Callpod Dragon v2 Bluetooth Headset - Goodies

Callpod Dragon v2 Bluetooth Headset Official Site

Newsletter

Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly.

Enter E-Mail Address Below:

Callpod Dragon v2 Bluetooth Headset

callpod dragon v2 bluetooth headset

I’ll acknowledge that the Callpod Dragon v2 Bluetooth Headset is a lightweight unit, but I didn’t really appreciate that until an embarrassing incident during a round of Killzone 2 multiplayer. I didn’t realize I still had the headset in my ear until I was looking in the mirror while I washed my hands, and one of my teammates remarked, “Dude, we could hear everything.”

The incident also confirmed a few other aspects of the headset that I otherwise would have gone out of my way to test. The audio quality in controlled conditions

Advertisement

(more on that later) is very good. I did most of my “testing” while playing Playstation 3 multiplayer games, and the quality of the audio in my ear and what the other players could hear of me was, on the whole, favorable. There wasn’t a lot of the, “What did you say?” that I was expecting. (I’m more acclimatized to my wired PC gaming headset with a swivel mic in front of my face.)

When I went outside and paired the review

Advertisement

unit with my phone, the results weren’t quite as good. I made several calls in various locations and found that if there’s any wind there can be a problem of the sound of rushing air for the receiver of the call. This is a real problem if you’re walking quickly. Plus, on some calls, apparently at random because I was never able to figure out why that might be happening, the receiver of the call reported an echo and tinny quality to my voice.

Though the bathroom incident demonstrated a range of 30 feet for the unit, I tested the 100m claim from Callpod. On a clear day, I went to the local running track, made a call, then placed my handset at the start line and I walked to the finish line. I was amazed it worked. About the 100m mark, things started to get a little fuzzy but the signal held up even further – I’m guessing another 20m – but that was under ideal circumstances: nice day, flat and unobstructed surface. I’m not sure how that would hold up in the “real world” like an office building, but it was still impressive.

There are a few other features of the unit that are worth mentioning, even if they weren’t directly tested. The first is that two Callpods can be used like walkie-talkies, regardless of being paired with a handset. The unit is also able to switch between paired devices. So, in theory if I wanted to answer my cell phone while I played Killzone 2 I could do it with a simple Uhura button press. I never actually did that, but it would be a good option if I was expecting an important call at 2:30 in the morning.

One other aspect of what Callpod has done with this unit, it provide three options for charging the unit. Besides the now-standard USB charger, Callpod has included a car lighter adapter (to charge on the go) and a plug-in charger. The plug-in charger is something I really appreciate. And to keep it altogether, Callpod packs in a zippered pouch.

Prices for the Callpod Dragon v2 range widely depending on where you search, but I’d say it’s worth looking into if you’re looking for a versatile Bluetooth headset has good performance when paired with a handset and excellent clarity and transmission.

Aaron Simmer

(June 25, 2009)