14 DAY TRIAL // Showing just how common wireless technology is becoming, LG Electronics has brought forth a headphone set that uses the Bluetooth wireless standard to link up with smartphones, tablets, media players and any other multimedia device featuring this particular wireless capability.
In many ways, the LG Tone+. Bearing the part number HBS-730, it is similar to the S11-FLEX HD which Motorola launched a few days prior to the writing of this article.
Like it, the Tone+ is a wireless audio output device with plugs that go inside the ears and which can both play music and pick up calls and such.
Unlike other Bluetooth headsets, the newcomer is not bulky at all, though it does lack the handiness of single-ear models, which can easily be put on and don't hinder the wearer's awareness of the rest of the world.
Then again, LG Tone+ is advertised as a wireless Bluetooth headset, not a hands-free device for work, so the point is moot.
That doesn't mean that it can't pick up calls though. In fact, it supports VoLTE (Voice over LTE) calls, for high-definition sound conversations when both speakers have VoLTE-capable devices.
"LG was the world's first company to demonstrate VoLTE technology and announce a VoLTE smartphone," said Paul Bae, vice president of marketing center of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company.
"And today, we are still at the forefront of efforts to advance the commercialization of VoLTE as a follow up to the global expansion of LTE. In order to provide our customers with a superior user experience over 4G networks, LG will continue to raise the bar on all its mobile products, including accessories that support LTE and VoLTE."
LG's Tone+ is based on the Tone 1 and has a better bass register, plus the aptX professional audio codec, which delivers CD-quality sound and automatically fits high-capacity audio data to the available bandwidth while transmitting.
Other features include BT Reader (it monitors incoming SMS and reads them out), Audible Battery Status Alert, Mic Mute, Audible Pairing Assistance (it reveals connection status), Vibrating Call Alert and, last but not least, Bluetooth Multi-connection (it lets two devices be connected at once).
Unfortunately, LG did not provide a price for the Tone+, although it did promise that sales would start in the US, China and Korea by the end of the month (September 2012), in blue-black and white-pearl colors.