Review: Jabra SP200 BT Speakerphone

A few months ago at the 2009 CTIA, Jabra announced two new Bluetooth accessories, the SP200 BT Speakerphone and the HALO wireless stereo headphones. Well teh SP200 hit our shelves last week and eager to see what all the buzz was about, we took the new Bluetooth Speakerphone out for a test ride. Follow the break to see how it worked out, how the SP200 compared to the SP700 and a few product pictures.

Out of the Box

Out of the box it is hard not to compare the SP200 with the SP700. Both are designed very similar but the SP200 is unique enough to create some distance between the two.

The SP200 has a matte finish to it, where the SP700 has a glossy finish. The SP700 has a more distinguished speaker while the SP200's speaker blends in with the entire casing.

Most notably, the SP200 has a very large multi-function button, a large volume wheel and a dedicated power switch. Granted it doesn't have the FM Transmitter the SP700 but these three features along with the latest audio technology, the SP200 will likely give the SP700 a run for it's money.

Performance

Installation of the SP200 is simple. A large wire clip securely, slides on to your visor and it's installed. The speakerphone is charged by a micro-USB port and comes with a USB cable and car charger. I was able to charge the SP200 via my AT&T Fuze charger using a mini to micro USB port adapter.

Establishing a Bluetooth connection was simple. Once you power up the SP200 for the first time, it automatically goes into pairing mode. There is a LED light in the center of the speakerphones face that will rapidly flash blue when the SP200 is in pairing mode. From there, you simply get your phone into pairing mode, enter the top secret code and your in business. The SP200 will re-establish the connection when powered back on automatically and if you need to pair it with another device, you can manually enter pairing mode by pressing and holding the Answer/End button for five seconds.

The control set on the SP200 is simple. You have one big Answer/End button and one Volume Control wheel. To answer a call, simply press the Answer/End button and if you need to adjust the volume of the speaker, spin the wheel accordingly. Along with answering and ending a call (both accomplished by pressing the Answer/End button) the SP200 can reject a call, activate voice dialing (phone dependent), mute a call, and redial the last number by pressing and holding or tapping the Answer/End button.

As easy as the SP200 is to operate, if the call quality is poor it doesn't really matter how "user friendly" it is. I was pleasantly surprised at the call quality of this speakerphone. Incoming calls came in loud and clear and the microphone picked up my voice really well. Background noise (e.g. traffic, rain, car stereo, etc.) was filtered out noticeably well.

Jabra reports battery life for the SP200 to be approximately ten hours of talk time and twenty three hours of standby time. In using the SP200 for a couple of days, I don't doubt Jabra's reported battery life but it's really a moot point with the included car charger.

Overall Impression

The SP700 was the Bluetooth speakerphone that I kept in my car but never used the FM Transmitter and compared to the SP200, the controls are rather cumbersome. I like the simplicity of the SP200's controls and the dedicated power switch. Call quality was very good and battery life was respectable.

Absent the FM Transmitter, the SP200 is just as solid a performer as the SP700. I do wish the SP200 had the voice caller id of the SP700. While not a "must have feature" the audio announcement of the incoming caller's phone number is a neat feature to have on a speakerphone.

If you need a basic, car speakerphone and a FM transmitter isn't a deal breaker, then the SP200 will be hard to ignore.