Aragon’s fourth post in our 12 Technologies of Christmas blog series will have you adding 3 key headsets to your holiday wishlist!
by Jim Lundy
Busy professionals on the go know need to be on calls and/or planes all the time. We have selected three different headsets based on the use case—at work, on the go, or on a plane. While you may not need each one, I can tell you from testing these that they will improve your productivity. These three different headsets make for ideal Christmas tech gifts.
Apple AirPods Pro are the newest addition to the Apple wireless headsets.
Apple AirPods
The Apple AirPods are one of the definitive game changers for executives. Since they launched two years ago, the growth of this category has been stunning as young and old have shifted to them for every day use. Today, basic AirPods are a great choice for kids or the elderly.
For business professionals, AirPods Pro is now the go-to choice. I’ve had a set of AirPods for over a year and they work very well. The reason I’m switching to AirPod Pros is battery life and noise cancellation. At $159 for AirPods or $249 for AirPods Pro, they are not cheap, but they perform very well.
Plantronics Savi 8200 Headset for the Office by Poly
Whether you are an executive, a sales manager, or a sales rep, if you are on the phone a lot, you need a headset for the office that can connect to your PC or Mac and works all day. The Plantronics Savi 8200 UC Series Headset does just that. With noise cancellation for busy offices, the Savi 8200 gets the job done.
While some may say, “I’ll just use my AirPods,” in a heavy duty office environment, you need connectivity, all day battery, and range—you can walk up to 590 feet away from your PC. Plantronics is now part of Poly and they offer many other headset choices for different work use cases.
The Plantronics Savi 8200 UC Headset is great for the office.
Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Headphones for flying used to be all the rage, but they were often too bulky. For the last 6 years, I have been using the Bose QuietComfort 20 Noise Cancelling Earbuds every time I fly. If there is anything you get yourself for Christmas, these are it. At $249, they are the same price as Apple AirPod Pros, but they fit a different use case.
When you wear them on a flight two things happen: first, the loud noise from the plane engines are fully muffled, and second, the sound quality for watching movies is significantly enhanced. Bose has new wireless earbuds coming in 2020, but for now these remain the gold standard for people who spend a lot of time in a plane.
The Bose Quiet Comfort 20 Noise Cancelling headset is ideal for flying.
Bottom Line: Change Your Life with Better Sound
The impact of noisy work environments or a noisy plane is becoming more understood. Noise impacts call quality and it also impacts stress on you. Adding better headsets and earbuds for your home or work life is a game changer. These are some of the best gifts you can buy for yourself or give to someone. You won’t regret it and I’m willing to bet you will be less stressed.