Caleb Jenkins | Developing UX

What the Jawbone Bluetooth headset needs to be perfect.

May 17th, 2008 at 9:03 am (Design and UX, Random, Technology)

In honor of Jawbone releasing a new version, I thought that I’d finally post my thoughts on my favorite blue tooth headset ever.

As was noted last year by Christoph, I love my Jawbone Bluetooth Headset, it is quite possibly the best headset in the world! Seriously, it’s fantastic. The first time I tried it I was driving down the freeway with the AC on full and all of the windows rolled down. My wife couldn’t tell if I was in the car or not… “Have you left yet?”. Awesome. That’s a great headset.

Like most things, it could be better. Here is my list of 3 features that I would love to see in a future version of the Jawbone.

1. Real Volume Control. One of the “features” of the Jawbone is it’s simple form factor. For all of the functions (On / Off / Bluetooth Paring / Enable-Disable Noise suppression / Volume Up/Down) are completed with only 2 buttons. Well isn’t that special? Not really, it’s frustrating. There is no volume down control. That’s right. The volume “automatically” goes up if you are in a loud area and you can also manually turn the volume up as well. You turn the volume up by pushing the main button once. There are 6 levels up up, and then you cycle back around to the lowest volume. (like the way you would adjust a ceiling fan speed - without the pull chain). I happen to have pretty good hearing (for now) and more often than not I’m trying to turn that volume down - not up. It’s very frustrating.

2. Can you say “standard” mini-USB connection for charging? If I have to carry around just 1 more stupid cable for recharging one more thing I think that I’m going to puke (I’m talking to you Zune and iPod). Props to the Jawbone team for giving me a USB cable on one end, but come on! Would it be that hard to give me a standard cable on the other end?!
 

3. A better sound to turn you on. When you turn the Jawbone on you get a long beep in your ear (that kills my ear btw), and when you turn it off you get a short beep. Or maybe that’s backwards. I always forget which is which… which makes the whole beep pretty much useless. I’m no longer wearing my Jawbone when I turn it on/off. I hold it so that I can see the light flash (white = on; red = off).

The fine people over at Jawbone should go try out the Samsung WEP 410 Bluetooth headset (It would be my favorite headset.. if anyone could ever hear me on it.).

The Samsung has this nice rising chime when you turn it on, and a lowering chime when you turn it off. It’s elegant and obvious… and doesn’t hurt my ears to use it.

Ok. I think that’s it. Fix those three things, and the Jawbone will be truly perfect!

Now that I said all that, go check out the new Jawbone! It’s sleeker, lighter, and looks like a nicer ear piece (leather covered?).  That being said it still looks like a proprietary charger, minimal buttons… and probably the same turn on/off tones. Let me know if you’ve tried it!

Did I miss anything? What’s your favorite headset? Let me know in the comments!

Caleb Jenkins is a Principal Consultant for Improving Enterprises, is a National Speaker for INETA, a Technical Editor for Wrox Press and is a Microsoft MVP. He lives in the Dallas, TX area where he continues to date his beautiful wife and busy himself playing Candy Land and xBox 360 with their four incredible children. Eventually he’ll post some of the gazillion interviews that he's recorded on CommunityCast.tv or blog more... or stop speaking of himself in the third person. more...

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