Valkee headset shines light to dispel seasonal depression

It is common knowledge that our surroundings do affect us when it comes to our moods – and plenty of people do get depressed or feel generally down whenever the winter season sets in and gets a foothold of the situation. Well, there were light therapy situations in the past, but this time around we have another method of uplifting your mood through the use of the Valkee headset. This device will channel bright light using your ear canal into your brain’s photosensitive areas, as a measure to effective prevent and treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
So far, initial trials have proved to be rather successful, where up to 92% of the patients who suffer from SAD achieving full remission after a daily Valkee dose of anywhere from eight to a dozen minutes. Who would have thought that shining light into one’s ear canal could help treat depression? Well, the Valkee headset has been around for slightly more than a year already, but just in case you are not aware of its existence and might want to sought for external help, head on here. 

via UBERGIZMO

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Plantronics Voyager Pro UC Headset/Review

Plantronics Voyager Pro UC Headset

A decade after its first Bluetooth headset in 2001, Plantronics still stands out as one of the leaders in an increasingly crowded field. The Voyager line of headsets is especially popular with consumers who prize audio quality and comfort above all else. We were glad to see Plantronics update its lineup with the Voyager Pro Plus last year, which added A2DP streaming, voice alerts, and even better noise reduction.

But the innovation didn't stop there. Plantronics has introduced yet another improvement on its Voyager Pro line with the Plantronics Voyager Pro UC. Undeniably the company's most advanced headset yet, the Voyager Pro UC uses new sensor technology that can detect whether it is on or off the ear. This increases the headset's functionality tenfold--the ability to answer a call just by putting on the headset, for example, is fantastic. The Voyager Pro UC also works with a variety of softphone and VoIP PC applications without ever losing mobile connectivity. Even though the design of the headset is the same and the audio quality is unchanged, this new technology is highly impressive.

Design
looks identical to both the Voyager Pro Plus and the Voyager Pro. It has that retro telemarketer look, with a large behind-the-ear battery pack and a long swiveling boom microphone. We're admittedly a little tired of the design by now, but we can't blame the company for sticking to a design that many people have come to love. Despite its looks, the Voyager Pro UC is definitely comfortable and easy to wear. For more details on button placement and overall look and feel, we'll direct you to our review of the Plantronics Voyager Pro.

Unlike the Jawbone Era, which has a built-in accelerometer to help answer and end calls, the Plantronics Voyager Pro UC uses very sensitive capacitive touch technology instead. According to Plantronics, this works by "sensing capacitance changes due to conductors brought close to one or more sensor electrodes." This Smart Sensor technology enables the headset to differentiate one action from another.

The benefits of the sensor are quite impressive. For example, if a call comes in and you're not wearing your headset, the call automatically routes to the phone. You can then answer the call as you would normally or you can slip on your headset and the call will be answered automatically. If you put on your headset in the middle of the call, the call will be transferred to the headset automatically as well. This prevents you from having to fumble around for the headset whenever you get an incoming call.

This works great for listening to music as well. Taking the headset off automatically pauses the song, and when you put the headset back on, the song resumes where it left off. You also no longer have to worry about accidentally placing a call while the headset is bouncing around in your pocket; the Voyager Pro UC has Auto Call Button Lock, which locks the button when the headset is not worn.

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The good: The Plantronics Voyager Pro UC has Smart Sensor technology that lets you route calls automatically to the headset or phone, play or pause music automatically, and more. It also features A2DP streaming, multipoint connectivity, and great audio quality to boot.
The bad: The Plantronics Voyager Pro UC is not that much different from its predecessors, and it is currently not compatible with Plantronics' own Vocalyst automated phone service. We also think it's too expensive.
The bottom line: The Plantronics Voyager Pro UC combines a perennial favorite design with cutting-edge technology that results in a modern yet reliable headset.

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(CNET)

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Special Gadgets/Bang & Olufsen EarSet 3i Stereo Headset

Bang & Olufsen, a Danish company known for its pricey high-end audio devices, has now come up with a new version of its stereo headset for all iPhone, iPad and iPod users looking for the highest sound quality and a fashion statement piece. Successor to the company’s EarSet 3 headset, the new EarSet 3i is a stylish, wired, stereo headset with built-in microphone and a 4-pole mini jack, which has been designed to fit the individual ear comfortably without compromise.

The headset has an electro-dynamic full tone loudspeakers mounted on telescopic rod, constructed according to the open loudspeaker principle, that allows users to hear some of the surrounding sounds of the environment. Matching ears like a pair of glasses and can be easily adapted to the contours and curves of each ear. Each piece of the EarSet 3i is very light weight at about 8 grams with a total weight of 23 grams including the 3.3-foot cord. The frequency range is light on bass at 50Hz to 20,000Hz.
The remote on the EarSet 3i incorporates three separate buttons that adjust the volume and can be used to navigate through song titles on your iPhone, iPod, or iPad. Although the EarSet 3i spec sheet only lists Apple products as compatible with the headset, but if the remote is anything like other smartphone-friendly headphones, it’s likely to work with Android handsets as well.
Designed by Anders Hermansen, the EarSet 3i is made of brushed aluminum and a special soft-touch rubber coating for a comfort fit. [Bang&Olufsen]

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Special Gadgets/ SteelSeries Siberia Neckband Headset

SteelSeries' original Siberia Headset has been a popular choice among gamers, DJs, and even music lovers since its 2004 debut. Unfortunately, the successor to that model, the $90 Steelseries Siberia Neckband Headset, falls short of the well-loved original when it comes to both comfort and sound quality.

The Siberia headset is made mostly of lightweight plastic, yet it seems surprisingly durable. The flexible neckband has enough give to accommodate a head with far more mass than mine, and the neckband rests low across the neck.

On first sight, I assumed the bulky, shiny-white earpieces would look comically large. But once you put on the headphones, the earpieces actually look sleek and smaller than I had expected. However, a definite setback is that the headphones don't fold up compactly-I found myself transporting them around my neck rather than sacrificing space in my purse or laptop bag.

The large earpieces feature soft pads that cover my ears completely. But despite the cushioning, these earpieces are what ultimately made the headphones uncomfortable for me, as the large size coupled with the behind-the-neck design meant that the Neckband quickly pulled down on my ears. Initially, it felt like just a bit of pressure against my head, but after about ten minutes of use, the problem became a real irritation. I relieved the annoyance somewhat by rotating the neckband upwards and resting it on my ponytail, but the headphones still pull down over time-and, obviously, not everyone has a headphone-supporting ponytail. Larger-headed friends who tried the Siberia complained of the same problem.

The Siberia's cable hosts an Apple-style inline remote-the newer, three-button version-for controlling volume and playback/phone functions. (Unlike some three-button remotes, the playback button didn't work when plugged into my Mac; it did work with my iPhone and iPod.) A nice feature is the hidden, retractable microphone that slides in and out of the left earpiece. 

The Siberia's lack of comfort is, sadly, not its only problem. Although audio quality isn't bad, the Siberia offers little to no noise isolation-to keep my music or game audio from bothering those around me, I had to keep the volume at an incredibly low level. The result was music that sounded flat and lacked dynamics unless I wanted my coworkers to hear Lady Gaga's every word or "ra ra."

The Siberia Neckband is a solid attempt at providing a single headset for multiple activities. The pull-out microphone makes the Siberia useful for gaming (and, I suppose, for hands-free calling when used with an iPhone, though not while driving). The low-slung fit across the neck may even be tight enough not to fall off while listening at the gym. However, versatility isn't enough to make up for the fact that the Siberia Neckband Headset doesn't isolate sound very well and isn't comfortable enough for extended use.

Story Source: Mac World

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