Product: Sony WF-1000XM3

Design: 4 / 5
Build Quality: 5 / 5
Functionality: 4 / 5
Sound Quality (in): 4.5 / 5
Sound Quality (out): 4 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
MSRP: $299.99 (CAD)
Overall: 4 / 5



Way back in 2008, there was a movie called Definitely, Maybe. In its opening seen, Ryan Reynolds was walking down the street, wearing a pair of truly wireless earbuds. Being a gadget junkie, I became obsessed with hunting down a pair, only to realise that they didn't exist. But even back then, Bluetooth was on the rise, and I knew that it was just a matter of time before something similar would come out. So when Platronics came out with the Backbeat Go, I jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on a pair. While they were, "good enough", it really wasn't anything to write home about.

Fast forward another 5 years. Left, right, and centre, were truly wireless earbuds that were being launched. I threw up a little in my mouth when the Airpods came out. And I almost ran to the store to get the Sony WF-1000XM3 when I heard of its release. But, after learning my lesson with BackBeat Go, I decided to wait. Let's wait and see what the reviews look like. But... y'all ain't here to reminisce and ruminate on my past.

Y'all can read and watch any number of Youtube reviews, but you're here to look for the truth and the real deal. So here we go:

They are fantastic---ish. The sound quality is pretty awesome, and there isn't any discernible latency. They're great if you want to listen to classical music, and jazz, but they're a bit light on bass if you're into EDM and HipHop. There has been a complaint that neither headphone allows for volume control, but there's actually an easy workaround. Use the voice assistant. I have no issues with that at all.
They are comfortable---ish. Using the right tips, the headphones aren't likely to fall out of your ears, but for extended wear, they do start getting a bit uncomfortable as the tips are quite deep in your ear, and it's like you've stretched the canal out a bit. I'd say, keep it within an hour or so, and you're fine.
They are sexy---ish. They do look great, but if you're looking for that minimalist design, this one's on the large side.

This is a great gadget for commuters that listen to jazz, contemporary, classical, or podcasts. It's got top of the line ANC for buses and metros, they look sharp, and they sound great. You'll only need to charge them about once a week, and even with newer devices coming out, they still rank (to-date) as one of the best.
If you're looking for something to exercise with, I still think that you're better off with something with an over-ear loop so that on the off chance that it DOES pop out, you'll not be crawling around trying to retrieve them. They're also not IP rated, so you probably don't want it drenched in sweat.

Bottom line, there isn't a single bit of kit that I think is great for all users. But for the right user, this is still a fantastic device.

Cheers.

Product: Jawbone Era

Design: 3.5 / 5
Sound Quality (in): 5 / 5
Sound Quality (out): 4 / 5
Build Quality: 4 / 5
Battery: 5 / 5
Comfort: 4 / 5
MSRP: $129.99 (USD)
Overall: 4.5 / 5



I started using wired headsets while in University. I was pretty active, so the only time I really had to talk on the phone was when I was cooking, or doing laundry. So when I found out about Bluetooth headsets, I jumped at the opportunity of getting one. I picked up my first BT headset to use with my Sony Ericsson T68i (still one of my favourite phones I've ever used). I've been hooked ever since. I have since developed a big distaste for wires in general, opting for the wireless alternative at any opportunity.

For Valentine's Day, I was given my newest headset, Jawbone Era. It boasts using Noise Assassin 3.0, a military grade noise canceling technology using the vibrations of your jaw, and blah blah blah. I'll just let the video tell you what it does.




Jawbone decided that they were going to introduce some new technology to their latest release.
It has the ability to "learn". You can plug it into your computer via its microUSB port, and download apps for it. You can change the voices that talk to you, and other little gimmicky features. 
They've also put in an accelerometer. Pretty cool, but totally useless. Another gimmick to increase the price of what I suspect could have cost under $100. But it's certainly gives you pause to think about some of the possibilities of having such technology in place for a headset. I'm fairly certain that, and excited to see, more useful applications will be rolled out in the future. You can currently shake the headset 4x to put it into pairing mode, and double tap to take and end calls.

The incoming sound is a VAST improvement from previous iterations of the Jawbone line. It was pretty good before, but a little soft, and slightly "tinny". The Era has a 25% bigger speaker, giving fuller, richer sounds. It features pretty good stereo-over-mono music (music in one ear), and adaptive volume, depending on how loud your surrounds are.
They boast 5 hour talk time and deliver. And at the push of a button, a voice tells you how much more time you have to speak.

I am however, getting a little bored with their design. It still looks great, but I think it's time for them to try something different. I also don't like their hidden on/off switch, which is located on the inside of the headset. That being said, I am THRILLED that they've done away with the flashing LED light that broadcasts to everyone around you that you're on the phone. Instead, they've put it subtly on the inside of the headset, forming a sleek ring around the jawbone sensor.

Fantastic improvements overall, but I still wish that SOMEBODY (hopefully Jawbone) will come out with a commercial BT headset that will get rid of wind noise.

~Cheers.