In the world of BlueTooth headsets, the Jabra TALK is actually achieving mediocrity at its height. I own several BT units from the Jawbone HD to my LG HBS-700 stereo headset, and the Jabra falls squarely in between. What you get is enough customizable parts to ensure comfort: two Earhooks, three Eargels, and the ubiquitous micro-USB charger. Setup and pairing was very easy and after initial activation, you’re up and running in under a minute.
The TALK is largely indistinguishable from other units save for the shiny silver band around its midsection bearing the Jabra branding. The on/off button is located on the inside of the unit and is hard to manage while wearing, especially when the optional Earhook (as Jabra names them) is in use. I tried the unit with and without the Earhooks and I could not get the headset to stay inside my ear comfortably as it is just a bit too heavy to stay in when your jaw is moving. So even with the extra bits, it will be safe to stay with the inner Eargel and the Earhook.
Another strange decision by Jabra was to put the talk/end button just aft of the silver band so when I used it on a regular basis, I kept pushing it mistaking it for the on/off button and hearing the headset telling me the connection status repeatedly. The volume rocker is on the bottom of the unit and is very east to manipulate once underway. When the main control button is held down it enables voice activation and will notify me of the remaining battery life occasionally. Ultimately, for a single ear headset is was very usable but only after I installed the Volume Plus app onto my Samsung Galaxy Nexus as I needed more volume than what was permitted out-of-the-box (but I find that I have needed this app no matter the BT unit I used).
The Good:
- Small but not too small as to get lost easily
- Microphone seemed to pick up my voice w/o sounding tinny and hollow
- Battery life was outstanding in standby and for use
- Adjusts volume automatically
The Bad:
- Uninspired design
- I personally could not use without one of the Earhooks
- Activation button placed awkwardly
- I could not find a dedicated Android app for the Jabra TALK in Google Play
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