Gone are the days of being chained to your desk by a telephone cord. With Plantronics’ Savi 700 series, users are able to not only roam free from their desk without losing a call, but they can also switch between their telephone, PC and mobile device with a simple click of a button.

Plantronics has consistently provided top of the line headsets with revolutionary technology and the Savi 700 Series is no different. With the workforce environment consistently changing, companies are seeing office professionals have more flexible schedules with optional work-at-home schedules. As the typical day-to-day routines evolve, users consistently expect technology to not only keep up with such changes but also make it easier to adapt and change at a moment’s notice.

The flexibility and versatility that the Plantronics Savi 700 Series offers users is extraordinary. To learn more about the Savi 700 Series or other Plantronics headsets, check out our website or contact SKC at 800.882.7779.

Richie Harris – Customer Service Representative

A very popular request in the headset market has just been answered by Plantronics with the release of the MDA200. While the recent release of the Savi 700 series provided the 3-in-1 headset connecting mobile devices, computers and desk phones, the Plantronics MDA200 goes a step further. This new item allows headset users to have the ultimate 3-in-1 experience from any location. One headset does it all.

The MDA200 headset adapter has a sleek and simple design that connects your computer and desk phone. Your headset of choice joins the MDA200 via a USB port. For corded headsets, it’s never been this easy to connect to two devices at the same time. A simple hookswitch cable connected to your desk phone gives you the added convenience of automatic answering.

For the ultimate headset experience, combine the MDA200 with the B230 headset. The B230 is the second generation of the Voyager Pro UC, and is a Bluetooth headset with multi-connectivity. This connects to your Bluetooth compatible cell phone as well as a second Bluetooth device. If the second device isn’t Bluetooth a USB dongle connects easily to adapt. Like the Savi 700 series, using the MDA200 and the B230 together connects you to all your devices with one headset. The difference between the two systems is that the Savi 700 series cannot leave the office while the B230 and MDA200 combination can be used both at your work or home office and along the commute.

Put your headset on in the morning and automatically connect to your smart phone. There is no pairing or syncing with this combination because the B230 remembers devices and simply connects once in range.

Lastly, the MDA200 addresses the issues left behind from the Voyager 510’s discontinuation. The base for the Voyager 510 system and Voyager 500A allowed for hearing aid users to connect to desk phones via Bluetooth. The MDA200 with the BUA100 USB adapter allows for this solution.

The MDA is a great option for any user who wants to simplify their communication. For anyone who loves using their B230, put it on and stay connected.

Kristen Bowser, Area Manager, Plantronics
Kristen is Plantronics’ area manager for the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The Calisto P825-M. Where do I begin? This product is fantastic. It’s a nice surprise coming from Plantronics, whose bread and butter has always been top-of-the-line telephone headsets and as of late, USB headsets. This device has taken my home office experience to the next level. So what exactly is this new device?

In a nutshell, it is a multi-device speakerphone system that allows me to connect to both my Microsoft Lync client for my PC calls, as well as my iPhone for my mobile calls. Big deal? Yes. Big deal!

I love this product. It integrates seamlessly with Lync and my iPhone. I often (like every day I am in my office and not traveling) leave my iPhone in my purse downstairs, or in the kitchen, or anywhere but upstairs in my office with me. The Calisto P825-M automatically detects it, even though it may be over the standard 30 feet of Bluetooth range, and asks me if I would like it to connect to my iPhone. I push yes on the display pad and then when my mobile phone rings downstairs, I can answer it from upstairs, thus eliminating my 100-yard dash to find my phone ringing from some unknown location in my house. If my Lync client rings, I press the button and answer that too.

The Calisto P825-M has full call control with Microsoft Lync 2010 and even comes with a Bluetooth wireless microphone I can clip onto my shirt so I don’t sound like I am on a speakerphone. (I am sure all my clients and colleagues appreciate this. I know I hate when people talk to me on a speakerphone.) The sound is incredibly clear, not only on PC and mobile calls, but even on the music that I have playing over my PC when I am not on a call. Oh, and one more feature I now cannot live without: I can pass the active mobile call I am on from the Calisto P825-M to my iPhone mid call and walk out the door without missing a beat. It really does make home office life much easier.

Set up of the product took two minutes, and really, I mean only two minutes. I plugged it in to my USB port and I was up and running. It asked me a few questions on the display which I answered with a press of the yes or no button and I was ready to make and receive my calls.

In all, this is a product that has made my life easier. I can use one device to answer either phone and no longer have to sprint around my house looking for my misplaced mobile phone.

Brandy McDonald, Director of Inside Sales and Sales Support

Mobile phone use while driving is common but dangerous. Because of this, many states have made the use of a cell phone while driving illegal. Others have enacted laws to ban hand held mobile phone use, but allow a hands free device.

Does your state require a hands-free device?

Currently, eight states (CA, CT, DE, MD, NJ, NY, OR, and WA), DC, and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand held cell phones while driving.

Except for Maryland, all laws are primary enforcement- an officer may cite a driver for using cell phone without any other traffic violation taking place.

Many other states prohibit cell phone use by certain drivers.  28 states and the District of Columbia ban it for novice drivers; 18 states and DC ban it for school bus drivers. This does not include texting bans that are in place in over 30 states.

While cell phone use is restricted, many states and municipalities do permit use of hands-free devices. Our Plantronics Bluetooth headsets and speakerphone adapters let you keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Easy one touch controls, high quality sound and all-day comfort make these headsets a great choice for every driver in your family.

And PS – They make great stocking stuffers!

Brandy McDonald, Director of Inside Sales and Sales Support

SKC has been selling headsets for nearly 25 years and although I’ve only been here for six of those years, I have seen the company and the technologies we sell greatly evolve. The headset started as a device that delivered hands free flexibility but tethered you to the desk. You now have the freedom to roam about the office and collaborate with your peers up to 300 feet away or use a wireless headset for your wireless device. All of this development has ushered in the era of how to unify your communications. No matter where you are or how you chose to do business, one truth remains: the headset is the unifying piece.

Your company has invested time and money to test and deploy your desktop video, soft-phone application, smart phone and presence. Now you must decide how your voice will be heard. It’s the goal of our headset expert team to set you up with a Plantronics headset that fits your needs and style.

In my future blog posts, I will be presenting some of these solutions to you as well as keeping you up to date on current promotions. I am excited to share some of the industry trends we are seeing and how headsets are playing a part in Unified Communications. In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like assistance selecting the right headset for your phone or PC, we’re here to help.