Plantronics VoyagerEdge Bluetooth Headst

Purely using the internet, reading reviews, watching YT videos etc, I chose the Plantronics Voyager Edge over: Jabra Storm, Motorola Whisper, Plantronics Voyager Legend, Plantronics Voyager Legend Pro, Jabra Supreme. ...And I'm glad! I'm the asker of the question about this being a cheap Chinese knockoff... well good news mine arrived a day or so ago. I've been using it extensively since then and I love it. I chose "standard packaging" (despite Amazon stating my review is for the frustration free packaging) make sure and choose standard, if you ask me... which looked entirely genuine. My audio language is English US and not simply Chinese and or English UK as about 3 other reviewers mentioned. I believe mine is a North American genuine product. I ordered mine from the seller "A Top Shelf" with no regrets what so ever. The comfort of this in/on ear device is surprising and feels very secure even with vigorous head shaking. I won't be looking at over the ear options any more. The fit is perfect and the sound quality and voice commands with Google are simply fantastic. I couldn't be happier with it. I must add that the comfort was a surprise to me because I originally viewed in ear headsets as pain inducing torture devices! Hence my consideration of devices like the Jabra Supreme, and Plantronics own Voyager Legend. This device doesn't enter the ear as much as traditional ear buds do, that's why the silicone thing looks different. It doesn't go in as much, but it does feel extremely secure. So much so that even an epileptic wearer should be fine while having an epileptic fit. So don't worry! This is my second bluetooth headset in over 10 years, so things have moved on a bit since then. But don't discount my review as that of just a newbie. I've been successful in using this headset to initiate phone calls using Google, with my Note 3 lock screen on. For some reason, if I let the flap of my case close on my phone, it won't make phone calls. The simple solution is to not close the flap. Then I can make calls with my phone in my pocket. That's all I can do with the phone locked, flap open: ...make and answer calls... If I want to do more I have to unlock my phone using my pin number and then initiate Google in the same fashion, holding down the button of the Voyager Edge, and then I can do anything "Ok Google" will do! While driving, I can annotate text messages if I unlock my lock screen first. I can also annotate emails and basically do anything without touching the phone after that. All I do is hold the main button of the Voyager Edge for about 2 seconds and I'm in Google voice commands mode. I did try with Samsung's S Voice and that was really quite good but I was unsuccessful in making calls without leaving a battery consuming option on. And I had to really fiddle with settings to get the phone to make calls while locked. I need to have the ability to make calls while the phone is locked, so Google was my chosen option. Besides, if I use Google I won't need to relearn functions if I ever get a phone by another manufacturer. Quality of the headset is really good. The range I can use this away from the phone is standard bluetooth distance before utter distortion. If I leave the phone in a central location in the house, I can basically go anywhere in the house with crystal clear audio. This brings me to music listening too, wow. Audio is paused for incoming calls. After the call, music will automatically start playing again. I can listen to any audio output by my phone, and the headset will pause it and resume it. Battery life while doing this is excellent. Lag while watching videos is negligible. I'm quite sensitive to lag so I focused on this aspect using the audio lag test videos both over html5 and also local playback of mp4 files. Maybe some delay but not anything to let this technology slip by you for. I'm very fussy saying that. Most won't notice anything. I'm just aware that it's not wired. In a "blind" test I probably wouldn't know I'm using wireless audio vs wired. Music can be paused and resumed! manually by pressing and holding the button on the boom. I also love being able to answer calls by simply saying "answer" after the call is announced. I have not had to subscribe to any service for all the functionality stated in my review, and I will definitely be staying with Plantronics from now on. No wonder all the Fortune 100 companies are using Plantronics headsets. I can see and hear and feel why. Excellent. My headset 10 years ago was a Jabra. I can't remember anything about it because bluetooth was just annoying back then. Not now! And bluetooth is definitely not out of fashion or whatever. It's a low power high technology device now thanks to improved battery technology. The carry case is excellent and will provide an extra 10 hours of battery. Oh and with touch controls for the led charging indicators to come on... wow, didn't see that one coming! Literally! Very cool. The included car charger charges at 1 Amp. Nothing to get excited about but it's small and included. The headset itself is sweat resistant apparently, and I just love the fact that they even tried to make it sweat resistant. I mean, come on, they put a lot of thought into the headset, just as I did my purchase of it. I had considered the Jabra Storm but I have no regrets in spending $30 more for the Voyager Edge. I want to get one for my wife now. The over the ear headsets looked antiquated unstylish and cumbersome. Though I had thought they would offer the best comfort. I'm not bothered about this now. Comfort is fine with the Edge. Five stars. More if I could. Would and will buy again if I ever lose it.