I’m actually looking for the factual side here. I understand the simple old form of headphones which are passive little loudspeakers for the ears, having a simple three termination plug for left, right, and common current return. What I don’t understand is headphones that also include a microphone which can be used for telephone conversations on a computer.
I have rechargeable Bose headphones that fit this description. They plug into USB for recharging only, and connect to my iMac by Bluetooth. I can listen to music or watch video, and I can use them for phone calls in and out.
Trouble is, I can’t accept an incoming call very practically. It’s too much manipulation to get them off the charging cord and storage hook, and turn on the tiny switch on one side, and get them on my head, while meanwhile clicking the Accept button on my screen, and they take too long to come online and establish the Bluetooth link. I wind up missing the call.
But if I am expecting a call, and put them on and power them up, they pay attention to whether there is a signal, and power down after maybe a minute to save the battery. Then part of the above can still keep me from taking a call. Part of the trouble is that the headphones need power to make the microphone work and to keep a Bluetooth link open.
As a workaround, I’ll put them on and listen to music, just hitting the iTunes play button until I hear a couple seconds of sound, then hitting pause again, over and over. This keeps resetting the power down timer. But it is a huge pain.
I wish there were headphones that would work immediately, so I could just put them on and click Accept. I wouldn’t mind if they were corded somehow, though obviously they can’t just go into the headphone jack as I need the microphone signal too. Is there such a thing? How do I describe the product I’m looking for?
My primary telephony is softphone on the Mac. I use a wired USB logitech headset now, but I used to use a wireless version that had to be recharged. Unlike what you’re describing with the Bose, there wasn’t anything terribly complicated with switching it from “recharge” mode to “talk and listen” mode: I’d reach over, unsnap the charging connection and switch the slider from “OFF” to “ON” and stick them on my head, they came on instantly. These were made by Logitech also.
My problem with those was that they don’t do good quality control on their wireless headsets. There was an earlier model that I had two or three of before I stopped buying them where the left (usually) speaker would just stop working after x months of use. Then I saw that they had a different model out and tried that. After several months of working fine, it stopped recharging properly so half the time I’d switch it on and be gong “hello? hello? can you hear me?” and the caller would hang up.
So… the product you want is some competitor to both Bose and Logitech that actually makes a reliable wireless headset that is quick and easy to swap from recharge to active mode, that doesn’t quit working properly a few months after you buy it.
Or you could follow my lead and go with a wired headset. It doesn’t let you walk around the room but it’s reliable.
The headphone jack on the iMac is also the microphone in. Pretty much any wired headphone/heap set with a built-in mic will work. It’s called a TRRS plug.
Hey, thanks - this is exactly what I needed to hear! Just ordered exactly this type of wired headphone w microphone and 3.5 mm plug, which must be a TRRS plug (Amazon doesn’t say).
I had something similar - wanted to use noise cancelling bluetooth headphones to sleep on a long plane ride. Apparently, if not connected and playing music, they will turn off after a minute. Played music instead on very low volume.