By Cynthia Karena
For serious headset wearers, the well-designed Jabra Halo Smart wireless stereo earbuds ($129) are worth a look.
Sound quality so-so. Vibrations and magnets cool.
Jabra, the Copenhagen-based technology company, launched a neckband style headset for both calls and music. Once paired with your phone, the neckband vibrates gently when your phone rings. And there's a voice button that activates either Siri or Google Now.
The headset looks sleek, and the best design features are the built-in magnets in the earbuds and the body of the headset. These allow the buds to stick to each other or to the neckband, rather than dangle and twist.
Having a neckband means there's more room to put in a bigger battery, and longer times between charging. But I'd like to see a super comfortable flexible rubber-based version.
The next best feature is the wind-protected microphone, so your voice is relatively clear during phone calls.
The Jabra Assist app tracks battery usage, locates the device if you lose it, and, for Android users, reads out calendar appointments, emails and text messages through the headset. The app will also remind you when to charge the thing.
But don't expect top-quality sound when listening to music; they are just earbuds after all.