|
 When most people think of Bluetooth technology, they picture the now-ubiquitous earpiece used for hands-free cell phone communication. What was once relegated to corporate executives is now so common it has become difficult to tell if the person waiting for her coffee is on the phone or simply talking to herself.
What’s still being discovered about Bluetooth are some of the advanced features that have been in the specifications for years, but device manufacturers are just starting to implement. One such feature is Bluetooth’s Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, or A2DP. Basic audio in the Bluetooth specification provides a very narrow frequency response that is optimized for voice communication—great for speech, lousy for music. By contrast, A2DP allows high-fidelity audio to be streamed from one Bluetooth device to another.
The obvious vector for Bluetooth A2DP technology is the cell phone—they’ve been using Bluetooth for basic data and voice applications for years, and they’re at the top of the list of “must bring” gadgets (you might forget your iPod, but not your phone). Unfortunately, support is still being developed so your phone probably doesn’t have A2DP unless you’re either lucky or were looking for it specifically.
A2DP support is as finicky as Bluetooth support is, in general. The same model phone may support it on one provider, but not another. The worst offender here is Verizon Wireless, which only has A2DP enabled in 3 out of its 20 Bluetooth-enabled handsets. There’s also the option of purchasing the phone from a retailer that sells “unlocked” phones, but that carries its own pitfalls. If you go this route, take the time to learn about the different cell networks used across the country and around the world, and which work with which providers.
Let’s take a look at a few A2DP-enabled phones, broken down by cell provider:
Verizon Wireless
While A2DP support on Verizon’s handsets is pretty abysmal, they do a great job of taking the guesswork out of Bluetooth functionality. You can see the chart for yourself here: Bluetooth Functionality Chart
The three models that offer A2DP are all made by LG: The Verizon-branded Chocolate (VX8500) and EnV (VX9900) phones, as well as the VX8600. All three phones have some minimal internal memory, but you should expect to invest in a microSD memory card and the Verizon Music Essentials kit (about $30) to be able to sync your music with your PC. However, with the Chocolate, be aware that you’ll have to convert your MP3s into WMA format for the phone to play them.
Real-Time Pricing
Cingular/AT&T
While Cingular has the biggest potential for unlocked phones thanks to using the international standard GSM cell network, there are only a few phones that provide A2DP support.
The first contender is the Samsung SYNC SGH-A707. It has a microSD slot for memory expansion, but has a nonstandard headphone jack for wired audio and does not include the required USB cable for transferring files. You can also forget about using the Sync with a Macintosh (even with a USB cable).
Also from Samsung, the Blackjack provides A2DP support. This phone is styled after the Motorola Q, but requires a Samsung-specific data cable (instead of a normal mini-USB connection).
Real-Time Pricing
Sprint/Nextel
Rounding out the last of the major nationwide carriers, Sprint provides a couple of offerings for media phones.
The first is the Sanyo M1, which features 1GB of internal memory and support for MP3 and AAC files. There’s no memory card slot, but you’re unlikely to need one.
Another phone to offer A2DP is the LG Fusic LX550—music can be transmitted to your car stereo or other audio receivers.
Real-Time Pricing
The good news about A2DP is that support is growing. The bad news is that in most cases, there are extra costs associated with using the music features—either in the form of pay-per-track download services, memory cards or proprietary cables. The best starting point is with your wireless provider to ensure that the features you’re looking for haven’t been disabled. Happy listening!
Posted February 13, 2007 by BlueTomorrow.com
Editorial Staff
|
