EmailBest Reviewed
Bluetooth Headsets
- Best Bluetooth headset Plantronics Voyager Pro *Est. $100
- Best budget Bluetooth headset BlueAnt V1 *Est. $75
- Cheap Bluetooth headset Plantronics Explorer 220 *Est. $30
- Bluetooth stereo headset Plantronics Voyager 855 *Est. $85
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Best budget Bluetooth headset
- Voice control
- Very good noise isolation
- Small and lightweight
- Great value
- Unstable without earhook
- Voices can sound robotic
- Short battery life
The BlueAnt V1 Bluetooth headset features full voice control, which eliminates the need to press a bunch of buttons. Reviewers are impressed that the Bluetooth headset responds to voice commands such as "redial" and "answer," even in moderately noisy environments. Unlike the Plantronics Voyager Pro (*Est. $100), the BlueAnt V1 is small and lightweight, though you'll need to use the earhook for stability. The V1's voice-isolation technology is effective, though this Bluetooth headset can sometimes make voices sound digitized. Battery life is advertised as five hours, but PCMag.com's test fell one hour short of this. The box contains plenty of accessories, though, making this Bluetooth headset a great value.
Top technology sites CNET and PCMag.com give their usual comprehensive reviews of the BlueAnt V1. PC World and Laptop Magazine have useful summaries of their hands-on tests, and more than 200 users at Amazon.com report on their experiences with this voice-controlled Bluetooth headset.
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Our Sources
1. CNET
The BlueAnt V1 Bluetooth headset gets CNET's Editor's Choice award. Nicole Lee is impressed with its voice-activation capabilities, and the V1's effective noise-blocking technology gets her approval. She has some minor qualms about the V1's fit and grumbles about needing the earhook to keep it stable.
Review: BlueAnt V1, Nicole Lee, Sept. 5, 2008
Though Jamie Lendino calls the BlueAnt V1's voice commands "audio gimmickry," he admits they worked as advertised most of the time. Noise isolation technology blocks out background noises fairly well, though Lendino was bothered by the "robotic" sound of his voice when this feature was active.
Review: BlueAnt V1 Voice Control, Jamie Lendino, Sept. 22, 2008
Aoife McEvoy gives the voice command functions of the BlueAnt V1 a thumbs-up for working right out of the box. Sound quality is pretty good in tests with effective voice isolation, though McEvoy is not pleased that the earhook is necessary for a good fit.
Review: BlueAnt V1, Aoife M. McEvoy, Dec. 22, 2008
4. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Unlike most reviewers, Dana Wollman has trouble with the BlueAnt V1's voice commands and complains of a loose fit (even with an earhook), so this may have affected performance. Wollman still rates the V1's noise-isolation technology highly, saying it's comparable to the 2008 Aliph Jawbone.
Review: BlueAnt V1 Voice Control Headset, Dana Wollman, Aug. 26, 2008
5. Amazon.com
More than 200 owners rate the BlueAnt V1 highly. They like the sound quality and voice commands, though some have made embarrassing mistakes, like calling family members at 2 a.m., by unintentionally activating the voice commands. If you use voice dialing on your phone, you'll need to say an extra command each time you dial out.
Review: BlueAnt V1, Contributors to Amazon.com
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