[e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] [e Readers Reviews] TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones and more

TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones and more


TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones

While there are many audio products available to choose from, not all are created equally. One can spend a lot of time digging in and sorting through all the options to find that right speaker or set of headphones. If you have or are currently experiencing such indecision, read on to see why Plantronics's latest headphones may be the right choice!

Design & Connectivity

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro Wireless ANC Headphones have a very high-quality look and feel. It's got a professional vibe to it, but not so serious that you would feel out of place wearing them in public with jeans and a t-shirt. The BackBeat Pro is contemporary with some subtle elements of flashy design. Smooth curves and matte black coloring maintain that premium styling, despite that much is made of plastic.

Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones box

All you need, looks pretty good

Although big, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones aren't necessarily bulky. The curve of the band against the head is about average – it doesn't stick out so far nor does it hug in close. The ear cups themselves swivel back to lie flat, which makes it comfortable to wear and carry about the neck.

These headphones don't fold up, so they're not as compact as full-sized ones that do. I really dig the splash of royal purple cloth covering the inside of the ear cups. It ties in nicely with the included cables.

While if would have been nice to have a hard case for the BackBeat Pro, it does come with a quality bag. The ballistic nylon exterior is lined with matching purple velvet. This could quite possibly be the king of soft bags. The other accessories, also purple, are the USB and audio cables. The cable tips are protected with strong rubber, and the audio cable has a soft coating that keeps it from tangling and catching on clothes.

When it comes to onboard controls, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro has a smart layout with symmetry I appreciate. It's one of those small things I enjoy – symmetry. The ear cups handle all the controls for wireless operation while wearing the headphones. Big buttons and textured rings are easy to handle/identify, and they provide track navigation, volume adjustment, calls, and battery notification. When hands are raised up to hold the cups, thumbs are placed directly on switches for power (right) and active noise canceling (left).

The Micro USB input and 3.5mm line-in are located on the bottom of the left cup, while the open-mic button is on the bottom of the right. Plantronics pays attention to detail, as the open-mic button is both raised and textured, making it easy to find and press. Very smart. There is zero clutter to these controls, and they feel very organic to the overall headphone design.

Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones bag

Although not a hard case, the included bag is plush!

You can see the microphone grilles on the outside of the ear cups, and the right one has a 5-LED power gauge that shines through. Not only is it cool, but it gives you an idea of how much battery life there is without having to put the headphones on. If you do happen to be wearing the Plantronics BackBeat Pro, pressing the call button delivers a voice notification of battery status.

Audio notifications come with almost every action: powering on/off, battery level (upon powering on), volume increment/decrements min/max, and device connectivity. Needless to say, Plantronics has all the bases covered.

One unique selling point of the BackBeat Pro is the built-in sensor that automatically plays/pauses music when you wear/remove the headphones. This applies to incoming phone calls too, where putting the headphones on will hit answer and start you on a hands-free conversation. This sensor, located in the left ear cup, is pressure related – it has nothing to do with any up/down motion. So while the manufacturer description talks about the headphones being on/off, you can replicate the same effect by pulling the left ear cup away.

It's a neat feature, but has a bit of limitation to it. With music, it only works when something is playing to begin with. So, for example, if you're listening to music and someone wants to talk to you, pulling the BackBeat Pro off activates pause. But if the music was already paused to begin with, putting the headphone back on doesn't resume play. You'll have to manually do that yourself.

Personally, I prefer to keep them on and stick with the powerfully convenient open-mic button. More on that to come.

Comfort

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro comes in like a heavyweight. At 340g, it's right there with the rest of the full-fledged over-ear headphones in all its glory. But despite the size and weight, the BackBeat Pro doesn't bear down on skulls as much as one might think. I have almost (almost) forgotten I was wearing them a few times. Comfort is a big deal, since it doesn't matter how good headphone may sound if you don't like to wear them.

[caption id="attachment_152140″…

Continue reading TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones

The post TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

 


Sponsor message
powered byad choices

Deal alert: LTE-supporting HP Chromebook 11 for $50 with Verizon pacts

HP Chromebook 11We know Black Friday is creeping up, and you're probably hesitant to make purchases you may end up regretting, but here's one deal you don't want to miss. Trust us, it doesn't get any better than this, come Black Friday, Cyber Monday or whatever shopping "holiday".

Best Buy slashes an incredible $150 off the regular price of an HP Chromebook 11 with 4G LTE connectivity. The…

Continue reading Deal alert: LTE-supporting HP Chromebook 11 for $50 with Verizon pacts

The post Deal alert: LTE-supporting HP Chromebook 11 for $50 with Verizon pacts appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Windows Phone 8.1 update arrives for T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 521

Lumia 521AT&T did a tremendous job in updating its full Windows Phone lineup to the platform's latest iteration, 8.1, and now it's T-Mobile's turn to show it cares about its clients. The Cortana-incorporating software package recently went out over to air to Lumia 925's T-Mo users, with the 521 apparently next in line.

And by that, we don't mean next in line sometime in the imprecise future….

Continue reading Windows Phone 8.1 update arrives for T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 521

The post Windows Phone 8.1 update arrives for T-Mobile Nokia Lumia 521 appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

 


FeedBlitz Top Slot
powered byad choices

First non-Nokia Lumia coming November 11, mystery is the word du jour

Microsoft Lumia teaserIt's no big secret Microsoft is looking towards a Nokia-free future, with the name of the now defunct Finnish mobile phone manufacturer slowly phased out of current Lumia marketing. As far as upcoming Lumia installments are concerned, these will snub Nokia branding altogether from the get-go.

With just a few weeks left until the start of the holiday shopping season, Microsoft is unlikely to be…

Continue reading First non-Nokia Lumia coming November 11, mystery is the word du jour

The post First non-Nokia Lumia coming November 11, mystery is the word du jour appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Moto 360 available with metal bands from Motorola, LG G Watch R on sale in Play Store

moto-360-lg-g-watch-rIt's taken Google and its hardware-manufacturing partners a little longer than expected, but the two circular Android Wear watches we've so far admired from a distance are now widely available.

Technically, the Moto 360 has been in stock at a number of retailers for more than a month. But the color and band material variety wasn't particularly…

Continue reading Moto 360 available with metal bands from Motorola, LG G Watch R on sale in Play Store

The post Moto 360 available with metal bands from Motorola, LG G Watch R on sale in Play Store appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

 


FeedBlitz Top Slot
powered byad choices

Congressional committee to discuss online privacy

Congressional committee to discuss online privacy

Privacy on the internet will be the topic of discussion during a congressional committee on Thursday. The advisory committee plans to discuss online privacy in an attempt to work towards new legal structures. In a step that appears similar to the UK's latest online privacy measures, the committee will talk about legal penalties for hackers and those involved in revenge porn.

Continue reading Congressional committee to discuss online privacy

The post Congressional committee to discuss online privacy appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Motorola quickly sells out of Nexus 6 inventory, 12 new markets should get it soon

Nexus-6It looks like Google and Motorola's Nexus 6 availability pickles are growing by the day, as the latter has followed the former's suit and rapidly burned through its own stock. No way to know for sure exactly how many units were ordered on Moto's website, but we'd venture a guess and say hundreds. A couple thou, tops.

Ironically, Google's Play…

Continue reading Motorola quickly sells out of Nexus 6 inventory, 12 new markets should get it soon

The post Motorola quickly sells out of Nexus 6 inventory, 12 new markets should get it soon appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Huawei TalkBand B1 wearable priced at $130, coming to US stores November 14

Huawei TalkBand B1In an attempt to settle down frustration caused by the unexpected halt of Ascend Mate 2 software support, Huawei has announced TalkBand B1 US availability at last. The fitness tracker/Bluetooth headset was unveiled way back in February, at MWC, and kept on stand-by all this time.

Presumably, compatibility issues were what made Huawei took so long to get the TalkBand ready for a North American rollout. When it was…

Continue reading Huawei TalkBand B1 wearable priced at $130, coming to US stores November 14

The post Huawei TalkBand B1 wearable priced at $130, coming to US stores November 14 appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Showtime to launch internet offering in 2015

Showtime to launch internet offering in 2015

Showtime may step into the online video industry in 2015. A standalone online offering is expected to launch next year, according to CBS CEO Les Moonves. While talking with CNBC, Moonves revealed plans for an online service, and the CEO has made it clear that the service will target those with internet access but no cable subscription.

Continue reading Showtime to launch internet offering in 2015

The post Showtime to launch internet offering in 2015 appeared first on GadgeTell.

    

Verizon rolls out another underwhelming Ellipsis tablet, priced at $150 and up

verizon_ellipsis_8While we'd usually admire a tech player who doesn't let one sales flop discourage it and dictate its next steps, sometimes it's better to quit while you're ahead. Take Verizon. They tried to offer an own-brand Nexus 7 alternative, and failed miserably, overpricing and underequipping the Ellipsis 7.

You'd think that would teach Big Red something, yet the nation's…

Continue reading Verizon rolls out another underwhelming Ellipsis tablet, priced at $150 and up

The post Verizon rolls out another underwhelming Ellipsis tablet, priced at $150 and up appeared first on GadgeTell.

    



Email subscriptions powered by FeedBlitz, LLC, 365 Boston Post Rd, Suite 123, Sudbury, MA 01776, USA.


--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:46:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:50:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:51:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

--
Posted By e Readers Tips to e Readers Reviews at 11/07/2014 11:52:00 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment