Logitech Mobile Traveller Review

As a technology Bluetooth becomes more and more popular, and at the same time it develops even further. It is mainly used for connectivity between wireless accessories like headset for example. Bluetooth becomes a standard for mobile phones and support for the profiles headset and handsfree, which help connecting receivers of this kind, is mandatory.
Logitech, as a pioneer in computer accessories, have enough experience with the Bluetooth technology which they integrate in various products. It is also a base for a set of earphones intended mainly for use by mobile phones users.

Logitech Mobile Traveller is a mid-level accessory similar to the Mobile Freedom we presented earlier. Just like it, the Mobile Traveler features the WindStop technology that considerably helps improve the sound quality when talking outdoors, especially  in windy conditions.

Package Content:

• Logitech Mobile Traveller™ Headset
• AC power adapter
• Extra ear foam
• User Manual

Specifications:

• Bluetooth v1.2
• WindStop technology for reducing wind-noise while talking
• Dimensions: 0.6 inches wide; weight - 0.5 oz
• Up to 7 hours of talktime; 300 hours of standby

The end of the boom with WindStop technology

Traveller is a protracted headset with a short boom microphone and it is attached to the ear only by a bending ring which can be rotated by 180 degrees so that the headset could be used for both ears. The headset's buttons are symmetrically located according to the horizontal axis so that when used for both the left and right ear the buttons' positioning remain the same. Almost the whole headset is in light grey plastic and weighs 0.5 oz, 0.6 inches wide.

Jabra BT250 - Logitech Traveller - Logitech Freedom

There are three buttons – one multifunctional and two for the sound, as these two are shaped in a joint body in the form of a circle situated at the rear part of the accessory. The Logitech logo is placed in the center of this circle and it is covered in a translucent surface. Due to the oval shape of the buttons, it's not quite clear which one exactly you press if you use the outer parts of the circle.



On the opposite side there is a round ear-piece covered in black soft cloth for a better feel when you put the headset on your ear. The ear-piece is smaller than the one used in Freedom and thus fits better on your ear.



There is a silver glossy ring around it that holds the rubber ear-hook, which stands just behind and under your ear so it keeps the headset relatively close to your face – something that was not good enough implemented in the Freedom as swung almost freely in horizontal direction. Although due to its protracted shape, the Traveller is easily seen on your head and it may well provoke some funny remarks by people around you.
The whole boom is about two inches long, ending in a patent-pending WindStop mouth peace. It is not a DSP solution, but rather a design one. The charging port is located just below the speaker, and the only indicator on the headset is a small LED, which emits in red and blue and is located at the end of the multifunctional button.

Pairing the device is a piece of cake - just hold down the multifunctional button for a few seconds. Turning the accessory on is indicated by a few blinks of the blue LED, and flashes again after a while and then settles in a regime of alternating blue and red, which means the device is in pairing mode. The headset is displayed as Logitech HS03 in the phone menu and is easily added. If the headset is switched off, then when turning it on it automatically connects to the paired phone.
During an incoming call there is a notification both by the phone and the headset. When it “rings”, it uses a default ringtone and not the one set on the mobile phone. The ringer volume depends on the sound volume setting of the headset. It is pretty loud when set to the maximum.

An interesting feature is Night-Mode and when enabled, the LED does not blink. It enabled/disabled by holding for a few seconds the three buttons. By this you reduce the bells and whistles on your head, which might be the reason for some interesting remarks by the people around you (imagine the way you look with those blinking lights and the boom right next to your face and).

Even in noisy environments the sound volume is loud enough during conversation. The ear-piece does not go into your ear canal and thus it doesn't block the surrounding noise, but the sound is still clearly transmitted and there's no threat of not being able to hear what the person on the other side is saying. The voice sounds very naturally, not robotic as with some other headsets.
Outgoing sound quality of the Traveller is a completely different story. The sound you hear is clear and easy to understand, but that's not the case with the person you're talking to. What they hear is very weak and hard to understand even when you are in a quiet room. Some of the people we called even asked us where were we at the moment, because they could hardly hear me. Your voice sounds as if you are in a large room – it's weak and there is echo. We're not sure if that's a problem of the model as a whole or we just got a “lemon”.
Otherwise, the WindStop technology works fine and there was no real difference when we tested the headset with a fan, given to us by Logitech, directed towards the speaker. The air flow that smashes into the microphone does not muffle the sound.
The headset is expected, as stated by Logitech,  to hold for seven hours of conversations with a fully charged battery, which is normal, but the good thing is that the Traveller really manages to live up to it. The battery is really robust and when used moderately it could easily make it up to four to five days without recharging. It is charged with a Wall charger (pity the headset can not be charged through USB, and the connector itself is not a standard one), which is indicated by orange light of the LED. The headset can not be used during recharge.

The range of the device is a little more than the 10 meters given by the manufacturer, and when exceeding this limit, the sound signal is immediately perturbed by heavy interference. The signal is even lost a few meters away, a little more and the headset disconnects from the phone it is attached to.

Model	Range (feet)
Logitech Mobile Traveller	30
Jabra BT250	25
Logitech Mobile Freedom	45
Cardo Scala-500	50
Jabra BT800	150

The table above shows at what distance communication was possible when there was a clear line of site between the headset and the phone.

Comfort:

Despite the bending ear-hook, placing the headset using only one of your hands is almost impossible. You can get used to putting it on for a little less time this way only after a lot of practice. But after all a hands-free device is meant to stay on your head, placed there in advance. Once put on, the headset feels securely positioned and even vigorous head-shake does not make it wobble. The accessory in neither one of the lightest, nor of the heaviest ones, and there is no problem to have it on your ear for a longer period of time. The device was tested for even more than an hour without removing it, and we can say that it does not cause inconvenience comparative with PAIN, like the Freedom. You start to feel a little uncomfortable after using it for more than 45 minutes, and there's not problem using for another 45 minutes.

Conclusion:

Traveller is an interesting mid-level headset. It is stylish and well-made, except when you place it on your head and its long Boom Microphone makes you a bit robot-like. When attached, it is really steady and feels quite comfortable so it could be used for a long time – it is suitable for long conversations. The sound reproduced by the ear-piece is very loud and clear, but the other party had a really hard time hearing us. In fact, if don't look like a Robot with it on your head, and it didn't have those problems with the sound from the microphone, then Logitech Mobile Traveller should be a very good choice for its price!