Chat with Yves Behar and the design of the new Jawbone

I caught up with Yves Behar, designer of the Jawbone and the One Laptop per Child, last night at a private event here in San Francisco where I got a sneak peek of the new Jawbone before its release. Watch the video if you want to get a better look at the new Jawbone, and find out what inspired the new design.

Personally, I love both designs, but the original headset was too big for me. It almost feels like new design is the more feminine version of the Jawbone, as it's 50 percent smaller than its predecessor. The difference between the two is clear when you place them next to each other, but some of the design elements remain the same. For example, the new headset still features a textured metal faceplate on the outside and medical grade plastic on the inside. The ear loops are, thinner, smaller, and covered in leather, but additional earloops without the leather are included for eyeglass wearers.

The new Jawbone does incorporate a new feature called Noise Assassin, which the company claims is better at eliminating background noise. It also has a Voice Activity Sensor to distinguish your voice from noise around you. The new Jawbone is currently available for $129 only in black, but a gold rose and silver pair will soon be released.