Jawbone Launches New Headset Called the Era

I have to admit Jawbone makes some great stuff, I’ve still got and use the Jawbone 2, it’s fine for my uses and just works great really. Sure it might be considered ancient in tech standards, but I like it, it works and that’s what matters to me. Anyway, Jawbone has just announced the Era which is their newest Bluetooth headset that supposedly is the most natural sounding yet. The headset is 42% smaller than the last one and it’s capable of up to ten hours of talk time on a single charge. Price is $129.99 for the headset and the special charging case or just $99.99 for the headset alone and it will be available on January 24th at Apple, AT&T and Best Buy but you can get it today at Jawbone.com.

Jawbone today announced its new ERA headset, a totally reengineered Bluetooth earpiece that lets you take full advantage of your smartphone or mobile device while providing a more natural, comfortable way to talk on the phone, use Siri or Google Now, and listen to audio content. By directing audio to the ear completely hands-free, ERA liberates your phone conversations and simplifies your smartphone interactions by leveraging a more human-centric, less intrusive voice-based user interface. At 42% smaller than Jawbone’s prior headset model and with a convenient charging case that delivers ten total hours of talk time, ERA lets you conveniently tap into your phone while you’re multitasking – like checking your itinerary while packing for a trip, catching up with your parents while walking the dog, or simply accessing the apps you frequently use on your smartphone while taking a call.

"With ERA, we’ve taken what we’ve learned from more than a decade of research and development in design, engineering and audio, and used it to completely reinvent the earpiece for the wearable era, based on how people are living today," said Travis Bogard, vice president of product management and strategy at Jawbone. "We’re missing out on the emotional connection of voice because phone calls on today’s large smartphones aren’t convenient. Many of us are also looking for a better way to use our phones for background music, podcasts and other content consumption without awkward solutions like one dangling earbud or bulky utility headsets. We designed ERA to blend seamlessly into your life and make interacting with people and our smartphones even easier, all while making the technology nearly disappear."

Radically Reengineered, Pound for Pound

ERA has been efficiently crafted and designed from the ground up to deliver the best audio experience possible regardless of a user’s environment. A new earbud and unique audio porting system leverages the entire acoustic chamber and high efficiency of the drivers to route sound directly into the ear. Significantly smaller and better-performing MEMS microphones (micro-electro-mechanical systems) have been used for the first time in a Jawbone headset, and custom DSP algorithms (digital signal processing) adjust loudness and deliver the best audio possible based on your surroundings. The result is a very natural, lifelike sound.

The new ERA headset is a remarkable 42% smaller on the face than Jawbone’s prior ERA model which debuted in 2011, and has been engineered with just one solder point, greatly reducing manual processes in the assembly for optimal consistency and build quality.

Exceptional Comfort & Convenience

ERA comes with a completely re-architected earbud based on a decade of experience in headset design and more than three years of user testing for ultimate wearability. Available in three sizes and made with a calibrated, ultra-soft silicon material for superior comfort, the new earbud ensures your headset is totally secure in your ear at all times – whether you’re getting in and out of the car, crossing the street with your kids, or going for a jog. Since there’s no longer a need for an earloop, you won’t have to worry about fidgeting or fatigue from wear.

ERA’s convenient charging case brings its total talk time to 10 hours, while also keeping the headset totally secure in your pocket, your purse, or on your keychain. Micro-LED’s are placed on the side of the case to indicate the charging status of your headset.

Total Command of Your Audio

Jawbone engineers have completely rebuilt NoiseAssassin® technology with the addition of wideband audio, specifically for the ERA headset. The new NoiseAssassin 4.0 employs more accurate algorithms for detecting all types of speech and distinguishing it from background noise. Now, when using applications like Siri and Google Now, NoiseAssassin 4.0’s wideband spectrum delivers a much better signal for speech recognition, and coupled with the reduction of background noise, results in better Siri and Google Now performance.

By simply pressing and holding the button on the back of ERA, you can activate Siri or Google Now without ever touching your phone. While walking or driving, you can easily say, "read my last email", "play NPR podcast", or "get directions to Georgio’s restaurant". With ERA, suddenly a whole new set of capabilities is at your fingertips, powered by your own voice.

In addition to the launch of ERA, Jawbone is also introducing a new software update for The NERD®, its wireless USB audio adapter that makes connecting a Bluetooth headset or speaker to your computer as simple as if you were plugging in headphones. This new software update brings wideband audio support to The NERD, so for the first time ever, you can get wideband audio from your computer directly to your Jawbone headset. It’s perfect for privacy during FaceTime®, Skype™ and Google Hangout conversations and won’t leave you tethered to your computer with wires.

Available on January 16

ERA by Jawbone™ is available beginning today for $129.99 at Jawbone.com in four colors (Black Streak, Silver Cross, Bronze Streak, and Red Streak), and at Verizon stores nationwide in one color (Black Streak). ERA will be available at Apple, AT&T and Best Buy stores nationwide beginning January 24.

The ERA headset can be purchased without the charging case for $99.

https://jawbone.com/