i.Tech MyVoice 610 Review
Introduction:
“It makes your dream come true” – this is how i.Tech Dynamic introduces the MyVoice 610 Bluetooth headset on its official web page along with a few more bits of Chinglish here and there. Seemingly aimed at more style-conscious consumers, the MyVoice 610 is one of the latest additions to the Hong Kong-based manufacturer's updated line of wireless gizmos. When we reviewed several other i.Tech Bluetooth accessories some time ago, they were not bad, but were not flawless either, so let's give the MyVoice 610 a try and see what it can do to impress us this time.
What is in the box:
Design:
At a glance, the i.Tech MyVoice 610 Bluetooth headset actually looks and feels about as good as high-end models from manufacturers that you have actually heard of before. Most of its casing is made out of brushed aluminum, which gives it a classy look and helps the plasticky bits remain mostly unnoticed. The wireless headset comes in four different styling varieties with “Noble” being the one that we have on hands today.
Luckily, the headset’s metal outfit does not seem to take a toll on its weight – it clocks in at the commendable 0.27 ounces (7.7 grams). The MyVoice 610 sits nice and tight when in place over the ear and it doesn’t take long before you start forgetting about its presence. However, putting the headset on properly may require some practice since the plastic hook that goes over the ear tends to move sideways too much. The set includes two types of differently sized rubber sleeves, which attach to the earpiece and provide a quite nice, comfortable fit. Once you find the one that suits you perfectly, you should be able to wear the headset for a whole day without it bothering you. It seems like the rubber sleeves that are meant to sit partially inside the ear canal make it much less likely for the headset to fall off and also provide a small amount of passive noise reduction. Here we found out that using an ear hook with the headset is pretty much mandatory since without one it gets detached from the ear too easily.
Taking a closer look at the device reveals a multifunctional button located at its back. A small tip makes finding it with a finger easier when you need to answer or make a call though a bit more exposure and tactile feedback would not have been excessive. Second in size is a wobbly volume rocker, which is located on the headset’s edge, and its slightly curved profile is also meant to facilitate locating the buttons with your thumb while on the move. Having a basic volume rocker may seem like a simple solution, but it works great unlike other “innovative” ideas such as using a single dedicated button or a touch-sensitive strip to control sound level. There is a hold key as well – it is installed right next to the volume rocker on the inner side of the headset When activated, the hold key disables the multifunctional button and the volume rocker in order to prevent accidental presses. Unfortunately, it is so tiny that it may prove difficult for people with bigger fingers to reach it.
A trio of LEDs provides some visual feedback depending on the headset's status. The lights are located on the inside of the device, which means that they will not be distracting anyone if they happen to go off during usage. When paired with an iPhone, some other i.Tech models can display battery status information right on the smartphone's screen, but unfortunately, this feature is not present in the MyVoice 610 model.
“It makes your dream come true” – this is how i.Tech Dynamic introduces the MyVoice 610 Bluetooth headset on its official web page along with a few more bits of Chinglish here and there. Seemingly aimed at more style-conscious consumers, the MyVoice 610 is one of the latest additions to the Hong Kong-based manufacturer's updated line of wireless gizmos. When we reviewed several other i.Tech Bluetooth accessories some time ago, they were not bad, but were not flawless either, so let's give the MyVoice 610 a try and see what it can do to impress us this time.
What is in the box:
- MyVoice 610 headset
- 10 soft rubber sleeve attachments
- Sleeve adapter
- 2 ear hooks of different sizes
- microUSB charging cable
- Multilingual user manual
Design:
At a glance, the i.Tech MyVoice 610 Bluetooth headset actually looks and feels about as good as high-end models from manufacturers that you have actually heard of before. Most of its casing is made out of brushed aluminum, which gives it a classy look and helps the plasticky bits remain mostly unnoticed. The wireless headset comes in four different styling varieties with “Noble” being the one that we have on hands today.
Luckily, the headset’s metal outfit does not seem to take a toll on its weight – it clocks in at the commendable 0.27 ounces (7.7 grams). The MyVoice 610 sits nice and tight when in place over the ear and it doesn’t take long before you start forgetting about its presence. However, putting the headset on properly may require some practice since the plastic hook that goes over the ear tends to move sideways too much. The set includes two types of differently sized rubber sleeves, which attach to the earpiece and provide a quite nice, comfortable fit. Once you find the one that suits you perfectly, you should be able to wear the headset for a whole day without it bothering you. It seems like the rubber sleeves that are meant to sit partially inside the ear canal make it much less likely for the headset to fall off and also provide a small amount of passive noise reduction. Here we found out that using an ear hook with the headset is pretty much mandatory since without one it gets detached from the ear too easily.
Taking a closer look at the device reveals a multifunctional button located at its back. A small tip makes finding it with a finger easier when you need to answer or make a call though a bit more exposure and tactile feedback would not have been excessive. Second in size is a wobbly volume rocker, which is located on the headset’s edge, and its slightly curved profile is also meant to facilitate locating the buttons with your thumb while on the move. Having a basic volume rocker may seem like a simple solution, but it works great unlike other “innovative” ideas such as using a single dedicated button or a touch-sensitive strip to control sound level. There is a hold key as well – it is installed right next to the volume rocker on the inner side of the headset When activated, the hold key disables the multifunctional button and the volume rocker in order to prevent accidental presses. Unfortunately, it is so tiny that it may prove difficult for people with bigger fingers to reach it.
A trio of LEDs provides some visual feedback depending on the headset's status. The lights are located on the inside of the device, which means that they will not be distracting anyone if they happen to go off during usage. When paired with an iPhone, some other i.Tech models can display battery status information right on the smartphone's screen, but unfortunately, this feature is not present in the MyVoice 610 model.
Functionality:
Pairing the headset was pretty straightforward – after enabling its pairing mode, our smartphone recognized the Bluetooth device right away and established connection. Support for multiport pairing enables the headset to handle calls from two cellphones simultaneously. Unfortunately, we could only get the MyVoice 610 to work during phone calls, which is sad because it would have been great if other applications such as media players or instant messengers could take advantage of it.
When we started using the headset, the sound quality it provided seemed average. It may have sounded slightly digitized, yet it was loud enough for both parties, with low levels of noise, and no choppiness. Unfortunately, after several days of extensive testing, we found out that once the battery got halfway depleted, the sound started getting somewhat muffled making it a bit hard to understand what the other party was saying. This might have something to do with the noise canceling technology, which is done in software instead of by using a second microphone. Once the battery got fully charged again, everything was back as it was in the beginning.
The battery performance of the MyVoice 610 is pretty decent – a full charge will provide about 5 hours of talk time and up to 130 of standing by. According to the manufacturer, a complete battery charge takes approximately three hours, but if you happen to be in a rush and the headset is out of juice, a 15-minute quick charge should provide about an hour and a half of talk time.
Conclusion:
Judging by the prices of previous i.Tech products, the MyVoice 610 wireless headset is going to be relatively budget-friendly in comparison to offers by other manufacturers with similar features. It is light, slim, and comfortable so it is a good pick if you intend to wear it for extended periods of time. However, it is still far from perfect so if you get picky when it comes to your gadgets, you may want to put the i.Tech headset back on the shelf. On the other hand, if you are looking for a simple Bluetooth handsfree that will not burn a hole through your wallet, then picking the MyVoice 610 will be a wise choice.
i.Tech MyVoice 610 Video Review:
Pairing the headset was pretty straightforward – after enabling its pairing mode, our smartphone recognized the Bluetooth device right away and established connection. Support for multiport pairing enables the headset to handle calls from two cellphones simultaneously. Unfortunately, we could only get the MyVoice 610 to work during phone calls, which is sad because it would have been great if other applications such as media players or instant messengers could take advantage of it.
The battery performance of the MyVoice 610 is pretty decent – a full charge will provide about 5 hours of talk time and up to 130 of standing by. According to the manufacturer, a complete battery charge takes approximately three hours, but if you happen to be in a rush and the headset is out of juice, a 15-minute quick charge should provide about an hour and a half of talk time.
Conclusion:
Judging by the prices of previous i.Tech products, the MyVoice 610 wireless headset is going to be relatively budget-friendly in comparison to offers by other manufacturers with similar features. It is light, slim, and comfortable so it is a good pick if you intend to wear it for extended periods of time. However, it is still far from perfect so if you get picky when it comes to your gadgets, you may want to put the i.Tech headset back on the shelf. On the other hand, if you are looking for a simple Bluetooth handsfree that will not burn a hole through your wallet, then picking the MyVoice 610 will be a wise choice.
i.Tech MyVoice 610 Video Review:
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