shokz

From CES in Las Vegas, we checked out the new Open Swim Pro bone conduction headphones from Shokz that are designed for swimming. Product Manager Fay Fu explains why this model has a built-in music player to keep you rocking even under water. 

Show Notes:

Support:

Open Swim headphones 

Support:

     Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon
     http://patreon.com/macvoices

     Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal

Connect:

     Web:
     http://macvoices.com

     Twitter:
     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner
     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices

     Mastodon:
     https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner

     Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner

     MacVoices Page on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/

     MacVoices Group on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice

     LinkedIn:
     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/

     Instagram:
     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/

Subscribe:

     Audio in iTunes
     Video in iTunes

     Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:

     Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss
     Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Here are two links to the products discussed in this Podcast:

Shokz Opencomm UC:  https://headsetadvisor.com/products/aftershokz-opencomm-uc-bone-conduction-stereo-bluetooth-wireless-headset-for-pc-mobile

Poly 5200 UC:  https://headsetadvisor.com/products/plantronics-voyager-5200-uc-bluetooth-headset-for-mobile-workers

In this installment of the Headset Advisor Podcast, you'll see how a name brand UC wireless headset in the Poly 5200 UC, compares side-by-side to a lesser known brand in the Shokz Opencomm UC. 

You'll find out:

• How much battery life to expect from both of them
• Which one handled unwanted background noise better
• How they're both worn, because they're very different from each other
• Which one allows you to answer incoming calls when away from your desk
• How much wireless range you'll get
• How much they cost, and how you can get a better price on them

It's true that Poly, formerly Plantronics, is a household name  in the business headset space. Anyone in business that wears a headset, or has a job that requires them to buy headsets, knows that name. But that's not the case with the Shokz Opencomm brand.  Does that mean that the name brand is always better?  Well, in this case, let's take a look and see how they compare.

First, and the most obvious thing you'll notice, is they not only look very different from each other, but they're worn differently as well. The Poly 5200 UC is worn over the ear, with an ear gel that get inserted into the ear canal. The Shokz Opencomm UC, by comparison, is worn behind the neck, with circular pads (2) that rest against the bone just behind each ear. And because of that design, it leaves both ears uncovered.

The  Poly 5200 UC pipes sound directly to the ear canal, where the Opencomm UC bypasses the ear canal entirely through its use of bone conduction technology. This can be an advantage, especially for those who have hearing challenges.

The wireless talk range is the same on both with a rating of up to 100 feet. Though in our tests, the Opencomm gave us a little more range. Not a lot more, but a little.

In terms of battery life, the Poly 5200 UC is rated up to 7 hours of talk  time, with a recharge time of 1.5 hours. This headset also comes with a portable charge case for charging on the  go.

The Opencomm  UC has a battery that's rated up to 16 hours of talk time, and up to 8 hours of listening time. 5 minutes on the charger yields 2 hours of battery life, which is impressive.

Both headsets do not have batteries that can be replaced. This means when the battery no longer holds a charge, the headset will need to be replaced.

The  Poly 5200 UC is optimized for use with the leading UC platforms such as Microsoft Teams, RingCentral, Zoom and others. This  means  you can answer, and end calls when away from the desk. The  Opencomm UC can't offer this convenience.

In our sound tests, the Opencomm UC sounded a bit better, and reduced unwanted noise better than the Poly 5200 UC. But, when outdoors, the 5200 handled wind better. Likely due to Poly's "WindSmart" techology.

How much do these cost?  the 5200 UC runs $179.99, and the Opencomm UC runs $199.99. But, you can get a better price if you use coupon code BLOG when checking out on our website which is www.headsetadvisor.com

So make sure to use coupon code BLOG to get your best price.

The best headset for you between these models really comes down to what your specific needs are.

Our MacVoices Live! panel of David Ginsburg, Jim Rea, Brittany Smith, Jeff Gamet, Warren Sklar, and Kelly Guimont start off our discussion by following up on some of the New Year’s Objectives we previously set. Then, we start a conversation about our best tech purchases of 2021…things we use every day, things that help us do what we do. (Part 1) 

This edition of MacVoices is supported by MacVoices After Dark, our newest benefit for all Patreon supporters. Uncensored, off-topic, and always off the wall.

Show Notes:

Links:

Unroll.Me

SaneBox

Keychron Keyboards

iFi Hip-dac Portable Balanced DAC Headphone Amplifier for Android, iPhone

Schitt Modi DAC

Audioengine D1 24-Bit DAC

Logitech MX Master 3 Advanced Wireless Mouse

Shokz OpenComm Bone Conduction Open-Ear Stereo Bluetooth Headset With Noise-Canceling Boom Microphone

Guests:

Jeff Gamet is a technology blogger, podcaster, author, and public speaker. Previously, he was The Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and the TextExpander Evangelist for Smile. He has presented at Macworld Expo, RSA Conference, several WordCamp events, along with many other conferences. You can find him on several podcasts such as The Mac Show, The Big Show, MacVoices, Mac OS Ken, This Week in iOS, and more. Jeff is easy to find on social media as @jgamet on Twitter and Instagram, and jeffgamet on LinkedIn., and on his YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/jgamet.

David Ginsburg is the host of the weekly podcast In Touch With iOS where he discusses all things iOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and related technologies. He is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Visit his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/daveg65 and find and follow him on Twitter @daveg65.

Kelly Guimont is a podcaster and friend of the Rebel Alliance. She hosts the Daily Observations Podcast at MacObserver.com, and appears on The Incomparable network as well as hosts I Want My M(CU) TV. You can also hear her on The Aftershow with Mike Rose, and she still has more to say which she saves for Twitter.

Jim Rea has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @provuejim on Twitter.

Warren Sklar helps host the Mac to The Future Group on Facebook, and is the co-host of In Touch With iOS with David Ginsburg.

Brittany Smith is a cognitive neuroscientist who provides a variety of consulting services through her business, Devise and Conquer that includes ADD/ADHD coaching, technology coaching, productivity consulting, and more. She is a self-designated “well-rounded geek”, and holds a M.S. degree in Cognitive Neuroscience. She can be found on Twitter as @addliberator. Check out her latest project, a YouTube channel of tech tips.

Support:

     Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon
     http://patreon.com/macvoices

     Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal

Connect:

     Web:
     http://macvoices.com

     Twitter:
     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner
     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices

     Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner

     MacVoices Page on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/

     MacVoices Group on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice

     LinkedIn:
     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/

     Instagram:
     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/

Subscribe:

     Audio in iTunes
     Video in iTunes

     Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:

     Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss
     Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

In our first CES Briefing, we take a look at the first set of products and announcements that caught Chuck's attention, and that he thinks are worth your second look.

MacVoices is supported by Truebill. Get control of your subscriptions at TrueBill.com/macvoices.

Show Notes:

Links:

Scosche

Plugable

WHOOSH!

Shokz (formerly AfterShokz)

HANDL

Hyper

Eve

Targus

JBL

Autonomous 8R Tractor | John Deere Precision Ag (video)

Support:

     Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon
     http://patreon.com/macvoices

     Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal

Connect:

     Web:
     http://macvoices.com

     Twitter:
     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner
     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices

     Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner

     MacVoices Page on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/

     MacVoices Group on Facebook:
     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice

     LinkedIn:
     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/

     Instagram:
     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/

Subscribe:

     Audio in iTunes
     Video in iTunes

     Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:

     Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss
     Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss