Plantronics Voyager Pro HD

SAN DIEGO--Plantronics has just announced its latest flagship headset, the Plantronics Voyager Pro HD. It's essentially a more consumer-friendly version of its Voyager Pro UC product, which is currently for sale in certain business channels.

Like the Pro UC, the Voyager Pro HD has a Smart Sensor technology that knows to automatically transfer calls to your headset once you place it on your ear. Other features also include A2DP audio streaming, noise cancellation, wind noise reduction, and more. The HD in the name points to improved high-definition audio for both streaming music and phone calls.

The Voyager Pro HD does otherwise look very similar to the other Voyager Pro headsets. It has that iconic bulky design that we actually think helps improve comfort and stability. However, it does have a couple of additional features compared with previous headsets.

Plantronics, for example, has made it compatible with its own InstantMeeting application that connects you to conference calls from your iPhone, BlackBerry, or Android. The app automatically scans your calendar and dials the conference number complete with passcode so you don't have to. You can even let your conference participants know that you're running a little late. The InstantMeeting app is $4.99 in the iTunes App Store, Android App Market, and BlackBerry App World. As part of a promotion, it is free for a limited time--until October 14, 2011.

Another feature is compatibility with Plantronics Vocalyst service, which lets you send and listen to e-mail or text messages, send status updates to various social networks, check the weather, and more. It's a subscription -based service, but it's free for the first year. You can read our review of the Vocalyst service in our review of the Plantronics Savor M1100.

The Plantronics Voyager Pro HD is available for $99 starting today.