on their online store for only $129. This is an awesome deal for such an awesome product. I’ve said it so many times on this site, the JAMBOX is one of my favorite Bluetooth gadgets still to this day. The Refurb JAMBOX’s include a 60-day warranty as well and are available in select colors. You can check out the deals or pick one up at jawbone.com.

Jawbone Unveils Limited Edition JAMBOX: Green Wave

Accessorize Mobile Team — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:23:11 +0000

If you didn’t already know I’m a huge fan of the JAMBOX by Jawbone. It’s a portable Bluetooth speaker system designed to give your music a boost. Well Jawbone has just unveiled a new limited edition color called Green Wave, and it looks pretty awesome. Jawbone says hurry, because these limited edition colors are only available for a short period of time. The JAMBOX in Green Wave is available from jawbone.com for $199. If you want to know more about the JAMBOX? Check out our review of the JAMBOX here.

Review: Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard by Hip Street

Susan — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:10:46 +0000

I know that having a BlackBerry PlayBook, my only obstacle is typing on a touchscreen device. The Canadian company Hip Street has a universal Bluetooth keyboard that works with both the BlackBerry PlayBook and iPad 1 and 2. I had to check it out for myself.

The Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard by Hip Street has a price tag of $47.99. It has a few clean features, so I’ll include those for you.

Features:

Bluetooth 2.0 keyboard with 49 keys
Great for typing, texting and simple to use
Rechargeable battery
Colour LED status indicator lights
Charging time: 3-4 hours
Working range: 10 m (32 ft)

Hip Street has their online address and phone number for Customer and Technical Support included in the brochure that comes with the device.

For system requirements, the following are compatible:

BlackBerry PlayBook
Apple iPad/iPhone with iOS 4.0 and up
Windows Mobile OS
Google Android OS
Nokia Symbian S60 OS
Computers with Windows/Mac or Linux OS
Other similar devices with Bluetooth

The package arrived, and I couldn’t wait to unbox it and check it out. The package came with the keyboard (115*60*9.6 mm), user manual, and a usb cable. I always charge a device to a full charge prior to pairing them. One feature I found interesting is that it has Multimedia keys for Play/Pause, volume up/Down, Forward and Rewind.

Pairing was easy once the device was charged. There are three important things to take note of. The charging LED light, the pair/connect LED light, and the pair/connect button. Next to the charging port sits the on/off switch. You switch it to on, turn your tablet Bluetooth to on, press the pair/connect button and ready for you to search with your Tablet for a Bluetooth device. When you find the keyboard, click to pair. It will show you the pairing code, which you type into your keyboard and click enter and there you go!

I love the size of the keyboard, it’s very similar to having a keyboard just a tad wider than my BlackBerry device. Once I started using it, I had no problem using it. The keyboard is simple, comfortable to keep in your hands to type, and also has a decent battery life in it.

Cons: It takes a little to get used to the mini keyboard since I’m more used to having a full size keyboard to type on, but once you get used to it, it’s easier to use. It’s similar to typing on your BlackBerry device, only a tad larger.

Pros: The portability because of size is very nice. It’s easy to take with you on the go and use it anywhere. It’s a great gift idea as well.

You can find the Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard by Hip Street at Hip Street’s website here

You can also find the Mini Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard by Hip Street at Amazon here

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Jawbone introduces the ICON HD Bluetooth Headset + The NERD

Accessorize Mobile Team — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:28:07 +0000

In the past we’ve used nearly every Jawbone headset, and the ICON model was by far the most compact model. Recently Jawbone introduced the LiveAudio update for the JAMBOX, which brought “music to life”. Well now Jawbone has updated one of their most popular models, the ICON, with the new ICON HD + The Nerd. The new ICON HD brings a 25% larger earpiece for the best sound experience, HD audio, and of couse the MyTALK platform so you can always stay up to date on the latest apps for your Bluetooth headset. The Nerd is a handy companion that plugs into any USB port (on PC or Mac) and allows connectivity between several Bluetooth devices at once. The new Jawbone ICON HD + The NERD is on sale starting today for $139. from jawbone.com. Check out the press release below for all the details…

JAWBONE® INTRODUCES ICON HD + THE NERD AND COMPANION FOR ANDROID

− ICON HD + The NERD Lets You Listen to Hi-Def Audio Across Multiple Devices, Mobile & Computer, With One Headset, Wire-Free while Jawbone COMPANION for ANDROID Makes it Easy to Live Hands-Free and Stay on Top of Your Schedule, Battery Life, and Conference Calls −

SAN FRANCISCO – August 30, 2011 – Jawbone®, an innovator of products and services for the mobile lifestyle, today unveiled ICON HD + The NERD and Jawbone Companion for Android, a set of new products and updates to help people get the most out of a mobile & PC hands-free audio experience.

Jawbone ICON HD is a headset that offers the richest HD audio and, with The NERD, it brings plug & play connectivity to any USB-equipped computer. Using them together, you can simultaneously connect with any two devices (laptop, phone, tablet) and switch between audio (music, video, games, & more) and calls (mobile & VoIP). The ICON HD + The NERD bundle sells for $139. Jawbone Companion for Android is available now as a free download from the Android Market.

“Users want one headset to aggregate the music, movies, games, and other audio content found in the devices they use every day,” said Travis Bogard, vice president of product management and strategy.

“Our goal at Jawbone is to design mobile products that give you ultimate wireless freedom, and that’s exactly what these new products deliver. ICON HD + The NERD lets you wirelessly listen to media from your Mac or PC and transition across multiple devices. Jawbone Companion makes the idea of being truly hands-free a reality by automatically notifying and connecting you to meetings and calls throughout the day.”

One Headset for Everything

Jawbone ICON HD is based on the company’s previous award-winning ICON line, and updated with the rich HD-quality speakers that users love from the latest Jawbone ERA line of headsets. ICON HD boasts a 25% larger wideband speaker than the original ICON offering the richest, most life-like and clear sound in Hi-Definition audio as you talk on the phone, listen to music, watch movies and play games.

ICON HD also delivers on Jawbone’s legacy of unparalleled noise-cancelling expertise with militarygrade NoiseAssassin® 2.5 technology. For the first time, the headset lets you control your media playback with AVRCP play & pause, allowing you to listen to a podcast on your walk to work and pause it with the touch of a button when the barista is ready to take your morning coffee order.

“Multi-tasking is a part of everyday life,” continues Bogard. “Unfortunately, most mobile products aren’t designed with this in mind, making transitioning from one device to the next cumbersome and a pain to manage. ICON HD + The NERD solves this problem by streamlining all of the audio from all of your devices into one wire-free headset.”Wire-Free™ USB Audio

The NERD is a Wire-Free USB audio adapter that makes connecting the ICON HD to any USB-equipped device as visceral as plugging in headphones, but without the mess of cords. As soon as you plug The NERD into any USB port, it will automatically register as a USB audio device and connect to your ICON HD headset so that you can listen to music, watch videos, play games or take VoIP calls – no software downloads required, no hassle of Bluetooth setup. It also allows you to adjust volume on both your headset and via the master volume control on your Mac or PC.

About half of the length of other USB adapters, The NERD has a modern design that’s smaller and more discreet, so it won’t interfere when plugged into a laptop. It’s compatible with both PC and Mac.

The ICON HD features the same sleek, elegant design as the original ICON headsets and is available in the Denim finish. Beginning today, the Jawbone ICON HD + The NERD bundle can be purchased on Jawbone.com for $139.00, with in-store availability coming soon.

Always Connected, Always Up to Date

As with all Jawbone products, ICON HD + The NERD can be updated via Jawbone’s MyTALK platform, ensuring that it will become even richer over time. MyTALK offers original applications that make Jawbone ICON HD + The NERD even better, including the new Jawbone Companion application.

Jawbone Companion for Android is Jawbone’s latest application for Android users to keep them connected to their mobile devices, completely hands-free, in situations that matter the most. The application allows Android users to view their headset’s remaining battery life on their phone, and dialin to conference calls on their calendar, directly from their Jawbone headset. No more back and forth between emails to find your conference call’s dial-in number and passcode – Jawbone Companion announces, with a whisper in your ear, when you have a scheduled call, and with the push of a button, enters all your dial-in information.

Previously, Jawbone Companion was in a limited phone Beta with interest and support from over 20,000 testers verifying phone compatibility and providing feedback. With this feedback, Jawbone has released a general available version that provides users with features they want while supporting several Android devices and more on the way. For a complete list of compatible Android devices, please go to Jawbone.com/Companion.

For more information, images and product demos on ICON HD + The NERD as well as Jawbone Companion for Android, please visit: www.Jawbone.com/Press, MyTALK.Jawbone.com, or follow @Jawbone on Twitter.

About Jawbone®

For more than a decade, Jawbone has developed products and services for the mobile lifestyle unparalleled in their innovation, ease-of-use and sophistication of design. The company is the creator of the award-winning and best-selling premium Jawbone ERA and ICON Bluetooth headsets; the inventor of NoiseAssassin® technology, the world’s first and only military-grade noise-eliminating technology; JAMBOX, the first intelligent wireless speaker and speakerphone; and the highly anticipated UP by Jawbone, a revolutionary system (wristband + app) that tracks your sleep, activity and eating habits and puts that information in the palm of your hand. A 2010 IDSA Design of the Decade winner, Jawbone is committed to delivering innovative products that improve the mobile lifestyle through ever-changing software and wearability. Jawbone is privately-held and headquartered in San Francisco.

ZAGGkeys SOLO – A Bluetooth Keyboard Designed for Any Tablet

Accessorize Mobile Team — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:07:46 +0000

ZAGG just made a pretty cool announcement on their blog. ZAGG announced the upcoming launch of the ZAGGkeys SOLO, a Bluetooth keyboard designed for any tablet, including the Apple iPad, BlackBerry PlayBook, Samsung Galaxy Tab, and Motorola XOOM. The ZAGGkeys SOLO allows users to use their tablet in portrait or landscape view and acts as a stand. ZAGG has not announced an exact launch date for the ZAGGkeys SOLO or pricing. We should also point out that ZAGG plans to launch this product in several colors. If you have any iPad or iPad 2 then check out ZAGG.com as they currently have the ZAGGmate for iPad available. Also stay tuned as we’ll let you know when its officially available.

Review: Celluon Magic Cube Bluetooth Projection Keyboard and Mouse

Susan — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:02:04 +0000

Ever watch CSI or spy movies where they pull out a small device and turn it on and it lays out a laser illuminated keyboard? This is the device we’re talking about, the Magic Cube. It’s the geek’s ultimate toy that’s easy to use, portable in size, and leaves convenience at your fingertips.

The Magic Cube can be found online at the Think Geek website. The price of the Magic Cube is $169.99. Inside the shipping box was a container the size of the jawbone’s. A small rectangular plastic box.

In the box are:

the Magic Cube
USB Cable
User Manual
Quick Start Guide

Product Features:

Projects a full-size laser keyboard onto any flat surface
Allows the convenience of full-size typing in a tiny form factor
Connects wirelessly via bluetooth to iPhone, iPad, many Smartphones and most Laptops
Mouse mode allows you to use your finger as a mouse rather than typing when using with a laptop.
Rechargeable battery lasts for 150 minutes of continuous typing
Charges via USB. No drivers to install

Product Specifications:

Compatibility: iPhone 3GS/4, iPad and iPad2 (iOS4), Blackberry tablet, Android 2.0 and higher, Windows Phone 7, Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS
Interface: Bluetooth HID and USB 2.0
Keyboard Layout: 19mm sized QWERTY layout
Detection rate: Up to 400 characters per minute
Operating Surface: Most flat opaque surfaces
Battery duration: Approximately 150 minutes, 700mAh built-in rechargeable battery

I was really surprised to see how small the Magic Cube really is. The back of the cube has the mini USB port, HID/SPP mode switch and the power switch. The bottom has the Serial Number of the device. The front has the sensor, battery/bluetooth/keyboard/mouse/charging/operating status LED and the pattern projector. There’s even a strap loop so you can take it on the go.

My first task was to charge the Magic Cube so I could pair it. I let it sit for a while, about two hours. I then used the User’s Manual for pairing instructions. Because I use the BlackBerry Bridge, my Bluetooth is already on the BlackBerry PlayBook. I then turned on the Magic Cube and on the BlackBerry PlayBook set it to find new devices. it found the Celluon and I tapped it to pair. The message popped up “Celluon would like to pair with your phone. Enter the passkey “xxx” on Celluon”. I was surprised. I typed this in and instant pairing. Once you pair the keyboard to a device, if you turn it off and turn it back on, it will instantly pair.

There are a few adjustments I had to make. One was adjusting the key stroke sound level. You can make it louder by pressing and holding the FN key and pressing the up or down arrow key. There’s 6 sound levels.

Adjusting the brightness was another. This is the FN key being held down and press the left or right to adjust the brightness. There are three levels of brightness and when turned on, it’s set to the second level by default.

I also needed to increase the sensitivity of the keyboard. It’s easy to adjust it, just click on the buttons furthest out on the keyboard until your pressing of the key is recognized.

I found the device to be really easy to use, and it’s definitely reliable. I was able to type on it with ease however one notices the keyboard to be a bit different. It’s missing the :/; and “/’ keys between the enter key, as they sit on the top row of the keyboard, so it’s a tad bit different to type on when you type on the conventional keyboard.

The Magic Cube was everything it seems to be. Sometimes the sensitivity was set so high it would type two or three letters at once, but I wasn’t complaining. I like having the full keyboard.

It’s also a great conversation piece as well, convenient and there’s only a few conditions that you need to avoid.

direct sunlight
low color temperature light source like tungsten, halogen, or incandescent lamp.
uneven or irregular surfaces, use only flat surfaces.
a table or surface that is as transparent or reflective such as glass or a mirror.
placing objects between the unit and the projected keyboard.

If you’re looking for a keyboard to match your needs, being extremely portable and easy to customize, then the Magic Cube is waiting for you.

The cons: The keyboard is a bit differently laid out while it’s still qwerty, it has a few keys placed differently which makes the traditional typing a bit different and takes getting used to. It requires a flat surface to work, and isn’t recommended for glass. Takes a few seconds to “tune”.

The pros: The keyboard pairs easily, no “magic tricks” necessary. It has

You can purchase the Magic Cube by Celluon from Think Geek for $169.99 here

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Logitech teams up with Jabra to introduce co-branded Headsets

Accessorize Mobile Team — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:02:19 +0000

Jabra Speak 410 USB Speakerphone

This morning Jabra let us know that they’re teaming up with Logitech to offer co-branded accessories. Logitech will be launching three ~~Bluetooth~~ co-branded products, which will be branded Logitech powered by Jabra. The three models include the Logitech BSP420 USB Speakerphone (Jabra SPEAK™ 410), the Logitech BH970 Wireless DECT Headset (Jabra GO™ 6430) and the Logitech BH870 Wireless Bluetooth Headset (Jabra PRO™ 9450). You will see these products start hitting shelves in July 2011. Check out the press release below for more details.

Press Release:

JABRA EXPANDS CHANNEL PRESENCE THROUGH DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH LOGITECH

Nashua, NH – June 21, 2011– In order to seize the significant growth opportunity within Unified Communications (UC), Jabra and Logitech have entered into a distribution agreement, where Logitech will be offering a number of select Jabra headsets under the co-branded name “Logitech powered by Jabra.”

From July 2011, Logitech will sell select Jabra UC headsets to Logitech’s channel partners and business customers, initially in the North American market. As a second step, later in the year, the co-branded headsets will be rolled out globally. By combining the channel reach and broadly known brand of Logitech with high-quality Jabra headsets, Jabra has taken an important first step in significantly expanding the presence of Jabra headsets in all relevant North American sales channels where Jabra headsets are currently not present.

Jabra will continue to sell its wide portfolio of Jabra branded headsets to its current channel partners and the enterprise sales team will continue to address large UC opportunities with the Jabra branded headsets.

“Jabra’s intention is to be a leader in the UC space and the agreement with Logitech is an important step in achieving this. We are very pleased to announce the agreement with Logitech which we believe will lead to more people using Jabra headsets for their UC solutions,” said Jabra CEO Mogens Elsberg.

“Adding voice to the UC experience is one of the most important factors for a successful deployment and adoption of the technology. We expect that the combination of Jabra’s quality headsets with the Logitech brand and channel reach will increase the awareness of UC headsets as a category to the benefit of both parties and the existing Jabra channel network,” Elsberg continued.

“This collaboration with GN Netcom will enable Logitech to be a full solution provider for Unified Communications,” said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech president and CEO. “Businesses will now have a single company for a full range of UC solutions – from the meeting room with LifeSize video conferencing end points and infrastructure products to PCs, Macs and tablets with webcams, headsets and speakerphones.”

The first three “Logitech powered by Jabra” products will be available in July and will include the Logitech BSP420 USB Speakerphone (Jabra SPEAK™ 410), the Logitech BH970 Wireless DECT Headset (Jabra GO™ 6430) and the Logitech BH870 Wireless Bluetooth Headset (Jabra PRO™ 9450).

About JabraThrough its Jabra brand, GN Netcom is a world leader in innovative headset solutions. With around 850 employees and sales offices around the world, Jabra develops and markets a broad range of wireless headsets and in-car speakerphones for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact center and office-based users. GN Netcom is a subsidiary of GN Store Nord A/S. Read more on www.jabra.com

Meet the JamChain for JAMBOX by Jambone – Get One Free with Purchase!

Accessorize Mobile Team — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 00:52:26 +0000

If you don’t know I absolutely love my Jawbone JAMBOX Bluetooth speaker (see review here). Jawbone has just introduced the JamChain, which works with the Jawbone JAMBOX so you can wear it around your neck in style. The Jawbone JAMBOX runs you $199 USD and is available in four colors (black, blue, red, or grey). Simply use coupon code “JAMCHAIN” during your order to get the free neck chain. You can also check out Jawbone’s official JAMBOX music video below…

Check out the JamChain at Jawbone.com

Review: JawBone JAMBOX Bluetooth Hi-Fi Speaker

Accessorize Mobile Team — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:57:07 +0000

Jawbone was one of my first favorite Bluetooth headsets with superior noise cancellation. Late last year Jawbone announced their first ever Hi-Fi Bluetooth speakers, and ever since then I’ve been dying to get my hands on them. Well a couple weeks ago the folks at jawbone hooked me up with a JAMBOX to take a peak at. About two weeks have gone by since I first received them, and I’ve pretty impressed! I call it the little box of big sound. The JAMBOX brings a small punch, thanks to its tweet, woofer, and single dome speakers capable of up to 85 decibels. This thing just sounds amazing.

Tech Specs:

I thought I would include some of the more technical specs on the Jawbone JAMBOX for those interested:

Output Level: 85dB at 0.5m
Frequency Response: 60 Hz – 20 kHz
Length: 151mm
Width: 57mm
Height: 40mm
Weight: 327 grams (12oz)
Wireless Range: at least 33 feet
Bluetoothv2.1 compliant
Supports Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
Profiles Supported: Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Hands-Free Profile (HFP) 1.5, Headset Profile (HSP) 1.1

The Body:

At first glance you really don’t know what the JAMBOX is. The JAMBOX comes in very flashy colors (including Blue Wave seen in this review). The top of the JAMBOX reminds me of an old school Nintendo controller, then the front, back, and sides are all speakers. The entire speaker set is encased in a soft touch rubber material, which gives it some great grip. The JAMBOX measures in at 151mm in length and 57mm in height, making it a small compact Hi-Fi speaker.

Included in box:

Each JAMBOX comes in a classic shoebox with a old school stereo on the lid. In the shoebox is a user guide, neoprene carry case, micro USB cable, wall adapter for USB cable, stereo headphone cable, and an extra micro USB cable to connect it your PC or Mac.

MyTalk Platform:

Previously Jawbone announced their MyTALK platform with the launch of their ICON Bluetooth headset. The MyTALK platform is basically an operating system built into the headset; it allows you to personalize your headset with apps and new voices. The MyTALK platform also allows you to do software updates over the web, which is pretty simple. I had a chance to run an upgrade from my MacBook Pro and it updated easily. I was quite impressed that Jawbone supported Mac OS X, as well Windows. You can read up on the MyTalk Platform at jawbone.com.

Built-in Speakerphone:

While testing the JAMBOX I didn’t spend much time on my phone, but I did manage to take a few minutes out to place a call with some friends to get their thoughts on the sound quality. Overall no one had complaints about how the microphone sounded, it seemed to pick up for voice clearly and removed most background noise. As for the sound quality on my end, it sounded perfect.

Where to buy:

The Jawbone JAMBOX can be found at various retailers in the United States, including Best Buy, RadioShack, AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, and other electronics retailers. If you don’t want to go in store you can also find the JAMBOX at Jawbone.com for $199.

Colors and Pricing:

The JAMBOX is available in four awesome colors (Black Diamond, Blue Wave, Grey Hex and Red Dot) for $199 USD each. You can check out the Jawbone JAMBOX from jawbone.com/jambox.

Battery Life:

I was curious to see how the JAMBOX performed battery life wise. While I don’t have much experience testing Bluetooth speakers, I have used a ton of Bluetooth headsets. Jawbone rated the JAMBOX for approximately 10 hours of consistent music playback. After using the JAMBOX for about a week (on and off) I found that Jawbone’s claims were about right. I got approximately 9.5 hours.

Speaking of battery on the JAMBOX. The MyTALK platform we talked about above allows you to download an app to your iPhone or BlackBerry smartphone to keep an eye on your JAMBOX’s battery life.

Final Thoughts:

While the JAMBOX might not fit everyone’s price range, it makes an awesome travel companion. Its small compact size brings a sound punch like no other Bluetooth speakers in its category. The MyTALK platform is really just one more reason why you should take a look at the JAMBOX. It’s pretty awesome that you can upload applications and even different voices, Sadly I don’t believe this review will just the justice, because its one of those devices you really need to put your hands on and test for yourself. Overall I am extremely happy with the JAMBOX and we give it our highest rating of 5 out of 5.

Accessorize Mobile’s Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

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