Jabra SP5050

A simple yet functional Bluetooth speaker phone, Jabra's SP5050 features a slim-line design and offers easy operation thanks to minimal controls.

The SP5050 has been designed for in-car use, but it can also be used at home or in the office. An attached sun visor clip conveniently doubles as a small desk stand. The unit itself is sleek and slim and the silver surround adds a nice touch to an otherwise plain device.

Pairing is a simple process; simply turn the SP5050 on by holding down the larger power button on the front and the unit automatically enters pairing mode. Once connected, operation is simple as the unit only has three buttons. Tapping the large answer/end call button answers and ends incoming and outgoing calls, while two volume buttons on either side handle in-call volume.

The SP5050 also supports voice dialling (provided this is a feature of your phone) and last number redialling, accessed by holding and double tapping the answer/end button, respectively. You can also mute the microphone and transfer a call from the speaker phone to your handset or vice versa.

A small display sits at the top of the unit and features different coloured LEDs to inform you of power, Bluetooth connection, call status and battery life. Conveniently, pressing the volume buttons together will turn the lights off for night-time driving, which is an attempt at avoiding potential distractions by the bright lights.

The SP5050 produces solid, but not outstanding call quality. We were impressed with the clarity and crispness of calls on the whole as both incoming and outgoing voice is clearly audible despite the unit being a fair distance from your mouth. We did feel volume could have been louder though; at its highest level it was quite weak, especially when driving in busy areas. For best results, you'll have to close your car windows in order to create the quietest environment possible. Those with convertibles best look elsewhere though, as the SP5050 isn't very kind to wind noise.

Jabra includes an in-car charger in the sales package, but there is no AC charger. Battery life is excellent according to figures of up to 12 hours talk time and 200 hours standby time.