By: Tony Novoa (Contributing Editor)

Staff Note: YES, WE ARE GIVING AWAY 3 $129 JAWBONE ERA HEADSETS ON MARCH 31st. Details below. Don’t forget about our other ongoing contests and prize giveaways like the BlueAnt Q2 Bluetooth Headset and Wacom Bamboo Fun prize!  Remember that our contests are ONLY eligible to our fans & subscribers so don’t forget to sign up.  We send you a copy of each new post and giveaway announcement via email.  No more, no less, zero spam!  That’s a promise!  We’re always doing contest giveaways every month so it pays to be  on the list.

Jawbone Brings Us A New ERA

Hands Free

The Jawbone ERA In A Box

Ah… the joys of being hands free.  When speaking on your mobile handset that is.  We all know that as we’re zipping around from point A to point B in our favorite vehicle, we don’t want to be caught holding our beloved communication devices to our ears, lest we get slapped with a ticket by our protectors of the peace.  So, what to do if we want to have a conversation without holding our mobile phones?  Simple.  Don a stylish earset and chat to your heart’s content.  All while complying with the law and being safe drivers – or at least appearing so.  It seems that the simple act of talking on the phone while driving is enough to distract us and make us more prone to reckless driving.  So, you’ve been warned.

It’s A New Year

Last year, Jenna gave away a handful of her favorite 2010 Bluetooth accessory, the Jawbone ICON. But it’s a new year, and look what the folks at Jawbone just unveiled. We all know that despite the warnings, we want to be able to talk, when we want, where we want.  And how better to do that than with Jawbone’s latest Jawbone ERA Bluetooth earset.  Listing for $129.00, it may not be the cheapest headset on the market but it looks awesome and works quite well.  Jawbone is long known for it’s ever expanding line of Bluetooth headsets and the ERA is the latest in the series, following the popular ICON and Prime units.  Available in four styles, the ERA offers some stylish choices.  From the  Shadowbox (black metal), Smokescreen (brown copper), Midnight (black over a red background), and Silver Lining (silver over a white background).  We got to try to try the Silver Lining one… after all, every cloud has one and here at MRT, we celebrate optimism.

The Jawbone ERA Unboxed

So just how small is this bad boy.  Well, the ERA is small, albeit a bit taller than the ICON, measuring 2″ long, 0.6 inches wide and a tad under an inch thick. Similar to it’s ICON cousin, the ERA has a single multi-function button for answering, ending and switching between calls. By default, pressing and holding the button initiates voice dialing, but it can also trigger MyTalk apps.  To control the volume, simply press and hold the button during a call or other audio playback.  This will slowly cycle the volume up and down.  Release the button when the volume is right.  If you prefer, you can also adjust the volume directly from your phone. The only other hardware is an On/Off slider switch.  Overall, it’s a very stylish and smooth design.

A Whole Lot Of Shaking Going On

The ICON (predecessor) & ERA In The Palm Of Jenna's Hand

So what makes this different from the ICON? The ERA introduces an additional control mechanism thanks to a built-in accelerometer.  This enables using a gesture that Jawbone calls “TapTap”—a double-tap anywhere on the device’s exterior.  This mimics the basic functionality of the hardware button: you can answer, end and switch between calls with a quick tap-tap. You can also achieve the same results by shaking the headset, as long as the ERA isn’t in your ear. This is essentially a gesture Jawbone has christened “ShakeShake”, followed by a quick insertion of the Era into your ear.  This is equivalent to a TapTap or a button press.

What else can you do?  Use the accelerometer to enter Bluetooth-pairing mode by performing a quadruple shake (a double-ShakeShake).  Note  that the first time you turn on the ERA, it automatically enters pairing mode, so no shaking is necessary.

Both the Samsung Galaxy S 4G and the Verizon iPhone 4 easily paired with the ERA.  Other actions such as activating the spoken summary of your battery’s remaining talk time or redialing the most-recently called number can only be activated with a button press, instead of a shake or tap.

The Jawbone ERA... So Stylish In Jenna's Delicate Hands

While the accelerometer-based controls might seem gimmicky, they were actually easy to get used to.  Even so, the ICON’s button were easy to access or press but the flexibility was appreciated. In fact, the ERA’s tapping gesture offers several  unexpected benefits. First, if you happen to have longer hair, you’ll find that tapping is actually faster than moving your hair out of the way to find the ERA’s physical button. Second, by using a gentle tap instead of a button press, you don’t risk jostling the ERA out of your ear. Keep in mind that tapping too hard on a device that’s inserted in your ear can be loud.  The good news here is that gentle taps also work well.

Of course, with small footprints come some compromises.  For example, the ERA’s control system, such as the power switch, can be difficult to access when the device is already in your ear so you may be forced to remove the ERA in order to turn it on and off. Another item of note is that the iPhone seems to need an extra two seconds to enter Voice Control mode when triggered from the ERA.

Like the the other product lines, the ERA comes with an assortment of eartips and an earloop.  The variety allows for mixing and matching that eventually should lead to a snug, comfortable fit.  The plastic earloop is helpful for keeping the ERA extra secure in the ear.

How Much Time?

So, how long can you actually use the ERA without recharging?  Jawbone claims a battery life of 5.5 hours of talk time or up to 10 days of standby time.  This seems to be consistent with our findings as well.  Note that when you first open the box, you’ll need 30 minutes to charge the ERA 80% of the way, and another 30 minutes to top it off. The ERA charges via a micro-USB port; you can use the included AC charger or any powered USB port. There is also a very short USB-to-micro-USB cable included in the package.

Can You Hear The Quality?

Surprisingly enough, while the accelerometer is innovative and cool, the ERA’s single biggest improvement over its predecessors is its noticeably superior audio quality. The ERA actually features a true wideband speaker that’s 25 percent larger than the Icon’s without impacting the ergonomics of the earpiece.  The earnest also uses Jawbone’s NoiseAssassin® technology for both inbound and outbound audio.  This automatically adjusts volume and equalizer settings, catering them to your current audio environment.  Don’t believe it?  Welcome to NoiseAssassin… listen for yourself:

The result is that calls, music and YouTube audio all sound impressively clear with the ERA. It seems that the results are just as
good on the other end of phone calls, where people reported that they could hear well also. In fact, many callers indicated that I sounded better with the ERA than when switched to the phone’s built-in microphone.

Just like the ICON, the ERA can connect with Jawbone’s MyTalk service, which lets you add Audio Apps and DialApps. (AudioApps customize the spoken voice that announces battery-status updates and the like; DialApps replace the “hold down the main button” voice-dialing functionality with 411 services, transcribed texts and status updates, and more). New for the ERA is a Caller ID app that speaks the full names of your callers, instead of just their phone numbers. The app uses high-quality recordings of your contacts’ names whenever possible for better audio.

The ERA also successfully paired with a MacBook Pro and iPad, essentially working like a one-ear Bluetooth headphone.  You can listen to iTunes, Skype and other audio without difficulty.

The Specs

List Price: $129.99

Reality Grade: A

More information on the Jawbone ERA

We’re Giving Away 3 Jawbone ERAs!

Finally… At MyRealityTech, we like to share the goods and you like to get the goods.  So, in the spirit of generosity, we are giving away 3 Jawbone ERAs to 3 lucky subscribers!

The Rules:

We’ll keep it simple.  Tell us why the the Jawbone ERA would enjoy a spot in your ear.  You have 3 options to enter:

1) Post a comment below.

2) Comment and Like us on Facebook.

3) Follow us and Tweet about this on Twitter.

As you can see, we are giving you many chances to win.  The winners will be chosen randomly at the end of March… that’s March 31st, 2011.  Enjoy the contest and giveaway!  As always, be sure to follow @MyRealityTech on Twitter and “like” us on Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more exclusive opportunities to win great prizes!

By: Foster Scott (Contributing Editor)

Staff Note: Be sure to join our very own Jenna Gonzalez as she talks about tech, LIVE this Sunday, November 7 at 10 PM ET/ 7 PM PT on Ustream to win a fantastic giveaway!  Plus don’t forget about our ongoing contests and prize giveaways such as the 12 Nokia N8s, weekly iPhone 4, Apple Magic Mouse, upcoming Apple MacBook Air and exciting passes to exclusive events! Our contests are ONLY eligible to our fans & subscribers so don’t forget to sign up.  We send you a copy of each new post and giveaway announcement via email. No more, no less, zero spam! That’s a promise! We’re always doing contest giveaways every month so it pays to be on the list.

Listen Up!  Better yet, with the ability to pump out  85 decibels (more than a motorcycle) for about 10 hours straight, you can now enjoy what you are listening to anywhere you happen to be and all completely wireless.  Jawbone, a company who makes some of the best bluetooth headsets available is offering you the “Jambox“, a bluetooth speaker to play your music that is just under the size of a brick (about 6″ X 4″ X 1 1/2″).  Funny that with red being on of the colors offered and along with its’ size the only thing missing is to play the old Rick James’ song! (Cue rim shot for “She’s a Brick, House).  With the Jambox you can play music from your iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch for example and fill a room, picnic area or backyard with sounds you don’t have to stay within arms length to hear and enjoy.  Jawbone explains it best when they say, “Unlike other portable speakers, JAMBOX is powered by a pair of proprietary, highly sophisticated acoustic drivers, unmatched in their ability to produce extreme high (tweeter) and low (woofer) frequencies from a single, ultra-small dome speaker. They work in concert with an innovative moving-wall passive bass radiator and airtight enclosure to deliver shimmering highs and thumping lows that you can literally feel – the richest sound all in the palm of your hand”.

Not only will the Jambox pump out your tunes, movies and games loud and clear, the Jambox has another trick hidden under it’s sleeve.  Now you have a portable conference call or personal speakerphone you can place for example on the kitchen table so you can walk around and talk while you cook with no wires and at least a 33ft range away from your phone, all since this bad boy also has a powerfull built-in microphone.  Now I am sounding like a late night infomercial host when I say “wait, that’s not all”.  Jawbone claims “JAMBOX is the only speaker in the world that gets smarter every time you plug it in. Just sync it with Jawbone’s industry-first MyTALK online platform and JAMBOX downloads apps, software upgrades, and the latest features. Its integrated intelligence allows you to personalize JAMBOX to your specific preferences. No other speaker on the planet is intelligent and updateable – but then again, nothing else is quite like JAMBOX.”

For a $199 price tag I can say if the sound lives up to half of the hype, I will be looking to purchase myself one in the near future.  I spent $169 a few years ago for a portable speaker system for my iPod Video to get away from the tin sounding treble and non-existing bass that other speakers were offering at the time.  It was neither wireless (you had to plug the iPod into the speaker frame) and had no speakerphone.  With some of the games for the touch, the need to hold the iPod and have great sound with no wires, just sounds great to me.  Plus many of the apps I have sound great with headphones so to watch movies, listen to music or enhance my gaming experience (not to mention connecting it to your netbook/laptop/tablet for better sounding audio) is a welcome addition to my tech collection.  Comment below and let MRT know what you think of a Jawbone speaker device.  We always value your comments.

As always if you enjoy MRT you can follow us on Twitter, friend us on FaceBook and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest Tech reviews and Awesome giveaways!

By: Jenna Gonzalez (Editor In Chief)

Nary a fortnight ago, the newest, most exciting gadget yet was unveiled upon the world. ”4″ they called it. Like its predecessors, it was met with fanfare and celebration all across the globe. With 1.7 million units sold in the first three days and over 8 million sold to date, it’s no wonder “4″ is the number to cozy up to nowadays. However, it’s no secret that it’s had its fair share of flaws and criticisms. The elephant among them: the dreaded signal/reception issue that purportedly causes customers to experience higher dropped-call rates. Why? Well, apparently it’s “no bueno” to have metal touching the antenna, which is what Apple did. So to make a long story short, all the haters decided to band together and make a huge issue out of “Antennagate” despite the fact that less than 1% of owners complained about it. So what do we the think? Aside from the ridiculous similarity to the blatant “Toyota Sabotage” earlier this year, it’s pretty lame. Why? Well, I happen to like the new iPhone a lot! Like A LOT! Sure, nothing is perfect, and I’m sure many of us totally realize it. That being said, the iPhone 4 is pretty darn awesome. So to celebrate the awesomeness of the most talked-about phone to hit the market yet, we’re giving away over a dozen iPhone 4′s! That’s right, where else can you play for all those prizes? Only here at MRT! 

Oh the shiny iPhones!

So what’s the big giveaway? How about a shiny new Apple iPhone 4 every week for the next twelve weeks! Oh and not just any iPhone. How about the top of the line 32 GB model! That’s right, every single week, one uber-lucky iPhone lover will win their very own sparkling 32 GB iPhone 4 worth $700 no-contact! No, these are not unlocked, although a quick search online will yield you some unlocked iPhones for up to $999! Of course, we don’t endorse illegal unlocking methods…but hey, it’s your iPhone. The very first winner will be announced on Monday August 2, 2010 followed by one winner every following Monday. Easy enough to grasp right??

Deathgrip? What's that?

A new face on our classic giveaway: As you know, MRT always has the best prizes. That’s a given. For our iPhone 4 giveaway, we’ve decided to make it a Facebook contest. Why? I’ve been told that if you don’t have a Facebook, you’re probably living under a rock. So basically, I’m a cavewoman since I don’t have one. If you happen to be one of the select few like myself who live under such a rock, don’t worry, there’s a special section below on how you can try winning one. Like all our other contests, there are three simple things you can do. Ready?

For a simple Facebook post, one of these could be yours!

For Facebook users: This one’s for you folks! First, if you haven’t already done so, add MRT to your “likes”. Second, in no more than 2 sentences, post your “iPhone Haters themed” comment our wall under the iPhone 4 giveaway. Finally, you MUST immediately re-post the contest link on your own wall. These steps should take you about 80-100 seconds (we tried it) so that makes it super simple and convenient. Plus, you only need to do this once a week! That’s how simple it is! However, it’s very important you follow these easy directions. If you make a mistake, you’re disqualified for the week (that, and you probably don’t need an iPhone 4, since it would be way too complicated & out of place for you & the rock you live under.)

Yes, they are 32 GB top of the line iPhone 4's

Now, for those who don’t have a Facebook account: In no more than 2 sentences, simply post a comment below on “iPhone Haters”…Be creative, original, honest, whatever you like. Just don’t copy someone else’s entry. We’ve seen this before and that’s a good way to disqualify you. Only ONE comment can be submitted per person, per week. One very lucky non-Facebook winner will be chosen at the end of August, followed by another one at the end of September. Basically, 2 iPhone 4′s will be awarded this way.

If you’ve got Twitter: Follow us at http://twitter.com/myrealitytech and RETWEET the contest post as many times a week as you like (more entries, more chances to win). One very lucky person from Twitter will win their own iPhone 4 on September 1, 2010.

You could be unboxing your very own iPhone 4G from MRT!

Ok now for the uber-important qualifying rules: Due to the nature and configuration of the product, the MRT Apple iPhone 4 Facebook contest is only open to all North American (yes Canada, you’re in there too) Residents 18 yrs and over! If you are not 18, please ask for your parent’s permission and have them sign up for you. Winner(s) agree(s) to provide & confirm to us their full name, valid email, valid shipping address and telephone number. All such personal information are for our security & validation purposes (we don’t want giving prizes to convicted serial killers, child molesters and/or general psychopaths), and as such, will not be shared in any way or form with anyone in order to protect your privacy. All winners are chosen at random using a randomizer in an effort to make everything fair, and as such, we do not determine the outcome of each contest. In addition, staff editors and their immediate families (defined as parents, children, siblings & spouses of staff editors) are not eligible to enter any of our contests. We reserve the right to disqualify any entry we feel violates any law or is being unfair/innapropriately vulgar/derogatory in any way we see it. Winner(s) agree(s) to the above simple rules. Best of luck!

If you have any questions, use the “Contact Jenna” link on the very top of the page.

By: Edward Jackson (Senior Editor)

Staff Note: August 6, 2010. This contest is officially closed. All four winners have been notified via email, and have 14 days to reply and claim their prizes. You must email us with your full information in order for us to verify your identities. Any misleading information will result in immediate disqualification, and as such, new random winners will be annnounced. We’d like to thank our friends at Aliph Jawbone for the amazing set of prizes. Congratulations to all the winners!

Staff Note: July 9, 2010. It’s official, Ed’s review is now a giveaway! You heard right. On August 5, we will be choosing two very lucky winners to take home their very own Jawbone Icon Bluetooth headset! You already know the rules, but just in case you’re new to the game…all you have to do (if you haven’t done so already) is register your email on the right-hand side of the page to receive our weekly newsletter (make sure to go back to your email and confirm, otherwise your entry doesn’t count.) Then once you’re in, come back and comment below on what makes the icon something you’d want. Simple as that! Two very special winners from Twitter & Facebook will also be chosen on the same day, so if you have both, follow us, retweet and repost for even higher chances of winning! Goodluck! ~Jenna

Now that Bluetooth headsets have become a mainstay in the market place – design is becoming as important as functionality. Many companies are kicking it into high gear and Aliph’s Jawbone is definitely leading the pack. Never one to shy away from highend design, their latest Bluetooth headset, the Jawbone ICON not only is stylish, but it also has an App store as well.  Now that takes guts.

The Jawbone Icon from Aliph is the 4th and latest in the line of Bluetooth headsets known for their noise cancellation technology.  The Icon has actually been on the scene for a wile, however, Aliph just recently added A2DP to Icon allowing you to play streaming audio, music, and podcasts, etc. through the headset. Since I haven’t talked about the Jawbone Icon before I figure that this would be a good time to give it a proper review.

Style and Fit

The first thing that you should notice about the Jawbone Icon is that it is not just one Bluetooth headset…  It is six.  The Icon comes in six different styles.  The Thinker, which, we are reviewing here.  The Rogue, the Hero, the Ace, the Catch, and the Bombshell.  Each headset has a unique color as well as a unique styling that differentiates just a bit from each of the other models in the Icon line.  Once you select the style of Icon that suites your personality and move beyond the aesthetic differences, each headset is virtually identical.

And they each weigh only 8 grams! All of these designs have masculine and feminine appeal, but in a classy, not overly girly way. Many other bluetooth headsets try to have feminine appeal by coloring themselves pink, red or purple, or throwing on some floral patterns, yet the Jawbone ICON succeeds in having the appeal for both just by the fact that its design is modern and fashionable. The fact that Aliph includes additional earbuds and the optional earloop is not only a nice gesture, but it ensures that no matter what type of ear size you have – the ICON won’t fall off unlike some other bluetooth earpieces we have tested in the past. There is also a switch on the ICON that lets you turn the headset on or off, and a talk button that is easily accessible to answer calls.

Accessories

The first thing you see after opening the box are three ear-only buds including the one already on the Icon as well as 4 ear buds to be used with the behind the ear earloop.  Most people will find that one three buds with the rubber circle on the back (option A) fits nicely in their ear without the need for the earloop. If, however, you like the security of the earloop, there are 4 different size earbuds to be used with it (option B). Aliph also includes a USB wall charger and a corresponding microUSB cable for charging. The cable, which is less than a foot long, can make charging at remote outlets (like one buried under your desk) difficult, but also eliminates tangles and makes it easier to travel with.

Sound Quality

Just this past week we had a freak rain storm in NY and what better way to test the Icon’s Lethal NoiseAssassin technology. For those not familiar with NoiseAssassin from Jawbone, it is a technology that was originally developed for military use in tanks and helicopters, and features a wind reduction proprietary technology that eliminates background noise from mobile phone conversations. So this tech is definitely helpful on a noisy NY street. I put the headset through its paces walking against the wind, standing in the line of fire of screaming fire engines, all the while on the phone talking to my friends and then colleagues who use various different cell phones.  I then went to the beach and watched kids playing in the sand and surf, and still the quality of the voice on the other end of the headset was crisp and clear and they heard me just the same. In fact, my peeps claimed that I sounded even better than when I talked directly into my handset, and I have to admit they sounded much crisper and louder too than when I use the handset directly! The earpiece didn’t fall out of my ear once, nor did it give me a headache or ear pain as many of the Bluetooth headsets have done in the past after having worn it in my ear for awhile.

Setup and Usage

Pairing Aliph’s Jawbone Icon via Bluetooth goes as simply as you could hope. Just slide the toggle switch on the side of the headset to the on position, wait until the LED ring flashes quickly white, then connect from your cell phone’s Bluetooth menu. Charging the Icon will display the the same LED colors. Wile it’s in the charge mode it will flash slowly RED, almost like it’s snoring… When it has a full charge the LED ring will stay a constant white.

Software

Yes, the Jawbone Icon has an App store. Well sorta – it’s called MyTalk which is currently in beta and exclusive to Jawbone Icon owners. It offers a selection of AudioApps and DialApps for free (carrier fees may apply but the App to download is free). Once you sign up via the MyTalk website which can be found on the Jawbone website, you will be sent two separate emails allowing you access to this additional feature. As we mentioned before, we where reviewing the Jawbone Icon – The Thinker which already comes with a standard Jawbone audio voice, which I didn’t  like very much. But Jawbone has turned it up a notch and has offered its customers customized voices specific to each model of Jawbone Icon. These distinct voices alert you to important information like how much battery life you have left and what number is calling you. So just because you own one version of the Icon headset, that doesn’t mean you can’t have the option of getting the voices associated with the other headsets. Personally I found the voices of The Ace, The Bombshell, and The Catch to be the best and they are also female… The men representatives sounded almost comical. In order to sync the new voice to your headset you must download the software to your PC or Mac and then all you need to do is choose which voice you want and then select ‘SYNC’, and it will automatically transfer to your headset when it’s plugged in via USB to your computer. This process is extremely easy, and if you run into a problem there are some video tutorials to help you out.

For instance, the Hero sounds like Brian from Family Guy, the Thinker sounds like a snotty English man, the ROGUE sounds like a bad version of Antonio Banderas, the ACE is your typical female spy, the CATCH sounded like a happy shiny 20 something, and the Bombshell makes it sound like you might have accidentally dialed a 1-900 number. Kinda silly as they are, everyone can test them out here at the Jawbone Website and try it for free.

The DialApps allow you to use your voice to unlock special applications specific for the Jawbone Icon. Directory 411, Jott for hands free email, Twitter, Facebook, and Google Calendar interaction, 1800free411, and HandsFree Assistant, even new features like A2DP. Where you can listen to streaming music or your favorite sports game via bluetooth. I’m sure there will be more Apps available in the near future as this app store is still in beta testing, but it certainly already offers a wide a variety of options that easily installs and helps you in ways you never thought possible.

The Good:

Excellent sound quality and noise cancellation, great design aesthetics, very easy to pair with devices, extra earbuds and optional earloop are included for a perfect fit, app store extends the functionality of the headset.

The Bad:

Fingerprints can be annoying, and the caller ID just say’s the phone number only and not the name of the caller.

Reality Grade:

The Jawbone Icon hits all the sweet spots – the device isn’t just pure eye candy, but a functional and well thought-out device that also looks to leave a small foot print on the earth due to its environmentally sound packaging. The headset offers truly excellent sound quality and noise cancellation, that not only will you appreciate, but those calling you will adore it too. The App store might seem gimmicky to some, but a lot of these apps are actually quite cool. For those looking to make the leap to an attractive Bluetooth headset that hits all the right marks, I highly suggest the Jawbone Icon. The boom is not intrusive on your face, the extra earbuds and earloop for optional ways to wear the device are very much appreciated, and it also happens to be one of the nicest looking bluetooth headsets ever made. Overall, you really can’t go wrong with the Jawbone ICON.