I’ve owned a variety of Bluetooth headsets. New innovations and features would lure me from one brand to another. But, once I tried a Jawbone, it had quickly become a favorite. It didn’t initially win me over in style, and definitely not in size (early versions were ridiculously huge). I came to appreciate Jawbone because I found their headsets simply have the best military-grade noise canceling of any reasonably priced Bluetooth earpiece.
But now, the newest Jawbone has it all – epic noise cancellation, style, and a lot of Helpy Features. And, it’s small… Really small.
The New ERA by Jawbone crams all their core technology into an extremely compact form factor while improving upon all the features of prior Jawbone headsets. It’s kind of like the One Headset to Rule Them All. In fact, the New ERA is the only Bluetooth headset Jawbone now currently carries.
The New Jawbone ERA is 42% smaller than its predecessor and even smaller than the Jawbone ICON (pictured above) which before the New ERA was the smallest headset they offered. Most other headsets sacrifice features and performance to achieve similar reductions. About the only thing the ERA sacrifices is some battery capacity. However, Jawbone cleverly makes up for the loss in runtime with the use of an included Charging Case.
There are a couple other drawbacks.
– Comes With Only One Size Left Ear Gel
– Mobile App Needs Improvement
The ERA comes with multiple size Ear Gels for the RIGHT ear. But, only one Ear Gel is included for the Left Ear. A full set of gels for Left and Right Ears can be purchased on the Jawbone Website but it’s disappointing that a full set for both ears isn’t included.
The Mobile App Needs Improvement. The Mobile App has potential, but falls short of truly being useful on its own. Voices and Sounds can be previewed but not changed until you’ve connected the headset to a desktop computer. The App has a really cool Find feature that makes the headset emit a loud tone to help you find it if misplaced. However, once disconnected or even left idle for a few moments, the Find feature is pretty much useless.
As with all software, it can be updated, added to, and improved upon. I expect the headset’s software features will only get better and more polished with later App versions and firmware updates.
Despite these minor shortcomings, the New ERA by Jawbone is an exceptional headset.
The Helpy Features:
+ Military-grade Noise Cancellation and Great Audio Quality
+ Simple Operation and Pairing
+ Can Be Connected To Multiple Devices Simultaneously
+ Charging Case Protects and Keeps Headset Charged
+ Updatable Software and Functions
+ Comfortable To Wear
The Jawbone’s quality of noise cancellation cannot be understated. Even in the noisiest environment, the headset superbly isolates my voice so callers can hear me with clarity and Siri can understand my commands. The audio quality from the headset when listening to Podcasts, Music, or watching Movies is also exceptionally good.
Pairing the Jawbone is extremely easy. The headset also has the ability to be connected to multiple devices simultaneously such as my iPhone and my iPad. So, whether I’m listening to an audiobook on one or picking up a call on the other, the headset almost seamlessly picks up the audio from the device I choose to use.
The Charging Case really adds tremendous value to the whole package. Beyond the extended battery life it gives the headset, the Charging Case actually does a great job at protecting it too. This really makes the ERA+Charging Case Kit a great buy when you consider the Charging Case alone is $49.
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth headset, the ERA is one I highly recommend. It’s comfortable to wear, has exceptional audio quality, and through its software has the potential to become more feature rich long after it’s been purchased.
The New ERA by Jawbone Bluetooth Headset with Charge Case – (Black Streak)
The Jawbone App is available for Free in the iOS App Store.
