The Rukus Solar is Etón’s first Bluetooth wireless speaker with an integrated solar panel. Pair any Bluetooth-enabled device – Smartphones, tablets, etc – to wirelessly stream music and never run out of power as long as you have sunlight. A 40 square-inch high-efficiency solar panel is built right into the speaker and can fully recharge the internal batteries with 6 hours of direct sunlight. Get one now for $150.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Solar

What’s all the Rukus about the Etón Rukus? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 8, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

Gaming on smartphones and tablets is increasingly popular, but the proliferation of stick-on joysticks would indicate that people miss the tactile feed back of a physical controller.  The iControlPad goes beyond a simple stick-on joystick and adds a full controller to your smartphone.  The controller has “dual analogue nubs, digital D-Pad, 6 face buttons and 2 rear buttons,”  and it connects via Bluetooth to devices with HID keyboard, joystick, and gamepad modes.  It’s compatible with many emulators, including NES, SNES, Megadrive/Genesis, MAME, PC-Engine, MSX, Gameboy, Amiga, C64 and more.  With an iPhone, you can play 30 iCade games from the app store, with no jailbreaking required.  It has an internal 1360mAh battery for many hours of gaming, and you can even use the iControlPad to top off your iPhone’s battery.

There’s an adjustable metal clamp that holds your smartphone in place as you play, and it’s compatible with a wide variety of smartphones.  You can stow or remove the metal clamp and use the iControlPad with your tablets.  The firmware is upgradeable, too.  Learn more about the iControlPad and the BluTrol iOS app that let’s you map controls to iOS games at the iControlPad website.

The iControlPad is $62.49.

Filed in categories: Android related, Bluetooth Gear, Gaming Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Tablet Computers and Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Gaming controller

iControlPad Bluetooth Gaming Controller for Smartphones and Tablets originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Jawbone’s Bluetooth Jambox Smartspeaker is a miracle. Hearing this tiny speaker (and also Soundmatter’s FoxL – on which the Jambox is based) for the first time will quite literally make your jaw drop. So will the price: $200. That’s a lot for a portable speaker of any size, much less one that is only six inches long. Still, the Jambox sells well. So well in fact, that Jawbone decided to make an encore; a bigger Jambox. The BIG JAMBOX Bluetooth Smartspeaker is exactly what its name says. It has the same design as the Jambox, but in a bigger size with bigger buttons, bigger speakers and much bigger sound.  With its dual bass radiators, it rivals much larger speakers in decibles. It has a 15-hour rechargeable battery and built-in 360-degree omnidirectional microphone with echo-cancellation for use as a wireless speakerphone.

But wait, that’s not all: the BIG Jambox has LiveAudio, a technology that makes speakers sound more dimensional. The BIG JAMBOX is the first available product to feature this new audio trick.

The BIG JAMBOX Smartspeaker comes in three colors and grill patterns: Graphite Hex, White Wave and Red Dot. Accessories include a 36″ stereo cable, a 60″ micro USB cable, a wall charger and a quick start guide. A carrying case is sold separately. It measures 10.1″ long, 3.2″ wide and 3.7″ high, and weighs 2.7 lbs. So while it can be moved around, it isn’t as portable as the original Jambox.

The BIG JAMBOX is currently only available for pre-order on Jawbone.com for $299 and should ship after May 15.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Speaker

Jawbone’s BIG JAMBOX is Well, Bigger originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 3, 2012 at 8:05 am.

The SleekSpeak Speaker is a colorful Bluetooth-enabled, portable speaker designed for bicycles. Available in several color combinations, the SleekSpeak attaches to handlebars or the frame of the bike and has an audio output of 80dB, with a 12-hour per charge battery life. It can be paired with your smartphone to play tunes or recieve calls. The SleekSpeak can be purchased $69 – $79 at KickStarter.com with scheduled delivery in July after which it will retail for $100.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bicycle, Bluetooth Gear

SleekSpeak Provides Handsfree Talk and Tunes for your Bicycle originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 20, 2012 at 12:59 pm.

The SoundFly VIEW Bluetooth FM Transmitter from Satechi is a car gadget for those of us that are not fortunate enough to own a Bluetooth enabled vehicle (like my 2006 Mazda 3). Here at The Gadgeteer, we’ve reviewed Bluetooth speakerphones before and we’ve reviewed FM transmitters. But I think this might be the first Bluetooth FM transmitter that we’ve reviewed. Let’s take a look.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

Hardware Specifications

Bluetooth A2DP & AVRCP
3.5mm auxiliary input & output
USB charging port
SD card reader

Package Contents

Satechi SoundFly VIEW Bluetooth FM Transmitter
IR remote
3.5mm patch cord
User Manual

The SoundFly has a sturdy construction. The main controls are on one end, while the other end has a standard 12V cigarette lighter connector. Between the ends is a 6 inch gooseneck that can be bent, twisted, turned and formed however you like.

The device has a 2 inch LCD display, 4 buttons and a jog button/knob. The buttons all have multiple functions that control phone features and audio features. The jog knob brings up menus and also allows for scrolling through them.

Below the jog knob is the microphone. However, there are no speakers built into the SoundFly itself. Audio has to be routed through the FM transmitter or the 3.5mm Audio Out jack which not pictured, but located on the left side of the device with the Audio In jack. More about this in a minute.

On the bottom of the SoundFly you’ll find a USB port that can be used to charge your phone or audio player. I tested this with my iPhone 4S and had no issues with it charging my phone. The USB port can not be used to play songs from a USB flash drive. It’s for charging only.

A full sized SD card slot is located on the right side of the device. If you load up the card with MP3 or WMA files, it will play them through the FM transmitter or Audio Out jack to your car’s stereo. The jog knob and buttons allow you to navigate through the songs. It recognizes up to 32gb (approx. 1999 files) and supports 99 folder directories with up to 5-level folder depths.

Also included with the SoundFly is a remote control. I guess it’s there for your passengers to be able to control music playback while you’re driving. As the driver, I wouldn’t use this remote and promptly stowed it in the glove box. It worked fine, but just seems odd to use a remote control in the car…

To start using the SoundFly as a Bluetooth speakerphone, you have to pair it with your phone, which is a simple task. You only need to pair it once and from then on, when you power up the SoundFly, it will connect to your phone if it is in range. An Asian female voice will announce “Bluetooth Connected” after a few seconds. You’ll only hear this after you’ve programmed in the FM transmitter frequency and/or connected the SoundFly to your car’s stereo via the Audio Out jack.

Like all FM transmitters, you have to find an unused FM frequency on your car’s radio and then set the SoundFly to that same frequency. Depending on where you’re located, it might be easy or difficult to find a frequency that isn’t being used. The SoundFly seems to work better than some of the past FM transmitters that I’ve tested. I haven’t noticed any bleed through sounds while using it.

After your phone is paired and you have an audio connection with your car’s stereo, actually using the SoundFly is pretty straight forward.

You can initiate a call using your phone or you can sync your phone’s contacts with the SoundFly and initiate the call from the SoundFly’s phone book.

I had no problems syncing my iPhone’s contacts with the SoundFly. Navigating to the desired phone number is just a matter of using the jog knob to first pick the letter and then scroll through the contacts till you find the right one.

My experience using the SoundFly’s speakerphone feature was not as good as using its MP3 player feature… As the call originator, I had to sometimes turn up the volume on my car’s radio in order to hear the other side of the conversation. That wasn’t too big of a problem, but after quite a few test calls over the course of a week, I was told that call quality on the other side of the conversations was the worst of any Bluetooth headset / speakerphone I’d ever tested. The first time I called Jeanne with it, she said I sounded horrible, like I was several feet away from the microphone and down a well. In fact, my mouth was approximately 24 inches away. Every subsequent time I’d call her with it, she’d say “Are you STILL using that thing? It sucks!” I thought moving my mouth closer to the microphone would improve things, but all my tests resulted in the same negative comments.

This device doesn’t work well as=s a Bluetooth speaker phone, but as an audio player, the Satechi SoundFly VIEW does a much better job. If you load up an SD card full of MP3s or WAV files and insert it into the slot, it will automatically start playing songs when it powers up. If you press the Call End button (Red handset button) before you turn off your car, it will set a bookmark so it will continue playing where it left off.

The display shows the artist and name of the currently playing song.

The buttons allow you to to move backwards and forwards through songs. You might notice from the images that the buttons are not backlit. This makes it hard to see/find them when you’re driving at night.

In addition to playing MP3s from an SD card, you can also play music on your phone and have it stream via Bluetooth to the SoundFly, which then will play the music using the FM transmitter or Audio Out jack. Playing this way will also display the song’s artist and title.

I even tested the SoundFly by playing Pandora and Slacker Radio apps on my iPhone. Both worked great and also display the artist name and song title.

It’s unfortunate that the Satechi SoundFly VIEW’s Bluetooth speakerphone feature is not up to par with other speakerphones I’ve reviewed. That said, this device is an above average FM transmitter that offers a SD card slot and a built in USB charging port. I can’t completely recommend it, but don’t think it’s a total waste of money either.

Let’s hear from you. What is your favorite speakerphone brand / model?

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Car, FM Transmitter

Satechi SoundFly VIEW Bluetooth FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2012 at 3:00 pm.

It has been a relatively long time since I have reviewed a Bluetooth hands-free device. Washington State has been really cracking down on drivers talking on their cellphones while going down the road. It is now a primary offense, and you can be pulled over and ticketed for no other reason. As the story goes, I purchased my wife a Journey Bluetooth Car Speaker from Jabra for Christmas. Her old device was dying a quick death and she definitely needed a new one. After seeing the device in operations from both sides of the conversation, I jumped on chance to use/try one myself when Julie offered.

The Journey is one of many Bluetooth enabled in-car speakerphones Jabra currently has on the market. In my opinion, from the pictures on their website, the Journey is the sleekest one of the lot.

Package Contents:

• Journey Bluetooth Speaker
• USB Car Charger
• USB Cable
• Quick Start Guide
• Warranty card

Device Setup:

Jabra has made setting up the Journey quick and easy with its step-by-step process. It is a Siri-like experience, where the device talks you through the process….start to finish. Simply turn the device on, and it begins the process to pair with most Bluetooth-enabled smartphones.  Once your phone sees the Jabra Journey, select it and you are good to go.

The Journey has the ability to announce incoming calls that match contacts in your device’s address book.  Within your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings, you can have your smartphone sync your contact info with the Journey. When in vibrate mode, the phone continued to vibrate, but the Journey announced the incoming call by name.  When the ringer is set to on, the ringtone rings normally along with the notification from the Journey.

x

x

Specifications:

• Bluetooth compliance Bluetooth® 3.0
• Supported Bluetooth profiles Bluetooth® Headset and hands-free, A2DP, PBAP profile
• Compatibility Jabra JOURNEY is compatible with other Bluetooth devices with Bluetooth 3.0 (or higher) specifications
• Security 56 bit Encryption
• Operating range Up to 33 feet (10 meters)
• Paired devices Up to 8, one at a time
• Talk time Up to 20 hours
• Standby time Up to 45 days
• Charging time Approximately 2 hours 30 min
• Weight 3.24 oz (92 grams)
• Dimensions, folded (off) L4.09 X W2.20 X D0.70 in (L119.2mm X W58.7mm X D15.8mm)
• Microphones HD Voice Microphone – Directivity Omni-Directional microphone
• Sensitivity, Impedance –40 dB +/- 3 dB (1kHz, 0db=1V/Pa), Max 2.2 kΩ
• Speaker Size Ø 36±0.5mm x 5.8mm
• S.P.L 90 db +/-3 dB (0.1 W / 0.1 M)
• Impedance 4Ω +/- 15%
• Digital Signal Processing Up to 20 dB noise reduction on transmit signal, Acoustic echo cancellation
• Battery Internal rechargeable 1100mA Li-Polymer battery
• Operating temperature Charging 32 F to 113 F (0° C to 45° C); Discharging 14 F to 140 F (-10° C to 60° C )
• Storage temperature Less than 1 month: -4 F to 113 F (-20° C to 45°); Less than 6 months: -4 F to 95 F (-20° C to 35° C)
• CLA power adapter 12-28 V input; 5 V 750mA output
• Charging plug dimensions Micro-USB
• Pairing passkey or PIN 0000
• Warranty 1 year world wide

Features:

• Answer calls, End calls, Reject calls
• HD Voice Mic.
• Voice dialing*
• “Answer/Ignore” voice control**
• Volume control
• Three way calling
• Music streaming (A2DP)
• Last number redial
• Mute
• Auto paring
• Call transfer
• Auto off
• Caller name announcement (PBAP)
• Status light for battery, call, pairing and connection
• Auto On G-sensor, Auto off, Advanced Multiuse
• End user upgradeable SW

The Journey’s design is sleek, slim, and highly professional, as well. It’s matte black finish and chrome highlights will look good in any car. The Journey is approximately the size of a smartphone and fits very well on the visor. The Journey takes about 2-1/2 hours to fully charge the battery.  Once fully charged, the battery is good for approximately 20 hours of talk time and up to 45 days of stand by time. For me that is a huge amount time between charges….probably about once a month or so.

To make the Journey even more power-efficient, Jabra engineered it’s Standby mode very smartly. It has motion detection. If motion is not detected for 10 minutes the Journey shuts off saving on the battery. Once movement is detected, it turns back on and says “Connected.” Very slick.  Saving you from having to turn the device on and off. The Journey is very good at reconnecting as I get into my car.

The Journey’s buttons are very accessible and well placed.  The speaker is loud and clear. The volume control buttons are located on either side of the device and are easy to use without the need to look away from the roadway. There is a LED indicator light embedded/centered on the large answer/end button on the front of the Journey.  This indicator light shows: pairing mode, battery, mute and call status.

The Journey’s right side has it’s power switch and microUSB power plug port.

The left side has nothing noteworthy to mention. The visor clip is strong and sturdy enough to keep the Journey in place.

Voice Control:

Tapping the voice button enables you to give commands to the smartphone via the speakerphone. I would say it worked fair, at best. An incoming call can be answered by speaking “Answer” or “Ignore.” The call can also be answered or rejected by tapping the answer/end button. Redialing the last number is as easy as a double tap of the answer/end button. There are other control features you can find in the manual.

Call Quality:

The call quality is good, more than adequate for understanding those you are talking with and vice versa. Overall, everyone said they could hear me well.

As I said previously, the Jabra Journey looks very sleek and professional – nearly stock. The Journey’s MSRP is $79.99 but can be found on the Net for about $60, very reasonable considering it’s looks, form, feature set, and overall call quality. I really like the device for its ease of use and allowing me to drive down the road legally.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, car gear

Jabra Journey Bluetooth Car Speaker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 31, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Sometimes when I’m being nostalgic and remembering how much I loved the Palm Treo smartphone, I start wishing my iPhone had a physical keyboard. Real keys beat touchscreen keyboard keys any day right? I decided to find out by trying the iPhone 4/4S Sliding Bluetooth Keyboard Case and Stand Combo from CELLMACS, which adds a slide out keyboard to your iPhone.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

The keyboard case is comprised of two parts. The top part is a snap on plastic case that is made specifically for the iPhone 4 or 4S.

It provides a cutout for the camera lens and LED flash.

It also allows access to the mute and volume buttons.

The speakers and docking port are easily accessible. You’ll also notice a 2nd docking port connector and a power switch on the lower half of the keyboard case. This is how you charge the keyboard. Since it’s Bluetooth and does not have a physical connection to the iPhone, it requires its own battery. You can you use your iPhone cables to charge this keyboard.

When the keyboard is charging, the status LED will light up in Red and will turn off when charging is completed. Next to the LED is a small button that is used to initiate pairing mode.

To use the keyboard, you slide the power switch to the On position, pair it with the iPhone and then slide out the keyboard. It has a nice spring loaded sliding mechanism that feels sturdy.

The QWERTY keyboard is flat, but the keys have good physical and audible feedback when pressed.

The keys are are also backlit, which is a nice feature.

The layout is ok. It’s obviously not a full sized keyboard that you can touch type on, so it’s hard to criticize it for being small. I do like that there’s a row of dedicated number keys and that access to punctuation symbols isn’t too difficult. What I don’t particularly like is the location of the space bar. I’d rather it was in the bottom center instead of off to the right.

The only iOS specific key is a home button in the upper left corner.

A feature which adds a little pizzaz to this case is the fact that keyboard case doubles as a stand. It is on a hinge that you can tilt up to make your iPhone look like a tiny laptop.

You can angle the iPhone like you see above or lift it all the way to 90 degrees.

I like the stand feature, but the keyboard, not so much. I’ve been using it off and on for a week or so and my nostalgic feelings for a physical keyboard wore off really quickly. For me, it felt harder to use this physical keyboard than the onscreen version. There are three main reasons, why I would not personally use this product. First of all, it’s too bulky for my taste. It doubles the thickness of the iPhone. Secondly, double tapping the space bar does not automatically insert a period and then auto capitalize the next word like when you use the onscreen keyboard. And lastly, words do not auto correct when spelled incorrectly. These last two complaints are probably not the fault of this particular keyboard. It’s been awhile since I’ve used one, but I’m guessing all Bluetooth keyboards perform the same. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. Regardless, it still annoys me. I never really hated the iPhone’s onscreen keyboard in the first place, but now I appreciate it even more than I did before. That said, I still wouldn’t mind having the ability to switch the onscreen keyboard with Swype or Swiftkey replacements. Oh yeah, that’s only for Android. Drats

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, Keyboard

CELLMACS iPhone 4/4S Sliding Bluetooth Keyboard Case and Stand Combo Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 20, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Note:  I had been accidentally sent a case for the original iPad when I wrote this review, and I had drawn some erroneous conclusions based on the fit of the iPad 2 in the wrong case.  I have received the proper case, and I have revised my review and inserted corrected pictures.

As I have said before, the only thing I don’t like about my iPad is using the on-screen keyboard to type long emails.  I’m always happy to try out a new keyboard case, so I asked Julie if I could give the Keyboard Folio for Apple iPad 2 a try when Sena offered one to The Gadgeteer.  Let’s give it a closer look.

Some images in this review can be clicked for an enlargement.

The Keyboard Portfolio for Apple iPad 2 is made of handcrafted European genuine leather in black, red, and brown.  You’ll notice I received the red, and it has a shiny, smooth surface.  The stitching is done in red thread, and it is very even and straight with no loose strings.  The only branding on the case is “SENA” embossed on the bottom right corner of the front.  The case measures 9.5″ long X 8″ wide X 1.4″ thick with the iPad 2 in place.  Empty, it weighs 1.1 pounds.  It adds considerable bulk and weight to the iPad 2.  There are no magnets in this case, so it cannot automatically sleep/wake your iPad.

The back has a long strap that’s sewn to the case near the middle of its length.  One end wraps around and becomes a snap closure for the folio.  The other end snaps flat to the back for storage, and it opens up to become an easel-style stand for the iPad 2.

The interior is lined with a red velveteen-type fabric to prevent scratches to the iPad.  You’ll notice there are cutouts for the iPad 2′s front-facing camera and the home button.  The keyboard is held in a leather frame inside the front cover.  A flap wraps around the top of the keyboard and folds under to hold it in place.  You can remove the keyboard from the case, if desired.

The Keyboard Folio comes with a micro USB cable for charging the built-in 450mAh lithium-ion battery.  Sena says you can expect about 45 hours of use or 55 hours of standby time.  They also say you can expect about 20 days of usage between charges.  It took about 4 hours to charge the keyboard with the USB port on my laptop.  A red status light blinks to indicate when the battery is low and is on steady while the battery is charging.

The keyboard is covered with a rubbery black silicone.  You can see the covering completely encapsulates the keys, which should protect against dirt and spills.  You can also see the silicone surface is a dust magnet.

The Bluetooth (v2.0) keyboard connected very easily with my iPad 2.  You simply put both the keyboard and the iPad into pairing mode and enter the supplied 4-digit code into the keyboard to establish the connection.  I had to go through the pairing steps each time I wanted to use the keyboard; it didn’t remember my iPad 2 and automatically connect.

The keyboard can be used with other Bluetooth devices, such as some smartphones or tablets, and with computers .

You’ll notice that the keyboard is a not-quite-standard QWERTY format.  All the keys on the left side are as expected, but there’s no shift key on the right and many punctionation keys aren’t where you expect them.  There are function keys on the top row, including a “home” key that returns the iPad 2 to the home screen, volume/mute controls, media playback controls, and a search key that opens spotlight search.  There’s also a keyboard function key that sometimes, but not always, opens the on-screen keyboard in apps that accept keyboard input.  The other function keys performed as expected.

The keys had a nice touch, but it took some getting accustomed to typing on the keyboard because of its small size.  It was also hard to do capital letters without both shift keys, and adding punctuation always required me to stop and search for the key.  I’m a touch-typist, so these problems slowed me down.  However, typing on the keyboard is much better and faster than using the iPad’s on-screen keyboard.

You’ll also notice in the above picture that there are three narrow slots along the length of the leather strip above the keyboard.  I’m not sure what the purpose of these is.  They aren’t little pockets that could be used to store memory cards.  They extend the full length under the keyboard, so small things would disappear in there.

There isn’t a way to snap the front closure tab to the back of the case while you’re using the stand.  However, this flap is flexible, and you can straighten it to keep it out of the way. 

The easel stand is attached to the back of the case with a ribbon to limit how far it can open.  There’s only one angle possible with this case.  Hopefully it’s a good one for you, but it tilted the screen back a bit too far for someone as short as I am.  I could see the screen, but I would have preferred it to be a bit closer to 90 degrees.

The Keyboard Folio is designed to allow you to use the iPad while it’s in the case.  The sloped back of the iPad and the hard back of the case that extends past the iPad itself combine to make it a bit difficult to get your fingers in to access the controls.  In the topmost image in the above photo, you can see there are cutouts for the headphone jack, microphone and the sleep/wake button.  Second from top shows that the cutout for the mute/screen lock button and volume rocker; it’s a good fit.  The next image shows that the back speaker and the dock connector are both uncovered, and I could charge the iPad 2 while in the case.  The sound wasn’t really affected by the case.  You can also see the micro USB charging port and the power switch for the keyboard.

The last image shows the flap that holds the iPad 2 in the leather frame.  This flap simply slides into a pocket under the iPad; there is nothing to secure it.  The iPad 2 fits snugly inside the leather frame that holds it.  It’s held in position tightly enough that the ports and buttons stay lined up properly with their openings. 

You can see that Keyboard Folio for iPad 2 has a teardrop-shaped opening for the front-facing camera and the ambient light sensor located just above the camera.  There’s also an opening in the back for the rear camera.  Neither opening interfered with taking photos.

Although the keyboard has some non-standard features that are to be expected in these small tablet cases, it actually works pretty well.  The case itself is made of beautiful leather, and it was well-constructed.  The iPad 2 is held snugly in the Keyboard Folio, and all ports and controls are accessible and useable.  The Keyboard Folio for iPad 2 is an elegant, useful accessory for folks who often need a Bluetooth keyboard and who like a folio case.

I apologize to the readers and to Sena for the confusion and incorrect information in original version of my review.  I should have suspected that I had received the wrong case, because the other Sena product I reviewed (the Viajero MacBook Pro case)  was beautifully constructed and thoughtfully designed.  I hope the corrected information and the new pictures set the record straight.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, iPad 2, iPad case with Bluetooth keyboard

Sena Keyboard Folio for Apple iPad 2 Review – Revised originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 3, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Have an awesome stereo speaker system but no way to get your music to it wirelessly?  That’s where AirBlue from Kanex comes in.  Shaped like a hockey puck, it’s a Bluetooth audio receiver into which you can plug a 3.5mm audio cable.  Just pair your iPhone (or any Bluetooth-enabled music player) to AirBlue, and you’ll be able to play your music wirelessly up to 33 feet away.  The AirBlue has an internal rechargeable battery that lasts up to 10 hours.  AirBlue is priced at $49 direct from Kanex.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Music

Add Bluetooth to your non-Bluetooth audio devices with AirBlue originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 26, 2011 at 10:00 am.

I for one vastly prefer listening to speakers than headphones and I am always on the search for both the perfect personal portable speaker for general use, and amplified travel speakers to use in class. It would be great to get both in one package!

The Muse Mini Portable Bluetooth Speaker is certainly small at just under 2″ tall and a bit less than 1 3/4″ across! I could not wait to try it out!
Some specifications from the site for the tiny speaker include:

• Dimension (LxWxH) : 43mm x 50 mm
• Net weight: 178g
• Loudspeaker Output: 2.2w
• Frequency range: 2.401-2 .480 GHZ (2.4GHz ISM Segment
• Signal to noise: -95db +-2db
• Play backtime: up to 4 hours
• Battery charging voltage: 5v/+0.5v
• Battery charge time: 5v input – 1.5 hours
• Work Current: <400mA
• Standby Current: <3mA
• Play backtime: up to 6 hours
• Range: <10M (Bluetooth Class 2)
• Bluetooth Versions: V2.1, V2.0, V1.1, and V1.2 Standard (A2DP, AVRCP)
• FCC, CE, RoHS Compliant

The package includes the speaker, a M to M 1/8th inch stereo cord, a USB charging cord, instructions, and a 20% off coupon for your next purchase.

Included in the box: audio cord, charging cord, instructions, speaker

The speaker is available with or without Bluetooth, and in black, white, silver, blue, and green (they also show red on the site, and say they can do other colors as well.) I was sent a black version with Bluetooth to trial. The cylinder has a silver speaker grill and logo on top; an audio jack, status light, charging port, and logo on the body, and the ‘on/off’ Bluetooth’ switch on the bottom.

Front view, showing an idea of how small it is

Bottom and back view- switch, charging port, status light, and audio port

My experience with Bluetooth is usually pretty good with my Android (Samsung Epic) and laptops, and this was certainly a straight-forward process. I was synced in about a minute all total on every device I tried it on. Very nice. The instructions could be done a bit better, but are tons better than a lot I have seen! A blue light blinks occasionally to show you are connected.

Don’t want to, or can’t do Bluetooth? Just switch it to ‘On’, and use the included cable. A red status light will show. The cable is a bit short- great for travel and packing, but a longer cable would be nice to have available. They are easy enough to find so this is not a problem. Charging is also straightforward… unless you don’t have a powered USB port available. The package does not include a USB to AC (or auto) adapter. Not a problem for me, I have bunches of them laying around with all my phones and other stuff. (The tip seems to match up to a Radio Shack ‘K’ tip if that helps).

Sound quality is amazingly good. I am not an audiophile, but everything sounds accurate, crisp, and clear. Some distortion at high volume, but that is typical of almost every speaker. Bass and treble are better than expected in such a small speaker, just remember that if you want to adjust them, you have to do it on your player.

Volume is better than a non-powered speaker would provide, but is not as loud as I was hoping. It is a little louder (and clearer) than my Epic’s built-in speaker. Loud enough to play background music in my office (I like it on the quiet side) and at full volume it can do a decent job of filling my den with sound, but I doubt anyone will ever shout at you to turn it down.

The small size, light weight, and decent built-in battery makes it very portable, but the cylindrical shape means it does not pack flat or tuck neatly in most pockets. It also seems a bit odd to me that there is no case or bag for the speaker and the cords. Certainly not a deal-breaker on such a nice speaker, but I really wish I could keep the elements together better.

There is a lot of competition at the ‘around $50′ price point for portable speakers. The Muse Mini Bluetooth Speaker offers good sound and great portability for its price, but if you need more ‘umph’ you may want to look for something else.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Portable speakers

Muse Mini Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2011 at 11:00 am.

My airline travel has recently picked up the past year and I find myself on planes for more hours than I can remember. And if you have ever spent any time in coach on an airline, you know the value of a good set of headphones. I have tried every earbud known to man and have come to the conclusion that there is no good earbud. So wanting to avoid wires altogether, I have recently been trying Bluetooth stereo headsets. My most recent foray into the wireless Bluetooth headset arena is the Leo Stereo Wireless Bluetooth Headset from Arriva. With a name like Leo, it better have some teeth, right?  Let’s find out if it does!

Before getting my hands on the Leo my day-to-day stereo Bluetooth headset was the Motorola S10-HD. This isn’t a review of that headset, but I will compare the Leo to that headset simply for the sake of those of you who may own that one.  I like the S10-HD, so I was really curious if the Arriva would take its place as my go-to headset.

Let’s start out with some photos:

The Arriva comes with a micro-USB charger, 3 sets of earbud covers in addition to 1 set already on the earbuds, and a hard foam round carrying case that holds the Arriva quite nicely. The headset folds up nicely in that case, and they are great for traveling because they take up so little space.

2 sets of the earbuds have a little loopy things (yes, that is a technical term) that extend from the earbud to push against the inside of your ear to hold the earbud in place.  I tried the foam and plain earbud covers and neither worked for me, so the loopy earbud covers were a must for my ears.

Here is a better picture of what it looks like on the back of my head. You can see the main unit rests at the base of your skull, allowing you to wear a helmet, glasses, hat, etc, and be unobstructed.

The next picture is a closeup shot of the main unit on the headset.

The micro-USB charging port is on the bottom of the unit.  It has a power button and a plus and minus button on the front. Each button performs several functions. Holding the power button turns the headset on, and if you keep holding it down for 7 seconds, the headset goes into pairing mode.  You hear some tones when it turns on, but oddly you don’t heard anything when it goes into pairing mode. Every Bluetooth headset I have ever owned makes a “pairing” sound, so when I first tried to pair it with something I thought something was wrong because I didn’t hear any tone or indications that I was pairing.  If you receive a phone call while listening to music,  pressing the power button will answer the call and when you hang up the music will start again. While listening to music a tap on the power button will pause the music.

The plus and minus buttons will increase and decrease the volume of the sound and long-pressing the buttons will advance to the next or previous songs in your playlist.

And here is a picture of the size comparison between the Arriva (left) and the Motorola S10-HD (right)

The Arriva, just like the Motorola, is one of those Bluetooth headsets that can also answer calls on your phone because it has a mic built into the left earbud. When I used it to talk on the phone I wasn’t that pleased with the results. The call quality to me was what I experienced with Bluetooth headsets a few years ago. It was susceptible to wind noise and more often than not the person on the other end of the call would ask me to repeat myself.  I used both headsets to call myself and leave a voicemail and then I listened to the messages.  While the Motorola provided slightly better sound quality than the Arriva, I just don’t think either one of these headsets are meant to be used for making calls all day. They are fine if you want to answer a quick call while you are listening to music, but I don’t think that long conversations are suited for this headset and I wouldn’t buy this one if that was your intention. There are many other Bluetooth headsets that are designed for making calls. For example, I can listen to music using my Plantronics Pro headset, but I wouldn’t do it because it sounds bad and that headset wasn’t designed for listening to music.

Where the Leo has no teeth:

When I first took it out of the package and tried to place it on my head I am glad someone wasn’t videotaping me. I initially thought that maybe I had received a defective unit because I couldn’t get the darn thing to stay on my head for more than a few seconds and it just looking all mangled and funny. After much weeping and gnashing of teeth, I was able to bend and shape the Arrive to fit my head and my ears. So what started out as a big negative in my initial impression turned into a good experience when I realized I could bend and mold this thing to fit my head perfectly.  I can now wear it for hours and not realize I have it on. So you’ll need to be patient when you first start wearing it and find out what fits best for you.

I mentioned that I expected to hear some sort of audible tone when pairing the device, and I didn’t hear anything.  You also don’t hear anything after the headset connects to a device. I expect to hear something when that happens too, but I heard nothing. So I had to actually play some music to make sure that it was working with my tablet or phone.

With other Bluetooth headsets, for example, if I walk away from my phone beyond the range of the Bluetooth I get some sort of audible indication that my headset is no longer communicating with the phone. This has saved me countless times from leaving my phone someplace on accident. The Leo doesn’t do that either.

I experienced a big problem with my Verizon HTC Thunderbolt and the Leo. I won’t go into all the techy detail but here is the bottom line: if you own the Thunderbolt, then when using the Leo, don’t use the “LTE On/Off” app that allows you to turn off the 4G connection on the phone to save your battery. When you do that the Thunderbolt will lock up on an incoming call if you are using the Leo. When I used the Thunderbolt in normal mode (with the 4G connection on) then everything was fine. Not sure what that was about, but now I know, and so do you.

Where the Leo has some teeth:

The sound from this headset is top notch. It is quite literally the best sounding Bluetooth headset I have ever heard. The highs and the lows are wonderful. I couldn’t turn up the volume all the way on any device for fear of blowing out my eardrums, so you will enjoy the high quality sound. I’ve already mentioned how comfortable it is, so you should have no problems with getting this to fit.  While the Motorola is comfortable, the Arriva feels nice. I don’t do extreme sports of any kind, so I can’t speak to how well it would stay on my head while hang-gliding, but the headset stayed on my head while jogging and working out.

And the price is just right. It is now $69.95, which is cheaper than what I paid for the Motorola S10.

Miscellaneous information

While I experienced no problems with sweating while working out, Arriva does state that this is not a waterproof headset, so no swimming with this thing.  The battery (140mAh) lasts about 5 hours before needing a charge and it is supposed to last 20 days on standby. It takes about an hour and a half to fully charge and the battery, and the headset has an indicator light to let you know when it is done charging.  Their website also has some guides on how to pair with various phones and how to get the Leo adjusted to fit your head.

The bottom line

The Leo is the best sounding and most comfortable Bluetooth headset I have ever owned. I used it successfully with my HTC Android cellphone, my HTC Flyer tablet, my ASUS Eee Pad Transformer tablet, a Samsung Fascinate cellphone, an iPhone, and an iPod Touch.  Aside from the aforementioned issue with the phone-locking-up thing I already mentioned, it worked flawlessly.  I did not experience any skipping or signal dropping.

I should also mention that when I had the issue with the phone locking up I contacted Arriva via email (they have no published phone number) and they responded quickly and provided me ideas and suggestions about what might be happening.  They even offered to send me another headset, and they sent all the information I gave them to their technical folks to find a solution.  Their folks were really nice about the whole thing and they took my suggestions for how to improve the product and seemed genuinely interested in making me happy, so I give them props for that.

I like the Motorola S10 HD, I really do. It’s a good Bluetooth headset.  But I like the Arriva even more, so the Motorola will be delegated to the gadget drawer as my back-up device.  I am going to give the Arriva an 8 out of 10, so I do recommend it to anyone.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Headphones, Wireless

Arriva Leo Stereo Wireless Bluetooth Headset Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 8, 2011 at 11:00 am.

The K-Bow from Keith McMillen is a Bluetooth enabled bow for the violin, viola, cello and bass, which is constructed of Kevlar and graphite. While the K-Bow may look similar to a normal bow, it’s actually a real-time controller that will allow you to manipulate the sounds coming out of the stringed instrument for which the bow is being used. The bow has sensors for grip, bow tension, force, angle, and more. The sensor data is used with the included software to translate to MIDI or for live looping, reverb, etc. The K-Bow is available now at prices starting at $2995.00.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Musical Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Musical instruments, Violin

Play The Devil Went Down to Georgia on your Fiddle with the Bluetooth K-Bow originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2011 at 2:30 pm.

I like keyboards; I like big, full-sized keyboards like my Logitech G15 on down to my one-handed Lenovo N5902 Multimedia Remote. I could barely play “Chopsticks” on the piano and when it comes to 0n-screen keyboards. I’m all thumbs…in the wrong way. We have three tablets in our home (Apple iPad, Asus Transformer and HP TouchPad), all of them are paired with keyboards that make typing anything over a few words much more pleasant.

There’s a trade-off to carrying a physical keyboard though, and that’s the added size and weight. When you start lugging around a separate keyboard maybe it’s time to consider going with one of the new “ultra-thin” laptops like the Apple MacBook Air or one of the new slim Windows machines by companies like Sony, Lenovo and Asus and reap the benefits of using full-fledged desktop operating systems and applications.

It appears that selecting your mobile computing device and the matching input method to fit your needs could become more difficult than choosing the right outfit. Okay, I admit, in my case, that might be a bad example as my clothing selection usually comes down to whatever is clean, but you get the idea.

So, what do you do when you don’t want to use the on-screen keyboard on your phone or tablet, but carrying an extra keyboard is too much? Well, that’s where Magic-Pro’s ProMini BT-Joy might meet your needs. Pyramid Distribution sent us the ProMini, which is a Bluetooth-enabled, physical thumb-board that includes a working joystick-type of pointer control that they call a “Sliding Jog Mouse”. If you have ever used the IBM/Lenovo TrackPoint device that appears on many of the ThinkPad notebooks you have an idea of how the ProMini’s pointer works. Right and left mouse button functions are handled nicely with one button on the top edge of the keyboard, easily accessible to your index finger and the right button situated just to the right of the pointer-stick.

Specifications
(as Supplied by Magic-Pro)

• Dimension : 110mm x 59mm x 10.3mm
• Weight : 50 grams – 58 games (two different weights listed)
• Battery Type : Built-in rechargeable Lithium-ION Polymer
• Battery Life: Use 30 hours plus, Standby 30 days
• Operation range : up to 10 meters
• Operating Voltage : 3.7V
• Bluetooth version: 2.0 HID
• Frequency: 2.4-2.48 GHz
• Charging Time: Under 3 hours
• Comparability: Apple iOS 4 or above, Google Android (please read below), Nokia Symbian 560, Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista and 7, Mac OSX 10.2.8 or later, Linux OS, Sony PlayStation 3.
• Warranty: One year limited

What's in the box.

The ProMini has a back-lit, five-row, QWERTY layout. The keys all have discernible travel and a reassuring and slightly audible click when pressed. The punctuation keys except the period require holding one of the two shift or Fn (function) keys. Four standard cursor keys (up, down, left, right) are included on dedicated keys.

Special function keys like a “.com”, “www” and play/pause, fast-forward, rewind and volume-up, volume-down, and mute are available when you hold down the function key.

There are two buttons above the keys that the documentation explains are to serve as a home key for iOS and Android. They do this, but instead of one working with iOS and the other for Android as described. I found that one worked for both functions and the other didn’t have any effect whatsoever. That same key also launched a browser on my Windows and Ubuntu machines.

The keyboard connects to your device through Bluetooth, and Magic-Pro included a small USB Bluetooth dongle for PCs that don’t have native Bluetooth support. There are no drivers included and with one exception they shouldn’t be necessary.

Power is provided by a Lithium-Ion battery that charges with a USB (micro) connection from either your computer or many USB chargers. I appreciate the use of standard charging ports as it means there’s one less cable to pack and they’re easily obtainable when I forget to bring it or, leave it plugged into the outlet at a hotel.

Apple iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone sync/charge cables are not compatible, but depending on which charger you’re using it may work with the ProMini’s cable. Battery life of the ProMini (30 hours of use or 30 days on standby) is such that you really shouldn’t have to worry about charging unless you’re going away for a long time or have to do a lot of typing. If it’s the latter, you probably won’t want to be using the ProMini anyway. The battery is not easily user-replaceable.

The ProMini’s case is made out of plastic and while it doesn’t look like the most well-built/sturdy device I’ve seen it felt relatively solid in my hands. The keyboard tested was black, but Magic-Pro’s literature and website also indicate that it may be available in white.

Testing

I set out to test the keyboard with a variety of devices including my T-Mobile/HTC G2 smartphone running Google’s Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), an Apple iPad running iOS 4.3.3 (Jail-broken), an Apple iPod Touch (4G) running iOS 4.3.5, a PC desktop running Windows 7 x64 SP1, an IBM ThinkPad T42 running Ubuntu 11.04, and an Asus Transformer tablet running Android 3.2 (Honeycomb). I added a Sprint/Samsung Nexus S running Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) to the testing after having problems connecting the ProMini with the G2.

Other than the two Android-powered smartphones the ProMini paired, connected and worked very well. The mouse functions did not work with the Apple devices, but that’s related to the lack of mouse support in iOS and not a failing of the ProMini.

Android Issues

There is a tiny asterisk next to the Android compatibility statement on the back of the ProMini box for good reason. Android does not include Bluetooth keyboard drivers as part of the operating system. Compatibility is on a device-by-device basis.

However, even if the ProMini doesn’t work out of the box with your Android phone it’s not impossible to get it up and running. I had a similar problem when trying to connect my Apple Wireless keyboard to my Asus Transformer. I rooted through through the Android market for a solution, and found the “BlueKeyboard Pro JP” by Elbrain it worked for the Transformer and the Apple keyboard, and worked again on both phones with the ProMini. BlueKeyboard has a free version or for roughly $2 you can buy the upgrade that incorporates additional features like a user dictionary. While it’s not a difficult task to download, install and configure this keyboard driver it is an extra step and could be confusing to some.

Pairing and Connection

Other than the aforementioned Android phones, pairing the keyboard was pretty much the standard Bluetooth experience. You start by turning the keyboard on and then pressing the “connect” button which sits next to the power switch, and is slightly recessed to prevent accidentally activation. A blue light begins to blink and you then start the Bluetooth device scan on your device. Follow a couple of on-screen instructions and it should take the place of, or work in addition to any keyboard and mouse. As with most Bluetooth devices you only need to go through the pairing process once per device with connection occurring automatically thereafter.

It Works Quite Well

So, how did the keyboard work? Well, about as I expected with a couple of minor flaws. When I compared it to the built-in hardware keyboard on the T-Mobile G2 I found it slightly easier to use. Its keys are a bit larger and it has a full five rows of keys rather than four on the G2. They’re both still thumb keyboards though so the advantage wasn’t enough for me to want to carry the ProMini around in addition to my phone. I’m sure some former Blackberry/Treo owners that are now using iPhones might be interested in the ProMini.

Tablet owners with small hands could potentially find use for the device, but it would be difficult to use the ProMini while also holding the tablet. I thought of duct-taping it to the bottom of my iPad, but it covered up the sling-shot in Angry Birds so I had to abandon the idea.

On the PC and ThinkPad the keyboard/mouse worked as well as you would expect any combination keyboard/mouse to work. While I did not test the ProMini with a Macintosh, I expect that it would work with OSX without significant issues.

I can think of a couple of uses for a device this small and a PC; Home Theater PC use and as a substitute for a remote mouse when giving presentations. I tried the ProMini with our HTPCs and it worked well, but there are better alternatives with dedicated media keys  like the Lenovo Multimedia Remote/Keyboard in the same price range. As a presentation mouse it serves adequately.

Two Minor Complaints

Other than the Android connection problem I had a couple of very minor issues with the ProMini. The backlit keyboard is controlled by a button that works at any time except when you’re initially pairing the device. So, when you have to type in the numeric code to complete the initial pairing you have to make sure you have enough light in the room to see the keys.

My other nit involves the alternate uses for the keys. On the black keyboard the key caps have the main character in white and then one or two alternate characters/functions in much smaller red or blue font.  For anyone without very sharp vision these are going to be difficult to read.

Conclusion

So, that’s about it for the ProMini BT Joy. If you have a need for a very small “thumb-board “ it seems as though it will do the job. I’m sure some people will consider it small enough, and inexpensive enough (list price is $69) to carry around  for the every-so-often situation where it can make input into a variety of devices a bit easier and faster. To me it’s a bit pricey, and I’m not sure if I see a real need, but it does what they say it will do so I’ll still give this “thumb board” a thumbs up.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Keyboard, Mobile gear

Magic-Pro ProMini BT-Joy Bluetooth Keyboard Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 16, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

These iharmonix Qi-wear glasses from Qmadix offer stereo Bluetooth connectivity and eye protection in one package.  They have on-frame controls and an internal rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that provides 7+ days of standby.  The glasses use 2.1 + EDR Bluetooth to connect with any Bluetooth-enabled device; dual microphones cancel ambient noise for clear communication (up to 6 hours of continuous talk time).  Knowles balanced armature drivers provide up to 8 hours of continuous music.  Qmadix says “Howard Leight SmartFit 300 replaceable noise reducing ear-tips provide up to 42dB of noise reduction and an NRR rating of 21″.  The lenses are scratch-resistant and replaceable; Qmadix says they meet and exceed ANSI Z87.1-2003 and CAN/CSA Z94.3 impact requirements.  Read the Qi-wear brochure here.  The glasses have a list price of $299.99.  Qmadix seems to be out of stock, but the glasses are available at online retailers, like Brookstone.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Sunglasses

iharmonix Qi-wear Extreme Performance Eyewear with Stereo Bluetooth originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 14, 2011 at 9:31 am.

MobileFun brings us a this super cute Android Bluetooth 3.0 speaker for your car or desk. It’s small but still packs 2W of sound. The Android’s head doubles as a control to let you change tracks with a twist or pause with a push. It also has a built in microphone for hands-free calls. The rechargeable battery will last up to 10 hrs and can be topped off by using a mini USB cable. This speaker is available now via MobileFun for £19.95 (approximately US $31.33).

Filed in categories: Android related, Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Android, Bluetooth Gear, Speaker

Show your Android pride with this Bluetooth speakerphone originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 9, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Whether it’s my mobile phone or tablet it seems I’m always looking for new ways to make text input easier and faster. I already own a slew of Bluetooth keyboards, different on-screen Android keyboards, voice input, and somewhere I have a weird stylus that feels like I’m writing with a Slim Jim.

The folks at ApenUSA are taking us back a bit in an attempt to move forward with the A3 Smart Pen. The company has created a pen and receiver unit which can hold and transfer whatever you write to a Microsoft Windows or Apple MacOSX based computer, or a smartphone or tablet running Android or Blackberry OS. You just clip the receiver on to the paper you’re working on and start scribbling. The writing is then digitized and held for later transfer or immediately sent via USB cable or Bluetooth to your computer or smartphone in real-time.

ApenUSA also offers a model that is compatible with Apple’s iOS (A4 Smart Pen) as well, but it appears not to have the wireless functionality instead requiring a cable connection to your iPhone or iPad. List price for either product is $129. Check out a short
video of the Smart Pen in action after the jump.

Filed in categories: Android related, Blackberry related, Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Android, Blackberry, Bluetooth Gear, Digitizer

Tired of tiny keyboards and thumb taps? Use an APEN originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2011 at 9:00 am.

We all know that using a hands-free device (speaker or headset) in our cars is great safety advice, not to mention the fact that not using one can be illegal in some states. The FoxLV2 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Speaker will work fine in your car, but it will also work on your bike! Hey, it’s important to be hands-free on them too right? The FoxL (pronounced fox-ul) is a pocked-sized rev 2.2 Bluetooth speaker that features:

“foxL’s patented “Twoofers,” “BassBattery,” and other technologies.  foxL provides amazingly smooth deep bass and an “open & airy” listening experience that provides iPhones, iPads and other Bluetooth devices with the superior sound quality”

The FoxLv2 Bluetooth hi-fi speaker is priced at $199 and the mounts are priced at $65 for the Vehicle Bracket Mounting System and $49.95 for the Universal Bicycle Mount from Soundmatters.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Speaker

FoxLV2 Hi-Fi Bluetooth Speaker Now Available for Cars & Bikes originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 7, 2011 at 10:00 am.

If you keep your mobile phone in a purse or pocket, this Bluetooth bracelet from My Transformer Toys will alert you with vibration and a Caller ID display for incoming calls. It’s more feminine than similar products we’ve looked at here on The Gadgeteer, and doubles as a clock. It’s available in Red, Pink, Gold, White, Blue. The price seems pretty decent at $65.99. What do you think, would you wear one?

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear

Geek Jewelry – Bluetooth Bracelet / Clock originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 3, 2011 at 11:03 am.

I recently reviewed the Jabra Wave Bluetooth headset, which I totally love.  But before that, Jabra had sent me the Jabra Extreme by accident.  The Jabra Extreme has great features and works just as well as the Jabra Wave.  Let’s give it a look, too.

Inside the package, you’ll find the Extreme headset, 2 Ultimate-fit Eargels, 2 ear hooks, AC charger, USB charger, car charger, and the manuals.

An added advantage of the Jabra Extreme is that it includes a car charger.  Just plug in the charger to the cigarette lighter port in the car , attach the USB to micro USB adaptor, then attach the Extreme headset.  It’s a pretty convenient accessory to use if you’re on the road a lot.  The AC charger on the other hand has a very short 10 inch cord which doesn’t make any sense at all.  Using the AC charger with a standard house outlet will force you to put the headset on the floor.  I, for one, don’t feel comfortable sticking things in my ear after they sat on the floor while charging.

Pairing the Extreme headset was pretty straight forward.   This headset has the standard bluetooth range of about 30 feet away from the cell phone.  The Jabra logo on the headset is the Answer/End button, and on each side of that are the volume up and down buttons.  Enlarge the picture (above) and you’ll see 2 noise cancellation microphones hidden beneath the grill.  There’s also a dedicated on/off switch on the bottom side.

Features of the Jabra Extreme :

• Eliminates background noise with dual microphone technology
• All day comfort with Ultimate-fit Eargels™ and ear hook
• Adjusts volume automatically
• Convenient car charger and headset holder in one
• Easy to use with dedicated on/off slider and auto-pairing
• Multiuse™ – connect to 2 devices at the same time
• Up to 5.5 hours talk time and up to 10.5 days standby time

Call quality to a land line sounded crystal clear with calls made both indoors and outdoors on a windy day in the busy Manhattan streets.  I got up to 5 hours of talk time before it turned off on me.

Wearing the Jabra Extreme wasn’t that comfortable for me.  This is just my personal opinion since I never liked the over-the-ear and in-ear style headsets.  And that’s the reason why I chose to review the Jabra Wave in the first place, which had the behind-the-ear style.  My cousins tried out the Jabra Extreme, and they said it was comfortable to them.  So I guess my ears are just a bit picky about earbud styles.

The Jabra Extreme is priced at $79.99 direct from Jabra.  It’s a pretty decent price since it includes the car charger also.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Headset

Jabra Extreme Bluetooth Headset Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 31, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Clip MusiCALL from Bluetrek to your clothing, plug any headphones or earbuds into the 3.5mm jack, and you can listen to music from your smartphone without being physically connected to the phone.  MusiCALL uses Bluetooth to connect to your phone, and it has navigation buttons that are used to control music playback on the smartphone.   You’ll never miss a call, either, because music stops for an incoming call and restarts when the call is disconnected.  The MusiCALL from Bluetrek will sell for $69.99 and should be available soon.  Read the full press release here.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear

Make Any Headphones Bluetooth with MusiCALL from Bluetrek – and Control Your Smartphone, Too originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 10, 2011 at 8:01 am.

The iHome iDM12 Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker System for iPad/iPhone/iPod is iHome’s entry into the every growing portable/battery powered Bluetooth speaker market. Like the Monster iClarityHD speakers I reviewed in January, the iMD12 aims to give you mobile sound without the headphones. Unlike the iClarityHD, the iDM12 doesn’t bother with a microphone – it’s not a substitute hands-free system, it’s just a speaker. The overall package is a bit more portable thanks to the combination speaker cover/iPad base – when snapped on the front you’re left with a 7″ cylinder that’s about 2 1/4″ wide – easy enough to toss into a gear bag or luggage.

Inside the Box

The iDM12 package includes a Bluetooth connect guide (with no mention of the wired connection, or use of the stand – but it’s obvious enough) – the speaker & base/cover, and the USB + 3.5″ headphone plug to micro-usb cable. You’ll want to hang onto this cable, as it’s used to both charge the iDM12 and to route wired audio to it, should you want to forgo Bluetooth. In theory you can use any micro-usb cable to charge the IDM12, and the micro-usb/stereo connection is also standard – but I just used the supplied cable in my testing.

The top of the iDM12 has the interesting controls:

Press and hold power to power it on. You’ll see a green LED in the top center of the speaker grill when it’s on. Press power again to turn it off. The -/+ keys do what you’d expect with the volume, while the pause/play/pairing button does the pause/play function on a short press. Press and hold to enter into pairing mode.

The back of the iDM21 has the micro-usb port and the Bluetooth/aux switch, along with the flip-out stand to hold the speakers up when in use.

Flipping to aux-in turns off the Bluetooth radio in the iDM12, probably increasing its battery life. The internal battery, at 1800mAH, is rated at 4.5 hours – in my actual use it lasted 4 when playing music via Bluetooth.

The split USB cable gives you about 6 inches to work with, if you’re going to try connecting both the audio and the USB plugs into a laptop or other source. That’s doable on a Macbook Pro, for example, as shown below:

The cover/base is a notched bit of plastic with two feet that swivel out – without those feet it’s not stable with an iPad resting in it!

The feet rotate and stay (snugly) under the base when not in use, and the base just magnetically snaps onto the front of the iDM12 when you’re not using it. If only there was somewhere to stash that cable…

iPad Mode

I borrowed a handy iPad (first gen, but the slot should work the same for the slightly thinner iPad 2) to grab some action photos, and indeed the base does a fine job of securely holding an iPad on a flat surface:

You’ll want to put the speaker off to the side though, unless you like peering over it, while looking at its reflection in the glass of the iPad:

Bluetooth Performance

Paring was automatic, as expected, with iOS devices, iMacs, Linux boxes, and Windows machines. The iDM12 will re-connect to the last device that connected to it – if you’re moving it between several devices, you’d just need to select it in that device’s list of known Bluetooth speakers.

Range was also as expected – this is a 30′ device, and it was solid for me at the limits of that range.

Audio Performance

According to the iHome site, the iDM12s include 2 active and 1 passive radiator (that’s a left and right speaker, and a bass-reflex passive “woofer” for some low end help.)

I found the iDM12 to have an audible amplifier hum when connected, but when nothing was playing, even at low/mid volume settings, with either Bluetooth or the wired connection. The hum wasn’t audible during playback. Bass reproduction was as good as you could hope in a package this size, which is to say not very. There’s no doubt these little speakers can put out a decent volume of sound – just don’t expect to host your next rave with them. When compared to the Boston Acoustics BA635 speakers on my work machine, I can clearly hear the narrow range, lack of bass, and even a bit of distortion at the same volume. Even with that, the little iDM12s did a admirable job of matching that volume well past the point where I would normally listen to audio material.

Conclusion

The iDM12 is a very portable, versatile battery powered Bluetooth/wired speaker system. The integrated iPad base/cover is a nice touch – useful even if you’re not primarily using it for an iPad. The sound quality is about where I’d expect at this price, which is a bit higher than the very low end speaker systems, but under the high end ones.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, iPad, Portable speakers

iHome iDM12 Rechargeable Bluetooth Speaker System for iPad/iPhone/iPod Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

A few months ago, The Gadgeteer told you about TuneLink Auto from NewPotato Technologies that allowed you to play audio from your Apple iOS device through your car’s stereo.  Now, NewPotato has made the TuneLink Auto system available to Android phone users.  You plug the TuneLink Auto into your car’s power port and pair it with your Android phone via Bluetooth (only necessary once).  You can now transmit music to your car’s music system through FM transmission or by plugging the TuneLink Auto into the Aux port on your car’s system.  The TuneLink Auto even has a USB port so you can charge your Android phone while you listen.  The free TuneLink app lets you configure and control your TuneLink Auto, and lets you connect multiple phones and alternate music playback from each, use the phone’s GPS to suggest local radio stations, and more.  The TuneLink Auto for Android is $99.99 at the NewPotato Technologies website.

Filed in categories: Android related, Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, car audio

NewPotato TuneLink Auto Now Available for Android Phones originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 29, 2011 at 9:00 am.

MoGo case and earpiece

BlueTooth earpieces have been around for quite a while now. Most phones on the market and many computers can use this wireless technology with ease. While I’m not a fan for several reasons (detailed below), I keep coming back to the idea of using one every few years. MoGo sent me one of their units to test with my iPhone 4, and it solved several of the problems I generally have with earpieces – but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The MoGo Talk XD2 is a case for the iPhone 4 that completely covers the back and sides of the phone. Built into the back of the case is a holster and charging cradle for the earpiece. The case itself adds a bit of bulk and weight to the iPhone, but the edges give a good grip and hold the phone’s face above a surface, should you happen to place it face-down. The back is somewhat of a camel’s hump on the back, but it fits nicely in your hand.

Volume buttons and hole for mute switch

Bottom ports

Ports and cable

The earpiece holds tightly, yet releases easily.

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Case, iPhone 4

MoGo Talk XD2 Headset and iPhone 4 Case System Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 2, 2011 at 1:30 pm.

If you’ve tried Bluetooth headsets and speaker phones before and didn’t find them to your liking, I have another option to try for hands free calls. It’s the Earzee Bluetooth Wristband from MobileFun. This wristband pairs with your phone and vibrates when it detects a call. You can then pull the earphone speaker between your fingers, hold your hand up to your ear and talk into your wrist. It’s a toss up as to whether people will think you’re with the secret service, or crazy. The Stretch Earzee Bluetooth Wristband is available now for £19.99 ($32.32).

Filed in categories: Bluetooth Gear, Car Gear, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Hands Free, Spotlight Gadgets

Talk to the Hand with the Earzee Bluetooth Wristband originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 17, 2011 at 1:45 pm.

Conran Audio has recently announced their new iPod/iPhone audio dock. In addition to its ability to play music from physically docked iPods and iPhones, the Conran dock can also play ‘wireless audio’ from any (stereo) bluetooth enabled device. The Conran dock is available for pre-order in black and white for £249.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Bluetooth Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, iPad, iPod, Spotlight Gadgets

Conran Audio’s New iPod Dock originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2011 at 1:00 pm.