Music & Talk Meets the Streets

Okay okay, so I may have doctored the image a bit, but hey I want to look cool too!! It’s time to give your music and calls a little attitude. A uniquely designed stereo bluetooth headset has hit the pavement and has made heads turn. Jabra has taken a more stylish approach for the Jabra BT3030 . At first glance, it’s obvious that they have adopted a dog tag design, complete with a chain. Previously, I stated that I preferred a wired headset for listening to music, as I feel they offer a better sound quality. I see this as an opportunity to wean myself off of the wires, well sort of, and see if Bluetooth can finally win me over. In the ever evolving world of Bluetooth technology, a headset cannot survive on looks alone. Can Jabra bring on the funk AND the function?

Up Close and Personal

waiting to be unleashed

Firstly, let’s rhyme off the technical specs of this piece of ‘tude toting tune tech.

Inside the box you receive:

• Jabra BT3030
• Stereo Headphones w/ interchangeable rubber ear tips (small, medium, large)
• Chain/Lanyard
• Clothing Clip
• AC Charger
• Quick Start Guide

Package Contents

Weighing at less than 30 grams, it’s still difficult to judge the weight of the BT3030 for wearing as it doesn’t sit on/in your ear. Jabra BT3030 offers up to 8 hours of talk time, 7 hours of music streaming, 230 hours of standby time and up to 33 feet of connectivity. For a full charge, it takes about 2 hours.
You can charge the BT3030 by the provided AC charger or a USB cable plugged into your computer. If you want to check your battery level, tap the volume up or down button. The Jabra logo LED will glow a solid green when fully charged, yellow when at 70 % power and red if the battery is low.

The dog tag sports a 3.5 mm headphone jack to support your favorite headphones, to further your sense of personal style. The mic is located on the top left side of the tag to support your outgoing audio during calls.

When I first looked at the keypad on the BT3030, the following ran through my mind:

“RAZR RAZR RAZR RAZR RAZR RAZR RAZR RAZR”

metal plated design….Full Metal Jacket baby!

Hate the phone itself, but love the metal plated steel design keypad on the dog tag. Use the keypad to control your music AND your calls with ease. The BT3030 utilizes a “RAZResque” blue backlight for the keypad as well. The dog tag is encompassed by a black rubber edging for added looks and protection against bumps and grinds. If a chain simply isn’t “you”, then you can use the clothing/ bag clip instead.  I wasn’t a big fan of the chain, and found myself clipping the BT3030 to either my jacket or bag.  To each their own.

chain, clip or pocket…you decide

Satisfying Your Inner Geek

BlackBerrys with Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP) and Audio Video Remote Control (AVRCP) will reap the benefits of the BT3030’s functionality. Also benefit from MultiPoint and connect to two devices at the same time. There’s an automatic switch between 2 devices. Jabra has included “digital sound enhancements” through DSP technology. This means a number of things:

• 1. You will experience noise reduction on incoming and outgoing audio
• 2.  Like the Plantronics Discovery 665, it uses automatic volume adjustment on incoming audio, dependent on the background noise
• 3.  Acoustic Shock Protection

“Talk Smart, Stay Cool”

The audio quality was excellent, though the volume of the headset was a little low for my taste. This could be me and my years of high school band geek audio abuse. As the BT3030 has a typical headset jack, I pulled out my V-moda Bass Freq and found it more to my liking. Another reason why I switched headsets is comfort. Though they share a similar design with V-moda bass freq, I didn’t find them as comfortable. I’m glad Jabra included a headset jack and didn’t force a consumer to use a permanently attached headset.

When you are listening to music and a call comes in, you will experience a second or two of silent transition time as the music automatically pauses, then resumes as you end the call. Walking away from my BlackBerry, I hadn’t noticed any distortion in the quality until almost 28 feet or so.

With some devices, you can automatically access music, simply by pressing the play button. This would not work for the BlackBerry. Once you open your music, then you can enjoy them wirelessly. The BT3030 wouldn’t switch between albums, so I had to open up “All songs”. The keypad responded quickly to commands and I also found it easy to operate without looking at it.

The Bottom Line

I am happy to report that I experienced a solid performance by the Jabra BT3030, despite the quiet headset. Simple controls, coupled with an “urban” design, make this a definite headset to check out. For simple navigation through my track, I find it easier to grab the BT3030, rather than pulling my BB out of its holster. Especially when I’m writing a review, like say…..this one. I found it odd that the AC charger sports a USB connector, but Jabra did not include a USB cable for an additional charging option. I guess they assume everyone should own at least one by now. With a retail price of $89.95, you can fit the BT3030's for a moderate $69.95 in the ShopCrackBerry Store. Let’s hope it’s the only thing I’ll need to look cool…

Review Summary: Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset
	Pros: Sleek Design DSP Technology Easy pairing Various carrying options Cons: Great BT device, poor headphones Cannot navigate between albums
Buy Now: Purchase the Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset in the ShopCrackBerry.com Store