Have you ever wondered who those people in the grocery store are talking to, as they stand yelling at the produce? Then you notice they’re wearing an earpieceand were shouting to the office while leaving their hands free to feel if that mango was ripe or not. It used to be that these people wore three-piece suits, but now everyone can enjoy the ease of Bluetooth with the Plantronics Voyager 520. You may now be wondering, “Do I want to be that person yelling at the produce?”
Bluetooth headsets can be used with many more devices than just a cell phone. Today, most of Apple’s products come standard with Bluetooth technology: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Macs all support Bluetooth devices—and that’s just the Apple side. I currently use my Voyager to speak with friends on my Playstation 3. The greatest advantage of an earpiece is, of course, its wireless functionality. Using the Voyager 520, I can sit comfortably on my couch, with no cords threatening to spill the contents of my coffee table. The primary use of the Voyager is for chatting. Whether it’s on the PSN network, Skype, Google Talk, iChat, or iPhone, you are able to use your hands freely for whatever else you may be doing.
Let’s say you’d like to share your headset across multiple devices. That is where the advantage of the Voyager 520 comes in. The Voyager is simple to use but powerful, making it an excellent third-party compliment to Apple products. There is only one button to control the whole device, making it extremely simple to hook-up and control. The passcode for pairing is already set to 0000, so you simply hold the button until it goes to pairing mode (blinking blue and red). Once the Voyager is in pairing mode, your bluetooth device should detect it. Punch in the 0000 code and you’re all set. The sound quality is great, and the headset includes a mic that blocks out interference from street noise, children yelling in the next room, or just everyday noise. The range is quite good too—stand anywhere from 25-50ft away and you will still be coming in loud and clear. The Voyager 520 comes with a stand/charger so you can pick it up and run. It’s a great accessory for anyone who uses Skype or Google Talk, and especially useful for someone who switches from a mobile device to a computer—with a simple hold of the button, you’ve switched devices. $55.99