First Looks: Jabra STONE2 – One Stepping Stone

First Looks: Jabra STONE2 – One Stepping Stone

Keeping Your Hands On The Wheel

The imposition of stiffer penalties against motorists who violate the existing mobile phone ban while driving has been a recurrent subject matter in Congress. Months ago, government agencies had reported that accidents involving motorists using their handsets while on the road recorded an increase of over 600% in 2009 when compared to 2008. Ironically, the ban has long been a law in the country.

In light of this issue, the use of hands-free products, such as those Bluetooth headsets from Jabra, can help in reducing, if not totally eliminating, the recurrence of handset-related road mishaps. One of Jabra’s latest offerings, the STONE2, allows you to take important calls from your handset without moving a hand away from the steering wheel.

A Worthy Successor

Following the footsteps of its predecessor, the original Jabra STONE, the STONE2 adopts the same curved design. Belonging to the high-end Bluetooth headset category, the STONE2’s earpiece is clad in a black rubbery body that sports a leather-like surface. The headset has an ear hook that follows the contour of the human ear. Considering the ear hook’s permanent position, the STONE2 should be worn on the right ear only. For a more comfortable user experience, Jabra bundles the headset with a set of four ear gels.

When not in use, the STONE2 must be neatly fitted into its bundled portable dock. Apart from aesthetic and management reasons, the dock, which has a built-in battery, doubles as the STONE2’s portable charger. Both the earpiece and the dock can be recharged by using the power adapter or by hooking them up to a computer via a microUSB cable. Once fully charged, just push the headset out of the dock and it will be ready to be paired with your Bluetooth-equipped device. The STONE2 promises a maximum talk time of 10 hours and standby time of 10 days.

Jiving With The Jabra

The only visible means to control the STONE2 is through its multifunctional button on which the Jabra label is engraved. Similar to the case of most Bluetooth headsets nowadays, the button is intended for picking up and dropping calls. Wondering how to control the volume? Simply slide your finger along the curve of the headset’s touch-sensitive surface.

One of the important enhancements that Jabra has added to the STONE2 are voice commands. With this feature, you can simply accept or snub a phone call by saying “Answer” or “Ignore”. The inclusion of the voice command feature makes the STONE2 a true hands-free headset.

While making an outgoing call, the STONE2 allows the receiver to hear your voice clearly, in spite of ambient noise, thanks to Jabra’s Noise Blackout technology. Incoming calls, on the other hand, will also be heard clearly, though you may expect hearing intermittent static noise from time to time.

The STONE2 is not just an all-work companion – it knows how to play as well. Featuring support for A2DP streaming, you can enjoy listening to music from your Bluetooth-enabled device with the STONE2 headset.

Final Thoughts

With the voice command feature, the Jabra STONE2 is an ideal solution for frequent motorists who could not afford missing important phone calls even when driving. The STONE2’s discreet design and light weight offers you a comfortable wearing experience, without looking like an agent from a contact center. Bundled with a stylish dock that doubles as a portable charging station, you will never have to worry about running out of battery even when in the middle of the road. Our experience of sending and receiving of calls was generally satisfactory except for the erratic static noise. If Jabra would be releasing the next iteration of the STONE series, what we would want to see is a something that can fit on the left ear as well, probably through an adjustable ear hook.