Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family
Wireless iPod transceiver coming from Apple and Jabra
Rumors of
the iPod going bluetooth have been flying around for at least a year or two now, and it sounds like there is finally
some truth to them. Sort of. While Apple isn't building bluetooth into the iPod itself, iLounge picked up on a Chinese Times report that Apple has green-lighted Jabra to develop a bluetooth wireless iPod attachment. iLounge notes that the attachment will be a transceiver, capable of sending and receiving both music and data between other devices, which I would imagine could include computers, headphones, and bluetooth speakers.
The attachment is slated to go on sale in Q3 of 2006, though no price is set yet. With an attachment like this on the horizon, however, I would imagine Apple doesn't have any plans for the iPod to adopt bluetooth on the inside anytime soon.
[via iLounge]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ireland said 4:03PM on 3-18-2006
I'll see it when I believe it!
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Logan said 4:20PM on 3-18-2006
"With an attachment like this on the horizon, however, I would imagine Apple doesn't have any plans for the iPod to adopt bluetooth on the inside anytime soon."
David, are you kidding me? This attachment is evidence that Apple will be going forth with integrated bluetooth with the iPod sometime soonafter (or maybe even skip Bluetooth in whole and more to the next evolution; Ultra Wideband. That's because with the attachment they are test piloting if there is enough interest in such a feature before they actually take the time and effort to stick it on the inside of the iPod.
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Tomm said 4:20PM on 3-18-2006
Bluetooth would be horrible and slow though. Wifi is a much more sensible choice for implementing into the iPod, although I don't think anyone needs that either. There's no point when the iPod will still have to be plugged in for charging etc. Not until we invent wireless electricity, anyway.
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mrtotes said 4:51PM on 3-18-2006
Ireland - then if you believe it you'll see it. ;-)
Surely you'll believe it when you see it. - Must be suffering from a Guines overdose given the Gold Cup, 6 Nations and St Patrick's Day combination!
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Gene said 5:13PM on 3-18-2006
All you need to do is visit Jabra at
http://www.jabra.com/JabraCMS/NA/EN/MainMenu/Products/
and watch the Flash presentation. I just noticed this just this week and imagine it was put up following the CeBIT show.
You'll see the A125s iPod BT adapter, connects to the dock connector obviously. Along with the universal A120s which connects via the headphone jack.
I would hazard a guess that these units along with the BT620s BT headset, support the A2DP BT profile.
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Ireland said 5:54PM on 3-18-2006
Hey mrtotes.
It was a joke!
By the way that's not how you spell Guinness!
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Jeremy Horwitz said 7:20PM on 3-18-2006
Hi David - thanks for the link, but the original story noted that Jabra was going to be developing and selling the accessory, not Apple. We've since added additional details (and a clarification for readers) on it, which as your reader Gene correctly points out is called the A125c, and can be seen in a Flash animation on Jabra's North America site.
The interesting other part of the story is that Jabra has actually partnered up with Klipsch to create wireless Bluetooth speakers, which they claim will offer home theater-quality sound without wires at distances of up to 10 meters. Cheers - Jeremy
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Grover Saunders said 8:40PM on 3-18-2006
I fail to see how this is any different than the 4 or 5 bluetooth headphone adapters that already exist.
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Matthew said 9:45PM on 3-18-2006
Why is this news? There are plenty of other Bluetooth headphones that work the the ipod, its not like this one doesn't need a dongle.
I bought the logitech set for $30 last week and they work great. Don't see any difference in this new set jabra is going to release.
All Jabra got was approval, which probably means it will have the iPod logo on the box.
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Wry Cooter said 1:48PM on 3-19-2006
The reason it is news, while there are existing bluetooth dongle makers for iPod, is that Jabra has not entered the fray yet, and they typically retail through other channels than the other iPod accessories.
Think about it. Where do most people buy Jabra headsets? Igloo Pony Horse Ocelot Nero Egghead.
At the very least, it is more likely to offer duplex 2-way communications, stereo, and linking with Car Bluetooth than already existing devices.
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cantrdr said 5:45PM on 3-19-2006
Why are you all so iPod focused, right now bluetooth devices are most synonimous with Mobile handsets.....therefore if anything this news, by my guess, would point straight to an Apple cellphone with a integrated bluetooth. There's just to much chatter around the web and wall street for a phone not to come out soon
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