Review: Jabra Stone

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

Jabra has been making headsets, wired and wireless, for a very long time. Every now and then they come up with a design or feature that really makes their headset stand out. The new Jabra Stone not only stands out among Bluetooth headsets -- in many ways it rises above them. The headset was officially released on Nov. 8, 2009, and currently is an exclusive through AT&T.

Its unique style is an eye-catcher, and Jabra does a good job with introducing new features to the Bluetooth headset market. While the Jabra Stone is in a way groundbreaking, does the performance match the innovations? Does style meet substance?

Ease on past the break to read more on the Jabra Stone to see if it's worth the trip to your local AT&T store.

The Stone Headset

The first thought that came to mind when I first took the Jabra Stone out of its box was "cool." The headset is about 1.5 inches wide and just over 1.75 inches tall.  The headset weighs .25 ounces. The matte black finish has just a hint of silver glitter, looks sharp and compliments the simple design very well. The headset comes packaged with a wall charger, USB cable to charge via your computer, belt hook, extra ear gel, user's manual and the charger.

The headset is "U" shaped, much like an ear hook from your typical Bluetooth headset, that loops over your ear with the speaker resting inside your ear. The speaker portion of the headset extends about half an inch and feels a lot like your typical ear bud speaker.

The headset has no external buttons but does have a call/answer button beneath the surface of the Jabra logo. This button is used to answer/end calls, redial numbers, mute or ignore calls and activate voice commands (device dependent).  The button is a little awkward to use at first.  You don't know if your pressing too hard to dislodge the headset or not hard enough to actuate the button.  With a little use, the awkwardness fades.

The headset's volume is controlled by sliding your finger up or down the face of the headset, just above the logo. A sensor rests just beneath the surface of the headset to register you finger movements. 

There is no power button. The headset turns on when you remove it from the charger base and turns off when you return it to the base.  The Stone does go into a sleep mode when out of the base to conserve power.

The Stone Charger

The design of the headset is only half of what makes the Jabra Stone unique. The headset is paired with a charging cradle/base. The charger weighs 67 ounces and measures 2.3x2x1 inches and with the headset in place, it feels and looks like a small stone.

The charger hooks up to a wall charger and will continue to charge the Stone when unplugged. It holds enough juice to fully re-charge the headset, extending the battery life tremendously. Jabra reports standby time for the headset and charger to be up to 12 days (2.5 days for the headset alone) and talk time to be up to 8 hours (up to 2 hours for the headset alone).

The Stone charger can be used with the included belt hook to increase portability.  The clip is just large enough to fasten securely to a belt but not thick enough to get around a car visor (which would have been nice).

Performance

When you first get your Jabra Stone, you'll need to slide the headset into the charger and charge the two via the wall charger. Charging is complete when the red LED on the charger turns off (about two hours).

Once you remove the headset from the base, it automatically goes into pairing mode and will search for your phone. Once you put your phone into pairing mode, it's only a matter of seconds before the connection is established. Depending on your phone, you may be requested to enter the top secret code of "0000."

The Jabra Stone is fitted with dual microphones and "Noise Blackout Extreme" noise cancellation technology. Speaker sound and volume was really good and the dual microphones picked up my voice equally well. I could use a normal tone and volume and be heard clearly with the car stereo playing or traffic noise filtered out nicely from the background.

The volume slider was interesting to use and was very responsive to the touch. A tone sounds to confirm the volume changes.  Calls are answered by a single press of the answer/call button as are the other headset actions.

Incoming calls are announced by tone when the headset is worn.  While in the base, the headset is turned off but when your phone rings and you take the headset out of the base, the Stone connects in seconds with your phone.  In using the Stone with the HTC Tilt 2, the headset connected within one ring of the call.

Voice commands responded very good in using the Stone with the Tilt 2.  There were a few miscues but no more than any other headset would experience.

The headset is A2DP compatible so you can stream music to the headset. It can be paired with up to eight phones and connect to two phones at the same time.

Fit and feel

I've tested my fair share of Bluetooth headsets and have found the Jawbone and Blueant Q1 to be amongst the best performing and comfortable headsets available. The Jabra Stone matches these two headsets with regards to performance and blows them out of the water with regards to comfort.

If you are looking for a Bluetooth headset that you will forget you are wearing, look no further than the Jabra Stone.  The Stone is light and comfortable enough that you hardly notice your wearing it.  The only drawback to the fit may be that, by design, the Stone is a "right ear only" fit.  There's no way to flip the speaker to accommodate lefties.

The fit is secure enough to handle routine daily activities and should hold up to light jogging/bicycling. However, with the convenience of the charging base, you can wear the unit on your belt/waist band and simply pop it out when needed. The Stone is not water proof or resistant.

One last observation on the fit and feel of the Jabra Stone is that it plays nice with eye glasses.  Too many Bluetooth headsets don't play nice with eye glasses causing discomfort or a less secure fit.  I wear glasses and the Jabra Stone is amongst the most comfortable headset I've used.

Overall Impression

The Jabra Stone is easily one of the best Bluetooth headsets on the market today. It's unique but simple design makes it great for portability, longevity, and performance.

Call quality is among the best on the market and the charging base gives the Jabra Stone tremendous staying power.  Having the ability to listen to your music files from your Windows phones is an added bonus.  The Stone is priced at $129.99, which may seem a little pricey but consistent with other headsets with comparable features and performance.

For the time being it looks as if the Jabra Stone is an AT&T exclusive and can be on their website (opens in new tab) or at a AT&T Retail Store.  There is some indication that the Stone may become available industry wide but in the meantime, regardless of your carrier, if you're looking for a light weight, comfortable to wear, quality Bluetooth headset it might be worth a visit to AT&T.

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson

Phil is the father of two beautiful girls and is the Dad behind Modern Dad. Before that he spent seven years at the helm of Android Central. Before that he spent a decade in a newsroom of a two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist newspaper. Before that — well, we don't talk much about those days. Subscribe to the Modern Dad newsletter!

8 Comments
  • It would be nice to have some actual data on audio quality, both with and without NC. Even so, it looks like Jabra has come up with a winner.
  • I purchased this the day it came out. I returned it 2 days later. It was the worst sound quality I have ever had. no one could hear me unless I was sitting still in a silent room, then it sounded great. but being in the car with a window down or a radio barely on .. no way they could hear me. It says it is noise cancelling, but my experience was that people heard more noise than me talking. Problem #2, it hurt my ear badly. I am an average 6' tall guy with average sized ears and it was too bulky to fit comfortably in my ear. It kept sliding out, not because it was loose, but because it was too bulky and kept getting pushed out when my facial muscles moved. Overall there is nothing redeeming about this headset except that it looks cool. Sound quality is bad, it only goes in the right ear and I like my left ear as the headset position and it is horrendously uncomfortable if you wear it for more than a couple hours at a time. DO NOT BUY ONE until they come out with version 2!
  • Yes,great.I love the article, I have the same belief with you,so let me introduce the area to you.Now vivienne westwood Jewellery become more and more popular within all kind of people. Juicy couture is a kind of juicy jewelry . It won a good reputation. Vivienne westwood often held its regular discount activities,such as vivienne westwood jewellery ,juicy jewelry and fashion vivienne westwood jewellery earrings so on.In these activities vivienne westwood sale got great success. juicy couture consists of four main aspects, vivienne westwood necklace and vivienne westwood bracelet,vivienne westwood earrings ,vivienne westwood rings,vivienne westwood pins,vivienne westwood cufflinks,vivienne westwood sale,vivienne westwood online ,vivienne westwood uk.vivienne westwood necklaces, vivienne westwood earrings, vivienne westwood bracelet , vivienne westwood rings ,vivienne westwood earrings,vivienne westwood pins,vivienne westwood cufflinks and vivienne westwood sale,cheap vivienne westwood.
    vivienne westwood ,vivienne westwood jewellery series are worthwhile than other juicy couture charms coutures. They have a lot of vivienne westwood jewellery,for example vivienne westwood necklaces, vivienne westwood earrings, vivienne westwood bracelet , vivienne westwood rings ,vivienne westwood earrings and vivienne westwood sale. Vivienne westwood jewellery isvivienne westwood necklaces, vivienne westwood earrings, vivienne westwood bracelet , vivienne westwood rings ,vivienne westwood earrings,vivienne westwood pins,vivienne westwood cufflinks and vivienne westwood sale a new jewellery brand,it include all vivienne westwood cufflinks ,such as vivienne westwood online , vivienne westwood necklaces, vivienne westwood jewellery ,vivienne westwood and vivienne westwood pins and vivienne westwood sale and vivienne westwood uk ,cheap vivienne westwood so on .We assure you of our best services at all times.
  • The Jabra Stone's controls are difficult to use; we wish it had a snugger fit; and the call quality could be improved. It also fits around only the right ear.
  • Well, I read the reviews and blogs and I must say the most revealing of reviews that expressed my similar experience of the jabra stone was by Engadget. In short, I loved the A2DP, the case/charger, the shape of the unit and the volume. As far as the ability of the one called to hear me (as well as consistently hearing the one called), it performed poorly in comparison to my jawbone prime. When wind noise kicked in wearing the stone, the call was simply muted so neither one of us could hear each other until the wind stopped blowing. In moderate noise, it also muted, albeit patchy (on/off), but required me to continually ask "can you repeat that again". As you can imagine, a call with long or short bursts of muting makes for a frustrating phone conversation. I had a hard time believing that Jabra would put such a horrible noise cancellation software out into the public. That is, unless the unit I had was a 'lemon'. I never had the chance to find out since AT&T only offered me two choices on return...(1) get a full refund or (2) replace it (with no option to return the replaced unit should it prove to have the same self muting issue). I obviously chose NOT to take the risk and returned it for a full refund. My jawbone (prime) on the other hand worked just fine with or without wind. According to my family and friends, who I asked to test out the stone sound quality to my jawbone, said even with wind noise, they heard me clearly on the jawbone. I'm hoping that the stone noise cancellation software is upgraded to truly compete with the jawbone. BTW, the reason why I want to replace my jawbone (which I do love) is for three reasons.
    (1) no convenient way to store the bugger when not in use - I like the ear loop, but they break if I pocket it without a case of which are too bulky to pocket)
    (2) My tragus is to big (cartilage-like part of my ear that is just in front of my ear opening), causing the silicone bead of the jawbone arm to be pulled away from my face eliminating a critical feedback connection for proper noise elimination.
    (3) No A2DP I may be tempted to have my girlfriend buy me a jabra stone (with money I provide to her) to see if the problem persists. That way, if it does show similar problems, she can simply return it for a refund and I'll have my answer regarding the possible 'lemon' i previously owned. Bottom Line:
    if I was in a quite room with no wind, both worked fine albeit a little more 'tinny' with the stone relative to the prime. Noise level / wind level seemed to be the breaker.
    The stone seemed to not know how to handle the higher background/wind volume and simply muted or temporarily shut down volume (for receiver and caller). As much as I love the stones A2DP, case/charger, compactness of the case/earpeice combo, and overall fit...it fails where it is needed most - call quality.
  • Well, I read the reviews and blogs and I must say the most revealing of reviews that expressed my similar experience of the jabra stone was by Engadget. In short, I loved the A2DP, the case/charger, the shape of the unit and the volume. As far as the ability of the one called to hear me (as well as consistently hearing the one called), it performed poorly in comparison to my jawbone prime. When wind noise kicked in wearing the stone, the call was simply muted so neither one of us could hear each other until the wind stopped blowing. In moderate noise, it also muted, albeit patchy (on/off), but required me to continually ask "can you repeat that again". As you can imagine, a call with long or short bursts of muting makes for a frustrating phone conversation. I had a hard time believing that Jabra would put such a horrible noise cancellation software out into the public. That is, unless the unit I had was a 'lemon'. I never had the chance to find out since AT&T only offered me two choices on return...(1) get a full refund or (2) replace it (with no option to return the replaced unit should it prove to have the same self muting issue). I obviously chose NOT to take the risk and returned it for a full refund. My jawbone (prime) on the other hand worked just fine with or without wind. According to my family and friends, who I asked to test out the stone sound quality to my jawbone, said even with wind noise, they heard me clearly on the jawbone. I'm hoping that the stone noise cancellation software is upgraded to truly compete with the jawbone. BTW, the reason why I want to replace my jawbone (which I do love) is for three reasons.
    (1) no convenient way to store the bugger when not in use - I like the ear loop, but they break if I pocket it without a case of which are too bulky to pocket)
    (2) My tragus is to big (cartilage-like part of my ear that is just in front of my ear opening), causing the silicone bead of the jawbone arm to be pulled away from my face eliminating a critical feedback connection for proper noise elimination.
    (3) No A2DP I may be tempted to have my girlfriend buy me a jabra stone (with money I provide to her) to see if the problem persists. That way, if it does show similar problems, she can simply return it for a refund and I'll have my answer regarding the possible 'lemon' i previously owned. Bottom Line:
    if I was in a quite room with no wind, both worked fine albeit a little more 'tinny' with the stone relative to the prime. Noise level / wind level seemed to be the breaker.
    The stone seemed to not know how to handle the higher background/wind volume and simply muted or temporarily shut down volume (for receiver and caller). As much as I love the stones A2DP, case/charger, compactness of the case/earpeice combo, and overall fit...it fails where it is needed most - call quality.
  • Does my HTC SNAp work with Jabra Stone headsets?
  • Yes.