Art of the iPhone

How To Fix and Replace a Cracked & Broken iPhone Screen

If you have a broken iPhone screen, the warranty unfortunately does not cover accidental damage—it’s going to cost you money to get it fixed. To repair it, you have three options:

  1. Get it fixed at an Apple store.
  2. Do it yourself.
  3. Send or take it to a third-party repair company.

Below is a look at each option along with the costs and advantages/disadvantages of each.

Apple Store

The most convenient way to get your cracked iPhone screen fixed is to take it to an Apple store. Apple keeps special equipment in their store and can have the iPhone repaired in about 15 minutes. Be sure to make an appointment at the genius bar before heading to the store (you can do this online).

The cost of repairing your screen is $199. Why so expensive? Because not only does Apple replace the glass, they also replace the LCD screen, sensors behind the screen, and the home button.

If you paid $199 to buy your iPhone, this may seem expensive, but the price you originally paid was a subsidized price, meaning the wireless carriers paid for part of the iPhone.

The Apple store is the most expensive option, but it’s also the most convenient and safest. We recommend this option, especially if your screen has stopped working.

Do It Yourself

Another option to fix a cracked iPhone screen is to do it yourself. And it’s dirt cheap. You currently can find a repair kit on eBay for around $20. The website iFixIt sells an excellent screen repair tool kit for around $80 that comes with adhesive strips, metal spudger, spudger, 26-piece screwdriver kit, suction cup, touchscreen glass, and integrated digitizer.

It’s not a simple process to fix an iPhone screen. Apple didn’t intend for you to take the phone apart, so they’ve made it difficult. You’ll need a good set of instructions. The iFixIt site has instructions that accompany its screen repair kit. There are also videos on YouTube that walk you through the process, including an excellent 5-part series by GetterScott‘s, the first of which is shown below:

There are always dangers with the do-it-yourself approach. First, it voids the warranty on the iPhone. If your iPhone conks out and you take it to Apple to be repaired, they could, in theory, refuse to fix it (if they notice your repair work). Second, you could do even more damage to the iPhone, again voiding the warranty. Third, the damage that created the broken screen may have hurt other parts of the iPhone as well, in which case, repair may be beyond the do-it-yourself scope.

Third-Party Repair

Using a reputable third-party repair company to fix the iPhone can save money over Apple’s price, especially if it’s just the outer glass that is damaged, and not the LCD or electronics underneath. These companies can also repair other parts of the iPhone as well. A popular iPhone repair company is Milliamp.com, which charges $120 + shipping to fix the iPhone screen.

A Google search will reveal dozens of companies that offer to fix your iPhone, many for dirt cheap. It’s important to pick a reputable one. There are dangers in using a third-party company, including scam artists who will steal your iPhone or hack into your private information.

You can also search for local iPhone repair shops. The New York Times recently did an article on the burgeoning iPhone-repair cottage industry. It’s much easier to find such repair shops if you live in a large city, but those who live in smaller towns may have to go the mail route.

What About Insurance for Accidental Damage?

There are a few companies that offer insurance for the iPhone. Best Buy offers a Geek Squad Black Tie Protection Plan that costs $16 a month and covers all sorts of damage, including cracked screens. You’ll need to purchase the iPhone at Best Buy in order to sign up for the protection plan.

State Farm used to offer insurance for the iPhone for a mere $40 a year that covered accidental damage. It was called a “personal articles policy.” However, due to the number of claims they received, they’ve discontinued coverage of the iPhone. You should check with your insurance agent for similar plans.

5 iPhone Apps That Password Protect Your Photos

There are plenty of good reasons why you might want to password protect photos on your iPhone, from protecting family photos from falling into the hands of strangers to keeping sexy photos from prying eyes. Here are 5 apps that can password protect photos on the iPhone.

My Secret Folder

My Secret Folder ($0.99) is our top choice for protecting your photos and videos, as it has several tricks up its sleeve to keep things private. First, the app’s icon camouflages itself as a folder filled with apps. Someone peepin’ your iPhone won’t suspect it’s an app at all! Next, the app requires a password to open. If someone tries to break in, the app records the password they enter and even displays the number of times someone tried to break in via a badge on the app’s icon! Download.

ePhotoChest

ePhotoChest (free) locks your private photos with a password. The app requires a password before granting access to photos. You can add photos from the iPhone’s Photo Album or via the camera. (For complete privacy simply delete the photos outside of the app.) The app supports multiple folders, landscape viewing, slideshows, and shake-to-lock. Even though your photos are protected inside the app, you can still move them in and out of the app and onto your computer easily enough if you choose to do so. Download.

PhotoFolders

PhotoFolders ($0.99) is a powerful little app that not only lets you protect your photos with a password, but also allows importing of photos from your computer via home WiFi network. Other features are drag-and-drop file support, email photos, slideshows, optional upgrade to video support. Download.

My Eyes Only Photo

My Eyes Only ($2.99) offers both password protection and encryption for your private photos. If your iPhone is stolen and hacked, 256-bit AES encryption keeps photos safe from prying eyes. Photos can be taken via the iPhone’s camera wihin the app and immedialtely be encrypted and password locked—no need to delete from the iPhone’s Photo Album. Other features include full data wipe if the wrong password is entered 6 times, sending of photos via MMS, and movement of photos back into the iPhone’s Photo Album.

Photo Safe Pro 2010

Photo Safe Pro 2010 ($1.99) password protects your photos and offers a ton of other features to boot. Probably the most powerful of the extras is the ability to transfer your photos from your computer into the app using an FTP connection. Other features include mutilple folders, slideshow, Snoop-Stopper, and a slick interface.

.folder

.folder ($0.99) is a simple app that let’s you password protect your photos. An interesting feature is a Recommended photo browser within the app that pulls sexy images from Flickr, ffffound, 4u.straghtline.jp, and tumblr. Supports importing of photos from the iPhones photo library or direct from camera.

Game Review: Sword & Poker

Casual strategy and puzzle games have long been standout genres on the iPhone, as their gameplay tends to fit perfectly with the iPhone’s interface and mobile usage. So it’s particularly exciting when we come across an excellent game in this area. Sword & Poker ($3.99) is an addictive, challenging game that belongs in the top tier of casual iPhone strategy games. Poker and RPG elements may seem like strange bedfellows, but here they combine perfectly to create a deep game with layers of strategy. We found Sword & Poker to be rewarding casual gaming.

At the heart of Sword & Poker are the mechanics of poker. Players are given 4 cards each round that they place on a gameboard of 9 random cards to create poker hands like pairs, straights, flushes, etc. Forming hands deals a certain amount of damage to the enemy depending on your character’s weapon and other factors like shields and spells. And that’s where the RPG elements come in. As enemies are defeated, you gain gold and collect treasures, with which you can buy new weapons, shields, and health points (in the form of “coins”) to make your character stronger.

The blending of Poker and RPG strategies makes for a great if somewhat strange combo. The poker element has you running through the various possible hands as well as watching your opponent’s cards. The RPG element has you waiting for the right moment to cast spells that can favorably rearrange the cards and deal massive damage. The blending of the two requires a multi-layer approach to your thinking. Yes, the game eventually grows complicated, but it also does a good job of slowly introducing each layer of strategy so players are not overwhelmed at the start.

Although Sword & Poker is mostly a thinking man’s game, it’s also possible to play (and win) with minimal brainpower. But that approach takes longer, and battles will be much messier. A clever use of a spell and cards can sometimes end a battle in a single stroke, preserving your own resources for the next opponent. It’s this blend of a casual difficulty level with rewards for advanced strategy that works so well on the iPhone.


Continue reading…

Review: Secret of Monkey Island, Special Edition

All the laughs that made it a classic are still there in this iPhone version of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition ($7.99). And that’s ultimately why players should revisit the game and why we give it our recommendation. But grab a walkthrough, because its interface wasn’t ported well. The ill-designed touch-cursor system replaces mouse and keyboard and slows the game way down. And the iPhone’s tiny screen makes discovering the game’s innumerable tiny hidden objects a joyless task. But once you get the general idea of what to do, Secret of Monkey Island plays out like the world’s funniest interactive comic book, and you’ll enjoy nearly every moment.

I had never played Secret of Monkey Island until this version (I was a Maniac Mansion kid myself) but knew of it via word of mouth. Still, I was caught off guard by how funny the game is. Most surprising was the great voice acting. Already working with a great script, the actors deliver the lines in a way that wrings out every last drop of comedy. The graphics, music, and sound effects are likewise professionally done.


Continue reading…

Review: Artwizz SeeJacket Crystal Case for iPhone 3G & 3GS

The Artwizz SeeJacket Crystal ($25) case is designed to be a full-protection solution for the iPhone, covering both front and back. While we liked the solid feel and 360-degree protection of the case, we’ve noticed a wear-and-tear problem with clear plastic cases in general, and with the SeeJacket specifically, we had problems with decreased touch sensitivity. That and a few other flaws prevent us giving the case a recommendation.

Right off the bat, we had problems with the ClearJacket. The case is composed of two pieces that snap together around the iPhone. It took us a good 15 minutes to get the tiny grooves that ultimately hold the case together to snap into place. It almost seemed as if the case was made too small. The good news is that once the grooves are snapped into place, the case holds together well—we had no fear of it accidentally coming apart during normal use.

Brand new, the case looks nice on the iPhone. At least from the back. The clear plastic allows for the Apple logo and lettering to show, and when looked at from afar, it may appear as if there’s no case at all. The front of the case is a combination of black plastic frame that covers the iPhone’s own black bezel and a clear plastic casing that covers the iPhone’s screen. Also on the front are two visually odd elements: an “L” shaped cutout for the iPhone’s light sensor as well as a thin disc of plastic that goes over the home button (a complaint about which we’ll get to later).

This is the second clear plastic case we’ve reviewed, and we’re noticing a bad trend. The cases show dirt and scratches too well. After using the ClearJacket for only two weeks, it looked like we had been using it for two years instead. The case was covered with scratches and gouges that were made highly visible thanks to the clear plastic. Likewise, dirt and grime was way too visible. One advantage of opaque rubber silicone cases have over hard plastic cases is that silicone doesn’t display such scratches and darker cases can hide dirt.

But the SeeJacket’s killer flaw is that we found it decreases the iPhone’s touch sensitivity. Right off the bat, the iPhone frequently did not recognize our finger touches. We had to be much more deliberate in our touches to get consistent recognition. Overtime, we got used to touching the iPhone in a certain way so that it recognized our fingers, however, we also found that the extreme corners of the screen became dead spots—a big problem when typing in landscape.


Continue reading…

iPhone Basics: How to Show Battery Percentage on the Home Screen

If you’re looking for a little more precision in just how much juice is left in your iPhone battery, the iPhone has a way to display battery life as a percentage next to the battery icon. To turn on this feature, follow these instructions. Note that this works for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and on.

1. Tap Settings:

2. Tap General:

3. Tap Usage:

4. Slide the Battery Percentage tab to On:

Be sure to check out more of our iPhone Basics and iPhone Tips.

Top 20 iPhone Headphones (Best of iPhone)

1. Etymotic HF3 Headphones

The Etymotic HF3 earphones ($120) top our list because they’re the best overall combination of sound quality, value, and comfort in iPhone-compatible headphones. The HF3 are an updated version of the previously highly-recommended Etymotic HF2 earphones. The HF3’s have recently been named the Editor’s Choice of MacWorld UK.

For sound quality, the HF3’s deliver all-around performance, with strengths being tight and precise bass levels and crystal clear mids and highs. MacWorld UK’s Karen Haslam says, “treble and midrange clarity are superb, allowing us to hear things that are inaudible on cheaper headphones, and the bass was just right, rather than overpowering or non-existent. If you are a real bass-lover then there are more bassy headphones out there, but we feel that too much base detracts from the rest of the track.” MacLife’s Ray Aguilera called them “the new gold standard” in iPhone headphones.

The HF3’s also go out of their way to make sure their eartips are comfortable in your ears. They come with 3 different types of tips: a set of foam ear tips for those with problematic ears, 2 sets of trip-flanged tips (small/large), and a traditional silicone eartips. The HF3’s have been updated with an angled 3.5-mm plug that is less susceptible to wear and tear and also with a three-button control dongle (the HF2’s had a single-button control).

Helpful Links:

Official Etymotic HF3 Website

MacWorld UK review: 5 out of 5, Editor’s Choice, “High end technology for a mid-range price.”

MacLife review: 5 out of 5. “Etymotic’s hf3 are the new gold standard.”

Pocket-Lint.com review: 4.5 out of 5 stars. “Rounded, well balanced, although slightly lighter on bass.”

Head-Fi.org review: “The all round combination of stunning fidelity, rampant isolation, the mic and do dah really propels these to a level few can touch.”

Amazon.com: Etymotic HF3

2. Scosche IEM856md

The Scosche IEM856md ($250) are canalbud-style earphones that have the rare design element of combining dynamic drivers with balanced armature drivers. The combination is rare because earphones are usually designed around one or the other. Dynamic drivers typically offer heavily driven, bass-focused sound, while balanced armature drivers offer a well-rounded clinical experience. The Scosche IEM856md’s make the unique combination work, especially in the low end, with Matt Ward of MacWorld saying the IEM856md’s offer “the most-impressive-sounding bass I’ve heard at or below this price point.” Overall, the IEM856md’s offer the full sonic experience weighted slightly toward the bass side—perfect for modern music.

The Scosche IEM856md are not exactly stylish headphones, but they do contain a few nice functional design elements. First is the flat ribbon cable that is not only rugged but also helps prevent those annoying tangled cord nests that take forever to unravel. The IEM856md also offer the requisite three-button dongle control and a microphone, which sits by its lonesome self on the right cord. The 3.5mm headphone plug bends at a 45-degree angle to help reduce stress on the cable.

Included with the Scosche IEM856md are a good range of accessories, including 6 sets of eartips—3 single-flanged and 3 double-flanged eartips in three sizes each—a zippered carrying case, and a shirt clip. The headphones are often offered at a steep discount (I’ve seen them as cheap as $150 on Amazon).

Helpful links:

Official website for Scosche IEM856md

MacWorld review: 4.5 out of 5 mice. “You’ll be hard pressed to get both the SE315’s accuracy and the IEM856md’s dynamic bass without spending more.”

The Gadgeteer Review: “[Scosche IEM856md] are trying to have their cake and eat it too. With the unusual pairing of armature and dynamic speakers into a single earphone, they’ve pretty-much succeeded.”

Amazon.com: Scosche IEM856md

3. Klipsch X10i

Klipsch X10i Headphones

The Klipsch X10i ($350) are Klipsch’s top-of-the line headphones and thus come at a premium price (although they can often be found at discounted prices—I’ve seen them as cheap as $250). In terms of sound reproduction, the X10i’s offer excellent performance across the spectrum with an especially meaty low end. CNET’s Steve Guttenberg said the X10i’s have “the sort of weighty sound we expect from larger headphones” and that the X10’s “sweet, laid-back tonal balance flatters all types of music.” One reason for the X10’s impressive sound performance is the 5 different-sized eartips that help owners find a tight, snug fit, and channel the X10’s premium sound reproduction efficiently into the ear.

The X10i’s are also one of the most comfortable earphones on the market due to the fact that they are one of the smallest and lightest full-featured earphones currently available for the iPhone. They weigh in at a light 10 grams and come with 5 different-sized sets of Klipsch’s Countour ear gels (3 sets are double-flanged). The only downside is that their thin, light cords are also a durability liability.

The headphones come with a quarter-inch adapter for non-iPhone and iPod music players, an airline adapter, a cleaning tool for ear wax removal, a faux leather carrying case, and a small pouch carrying case.

Helpful links:

Official website for Klipsch X10i earphones

iLounge X10 review (same earphones as X10i, only without the three-button dongle): B+ Recommended. “[I]t is the smallest and lightest [earphone] with this quantity and quality of bass performance.”

Engadget review: “The self-proclaimed audiophile, however, could very well find the X10i to be a far more delightful experience.”

CNET X10 review (same earphones as X10i, only without three-button dongle)

Amazon.com: Klipsch X10i

4. Klipsch Image S4i

Klipsch S4i Earphones in White

The Klipsch Image S4i ($99) are one of the best values in iPhone headphones when it comes to price combined with sound quality. And they’re not bad looking either. The S4i’s have been awarded an Editor’s Choice by CNET and are also a top recommendation of Art of the iPhone.

The S4i’s overall sound reproduction is impressive, with CNET reviewer Jasmine France saying “Straight up: these earphones sound stellar.” The S4i are weighted toward delivering a bass-heavy sound that’s not too overbearing and perfect for modern pop music. But the kicker for the S4i is that the mids and highs are also delivered with detail, with CNET noting the S4i “deliver an excellent amount of clarity and detail throughout the high-end” and that the “S4[i] earphones are the best we’ve heard in their price range.”

The S4i are also one of the more stylish earphones out there, available in traditional Apple-inspired white as well as black. They are made from a glossy plastic with chrome accents that looks better in person than what the photos can show. The lone downside is durability issues, with its thin cord and rubber/plastic construction, these aren’t headphones you can throw into your backpack or yank out of the iPhone and expect to keep on ticking. But in reality, that’s an issue with just about any earphone.

The S4i include a three-button dongle complete with microphone to give you full control over music and phone calls.

The Klipsch S4i’s come with 3 sets of rubber silicone eartips, a cleaning tool for earwax, and a carrying case.

Helpful links:

Official website for Klipsch S4i

CNET review: 4.5 out of 5 stars. “These supercomfy noise-isolating earphones offer shockingly stellar sound quality.”

Art of the iPhone review: 9 out of 10, highly recommended. “[R]eproduce an impressive range of sound for their price range.”

Amazon.com: Klipsch Image S4i $99 black, and white version

5. Velodyne vPulse

The vast majority of headphones on this list have a bass-heavy sound—it seems to be a requirement for modern-music lovers these days. But perhaps the king of bass-heavy earphones for under $100 is the Velodyne vPulse ($99). Velodyne is famous for its stereo subwoofers, so they know a little about bass. Here they’ve done a perfect job of translating their know-how into a smaller package, as CNET’s David Conroy notes in his review of the vPulse, the earphone “delivers impressive bass, so you’re in for a treat if that’s your pleasure, especially at this relatively modest price point.” Brent Butterworth of Sound and Vision also verifies: “No doubt about it, the vPulse is the IEM for bass freaks.”

Even though they are relatively cheap, the vPulse don’t skimp on other important features either. They are extremely comfortable earphones, mostly due to the well-designed eartips, 4 different-sized sets of which are included with the earphones. CNET’s Steve Guttenberg says, “Part of the appeal [of the VPulses] is comfort; it’s exceptional in that regard.”

A flat, linguine-shaped cord helps prevent annoying tangles. The vPulse’s earphone jack is L-shaped, a style known to reduce wear and tear on the plug over time. And, of course, they come with a three-button dongle compatible with Apple devices, including the mighty iPhone.

Overall, the Velodyne vPulse are one of the best values in iPhone earphones, only challenged by the similarly priced Klipsch S4i. The vPulse are available in two colors: black or blue.

Helpful links:

Official website for Velodyne vPulse earphones.

MacWorld review, 4.5 out of 5

CNET review #1 , 4 out of 5 stars

CNET review #2, and follow-up

Sound and Vision Magazine review, Certified & Recommended

PC Magazine review, 4 out of 5

Amazon.com Velodyne vPulse $99

6. Phonak Audéo PFE 232

Why are the Phonak Audéo PFE 232 ($599) so expensive? Superbly balanced audio performance without distortion even at peak volume levels. The PFE 232 also come with with 3 sets of swappable audio filters that can alter the overall tonal balance of the headphones, so audiophiles can tweak until everything is just perfect. So if the PFE 232 have such great sound, why aren’t they higher on the list? Because build quality, with its pedestrian, black-and-gray rubber design and thin cord, does not live up to the $600 price tag. They do, however, have that all-important 3-button iPhone dongle.

Phonak is a huge international hearing aid manufacturer, and their technology is created in-house, as opposed to licensed from some cheap overseas manufacturer. They know their stuff in both comfort and audio performance. If you can get the Phonak Audio PFE 232 substantially cheaper than the $600 manufacturer’s price tag, they might be worth it as they do deliver premium sound quality, but at full price, they’re not exactly a good value. T

The PFE 232 come with 3 sets of foam eartips and 3 sets of silicone rubber eartips. Also included is a zippered carrying case and a tool set for changing out the audio filters. A two-year warranty is also included.

Helpful links:

Official website for Audeo PFE 232

PCMag review: 4 out of 5

CNET review: 4 out of 5 stars

iLounge review: B-, limited recommendation

Amazon.com: Phonak Audeo PFE 232

7. Bowers & Wilkins C5

Reviewers don’t entirely agree on the Bowers & Wilkins C5 earphones ($180). The source of contention is the C5’s unique adjustable Secure Loop system that can change the fit of the earphones in-ear. PCMag’s Tim Gideon says the C5’s adjustable loop provides “the most secure fit you’ll find aside from custom-molded ear monitors.” CNET’s David Carnoy, however, says the design “isn’t universally comfortable (doesn’t work well in all ears).”

Opinions on the C5’s sound quality are a little less varied. Most agree, these are premium-sounding earphones with an emphasis on bass that should please most lovers of hip hop and modern music in general. Mids and highs are delivered in a premium, clear way, but also in a slightly flat way (with very little character) to make room for the bass. If there is a criticism, it’s that clinical listeners may find the bassy nature of the sound too much.

It’s also important to note that the C5 earphones aren’t true in-ear headphones, but rather canalphones that lay in between in-ears and over-the-ears. The C5’s provide a good seal around the ear canal, so there is some sound isolation. PCMag notes, however, that the C5’s project some outward, meaning the person next to you will also enjoy some of your Justin Bieber.

Included with the C5 ships are 4 pairs of extra silicone eartips, two airline adapters for a 3.5mm connector, and a zip-up carrying case.

Helpful links:

Official website: Bowers & Wilkins C5 headphones

PCMag review: 4.5 out of 5, Editor’s Choice

CNET review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Engadget review: “We definitely think the C5s deliver when it comes to sound quality with great instrument separation and a roomy soundstage, even if the highs are a bit bright for our tastes.”

iLounge.com review: A-, highly recommended

MacWorld.com review: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: Bowers & Wilkins C5 Earphones

8. DiddyBeats In-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk

Diddybeats Headphones in White

The DiddyBeats In-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk ($150) combine high fashion with durability and excellent sound reproduction. The headphones are part of the stylish line of Dr. Dre Beats line of headphones, and thus deliver the requisite deep bass and well-rounded mids and highs. The earpieces are conical-shaped, glossy, and trimmed with leather. The cord is thick and durable, with a flat ribbon style to help prevent tangling. The inline control dongle is located on the cord and comes with a microphone, 2 volume buttons, and function button that starts/stops music, answers/ends calls, and moves music tracks forward/back. The Diddybeats headphones come with an impressive range of eartips: 1 pair of foam tips (fits all sizes of ears), 6 pairs of different-sized silicone tips, and 2 triple-flanged tips. A travel pouch is also included.

Helpful links:

Diddybeats Official website

CNET review: 4 out of 5 stars

Digital Trends review: 7.5 out of 10.

PCMag review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon.com: DiddyBeats In-Ear Headphones with ControlTalk

9. Klipsch Image S5i Rugged

The Klipsch Image S5i Rugged ($110) are versatile earphones designed to be used both indoors and out. They are water-resistant (but not waterproof) earphones that should survive basic sweat-producing sport activities like running, snowboarding, etc. In terms of sound quality, the Klipsch S5i are designed to provide an impressive full bass experience that fits in perfectly with most modern music. In that area, it doesn’t disappoint, as it truly produces an impressive booming low-end. But the sound is not quite as well-rounded as the previous-gen Klipsch S4i, as the S5i suffers some lack of clarity in the mid to high ranges. Overall, the S5i provides distortion-free sound quality even at high volume levels and a rich listening experience worthy of its $100+ price tag. The S5i comes with a built-in microphone and three-button control dongle. The lone complaint about the S5i is that the dongle is larger than the average earphone dongle, meaning some runners might find it cumbersome when running. A shirt clip is included to help alleviate that issue. Also included is a cool-looking case with a feature we’ve never seen before, a built-in LED light with a steady or strobe-light mode that, via a belt clip, can be attached to your person and used for safe running at night. The S5i comes with 4 pairs of different-sized ear tips.

Helpful links:

Klipsch S5i Official website

CNET review: 4 out of 5 stars.

Engadget review: “…rich reproduction of lows and mids with a noticeable emphasis on bass. Not a surprise since the Image S5i headphones feature the same acoustic characteristics as the Image S4i.”

Amazon.com: Klipsch S5i $110

10. V-Moda Remix Remote Headphones for iPhone

The VModa Remix Remote ($80) are stylish, bass-heavy headphones that provide excellent sound isolation and solid durability. In addition to the typical modern emphasis on bass, the headphones deliver a warm mid range and a decent high range as well, allowing it to easily outperform cheaper models. For improved durability, the headphone jack is gold plated and has an “L” shape that decreases wear and tear (but may cause difficulty with some iPhone cases). The cord is 34 inches long, rubber coated, and has a built-in microphone/remote dongle. The headphones come with a fabric carrying pouch, sports earhooks for stabilization during workouts, 4 different-size sets of clear silicone ear tips, and 4 sets of black silicone eartips. The headphones are available in several different color combinations.

Helpful links:

iLounge review: B+, Recommended.

CNET review: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: V-Moda Remix Remote headphones $80

11. Maximo IP-595

The Maximo IP-595 ($79) are canal-bud earphones that come with attractive polished-metal earbuds and a cloth-wrapped cord, available in black or white. The headphones include the all-important, iPhone-friendly 3-button control dongle with microphone.

The sound quality of the Maximo IO-595’s can be summed up with one word: value, especially if you can get them cheaper than the $80 suggested retail price. Sound reproduction is excellent, providing both crisp highs and well-rounded lows. Mids are adequate but not as detailed as more expensive earphones. Overall, sound quality is excellent for its price range, but lacks the high detail capability of premium headphones.

Included with the IP-595’s are 3 sets of eartips (small, medium, large), extension acble, shirt clip, and small carrying case.

Helpful Links:

Official Maximo IP-595 website

MacWorld review: 4 out of 5 mice.

Amazon.com: Maximo IP-595

12. Apple In-Ear Earphones

Apple In-Ear Headphones

Apple’s In-Ear Headphones ($70) are a step-up from the default earphones in terms of sound quality. The In-ears have dual sound-drivers that provide well-rounded neutral sound. The Apple In-Ears come with the same microphone and control button found on the default headphones. Packaged accessories are 3 different-sized sets of eartips, and extra set of “speaker grilles” or the eartips, and a plastic carrying case. One downside I’ve noticed for these headphones is that earwax tends to clog the metal speaker grilles, severely affecting the sound. Good thing a replacement set is included.

Helpful links:

Official Apple In-Ear Headphones website

iLounge review: B, recommended.

CNET review: 4 out of stars.

Amazon.com: Apple In-Ears $70

13. Bose MIE2i Headphones for iPhone

Bose MIE2i Headphones

The Bose MIE2i headphones ($130) rest outside of the ear canal and thus are not in-ear headphones. The headphones come with StayHear eartips, which are curved, bendable pieces of silicone that are attached to the earbud and fit into the curve of your ear to add improved stability and fit. Included with the headphones are 3 size of StayHear earbuds and 3 sizes of regular (non-StayHear) earbuds. The MIE2i deliver above average sound quality are balanced like most modern headphones, with an emphasis on bass, but lacking the clarity of more expensive “premium” headphone. Reviewers also noted below-average treble response. The MIE2i’s are Apple-certified to work with iPhone/iPod.

Helpful links:

Official website for Bose MIE2i

CNET review: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: Bose MIE2i $130

14. Sennheiser MM70 iP

The Sennheiser MM 70 iP ($99) are canal bud earphones, meaning they have dome-shaped earbuds that do not penetrate as far into the ear as true in-ear headphones, yet still retain some degree of sound isolation. The MM 70’s come with a three-button control dongle with microphone, and in a nice touch, the volume buttons on the dongle are differentiated by small bumps that allow you blindly find them with your fingers.

The MM 70 iP offer solid but not exceptional sound reproduction. The mid to highs have a moderate level of detail, and the bass is boomy, but the bass details tend to get lost in the boom. The overall sound reproduction of the MM 70’s lacks the oomph of similarly priced earphones.

Included in the packaging are 6 sets of eartips (3 single-flanged sets and 3 dual-flanged sets, each with small, medium, and large sizes), shirt clip, fake leather pouch, and cable wrap.

Helpful Links:

Official Sennheiser MM 70 IP website

MacWorld review: 3.5 out of 5 mice.

Amazon.com: Sennheiser MM 70 iP

15. Shure SE115m+

Shure SE115m+ Headphones

The Shure SE115m+ ($119) earphones, released in late 2009, have the three-button control dongle that newer iPhones and iPods have support for. The biggest selling point for the headphones are the eartips—it comes with 6 different-sized sets: 3 made of a form-fitting foam material and 3 of silicone rubber. If any set of eartips is going to fit comfortably in your ears, it’ll be Shure. In terms of audio reproduction, the headsets deliver better-than-average performance at best, with decent bass but weak mid- and high-range sound. Still, a little disappointing for a premium-priced product from one of the better earphone companies. The main upside in terms of sound comes with solid sound isolation. Besides the plethora of eartips, the headphones come with a carrying case and a cleaning tool for de-clogging the earwax from the eartips.

Helpful links

Official Shure SE115m+ website

iLounge review: B-, limited recommendation.

Amazon.com: Shure SE115m+ Headphones $119

16. a-Jays Four Headphones

The a-Jays Four ($69) are durable headphones that come with a flat rubber cord designed to be tangle-free. The a-Jays come with a three-button dongle with microphone to allow for full control over the iPhone. In terms of sound quality, the headphones deliver a warm, smooth sound with an emphasis on bass that works well with modern music. Mids and highs are adequate, but lack the detail of more expensive premium headphones (ie, cymbals aren’t crisp in the mix). The a-Jays are essentially a value buy, providing good audio quality at a solid price, especially if you can get them for less than the $70 suggested price.

The a-Jays Four come with 5 sets of different-sized silicone earbuds.

Helpful Links:

Official a-Jays Four website

CNET review: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

MacWorld review: 3.5 out of 5 mice.

Amazon.com: a-Jays Four

17. Woodees Vintage In-Ear Headphones With Mic for iPhone

Woodees In-Ear Headphones ($60) are for the audio enthusiast who swears by wood for providing the sound acoustics in their speaker cabinets and musical instruments. The body of the headphones is made of natural wood, and the sound reproduction focuses on providing a warm mid- and high-range, best for listening to classic rock and jazz. Lovers of bass-heavy music will find the performance solid but not as good as bassy earphones from V-Moda or Klipsch. The iPhone version of the headones comes with a microphone and three-button call/music control dongle. The earphones come with 4 different-sized eartips and a carrying case.

Helpful links:

Official Woodees website

iLounge review (Classic version without 3-button dongle): B, recommended.

CNET review (Classic version without 3-button dongle): 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: Woodees In-Ear Headphones

18. Skullcandy 50/50 iPhone-Compatible Headphones

The Skullcandy 50/50 ($40) are affordable headphones that are available in 6 different colors. The 50/50 come with the iPhone-friendly 3-button control dongle with microphone, giving the user full control over calls and music. Sound quality-wise, you get what you pay for. The 50/50 are tuned to be bass heavy and provide some oomph at the low end, but lack detail and crispness in mids and highs. Overall sound quality is a step up from the iPhone’s stock headphones, especially when it comes to bass performance, but not by much. The headphones are also somewhat fragile, with a thin, easily tangled cord and being built mostly from plastic. Skullcandy includes 3 soft silicone eartips in 3 different sizes.

Helpful Links:

Official Skullcandy 50/50 headphones website

CNET review : 3 out of 5 stars.

PCMag review: 3.5 out of 5

Amazon.com: Skullcandy 50/50 Headphones

19. V-Moda Vibe II Headphones for iPhone

V-Moda Vibe II Headphones

V-Moda knows how to build stylish headphones, and in this area, the V-Moda Vibe II ($98) don’t disappoint. Made out of stainless steel and available in two colors (black and rouge), the headphones have a two-tone design and a X-shaped framework that fits over the earbuds. In terms of sound, the Vibe IIs are tilted toward a powerful low end. The headphones are a step up in terms of sonic clarity of the previous generation of V-modas, but not quite in the realm of premium headphones. The Vibe IIs have a durable design, with its stainless steel earbuds, fabric-covered cord, and bendable headphone plug that prevents cracking from repeated used. Included with the earphones are 4 different-sized silicone eartips as well as special earhooks that give the headphones more stability for use in sports activities like jogging. Also included is a stylish leather carrying case.

Helpful links:

CNET review: 3.5 out of 5 stars

iLounge review: B, recommended

Cult of Mac review: 4 out of 5 stars.

Amazon.com: V-Moda Vibe II $98

20. Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi for iPhone

Ultimate Ears Super fi 4vi Headphones

The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi ($99) offer premium sound reproduction that focuses on the bass spectrum while still reproducing solid mids and highs. The earbuds are constructed of lightweight aluminum and the eartips are silicone and are generally comfortable to wear. Included are an impressive 5 different-sized sets of eartips, with one of the sets being double-flanged. The in-line microphone produces impressive sound on-par with the default iPhone headphones. One drawback to earphones are complaints of lack of durability, so potential buyers should factor in how they’ll use the headphones. Besides the 5 sets of eartips, the earphones also come with a carrying case as well as a 2.5mm adapter for non-iPhone and iPod devices.

Helpful links:

iLounge review

Amazon.com: Ultimate Ears Super.fi 4vi $99

20. (tie) Altec Lansing Muzx Ultra Mzx606

The Altec Lansing Muzx Ultra Mzx606 ($40) headphones deliver surprising quality at loud volumes for such small earbuds. Overall sound quality is good, delivering a warm rich sound that expresses mids and highs, but merely average bass performance. The sound reproduction is a step above being merely clinical, making the Mxz606’s a value buy. The headphones come with an iPhone-compatible control dongle with built-in microphone and call/music controls. Also included are four sizes of earbuds for you to find the right fit. Downsides are that the tiny Mxz606’s, with the thin wires, aren’t the most durable of headphones, so you’ll need to take care how store and travel with them.

Helpful links:

Engadget review: “a distinct lack of low-end…the mids and highs were pretty impressive, and quite accurate even when pressed at higher volumes.”

Amazon.com: Altec Lansing MZX606 Ultra Headphones

Review: Kensington Car Dash Mount for iPhone

  • News
  • January 29, 2010
  • 1

One obstacle after purchasing an iPhone car mount is finding the right location to place it. Some drivers like to mount their iPhones high next to the rear view mirror, others like them to sit low on the dash for less visual obstruction. Wherever you choose, the Kensington Dash Mount ($25) conveniently includes two methods of attaching itself to your car: a suction cup for windshields and a sticky tape holder for the dashboard.

The Kensington Dash Mount can hold just about any rectangle-shaped device less than four inches wide. A blue button on the back releases two padded clamps that grip your device. You place the iPhone in between, then squeeze the clamps together until the iPhone is held snug. The foam padding protects your iPhone from scratches and squeezes around the iPhone so that it’s held securely. There are also two pivotable padded feet that the iPhone sits on. To release the iPhone from the mount, simply press the blue button again.

The long curved arm of the mount can be adjusted to move up or down, then tightened with a knob so that it no longer moves. Near the head is a ball joint that allows you to tilt the face of the iPhone in a free-swinging manner. A knob near the ball joint can be tightened so that the head of the mount won’t move while the car is in motion. The ball joint also allows for the iPhone to be viewed on its side (in landscape).

For windshield mounting, the Kensington has a suction cup attached to the base of the arm. The suction cup comes with a special lever that you pull once the cup is stuck to the window that increases the suction and tightly holds it in place. In my testing, I was able to achieve a tight hold that supported the weight of the iPhone for the entirety of a 5-hour vacation drive. It even held when condensation built up on the foggy window.

Comes with a sticky pad mount too.

For mounting to a dashboard, the Kensington comes with what looks like a shallow cupholder, the base of which is covered with sticky tape. To mount, you simply stick it to your dashboard, then use the suction cup to attach the rest of the mount to the slick plastic “cupholder.” In my tests, the suction cup held securely in the holder, as did the sticky tape. WIth a little elbow grease, the sticky tap can be removed from the dashboard. I found no damage or reside after removing the holder.

(Does not come with car adapter cord)

The mount leaves both the top and bottom of the iPhone open, so there’s plenty of space to attach a car power adapter and an audio cord to plug into your stereo.

Most impressive about the Kensington’s performance was that it remained remarkably stable during my drives. I experienced no wobbling or shaking. With the adjusting knobs turned tight, the movable parts also stayed likewise stable.

Conclusion

The flexibility of the Kensington Dash Mount is what makes it one of the best choices for an iPhone car mount. Its dual mounting methods, a cradle capable of holding a myriad of devices, and its movable arm and ball-joint cradle means anyone can adjust and tweak until the iPhone sits just right in the car. We rate it a 9.5 out of 10, highly recommended.

Review: Top 5 Financial & Investing iPhone Apps

  • News
  • January 26, 2010
  • 0

1. CNBC Real-Time

CNBC Real Time (free) is our favorite financial app. Its two most powerful features are its useful push notifications and real-time stock quotes (no delay). The app also features full CNBC video segments, the ability follow your stock portfolio, and just about every other feature you’d want from a financial news app.

While apps like Bloomberg and MarketWatch offer more text content, Real-Time is all about video, and they do it very well, offering long clips from various CNBC shows. The videos feature important or interesting moments from the CNBC broadcast day, but again, the clips are usually long, usually 8-10 minutes and are almost always worth watching. Real Time does offer text articles too, but they’re somewhat sparse when compared with the other apps.

Day traders should love the app’s real-time stock quotes. Other apps, and most websites for that matter, delay quotes by 15-20 minutes—a disadvantage for traders. The Real-Time app also automatically refreshes the stock prices for you, which means if you turn off the iPhone’s auto-sleep function, the iPhone could become a terminal for traders to watch the second-by-second rise and fall of their investments.

Creating a portfolio of stocks in the app is quick and easy. Simply tap the My Stocks tab, then tap the Edit button. You can also add new portfolios by tapping the New button, in case you wanted to keep a separate retirement or other account.

The app has a neat 3D, carousel-like menu system at the top of each section. Simply swipe your finger to rotate through the various topics for that section. It makes for an efficient use of space on the iPhone’s screen and a surprisingly clever interface design. Very slick.

The app also comes with free push notifications that alert you breaking business-related news stories. The alerts are handled well—there aren’t too many, and the news is usually important enough to warrant a “breaking news” alert.

Conclusion

Its combination of slick graphics, real-time quotes, easy-to-manage portfolio, video content, and push notifications make CNBC Real-Time one of our favorite financial apps. Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

2. Bloomberg

Bloomberg (free) has been on our Best of iPhone Apps list for a year now, and everything we pointed out in our previous review is still relevant. We love how economical the app is in presenting important financial information, and it’s content is all original and second-to-none in quality.

Bloomberg has four tabs along the bottom: News, Markets, My Stocks, and Stock Finder.

News is a easy-to-scan list of the day’s financial headlines—tap any one to read the article. What we love about the list style is how quick it makes getting an overview of the financial world. There’s no need to navigate through subtopics and news genres—it’s all just there in one spot. You can customize topics in the list by tapping the Edit button. Drag and drop the topics to rearrange their order. For example, I subscribed to the top “Most Read” and then slid my finger so that its stories will appear first in the list.

Markets offers a quick look at the various indices and global markets, not only for the US but also global.

The My Stocks tab lets you track individual stocks, mutual funds, ETFs, etc. To add a stock, simply tap the Edit button in the top right. You can also add information like shares owned and price paid per share so you can track your daily worth. It’s important to note that there are a lot of “hidden” features within that app that you can discover by using a careful eye and/or by tapping around the screen. For example, tapping the center column in My Stocks will cycle through stock price, shares owned, current value, day’s change in value, and the price you bought in at. The other columns feature have similar switchable features.

Bloomberg was, I think, the first app to offer full-screen stock charts that are activated by turning the iPhone on its side. Now, every major financial app offers the same feature. With Bloomberg, you can pinch or spread your fingers to expand or shrink the chart. Holding your finger on the chart will bring up a crosshairs that will pinpoint the stock’s historical price for that day.

The Stock Finder tab is simply a quick way to search for and pull up information on individual stocks, mutual funds, etc. To find a stock, simply type the company’s name or stock symbol into the search bar. Tapping on the company’s name among the results will bring up a page filled with various types of info, like current price, a chart, related news headlines, and a brief summary of the company. You can also navigate to the related news stories or turn the iPhone on its side to read the full-screen chart.

The app only has a few small downsides. First, the quotes don’t appear to be in real-time like with the CNBC Real-Time app. Usually financial websites and apps tell you if the prices are delayed or real time, but the app doesn’t say. However, I tested the prices against those on Google Finance’s website (which offers real-time too) and the prices seemed to be lagging by about 15 minutes. The other downside is that the app offers audio news, but it’s way too sparse and the content too questionable to be of much use.

Conclusion:

The Bloomberg app is all about quick and easy access to financial news and information. Its strength is in its minimalistic design that allows you to take in a lot of information in an efficient way. Rating: 9.0 out of 10.

3. Yahoo! Finance

The Yahoo! Finance app (free) has a slick look and full feature set, but it’s not quite as user friendly as it should be and requires a learning curve—it really should come with a user guide.

Yahoo’s iPhone apps have been of dubious quality so far, but one thing they get right is making their apps look good with the right amount of white space and readable fonts. The Yahoo! Finance app is a pleasure to look at and read.

The app offers 4 tabs to navigate through the app: Summary, Quotes, Research, and Tech Ticker.

Summary offers a quick overview of the financial world. It shows a small list of major indices (S&P 500, NASDAQ, etc) at the top followed by a list of the top news articles, and the day’s most active stocks and stocks whose prices went up or down the most in the day. You can tweak the info shown by tapping the lowercase “i” in the bottom right corner. We would love this screen except for one thing: it inexplicably leaves out the ability to add and track individual stocks.

For tracking individual stocks, there are two methods. The first is the Quotes tab, which features little graphical boxes stuffed with financial information. The widgets are configurable, so you can expand or shrink them to show more information. In their largest size, they show stock price, the current day’s chart, and 3 news stories. You can get rid of the widgets style and replace it with a basic list view by tapping the lowercase “i” in the bottom right corner. You can also add and remove stocks in these settings.

If you track your portfolio using the Yahoo! Finance website, you can import the portfolio into the app by tapping My Portfolio in the Research tab. You’ll have to log in to your Yahoo account in order to import. But you can’t edit the portfolio, which is very disappointing.

The app features full screen charts, which are accessed by turning the iPhone on its side. You can pinch and zoom and also hold your finger on the screen for a few seconds to pinpoint a stock’s price on a specific day.

The Research tab is where you’ll find financials news. The headlines (and a small blurb) are presented in an easily scannable list, but tapping them causes them to open in a browser within the app. The news is mostly from the Associated Press, but there is some aggregation of other business news sources as well.

The final tab, Tech Ticker, feature’s Yahoo’s financial video content. The videos stream to your iPhone over WiFi and 3G. The topics covered are usually interesting but filled with opinion, and we find the various hosts to be somewhat dubious in quality.

Conclusion

Overall, the Yahoo Finance app is slick and feature-packed, but it requires a bit too much from the user. Only after some tweaking does the app’s true usefulness come to the surface. We can recommend the app for its features, but we put it in third place because it’s not user friendly and much of its news is subpar. Rating: 8.2 out of 10.

4. MarketWatch

MarketWatch (free), like its website, focuses on financial news coverage and original content. The app also comes with an interesting voice-to-text feature that reads articles to you using a pleasant computerized voice.

The app’s most interesting feature is text-to-speech. Every news article comes with a “Listen Now” button that, when pressed, will launch the iPhone’s media player and read the article to you. There is even a “Cruise Control” option that will read all articles to you back to back, crating a sort of financial news podcast.

The app offers full-screen stock charts when turn on its side, like all the other apps. But it lacks any interactive features such as pinpointing dates for specific stock prices.

The navigation bar at the bottom can be configured to your tastes. You can add, remove, or rearrange the tabs at the bottom with various topics like Top Stories, Investing, Interational, etc.

In terms of appearance, MarketWatch cripples itself by placing a large ad at the bottom of the screen. Other apps have ads too, but most do not place it on the main screen, and if the do, the ad disappears after a few seconds. Marketwatch‘s annoying placement of their ad limits the amount of information you can take in at a glance, and when the iPhone is turned on its side, it makes the app useless.

With the Watchlist tab, MarketWatch makes it easy to create a portfolio to track you favorite stocks and funds. Just use the search bar to look up a stock and tap the “Add to Watchlist” button. But once again, the annoying ad interfers and only allows 4 stocks to be visible on the screen at a time.

Conclusion:

MarketWatch’s strength is in its content. We can recommend the app mainly as a secondary source to read about recent financial news. Rating: 7.7 out of 10.

5. DailyFinance

DailyFinance (free) has all the features you’d want in a finance app, but unfortunately the content is too buried and spread out amongst a cumbersome menu system. The app also requires that you sign up for an AOL Instant Messenger account in order to track a stock portfolio. Why? I don’t know, but the process does a nice job of wasting your time.

DailyFinance has five tabs along the bottom to help you navigate. They are Markets, News, Movers, my Stocks, and Get Quotes.

Markets is the default screen when the app is opened; it shows the performance of the important indices (Dow Jones Industrial, S&P 500, NASDAQ, etc), both for the US and global. It also shows a single “top market news” story above the indices. It’s a good design choice for the default screen, but why not add stocks I want to watch as well as more news stories below with this tab?

Tapping the News tab brings up another menu-filled screen. There’s an impressive range of news subtopics, but nothing to read—no headlines or articles, just subtopics. Only when you select one do you get a small selection of articles. There’s little reason to spread out the news like this. Besides offering AOL’s own exclusive content, the app also aggregates news from other sources, which the app opens in a browser inside the app.

The last three tabs, Movers, My Stocks, and Get Quotes, revolve around getting stock prices and info. These three tabs could have easily been combined into one to save you a lot of time—but that’s the theme with this app.

DailyFinance did have one feature that I really liked, its charts. All of the apps offer landscape, full-scren stock charts, but DailyFinance lets you pinpoint specific dates on the chart using your finger and a “crosshairs” feature. Point or drag to a specific date, and you’ll call up that day’s price and volume.

Overall, the information in DailyFinance is impressive in scope but too spread out, and our favorite iPhone finance apps do just about everything a little better.

Conclusion:

Despite being packed with features, DailyFinance suffers from poor design. Cumbersome account requirements and an inefficient menu system slows down the user experience. Rating: 6.0 out of 10.

Top 10 iPhone Bluetooth Headsets (Best of iPhone)

1. Aliph Jawbone Icon

The Aliph Jawbone Icon ($99) not only offers best-in-class audio, a slim profile, and 6 stylish designs to choose from, it also has an internal programmable chip that allows users to alter the functionality of the headset via “apps,” which can be downloaded from the Jawbone MyTalk website. The apps do things like change the device’s computerized voice or map speed dial numbers. For iPhone users, the chip also allows the headset to add a battery icon next to the iPhone’s battery icon on the home screen—a nice and helpful feature.

The Icon features Jawbone’s best-in-class ambient-noise canceling technology, called NoiseAssassin. Only the Plantronics line of headsets comes close in terms of quality. The headset is small in size, weighing a slight 03 ounces and has a length of 1.77 inches. It is available in 7 stylish designs, each with their own names: Ace, Rogue, Hero, the Catch, the Thinker, the Hero, and the Bombshell. The styles also correspond with different computerized voices that come with the headset, but which are also changeable via the aforementioned “apps.” The headset can be worn with or without an earloop (a curved piece of rubber that fits around the ear).

The Aliph Jawbone comes with a good amount of accessories, including 1 earloop, 3 different sized earbud with loops, 4 different-sized regular earbuds, a MicroUSB cable, and an A/C Wall adapter.

Helpful Links:

Official website for the Jawbone Icon

CNET review

PC Mag review

Engadget review

Amazon.com: Aliph Jawbone Icon $99

2. Plantronics Voyager Pro

The Plantronics Voyager Pro ($45) focuses on performance, offering the best overall audio quality and battery life of all Bluetooth headsets. But to achieve that, it sacrifices in the area of size (it’s bulky due to its large battery pack). The Voyager Pro has two methods of noise cancellation. First, its dual microphones are covered with several layers of wind screens, and there is also an electronic noise filter. The headset also uses ambient-noise canceling software that does the best job of removing background noise of all Bluetooth headsets. The headset’s microphone boom is flexible and can be repositioned to bring it closer to your mouth.

The Voyager Pro gets excellent battery life at 6 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby. This is due to it’s large battery pack that sits behind the ear and adds extra bulk to the headset. The Voyager Pro comes with 3 earbuds, 2 foam earbud covers, and a wall charger with an attached USB connector.

Helpful Links:

Official website for Plantronics Voyager Pro

CNET review

Amazon.com: Plantronics Voyager Pro $45

3. Aliph Jawbone Prime

The Aliph Jawbone Prime ($35) upholds the tradition of Jawbone headsets as the gold standard of the industry. At the forefront is Jawbone’s Noise Assassin noise-cancellation technology that removes ambient noise from the microphone, allowing your voice to come through clear. The Jawbone Prime is a small and stylish headset, and is relatively lightweight at only 10 grams. It’s available in 7 colors, including the traditional black. The Prime’s surface has a matte tone and is covered with a textured pattern of small ovals. It offers 4.5 hours of talk time along with 192 hours of standby and is packaged with a good range of accessories, including 2 earloops, 6 earbuds of 3 sizes, a USB cord, and a wall charger.

Helpful Links:

Official website for Aliph Jawbone Prime

iLounge review

CNET review

Amazon.com: Aliph Jawbone Prime $35

4. BlueAnt Q1

Continue reading…