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Monday, May 10, 2010

Aliph™ Introduces Jawbone ICON™, The World’s First Truly Intelligent Bluetooth® Headset “New Icon for Personal Expression” Is Now Accessible to Everyone. Peachy Deegan Loves the Thinker!

We love to tell you about new Gadgets, and the new Thinker by Jawbone is just fabulous!  Aliph -- maker of the market-leading Jawbone® Bluetooth headset and inventor of NoiseAssassin®, the world’s first and only military-grade noise-eliminating technology -- today unveiled its most sophisticated product yet, Jawbone ICON.   Peachy has been using hers and it is so small, discreet and works like a charm.  Never has she worn an earpiece before, other than diamond earrings of course, but you know we are now talking about one that goes with your phone: a Bluetooth!  And she has been using it EVERY DAY since we got it, we like it that much!

So easy to set up no matter what your phone is, the Jawbone Icon (and we have the Thinker model) will make your life easier since you don't have to hold your phone.  An on/off switch on the Jawbone and another button that ends a call, it is so intuitive and it does not sacrifice quality of sound at all.  Of course, like all other cell phone gadgets it is not great when it is super windy as it was this past weekend in Manhattan, but in regular conversation even on noisy streets it is perfect.  Even when we talk to older people without great hearing, they can hear us on the Jawbone!

Jawbone ICON offers unprecedented ease of use and audio quality as well as an industry-first software platform called MyTALK™ that lets users personalize and update their Jawbones via the web. Jawbone ICON will be available for $99.99 beginning January 18 in six unique design personas.   And since Peachy is always thinking, she got The Thinker.
 
“In building the next generation of wearable computing, we focused maniacally on creating the world’s best customer experience. We incorporated significant intelligence into the headset and as a result this is the simplest-to-operate Jawbone ever created, with a rich array of design choices to suit any preference or lifestyle. We like to call it a new icon for personal expression,” said Hosain Rahman, Aliph’s CEO. 

Industry-first intelligence makes Jawbone ICON easy, convenient and personal
Jawbone ICON offers built-in intelligence and the ability to personalize with the click of a mouse using the all-new MyTALK platform, currently in private beta at mytalk.jawbone.com.

“Each customer is an individual, with unique tastes and preferences. With this in mind, we invented MyTALK as a place where people could go to get a richer in-ear experience. MyTALK is just a hint of the exciting ways people will be able to breathe life into their Jawbones over time,” said Rahman.

“Customers also tell us they don’t want to reach for their phone when their hands and eyes need to be elsewhere, like on the steering wheel and on the road. So Jawbone ICON uses its brains to now whisper important information like caller ID and remaining battery life into the user’s ear,” he added. 

New personalization and convenience features include:
  • MyTALK AudioApps. Lets users personalize the voice that conveys information into their ear. French, German and Spanish languages are also available.
  • MyTALK DialApps. Lets users customize an easy access button linking directly to services of their choice such as free directory assistance, voice-to-SMS and voice dial.
  • Simultaneous Multipoint. Lets users switch seamlessly between two calls on different cell phones.
  • On/Off slide switch and one-button control. Delivers radical simplicity.
  • Visual battery meter. Displays remaining battery life at top of iPhone screen.
Six stunning designs and personas deliver rich set of consumer choices
Jawbone ICON is smaller and lighter than its predecessors, and comes in six designs with lush textures and finishes rarely seen in consumer electronics. 
“Design and self-expression have been at the core of every generation Jawbone to date, and now we launch an unprecedented suite of choices to match that personal style that makes you who you are,” said Yves Behar, Chief Creative Officer of Aliph.  “The materials, textures, colors and surfaces of the Jawbone ICON line produce rich and distinct watch-like or jewelry-like results. The six breakthrough Jawbone ICON designs need to be touched and seen in person to be fully appreciated.”
“Each Jawbone ICON is infused with a unique and exciting look. Like characters in a film, each captures a different fun-to-wear persona,” he added.
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New leaps in sound technology sustain Jawbone’s lead in audio quality
Continuing Jawbone’s leadership in sound technology, Jawbone ICON provides improved inbound audio quality as well as upgrades to its battlefield-tested NoiseAssassin technology. Audio advancements include:
  • NoiseAssassin 2.5 with wind reduction. Continues to provide the best noise elimination available.
  • Innovative speaker design and signal processing. Improves inbound audio clarity and volume.
  • Set-it-and-forget-it audio. Eliminates the need to adjust volume from one caller to the next.
 
Jawbone ICON Specifications
Talk Time: Up to 4.5 hours (varies by phone)
Standby Time: More than 10 days
Range: At least 33 feet (10 meters)
Charge: 80% charge in 35 minutes, 100% charge in less than 1 hour
Weight:  8 grams
Fit: 7 earbud sizes + 1 premium adjustable earloop
Accessories: AC power adaptor, micro-USB flex cable
Supports Multipoint: Pairs with up to 8 devices, 2 simultaneous connections
Supports Bluetooth: 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate), 2.0, 1.2, 1.1
Packaging: 100% recyclable 
Pricing
The MSRP for Jawbone ICON is $99.99. There is no charge for MyTALK.

Availability
Jawbone ICON is available starting January 18 at Verizon ® stores and on Aliph’s website at www.jawbone.com. Distribution of Jawbone ICON will soon thereafter expand to Apple®, AT&T®, Best Buy Mobile® and other cellular carrier and retail stores nationwide. Jawbone ICON will be available internationally beginning in March.
Jawbone MyTALK is currently available at mytalk.jawbone.com as an invitation-only private beta. Jawbone MyTALK is expected to go into public beta soon. 

About Aliph
Aliph is committed to creating personal technology products that deliver an unsurpassed user experience. The company’s flagship product, the award-winning Jawbone Bluetooth headset, first disrupted the industry in 2006 with its military-grade NoiseAssassin technology and instantly became recognized as the best Bluetooth headset available. In 2010, Jawbone ICON becomes the company’s most innovative Jawbone yet; introducing unmatched ease of use, personalization, sound quality and design into the consumer marketplace. 
Co-founded by Alexander Asseily and Hosain Rahman, Aliph is a privately-held company headquartered in San Francisco

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