Full Review: Aliph Jawbone Prime Headset

Tonight, Aliph unveiled the third iteration of its wildly popular Jawbone headset. The latest version, called the Prime, looks almost identical to the last-generation Jawbone: they share the same small, rectangular shape and tough medical grade plastic (albeit, this one has an ovular, not diamond, pattern). This one also comes in a wider range of colors, which Aliph calls “Ear Candy.” (You have to love the cutesy names, such as “Drop Me a Lime.”) Like the last Jawbone, which will be discontinued, the Prime will cost $129. (Check out our full review of the Prime.) The real differences are on the inside. Like older generations, it has NoiseAssassin noise canceling technology, which uses sensors placed on the jaw to detect when you’re speaking, and then subtracts background noise. This version, 2.0, however, also has a separate noise canceling technology that automatically kicks in if the sensors lose contact with your jaw. The Prime also promises improved wind reduction. Whereas the past generation dealt with wind by positioning the mics strategically, the Prime also uses digital algorithms to cancel winds moving at up to 10 miles per hour. Otherwise, the headset supports Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, which promises easier pairing than previous generations of the technology. Its claimed 4.5 hours of talk time is on the shorter end of normal, but still acceptable. It will begin shipping the first week of May.