CES 2008: BlueAnt V1 Voice Controlled Bluetooth Headset

BlueAnt’s V1 – It Talks Back To You!

For the past year or so, we have been lucky enough to use some very cool communication products from Australias own BlueAnt Wireless. Since moving to expose more of their products to North America and Europe, BlueAnt has released some of the best Bluetooth communication devices that we have seen here at Legit Reviews.

Like most compainies, BlueAnt was showing off their next generation of Bluetooth headsets here at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We have already been impressed with the lightweight and technically advanced Z9 Bluetooth Headset and they take the Z9 concept a step further with the introduction of the new V1 Bluetooth Headset.

BlueAnt is touting the V1 as the worlds first voice-controlled headset that allows users the capability of controlling most functions by voice commands. The headset is the first to incorporate the BlueGenie Voice User Interface to control almost every function of the headset. Sensory, Inc. is one of the leaders in speech technologies in consumer products, and they are the architects and driving force behind the voice control interface.

The size and weight put it directly on par with the BlueAnt Z9. If you look closely, the body still has seems to have multiple buttons like the look to be used for volume up, volume down, and a multifunction button like the Z9. The V1 will also have a dual microphone and advanced DSP to help isolate the unwanted background noise for the caller. BlueAnt will equip the V1 with Bluetooth 2.1 and its talk time should be around 6 hours with over 200 standby hours.

What clearly will set this unit apart from the rest is the users ability to give the headset voice commands. This is perfect for those of us who have a hard time remembering the right combination of buttons to push to pair the headset with a device, or put a caller on hold, etc. In fact, check out the partial list of voice controlled functions the V1 will have out of the box:

• Answer Call
• Ignore Call
• Redial
• Call Back
• Call Favorites
• Call Home or Office
• Enable Pair mode
• Check Battery
• Check Connection
• Activate Phones Voice Dial
• Help Menu
• Settings

Slated for release this Spring, the $119 BlueAnt V1 measures 41mm x 17.5mm x 11.2mm (1.6″ x .7″ x .5″) and weighs under .5 ounces. By the looks of things, the V1 will also ship with a sweet desktop charger in a variety of colors.