First seen back at CES. Creative has put together a very nice package with the HS-1200 set [Product page on Creative website].

One of the features that sets the HS-1200 apart from products like the FREETALK or the Clearchat, is the SoundBlaster X-Fi technology that Creative bundles in. X-Fi delivers some pretty kick-ass virtualization for up to 7.1 surround sound via CMSS-3D and restores clarity lost in many of our compressed music files via Crystalizer. With the accompanying X-Fi package, these headsets deliver gamer-certified performance as well as the versatility that comes with products like the FREETALK and Clearchat models from other companies.

From a pure design perspective, these ear-pads are particularly comfortable for my taste…. Plus, if you’re of the unusually large-headed variety (like me, hat-size 8), you’ll appreciate the fit of the HS-1200.

My favorite part though (and secretly how the HS-1200 really differentiates itself) is the mic boom — it’s simply the best I’ve used on any headset, wired or wireless. The boom is slick to the touch, adjusts its contours with perfectly “plastic” precision — no elastic memory behavior that plagues many flexi-booms, and it is long, allowing you place the mic right where it should be, in front of your mouth.  All other headset makers should simply copy this design.  It rocks.

For consumers, more choice is good.

Go get your game on.

These screen grabs of Logitech’s software download support area say it all…

For Mac OS X

… and for Windows,

The ClearChat will be shipping soon, so go check it out if you are looking a wireless headset with Logitech’s usual quality.

As chopstickhero so eloquently posited,

this is a product that makes you think “why didn’t i think of that?”

Well the folks at Avnera did (way back in 2004!), and we made a single chip that will bring devices like this (and more) to market for years to come, at prices consistent with any other common PC accessory.

Logitech, the number one PC accessory maker in the world, also saw the possibilities right away. At Cebit, Logitech launched the ClearChat Wireless PC Headset.  We’ve been waiting for this meticulously designed headset to hit the streets. Looks like we are a few weeks away from it being in stores. This is really exciting, because Logitech is the first customer of ours to take our core chip-set and then, on their own, set out to design a world-class product around it. It has been a long time coming, but we’ve now seen why. Logitech pays attention to every detail, and does take their time to widdle away design risks and functional quirks to arrive at a product that is well-though-out and with some clever details that differentiate it from what else is out there, wired or wireless — Logitech brings crisp, classic industrial design, materials with great feel, and ergonomic expertise to yield probably the most comfortable headset I’ve worn, including those from Logitech’s wired product-line. Among other cool tricks is the microphone boom that illuminates when muted, so people around you can learn when they can talk to you without being heard, and to remind you when it’s prudent to curse the folks on the other end of the call.

People will ask, can’t Bluetooth do this? The short answer is no.

They will say, “if it isn’t Bluetooth, I don’t want it.” The consequence is they won’t be able to use one of the most practical accessories for the PC to come along in years.

You see, BT does not deliver:

• The audio quality of uncompressed PCM 48 KHz audio. This headset delivers 1500 Kbps audio, BT only 320 Kbps.
• The fixed latency of an isochronous audio signal path - with an end-to-end delay that is less than one frame of video. This means you will hear the bullet shells hit the floor when you see them hit the floor.
• Full duplex stereo and voice for gaming. With BT you only get mono voice quality audio in both directions when you give up the stereo. And there is no software out there today that robustly manages the profile switching necessary to put the BT device in the right mode for the application at hand.
• Zero installation steps. ClearChat is Plug & Play with Mac OS, Windows XP and Vista, UPDATE: and very soon Ubuntu

While the majority of computer gamers will probably (rightly) say this thing is great for World of Warcraft or whatever, the applications that I use my wireless headset for (in order of frequency) are:

1. Making calls and attending conference calls via Skype
2. Listening to music on Pandora or Slacker while I work on my PC
3. Watching my Slingbox on Slingplayer

Rock on.