While I love the functionality of Apple's microphone-enabled headphones (both the Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic, which comes with the iPhone 3G S, and the iPhone Stereo Headset, which came with previous iPhones), I've found that the extra layers of functionality also bring extra layers of troubleshooting when they're not working right. For simplicity sake, I'll refer to said models as "iPhone headphones" in this post (non-volume control model pictured).

The most common issues I've come across pertain to the microphone. Unlike most non-microphone enabled headphones, which use a standard two-ring TRS connector (tip, ring, sleeve), the iPhone adds an extra ring to support microphone functionality. This is what the hardcore audiophile refers to as TRRS (tip, ring, ring, sleeve).

But if your pockets are consistently filled with lint and dust (or tater tots if you happen to store them there), that extra ring won't make full contact with the iPhone's headphone jack. Which means that you, unfortunately, will lose microphone functionality.

One way to fix this is to remove any dust or lint trappings in the phone's jack. I've found that wrapping a toothpick with a thin layer of toilet paper and brushing it lightly against the walls of the headphone jack helps out a great deal. It's also important to not dip said toothpick in water or moisture. There's a moisture sensor in the iPhone's headphone jack. When exposed to moisture, it changes color and could potentially void your warranty. Also, the usual disclaimer in do-it-yourself scenarios apply: you're doing this at your own risk, so proceed with caution.

We're back with another shot of Ask TUAW! This time we've got a couple of common switcher issues, as well as questions about upgrading a hard drive, using WiFi stumbler software, setting up a dual-band WiFi network, and more.

As always, your suggestions are welcome. Questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!

Have you ever forgotten something, or said "I wish I had recorded that?" If you have an iPod nano and the Lloyd microphone, you will be able to instantly record anything. A while back we mentioned that the Incipio Lloyd microphone had begun shipping. Well, I was able to snag one for review purposes and I'm going to tell you about this very cool accessory for the iPod nano.

The Design
Lloyd was specifically designed for the iPod nano 4th generation, and you can tell that by just looking at it. The microphone attaches to the bottom of the device, and plugs into the audio line-out / microphone line-in port on the bottom. It is nearly the same width/thickness of the iPod nano, and fits well in that regard. I like the fact that the microphone does not add any heft to the device at all. It does, however, add some height. So understand that if you plan on leaving the microphone connected that some cases might not fit it.

Features
Lloyd features a microphone in the center, and an audio line-out port on the left side. The audio out port allows you to leave the microphone connected, while still having the ability to play your tunes. The microphone does cover up the 30-pin Dock connector, so you will need to unplug/reposition the Lloyd while syncing/charging.

Thoughts
I really like this microphone. The sound quality is great, it's easy to carry around, and it doesn't hinder me from using my iPod nano as an iPod. I especially found it to be useful when recording lecture audio, but it could be used virtually anywhere you need to quickly capture audio. My only gripe is that it disables the play/pause/skip button on the iPhone headset while it is attached to the line-out port on the Lloyd microphone. I'm hoping this can be improved in a future version of the product.

At $17.99US, this microphone is an excellent accessory for your iPod nano. The device is available directly from Incipio and is available in either black or white.

If you're looking to start a podcast or blog (or both) in 2009, this will get you started. The Snowflake mic is an awesome and portable audio tool, and MacSpeech Dictate is the "gold standard" of Mac transcription apps. Win both in this giveaway courtesy our friends at Dr. Bott.

Don't forget the rest of our Holiday Giveaway-tacular posts and all the loot you can win there as well: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4. Everything ends at the end of December 31, so get to clickin' and good luck!

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• Prize: Snowball Microphone ($69.95), MacSpeech Dictate ($199)
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.

With the introduction of the new iPod nano in September, Apple allowed users the ability to record voice notes right to the device using the iPhone headset (with microphone). This is a great way to capture quick reminders, but it's not such a good way to record multiple voices. Incipio hopes to solve this problem with their new microphone designed specifically for iPod nano 4th generation.

Lloyd is a compact microphone that attaches to the headphone line out port on the bottom of the nano. The microphone doesn't seem to add much bulk to the nano, either. You can even leave it connected to the iPod at all times -- you can rotate it to connect a syncing/charging cable, or use the audio line out port on Lloyd to listen to your tunes.

Incipio is selling Lloyd for $17.99, and you can get your hands on one directly from the Incipio online store.

One of the very first questions that popped into my head after hearing, during the liveblog last week, that the iPod Touch had wireless capability was how soon the hackers would get wifi VOIP running on it. Michael over at the Apple Gazette had the same thought, and he's even got a plan on how to do it-- if the iPhone's mic-enabled headphones work in the iPod Touch, we're golden.

Unfortunately, I agree with what Erica said on the last Talkcast-- it's probably not that easy. But even she agreed that if someone can hook the dock connection up to a microphone, then we might be in business. Skype is already working (in some form) on the iPhone, and considering the iPod Touch and the iPhone are as similar as Apple says they are, the software shouldn't be a problem. Getting the audio in and out to the right places is where the trouble lies.

But after everything we've seen come down on the iPhone, you won't catch me betting against the hackers. If there's a will, there's a way, and so if you really want to get your iPod Touch running wifi VOIP (like some kind of psuedo iPhone clone), my guess is that you'll eventually be able to do it.

[ via Macenstein ]