When a Motorola rep contacted me to check out their new handsfree device, the Motorola Endeavor HX1, I have to admit that I said to myself, “Not ANOTHER expensive useless gadget!” Not to sound jaded, but I currently own a Jawbone Prime NoiseAssasin and for the amount of money I spent on it ($139) it just wasn’t worth the expense. It didn’t fit in my ear properly and it was hard to change out the earbuds for a good fit. Therefore, the Jawbone sat on my kitchen counter, not getting any use. Then arrived the Edeavor HX1…
Motorola did a great job of presenting the product. It came ready for extreme environments in a black backpack filled with a bottle of water, trail mix, and a Thermos soup container, along with marketing material. I kept looking around for the product and found it nestled inside the soup container. However, no matter how cool a presentation might be, if a product lacks in the delivery department, there’s no help for it. I located the charger and powered it up for review.
Fit: The Motorola Endeavor HX1 fit securely and comfortably in my ear. I tried it with and without sunglasses, because sometimes an eye accessory coupled with an earpiece can cause irritation. The hook over the ear was small and unobtrusive, eliminating that look of “I drive a spaceship”. The ear interface fit snugly inside the outer ear canal and completely sealed out the location noise.
Quality: The marketing of this handsfree device is for the adventure-seeking demograpic. I did not try this out on a roller-coaster, but I did put the top down on my convertible to see if it truly blocks out the wind. I understand who I was conversing with and the wind noise was not even noticed by the person on the other end of the discussion. I also tested the Endeavor HX1 in a car full of screaming kids. Not only was it safer for me to drive with both hands on the wheel, but the combination of Motorola’s CrystalTalk noise cancelling technology along with the new stealth mode really does block out the aggravating screams of noisy children.
Device Compatibility: The Motorola Endeavor HX1 was easy to set up. One just simply charges the product fully and follows the voice prompts on the device to synch it with your mobile device. My son tried it out with his iPhone and I currently use it with my Blackberry. This handsfree device supports Bluetoothe A2DP, HSP, and HFP profiles. The battery should last up to seven hours of talk time and standy of up to 240 hours. It weighs only 13 grams.
Availability and Price: The Motorola Endeavor HX1 is available at Sprint for $129.99. For information regarding price, availability in your area, or for more product information, visit http://www.motorola.com/endeavor-hx1.
Bottom Line: Motorola shouldn’t just market this to adventure travelers, music buffs, or sports fans. This product is fantastic for the mom on the go who wants to make sure she hears every word during her mobile conversation, regardless if she’s at a soccer game or has carpool duty. In fact, I’ve used the Motorola Endeavor HX1 more in the past week than I’ve used my Jawbone in the past six months.
Please remember that texting while driving is dangerous, and this includes even dialing a number to make a call. Use caution and common sense to keep yourself and your family safe and both hands on the wheel. This site supports Mom Sends the Msg, a public service campaign initiated by TheMotherhood.com aimed at reducing distracted driving. Follow the campaign on Twitter: @SendtheMSG
I saw your footnote. Texting, dialing and speaking on a cell (mobile) phone in Australia is illegal (unless speaking into a handsfree phone). While it isn’t enforced as much as it should be as there are few police on the road (they rely on speed cameras etc to do their job), it has dramatically cut down on the habit and hence reduced accidents and injury.
Likewise in Britain … it’s illegal to use a hand-held phone at the wheel (even if the car is stationary!) … and even hands-free devices are frowned upon.
I’d counsel if you’re using a hands-free, by all means annswer calls, but make them brief … let the caller know you’re driving … and do not initiate calls; if you really have to, pull into the side.
(End of sermon!
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.-= Keith´s last blog ..Edinburgh Tattoo =-.