Gadget of the week: Plantronics Voyager Pro

What is it?

Californian audio and telephony hardware company Plantronics' latest wireless headset, the Voyager Pro. 

It's a bit bulky to be funky

True. But recent reviews have praised the Voyager Pro for its excellent sound quality, some even claiming it's the best ever. Obviously, it's function over form and sometimes that can only be a good thing. 

So what else can it do besides taking calls?

The Voyager Pro comes with all the niceties you would expect from a headset these days: Noise cancellation, voice alerts, audio streaming and one-touch answering. It has multi-connectivity and can work with both PC (via mini USB adaptor) — for those who Skype a lot — and mobile phones. There is something called an intelligent smart sensor technology which lets the headset intuitively know when it is on your ear. This means incoming calls can be answered just by putting the headset in your ear. When you take it off, the call goes back to just the phone. Despite its bulk, reviewers say the headset is comfortable to wear. iPhone users have an app that will show you a battery meter to monitor power level while on a call. 

When is it available and for how much?

The Voyager Pro is available for Dh848. To order, call Timna Telecoms on 06-557 0682.

Linksys for more

American multinational Cisco has announced a complete refresh of its Linksys E-Series wireless router family and the launch of its Wireless-N Range Extender. The new products "set a new standard for speed, range, and ease-of-use and feature" says the company while the extender is meant to alleviate wireless signals for those experiencing weak reception. The five new routers based on their speed are now available at all electronics retailer and are priced between Dh279 and Dh799. The range extender is priced at Dh349.

Snap happy

Canon is going all out this quarter. The company has just launched two new cameras to its Ixus range (1100 HS and 230 HS), a new PowerShot camera (SX150) and five new printers with print, scan, copy functionality under its Pixma range. Now available.

Remote goes QWERTY

As our television sets get smarter, it's time for the humble remote to get a facelift. Enter Samsung's new QWERTY keyboard remote control which let's you surf the web, navigate through apps and thoroughly enjoy your internet-ready TV. The remote is compatible with Samsung's LED D6600 and above and the PDP D6900 and above. Now available at all Eros and Harman House showrooms for Dh399.

Ready for the N9?

With our invite received for a preview party, it looks like Nokia is all set to unleash its much-touted N9 smartphone in the UAE. Amid killing off its Symbian operating system in some markets and announcing it will use the Windows 7 OS on its phones, Nokia's push of the N9 is interesting because it will be the first smartphone to be powered by the MeeGo/Harmattan OS. Watch this space for more.