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Plantronics Explorer 320, CS50, and M3500 are highlighted in a discussion of the company's plan to dominate the headset market. CEO Ken Kanappan began in 2002 to see the need for a need for more consumer headsets for cellphones and videogames, but had to draw attention to his products. Plantronics had been making headsets since 1961 for air traffic controllers, military operators, and astronauts. A Plantronics Spencom headset carried Neil Armstrong's one small step for man transmission to earth from the moon, and Plantronics also developed more comfortable Liteset over-the-ear models during the 1980s. In the 2000s, the Voyager 510, a wireless headset with a collapsible earpiece and Bluetooth technology, emerged from Plantronics. Kanappan hired Darrin Caddes to head up corporate design for his consumer market push, and his devices are now must-haves in businesses everywhere. Among the advantages of Plantronics products are retractors for cords and better sound quality. Experiments with digital systems, for instance, helped Plantronics develop microphones that are so sensitive that they work from a cheekbone location. Resellers also say consumers are aware of the comfort of the headsets, which is probably one reason that call centers and corporate clients are still 65% of Plantronics fiscal 2005 sales of $560 million. Mobile devices for individuals made up 22%. New and future competition is an issue, but Kannapan says the company will always work to ensure its understanding of customers most important problems.
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