GADGETS :: May 13, 2020
by Gregg Ellman
(@greggellman)
With so many professionals switching to work at home lifestyles, Jabra’s timing couldn’t be better with the recent release of the Evolve2 65. The office headset has every feature you’ll need, including outstanding audio quality on both ends of the call.
Jabra has always been an industry leader with their audio headsets’ superior battery life and the Bluetooth Evolve2 65 is no different with specs listing up to 37 hours of use per charge. If that’s not enough for your meeting, I’ll say it for you, you’re meeting is too long, way too long.
Getting a full USB charge for 37 hours of use takes 90 minutes and with the fast charge feature 15 minutes of charging will be good for 8 hours.
The Evolve2 65 is equally a headset to receive audio and hardware with three strategically placed powerful professional microphones in the headset (one in the right ear cup and two in the movable boom arm) for your verbal participation.
Another feature Jabra always incorporates is comfort, which is the case here. The soft memory foam cushioned ear cups mold to your head so they can be worn comfortably for hours. Inside the headset is a 40 mm speaker for each ear, with audio quality playing music in my ears with the highest standards of clarity or listening to meeting voices I can understand the first time.
The way Jabra has angled the ear cups helps with passive noise cancellation to block out your surroundings. I wore the headphones in and around my house and then outside to expose myself to as different noise environments as possible in a short time. The PNC worked great, just as Jabra calls it to “Soundproof your ears.”
With the free Jabra Direct Software companion app, it’s easy to personalize the headsets music and calls and keep your headset registered for any updates.
I didn’t have any straight forward work conference calls, but I did manage a Zoom call with some friends who felt I would get tossed out of the weekly happy hour if I kept upping the technology game with better equipment like the Evolve2 65’s to make me sound better.
So then I used it to make a standard call and the first thing I was asked was “did you get a new phone?” In this case I haven’t; it was the headset but that was all I needed to know about the superior quality.
A really cool feature Jabra has added to the headset, a Busylight, can be viewed as a built-in security guard. The red light is built into both sides of the headset, automatically activated and visible from any direction. This warns anyone in your area that you’re on a call if they want to nag you about lunch or something else not worth being interrupted over. The Busylight can also be activated manually with a push of a button.
Bluetooth Pairing is easy, and can be done with multiple devices but only one at a time. The Jabra Evolve2 65 headset is certified for Microsoft teams.
A stereo model is $249, mono is $239. A charging stand can be added for either for $50 more. You’ll also have to specify USB-A or USB-C for connectivity.
Another great device for current quarantine and isolation lifestyles (and even perfect for when we are all set free) is the clckr grip and stand case.
The patented phone stand and hand grip works on flat surfaces in portrait and landscape angles or in your hand with a firm, secure hold.
Overall it’s pretty simple. There’s not a lot to it, yet it works perfect and doesn’t cost much _ a perfect gadget in my mind. Think of a PopSocket, which I never was a fan of, only better.
You have a choice of several colors and pattern cases and grips available as a package or individually choose from for matching any personality. The grips can be applied directly to a case or right to the phone with the included clear sticker.
The cases are drop tested 6.6-feet and are listed as wireless charging compatible.
www.clckr.com bands start at $14.99, case/band combos $29.95
