CES 2008: BlueAnt V1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset
BlueAnt Wireless announced at CES Las Vegas 2008 that they would be launching the latest and most innovative Bluetooth Headset they have to offer – the BlueAnt V1. As the world’s first voice controlled Bluetooth headset, the BlueAnt V1 is destined to appeal to those looking for something a little more sophisticated from their Bluetooth device. Read on to take a look at this Bluetooth headset.
Above average sound quality, average bluetooth headset functionality, great new Voice Control features. Sadly, the speed dial presets are non-changeable and the earbud design is outdated, which leads to a poor fit.
We really wanted to love the two BlueAnt V1s that we purchased, but BlueAnt's pre-configured calling commands/positions don't really mesh well with our new iPhone 3Gs. The Voice Control features work well, yet BlueAnt chose to preset the first five voice activated speed dialing entries with voicemail/home/office/favorite/GOOG-411... meaning that you have to speak those very phrases to dial your first four iPhone calling favorite entries and that the fifth GOOG-411 entry overrides your phone's fifth favorite and cannot be changed. What a bad idea.
Obviously iPhone users that have the wonderful Visual Voicemail feature don't need voicemail as the 1st speed dial preset. Nor would anyone want their first page of calling favorites to be divided by the GOOG-411 set as the 5th favorite. Since iPhone users have Google Maps app and Google Search app they really don't need GOOG-411, much less have it overriding their 5th favorite.
BlueAnt ought to move the GOOG-411 down to the 9th speed dial position and just add normal voice prompts for positions 1-8. I think users of all types of phones would be lot happier and they may sell more of these. Ours are going back... we're sticking with the Plantronics 925 models, which sound better anyway.
