Technical Reviews and Geek Toys

I have been using Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth earpiece for a year and a half or so and it is pretty much a part of me all day long.  I put it on first thing in the morning and don't take it off until I am done for the day.  It is comfortable and works very well.  My wife also has one although she doesn't wear it all of the time.  When we are talking she ususally starts out on her phone and when she switches over to the earpiece I can always tell because she sounds louder and clearer.

The Discovery 925 comes in five different colors: Black, Gold, Cerise, Royal Blush, and Majestic Purple.  It is a fashion accessory as well as a Bluetooth earpiece.  It is extremely lightweight - only 0.3 ozs and comes with three uniquely shaped gel eartips – small, medium and large – that allow you to find the most comfortable fit for you. The eartips are designed to conform snugly to the contours of your ear without the need for an earloop, so it won't interfere with earrings or eyewear.  It should be noted that the gel eartip is what holds the earpiece in place.  The only time I have had the earpiece fall out of my ear when I bumped it and knocked it out of my ear.

One of the features incorporated into the Discovery 925 is AudioIQ technology, a smart and adaptive noise-canceling technology that not only automatically maximizes call clarity in the speaker, but also reduces background noise in the microphone.  I havew found it doesn't handle wind noise very well however.  I find I have to cup my hand over the earpiece when out in a breeze.

...

A very cool feature of this earpiece is the carrying case that doubles as a charging station.  The case also incorporates a rechargable battery that charges the earpiece whenever the earpiece is in the case.  By the way, the earpiece has enough power for up to five hours of talk time or seven days standby. This earpiece also has two other ways of recharging its lithium ion battery: You can use the USB charger to recharge the battery through your laptop, or use the AC charger to plug it directly into a wall socket.  (An optional micro USB vehicle charging adapter is also available for purchase) I have found the recharging opertion works best when the earpiece is in the carrying case and the USB or AC charger is plugged into the carrying case.  When I am done using the earpiece at the end of the day I put it in the case and then plug the case into the charger and both are fully charged when I am ready to hit it the next morning.

Operating the Discovery 925 is as easy as it gets. Its ultra-minimalist design features only two buttons: A multifunction button, located on the diamond-shaped face, controls power, redial function, voice dialing, pairing, and more. The easy-to-find volume button is conveniently located on top of the headset.  The volume cycles: low, medium, or high volume.

Pairing the Bluetooth earpiece to a cellphone or PDA also couldn't be easier.  Simply hold the button on the side of the earpiece in until the earpiece flashes red / blue indicating it is in paring mode.  Then search for Bluetooth devices with your cell phone / PDA.  When the phone indicates that it has discovered the 9xxPlantronics and asks for the password, key in four zeros and the pairing is complete.  The Discovery 925 will also pair with two devices if needed.

Like I said, I have been using the Discovery 925 daily for the last year and a half.  When I get a call the earpiece beeps in my ear and all I have to do is reach up and press the button on the side of the earpiece to answer.  When I want to place a call, I hold the button in until I hear a beep and through the feature of my cell phone am able to either say the name of the contact or say the phone number that I want to call.

The Discovery 925 is backed by a one-year warranty and includes a carrying/charging case, AC charger, USB charger, and three eartips.