BlueAnt T1 Review

Introduction and Design:

You could easily argue that Arnold Schwarzenegger exuded an intimidating persona with his character in The Terminator, but we'd imagine that futuristic super robots like that would still be conscious about the kind of Bluetooth headsets they'd sport. So that's where probably the BlueAnt T1 would come into mind as it perfectly establishes itself as a practicable and rugged solution to keep our would be some day destroyers in keeping a clear conversation amongst other terminators. Boasting dual microphones and Voice Isolation Technology, this versatile Bluetooth headset is packing enough features and extra goodies to keep its $79.99 pricing very alluring. Packaged with the BlueAnt T1 are 2 silicon sleeves, 2 ear clips, 5 ear buds, microUSB cable, AC adapter, and a quick start guide.


Although it might look perfect for terminators, the BlueAnt T1 might not be the most fashionable thing to lay on your ear for the couture type. Sporting some hard lines and angular cuts, this all plastic device doesn't hide the fact that it's a headset with а rough industrial design. Despite its average size, its plastic housing makes it very lightweight and comfortable. And thanks to the included siliconе sleeves, it protects the headset from minor drops and keeps moisture out.

Unfortunately, the quaint ear buds are too soft and compress effortlessly in trying to stay put in the ear – which makes it feel like it's falling out. However, the clear plastic ear clip manages to remedy the problem, but its fragility makes us question its handling in the long term. Even though the soft feeling ear buds lack that sense of snugness in the ear, it makes for a comfortable fit when using the headset for longer periods of time.


There's no mistaking where the separated volume up and down buttons are, which offer a moderate amount of tactility, but the on/off switch is located in an inconvenient spot that requires you to remove the headset from your ear to access. Meanwhile, we find a very easy to press multi-function button on the front which accomplishes a bunch of tasks, while a small wind guard strip goes down nearly its entire length. Furthermore, there's an LED indicator embedded within the portion of the wind guard that's closest to the multi-function button. And finally, a microUSB port is conveniently located all by itself in the rear of the device.

Performance:

Using it for the very first time, we're greeted to some voice guided instructions in getting the phone paired. Although it's general and not specific, we easily managed to connect it with a T-Mobile myTouch 4G. Moreover, the BlueAnt T1 features Multipoint technology which enabled us to connect it with an iPhone 4 as well. However, pressing the multi-function button will only allow you to control the functions of the primary phone. Although it offers voice control, there are limited items you can use through the phone's built-in service – like checking battery, call information, and launching the default voice command service on your phone. With Android smartphones, you can download the BlueAnt app which will announce received text messages through the headset – which works well and automatically kicks in once a message arrives.

Modifying the volume is no problem at all and we're actually pleased with the sufficient audio level it emits which makes it very tolerable to hear even at the loudest volume setting. Nevertheless, there is some background noise that can be heard through the headset – but doesn't adversely change the quality of voices.

One of best things about the BlueAnt T1 is its Voice Cancellation Technology which does wonders in combating wind speeds up to 22 miles per hour. As we pulled down the car windows, our callers did notice a hint of noise initially, but it quickly dissipated as they stated that our voice was more than recognizable – but with a hint of hiss. Conversely, the strong and deep tones emitted by the BlueAnt T1's earpiece are more than satisfactory to make out every uttered word spoken by our callers.


Slightly obtaining over 5 hours of talk time with the BlueAnt T1, that mark is an hour short of the manufacturer's rating of 6 hours. Still, that's a decent amount of time for any Bluetooth headset out there on the market, but it doesn't offer the rapid charge time found on other contemporary headsets. Just be prepared to keep it connected to a power source for some time to get it at a respectable level for usage.

Conclusion:

Finding itself in the mid-range pricing category, there's no arguing that the BlueAnt T1 offers a lot of features for its $79.99 price point. Additionally, it flaunts plenty of usable features to keep those Terminators connected with one another without the worry of the wind becoming a distracting factor in their conquest to rule the planet. So even if you're not an unstoppable terminator, you can pick up the T1 and transform yourself into that inter-connected robot you've always dreamed about – not to mention keeping your conversations going along accordingly.