iClever adapter spreads Bluetooth love

Gizmo Editor Review

It should come as no surprise to readers of this space that my life is loaded with Bluetooth devices. I love untethered audio, whether it’s music, a TV show or my favorite podcasts.

But all those Bluetooth connections swirling around me are one-way conversations. In most cases it’s my mobile phone talking to a wireless speaker or headphones.

When I heard about the Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver Adapter from iClever, two features prompted me to request a sample to review. First, as the name states, this device can talk in two directions as it functions as either a transmitter or receiver. And second, it can bring the joys of wireless sound to a non-Bluetooth device such as the ancient portable stereo that I like to use in the back yard or my beloved Bose noise-cancelling headphones.

The iClever gadget looks like an oversized guitar pick. That’s a good thing when you want to slip it into a pocket, but not so great when you need to figure out which of its several buttons and switches to press for a perform a particular task.

It’s powered by a rechargeable internal battery which can be refueled with an ordinary mini-USB cable and charger plug. And the large power button is easy to find on the front of the unit, just above the company logo.

Like any Bluetooth device, the adapter has to be paired with whatever Bluetooth sibling you want it to talk to. There’s a tiny switch to move if you want it be in transmit or receive mode. Set the switch, then power up the adapter, find and press the Pairing button, get a little LED light flashing in the proper color and it makes nice with whatever nearby device is in pairing mode. No computer, app or code-entering is required.

The adapter uses Bluetooth 4.1 technology, so that smoothes the way for connecting to a variety of wireless devices. It also supports aptX Low Latency, which should make it idea for use with a TV. I’ve tried cheap Bluetooth transmitters that don’t have that feature with my TV and the poorly-synced dialog drove me crazy.

I tested the iClever adapter with a pair of powered speakers from an old computer and got high-quality sound for music transmitted from my mobile phone. It also worked just fine when I flipped the Rx/Tx switch and connected the adapter to my computer to get audio delivered to a pair of Bluetooth headphones.

Along the way, I encountered a couple of minor annoyances. The first is a pairing issue. Once I had paired my wireless headphones with the adapter, I had to go through the pairing steps again to reconnect the my phone to the headphones.

My other complaint is with the instructions that come with the adapter. Not so much then instructions themselves, but the fact that they are printed in teeny-tiny letters on pages no larger than a business card. I needed a magnifying glass to read the text. I don’t know if iClever is trying to save money or save the rain forest, but it made installation more difficult that it needed to be.

Those issues aside, the iClever adapter did exactly what it says it would do - spread Bluetooth love and bring new life to old electronics. And I’m a fan of that kind of recycling.

The iClever adapter, officially called the Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver 2-in-1 Hands-free Adapter - sells for about $30 on Amazon.
 

By: Ric Manning On 9/19/2017

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HearNotes buds aim to outperform Bluetooth

There’s no question that Bluetooth headphones can be a welcome convenience. You can take your music, podcasts and audiobooks almost anywhere without the tangle of wires and cables. 

But there are trade-offs. Bluetooth compression robs music of some of its fidelity. Some headphones pull power from the host device and you can lose the connection if you wander more that 30 feet from the transmitter.

The developers of HearNotes set out to solve those issues when they developed a new design for wirefree earbuds.  

Instead of Bluetooth, the HearNotes system uses KLEER technology, which was developed to stream full CD quality audio to portable devices with lower power demands. The HearNotes transmitter sends out separate independent and uncompressed audio signals to each earpiece. 

The transmitter also  comes with it’s own power supply so it doesn’t pull from the the source device and it has a coverage range of 50 feet, almost double the range of conventional Bluetooth.

HearNotes currently has a funding campaign on Kickstarter where it has already surpassed its $75,000. Some reward packages are sold out but others that are still available offer discounts off the expected $349 list price when the first units are available in January, 2016.

For more details, check out the video below, visit the Kickstarter page, the HearNotes website or the news feed @gethearnotes on Twitter. You can also find an article about the product and the technology at Crowdfunding-Categories. 

By: Ric Manning On 5/16/2015

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SWAGE Sport headphones are designed for workouts

I've never been a big fan of earbuds for workouts or other physical activity. Most of the buds I've tried feel invasive and uncomfortable, plus they tend to slip out of my ears.

That's why I prefer pads like the SWAGE Sport Bluetooth Headphones from Rokitboost. They sit on the ears and are connected by a thin and flexible band that wraps around the back of your neck. And I think on-the-ear headsets deliver better sound.

These workout Bluetooth headphones are a good pick for hands-free listening while you're running, jogging, crossfit exercises or anything else in the gym. The phones have Bluetooth V4.0 technology for the best wireless connectivity and AtpX support for enhanced stereo audio quality.

Other features include A2DP support, which gives the user more control of the audio source from the headphones, and the ability to connect to two mobile phones. The headband for the SWAGE Sport folds up for easy travel.

You can get more details at the Rokitboost website or order a pair for $44.99 on Amazon.

By: Ric Manning On 4/02/2015

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Red Fox wireless headphones stay put and sound great

The EDGE wireless headset from Red Fox appears to have found the sweet spot for Bluetooth headphones. It's smaller and lighter than large over-the-ears headphones but more secure and comfortable than tiny in-the-ear buds.

The EDGE is a single lightweight band that loops behind your neck to connect a pair of rubber-tipped speakers. It's made to stay in place while you're jogging or biking without feeling like the buds are jammed down your ear canal.

The headset has become my newest dog-walking companion because it stays in place, it doesn't interfere with my sunglasses and it delivers quality sound whether I'm listening to music, an audio book or taking a call on my mobile phone.

A set of three control buttons built into the left and right stems provide easy access to controls. The right buttons play, pause or change tracks, refuse incoming calls or launch your phone's voice commands. The left side has volume controls and a button to answer or end a call.

A rubbery flap on the back of the headset reveals a socket to recharge the unit with a mini USB cable. Red Fox promises up to eight hours of continuous use with a full charge.

The EDGE costs $119.99 on the Red Fox Wireless website and can be ordered with red, black, green or blue trim.

By: Ric Manning On 3/02/2015

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WOOFit brings Danish style to Bluetooth speakers

The Danish company Bang & Olufsen has long been known for producing stylish audio gear. Now it's another Danish company that's bringing a sleek and sexy design to the Bluetooth speaker.

The WOOFit wireless speaker is a new import from the Danish company SACKit. The speaker makes an immediate statement with its sleek metal finish in copper, brass, silver or rose gold. Models in black or white are also available, all with the same $84.99 price.

The metal materials make the speaker heavier than most wireless speakers and that heft enhances the WOOFit's sound quality, especially in the bass lines. It's the same principle that makes a floor-standing speaker with a solid wood cabinet outshine a shelf speaker encased in plastic.

The WOOFit also has features you don't find in most speakers in its price range. For example, it will play music directly from a memory card inserted in its microSD slot. There's an audio out post that would turn your home stereo system into a Bluetooth receiver.

And the WOOFit is the first wireless speaker I've encountered that has a built-in FM radio tuner with a small antenna. Sometimes you just want to listen to Morning Edition instead of a Pandora playlist.

WOOFit speakers are available on Amazon and at the WOOFit website. You can also follow the Danes on Twitter @WOOFit_US.

By: Ric Manning On 2/06/2015

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PERI Duo merges phone charger and wireless speaker

When I travel, I make sure to take along a booster battery for my mobile phone and a Bluetooth portable speaker. But I've often wondered why someone hasn't invent a device that combined both of those things.

Turns out someone has. It's called the PERI Duo and it's just emerged from a fundraising campaign at Indiegogo. The PERI Duo incorporates a high-power speaker system with a 2500 mAh battery in a case for the iPhone 5/5s or 6.

The speaker matches the best Bluetooth portables with a single-chip digital processor and an embedded equalizer. It can be separated from the phone to be a stand-alone speaker or linked via Wi-Fi to other PERI Duo speakers to create a surround sound system.

And, the Duo's makers say the battery booster will bump up a phone's power by as much as 16 percent. That means 12-17 hours of talk time and 4-6 hours of audio playback.

So where can you get a PERI Duo? It's not in stores yet, but you can order the unit in one of three different color styles through links to Indiegogo on the PERI Duo website for $99 - $40 off the expected retail price. You can also follow news about the PERI Duo on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 1/20/2015

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JookBox speakers work as a team

I'm betting you've been at a party where people were trying to get their groove on with the music from one little Bluetooth speaker. Thomas Condon was at one of those parties when he was a college student. Unlike you and me, Condon did something about it.

"I was frustrated with the little amount of sound that could be produced by a single portable speaker," he said. "I realized if multiple speakers could be linked, the party would be way better."

Condon went to work and came up with the JookBox, an eight-inch-long speaker that can be paired with up to nine siblings to generate enough sound power to fill up a room and most of a house. "It seemed like such a simple solution, I was amazed that nothing like this existed yet."

Using a special app, JookBox speakers can also deliver music from multiple mobile devices. The speaker also supports sound from televisions and video streaming applications like Netflix to create a surround sound effect.

BSX Electronics has launched a Kickstarter campaign with a target goal of $35,000. Early backers who pledge $99 will get one of the first speakers in their choice of colors.

By: Ric Manning On 11/08/2014

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Tiny Cuba speaker is a multitasker

I’m always on the lookout for another wireless speaker. Maybe one that’s smaller, cheaper or more functional. When I found the new Cuba speaker from Xoombot, it turned out to be all three.

The Cuba is a small plastic cube, like it’s name implies. It’s tiny enough to slip in a pocket or hand from your car’s rear-view mirror. And despite it’s size, Xoombot brags that Cuba’s sound beats anything that comes out of a smartphone.

And it does more than deliver sound. Press a button on the side of the speaker and it will send a signal to your misplaced Android phone to help you find it. And it can function as a remote trigger for your cell phone’s camera. Here's a list of seven things the Cuba can do.

Did I say cheap? How about free? The Cuba sells for $59.99 but Xoombot says it will give away more than 2,000 Cuba speakers to people who enter their email address on the company’s website. Just follow this link and register by Oct. 31.

By: Ric Manning On 10/30/2014

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CES 2014: Music goes for a swim

NYNE Aqua

Maybe this will take your mind off the latest cold front. At least two companies will be showing waterproof Bluetooth speakers at nest weeks International CES in Las Vegas.

One is the Aqua speaker from NYNE. The Aqua has an IPX7 rating, which means it can be fully submerged for up to 30 minutes in about 3 feet of water. It's designed to float on the surface of a pool or lake while pumping out music from a mobile phone or other Bluetooth device.

It also has a microphone, making it useful as a speaker phone, perhaps for conference calls in a hot tub. The Aqua has a list price of about $130.

Swimmer

The Swimmer from Boom Movement looks like it could cut through the water like an eel. But its detachable tail doesn't wiggle, it bends, so you can hang the speaker from bicycle handlebars or a belt loop.

You can replace the tail with a suction cup an stick the speaker on a window.It also can be immersed in three feet of water for up to 20 minutes.

The Swimmer sells for about $60 at Boom's website.

By: Ric Manning On 12/30/2013

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