Plantronics Voyager 855

Plantronics on Monday rolled out a pair of Bluetooth headsets it hopes will sway cellphone users, particularly those who juggle both calls and music. The Voyager 855 is claimed as the first to be convertible between mono and stereo while also offering noise reduction. A second earpiece on a cableprovides full stereo sound for cellphones and other devices that support the A2DP standard for wireless stereo sound; detaching the cable reverts the headset to mono when the portability outweighs the passive noise canceling and musical advantages of the stereo attachment, Plantronics says. Leaving the stereo portion attached enables the AVRCP standard for remote controlling basic music functions over the wireless link.

The 855 and its mono-only equivalent, the Voyager 815, automatically pick up and end calls with a sliding boom microphone and actively cancel noise with the company's proprietary AudioIQ technology. Onboard memory is also capable of recognizing and pairing with more than one device, allowing the same headset to sync with home and work cellphones. Battery life on either device is rated at seven hours of active talk time and six hours of music with the 855. Plantronics is set to deliver both Voyagers in October at prices of $150 for the 855 and $130 for the 815.

By Electronista Staff