Todays & Tomorrows Technology

While we deemed the HTC Touch Pro2’s hardware keyboard perhaps the best to be had on a Windows Mobile smartphone right now, we saved the usual ire for the handset’s lack of a 3.5mm headphones socket. That’s all changed, however, for the Canadian Telus version; going by MobileSyrup’s video, HTC have shuffled over the ExtUSB port and squeezed in a 3.5mm jack.

Video after the cut

The CDMA version of the smartphone will therefore work with both HTC’s standard ExtUSB headset as well as any other 3.5mm hands-free headset or plain headphones. It’s seemingly part of HTC’s plan to put a 3.5mm audio socket on all of its upcoming devices, though we didn’t expect them to start with a phone already available in other markets.

Otherwise, aside from the CDMA radio, the smartphone is the same as the Touch Pro2 we reviewed earlier in the month. No word on specific release date in Canada as yet, nor when it might make it south to Verizon in the US.

Razer revealed a brand new headset yesterday called the Moray+. This headset is an in-ear model with noise isolating and canceling capabilities. It also features an inline microphone for added functionality.

This device is intended to be the replacement for the Moray, which was designed to be used with a multitude of portable devices for gaming in particular. This gadget featres a 3.5mm audio jack and three adapters that allow you to use the mic with the Nintendo DS Lite, DSi and the Sony PSP 2000 and 3000.

Netbooks and notebooks can also be used with this device. The speakers themselves feature a 20Hz to 11kHz frequency response, 110dB sound pressure and uses only 1mW power. The microphone has a 300Hz to 3kHz frequency response. You can get the Razer Moray+ now for $59.99.

Plantronics Voyager PRO Bluetooth headset was good enough to make even Vincent look twice at his Jawbone PRIME, and it remains the SlashGear choice if you’re looking for a sturdy, long-lasting hands-free kit with excellent audio quality. Now Plantronics have announced European availability for the Voyager PRO, with the headset going on sale for £79.99.

It’s not a small headset, but it does come packed with audio-processing cleverness. Plantronics’ AudioIQ2 DSP system includes wind-cancellation and ambient noise removal, together with WindSmart thanks to dual-microphones and acoustic fabrics. Battery life is estimated at up to 6hrs talktime or five days of standby.

In the UK, the Plantronics Voyager PRO will be available from the company themselves together with carrier Orange and Apple stores. If you’re in the US, you can already pick up the Voyager PRO for around $100.

Motorola have unveiled a new Bluetooth headset, the Endeavor HX1, which the company claims to be the “only Bluetooth headset to use true bone conduction technology”. That’s likely going to raise some eyebrows over at Aliph, whose Jawbone headset is known for using a vibration-sensing system; in the HX1’s case, a new Stealth Mode shuts off the standard microphone and solely uses a bone conduction sensor in the earpiece.
That, Motorola say, is good enough to minimize the impact of even the most violent wind and ambient noise, and in fact can allow you to be heard even while standing in a concert. If you’re leaving the microphone switched on, then Motorola’s CrystalTalk system is also onboard for some more traditional noise-reduction.

Battery life is apparently good for seven hours talktime, and the HX1 can connect to multiple devices simultaneously making it handy for both cellphone and VoIP use. There are even voice-prompts, BlueAnt-style, to guide you in setting up Stealth Mode and pairing. The Motorola Endeavor HX1 will land in Asia come July; no word on pricing, nor when it might arrive in the US or Europe.

If having your run of the mill Bluetooth headset is not enough for you, then you might be interested in the BT2080 from Jabra, which actually features a built-in LED lights for easy battery life and pairing detection.

The whole idea of a Bluetooth headset is to make your life easier by keeping your hands-free to do other things while taking those all-important phone calls. But this latest Jabra headset strives to make your day even less complicated with the addition of an on/off switch that’s separate from the volume and answer controls.

The LED lights positioned on the side of the device also make it easy to see how much battery life is left and if it’s properly paired with your phone. It has an expected battery life of 6-hours for talk time. You can get the Jabra BT2080 in southeast Asia soon and in the U.S. shortly thereafter for $39.