Best Bluetooth Headsets For Business

By Alison Diana 10/02/2010 Bluetooth headsets eliminate clumsy wires, boost productivity and, with more states requiring hands-free devices in vehicles, have become required equipment for businesspeople on the go. Vendors offer a dizzying array of headsets, differentiated by price, battery-life, weight and clarity. Many of today's headsets are multipoint, allowing use for both desktop and mobile phones. Developers also look to separate themselves from their competition through software or hardware design elements designed to reduce ambient sound and improve sound quality. In addition, Bluetooth headsets must be somewhat rugged to withstand long hours of usage and frequent removal and replacement. We culled through the thicket of features, noise-cancelling technologies and battery-life claims to find 13 of the best models for business.

Jabra PRO 9400

GN Netcom's Jabra PRO 9400 headset (retails for about $250) was designed to meet the communication needs of office personnel. The Bluetooth headset provides up to 10 hours of talk-time, and its DSP noise-reduction technology is designed to minimize the sounds associated with a noisy office environment. Users can wear the Jabra PRO 9400 headset with a headband, earhook or neckband accessory and can manage up to three different phones. The unified communications-ready headset's multiuse technology lets users respond to all calls, whether they're made via desk, soft or cell phones, from up to 150 meters away from their workspace.

Looking to improve productivity and enhance the business environment, organizations continue to invest in Bluetooth headsets for their call center, office and mobile workers. In fact, sales of Bluetooth headsets and speakerphones are expected to grow 12% in 2011, according to an August 2010 report by Strategy Analytics. Businesses are investing in Bluetooth headsets to boost employee productivity and reduce workplace injuries such as the neck and back strains often associated with long-term, ongoing desk-phone use. Other organizations -- especially those with mobile workers, such as truck drivers or off-site sales representatives -- are using Bluetooth headsets to promote safe driving and meet the hands-free laws many states have enacted.

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