LATEST Headsets and Headset News for Australia

This NEWS page will provide you with information regarding the latest headsets that have just (or are about to) hit the Australian market.

It is with deep regret that I announce the demise of Claria headsets. GN Netcom/Jabra purchased the brand with the sole purpose of killing off a strong competitor. They have now succeeded in this ambition. No further units of this doyan of the call centre industry are available. No spare parts are available. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls your Claria headsets are now officially museum pieces.

Sennheiser's latest headset the DW Office is about to be available in Australia. It is an all new single-sided DECT headset for your desk phone and softphone. The elegant design places a premium on comfort and effectiveness, allowing you to move freely around without any wires to hold you back. You'll warm to HD voice clarity and high-end sound quality, personalized wearing styles, simplicity of use, intuitive and easy pairing for desk sharing or phone conferencing, and full workday talk time with intelligent fast charging. Offering long-distance wireless range for maximum roaming freedom, DW Office gives you true comfort calls in one high-quality headset with ActiveGard™ to protect you from acoustic shock.

Update to Aug 2009: Sorry, but my experience has been that this new structure has not achieved the desired outcome. GN Netcom/Jabra's aftersales support still leaves a lot to be desired.

Once again GN Netcom/Jabra have re-arranged their customer service and warranty repair structure. As reported in Feb 2009, GN Netcom/Jabra ignored that age old maxim "If it aint broke dont fix it". Their experiment did not work. Thus, they again try to get their headset servicing right. Is this a case of "second time lucky"? Only time will tell.

Plantronics expands in the VoiP marketplace with their latest headset. Having recently introduced the HW251 range, they now bring you the entry level ENTERA. While this wideband audio headset is purpose built for your VoiP environment, it is equally good for your old telephone system. The ENTERA also features a USB model which has been optimized for Microsoft Office Communicator. It is a monaural (HW111N)or binaural (HW121N) corded headset with integrated call control, a noise-canceling microphone, extended wear design, and wideband and stereo audio for clear conversations.

In Dec 2008 Jabra (nee GN Netcom) announced a major re-organisation of their headset servicing and warranty processes. Gone was the name that everyone respected in this business (and had done so for 20 years) - Chris Allen. In came a large distribution business. Have we seen any improvements? No, just the opposite, slower response and lack of stock. All warranty replacement stock now has to be ordered in from China on demand. Customers are wondering whether it was all worth it.

Jabra (nee GN Netcom) have announced a massive recall of batteries used in their GN9120 series of headsets. "In cooperation with the Danish Safety Technology Authority (Sikkerhedsstyrelsen) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and other regulatory agencies GN Netcom is voluntarily recalling Lithium-ion batteries from ATL (ATL P/N 603028) used in GN9120 wireless headsets and sold from January 2005 through September 2008. These lithium-ion polymer batteries can overheat due to an internal short circuit in the batteries, which can pose a fire hazard. The battery has only been used in the GN9120 wireless headset." It is believed that approx 1.2 million batteries may be effected. For further information go to Jabra's Battery Replacement website

Plantronics introduces the Ultimate Headsets for Noise Cancelling! The Plantronics H251N-UNC and H261N-UNC Supra Plus Headsets with ULTRA Noise Cancelling Microphone. For a long time Sennheiser has set the standard for Ultra Noise Cancelling microphone headsets with their CC range. They now have competition. It is going to be interesting comparing them.

Plantronics have announced the end of their Polaris (i.e. P-series) corded range of headsets. These headsets do not require an amplifier, thus saving you money. After Aug 2008 they will no longer be manufactured. In the future, if you require a direct connect pre-amplified headset simply use the equivalent H-series headset together with the special A10 bottom cable (66268-02).

Plantronics' experiment with the CS70 wireless headset has come to an end. The original model has been discontinued. The CS70N continues to be available. Although the CS70 showed promise when launched, it has not gained market acceptance. The sensitive microphone picks up too much background sound. I have experience with the wife of one customer talking on the phone to her husband, who was using a CS70 in his office, being able to repeat word for word what his colleague was saying in the next office.

Get Australia's latest headsets here.