INTRODUCTION

   Technology surrounding cellular phones may have advanced over the last 5 years allowing for more use with far less health dangers still it's always recommended to use one with a Bluetooth headset to further minimize any possible dangers for your health. During the past years i have reviewed a large number of Bluetooth wireless headsets, some of them quite large and others quite small however almost all of them had one thing in common, they were single speaker headsets (mono) which naturally are what professionals would choose because of their small size and low weight. Still using a Bluetooth headset is not restricted to work or at home but also while at the gym or generally while exercising and that’s where normal headsets are simply not stable enough. Jabra saw that small gap in the market and released the Jabra SPORT wireless Bluetooth stereo headset in an attempt to cover all the people who were not satisfied with anything up to date.

   GN Netcom, led by the Jabra brand, continues to build on its standing as one of the world’s leading and fastest growing suppliers of hands-free communications solutions. With approximately 875 employees and sales offices around the world, GN Netcom develops manufactures and markets a broad range of wireless headsets for mobile users and both wireless and corded headsets for contact center and office-based users. GN Netcom’s business activities also include its original equipment manufacturing (OEM) business to a wide range of global customers including mobile phone, PC and PDA manufacturers.

   Just as the name suggests the Jabra SPORT Bluetooth stereo headset is actually two earpieces attached together via a thin rubber cable/band. Of course it goes without saying that this design offers many improvements compared to single earpieces such stereo playback, more powerful audio output, clearer sound and a more stable fit since even if one of the earpieces falls off (quite impossible due to the design of the earpieces) the other will most likely help keep it from dropping all the way down to the ground. The downside however of having two earpieces instead of one is the extra weight, they look quite bulkier (so using them at work may not be an option) and finally deplete the available battery levels faster. But let’s take a closer look and see exactly what Jabra has to offer with their latest SPORT Bluetooth Stereo Headset.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Jabra ships the SPORT Stereo Bluetooth Headset inside a round plastic box part of which is clear allowing you to see the product prior to purchasing it.

The contents of the package along with the unit’s main features can be seen at the rear of the box.

Aside the primary cover the Jabra Sport is packed into a secondary clamshell plastic for maximum protection during shipping.

Inside the box you will find the Jabra Sport Stereo headset, quickstart manual, product registration paper, endomondo sports tracker documentation, armband, AC power charger and 2 comfort eargel sets.

THE JABRA SPORT STEREO HEADSET

According to Jabra for optimal results you need to use the armband with your cellular phone and as you can see it can fit even large cellular phones like the LG Optimus 2X.

At first glance the IP54 certified Sport Stereo Bluetooth headset looks like a larger version of one of the old water resistant earsets that used to get shipped with Philips Discman units.

The Jabra logo is placed at the exterior of each earpiece.

By default both earpieces are plain but you can use one of the provided comfort eargel sets for even better stability (although i didn't really find any use for them).

The FM button along with the volume up/down buttons is placed on top of the right earpiece.

At the right side we also see the activity LED which as usual lights up green when you charge/turn on the unit, purple when you have it in discovery mode and red once you turn it off.

Moving to the exterior of the right earpiece we find the play/pause button which also doubles as the answer/end call button.

The charging port is placed on the interior of the right earpiece behind a small plastic cover as seen above.

Both earpieces are attached via a 32cm lond band.

A small sticker on the band informs you of the correct device usage.

Initially i started using the Jabra Sport Stereo Bluetooth headset right from the box using the default installed 1.21 firmware version.

However Jabra has updated the unit to version 1.54 which was used for almost a week prior to releasing this review.

Updating the firmware takes around 2 minutes and of course requires you to have a compatible USB cable (all the latest cellular phones have one).

CONCLUSION

   I was able to put the Jabra SPORT Stereo Bluetooth headset to the test for a total of 16 days with all my cellular phones (LG Optimus 2X, Sony Aino, Samsung Galaxy S+) during which i have to admit that it left me with mixed feelings. On the bright side having a stereo Bluetooth headset feels great and so does the extra volume power (especially if you like listening to music) and of course the much better stability while walking/running or exercising. When it comes to battery life Jabra claims up to 4.5 hours of talk time and i found that to be a little over the top since i couldn't surpass the 4 hour mark no matter how many times i tried, however i always talk with the volume all the way up so that might be the reason behind that. The IP54 rugged certification is also a nice addition especially since you need not worry about dropping the SPORT or spilling water on it. However on the other hand all was not perfect during testing and so i did encounter several momentary disconnections while i was talking on the phone or listening to music. I did inform Jabra about this issue and shortly after a replacement arrived which actually worked flawlessly so that issue could have been an isolated case.

   Since there are quite a few single piece Bluetooth wireless headsets currently in the market that way exceed the USD50 mark it's quite understandable that a stereo headset like the SPORT would cost quite a bit more than that and it does. More specifically as we speak you can find the Jabra SPORT Stereo Bluetooth wireless headset for around USD90 inside the USA and 70Euros inside the EU (Amazon), a price tag which may seem a bit high to some people but it actually isn't, not when the target audience of the SPORT is people who want the extra comfort, durability and audio quality offered. Personally i will not be using the SPORT in any professional meetings any time soon but while running (occasionally) or exercising at the gym i can't think of a better solution and that's why the SPORT walks away with the golden award.

PROS 

- Design
- Durability (IP54 Certified)
- Stability (Design)
- Stereo
- Integrated FM Receiver
- AM3D Support
- Multiuse (Simultaneous Connection With Up To 2 Devices)
- Endomondo Sports Tracker Application 

CONS

- Heavier/Bulkier (Compared To A Single Earpiece)
- Price (For Some)