Unplugging the wires

Two weekends ago, I had an “oops” moment.  I was playing cards at one of the fine establishments here in Las Vegas when, in the heat of a 3am storytelling session where I gesture wildly with my hands, I dropped my iPod headphones into a cup of coffee…

Now, if you’ve ever read the warnings about electronics, you will see that exposure to liquids of any kind is most often a big no-no, and will almost definitely void any warranty.  And while the swill that some casinos try to pass off as coffee is not always a liquid, it is still enough to destroy a nice pair of headphones.

While many people would look at this as a bad thing, I saw an opportunity.  I was presented with a chance to upgrade my headphones for two devices, while decluttering my life just a little bit more.

My normal routine has me listening to my iPod for a little over an hour everyday, from the time I leave my office, through my walk across campus, into the cafeteria for lunch, and then for the time back to my office.  With the amount of crap I carry, I’m forever getting tangled in wires with every step I take, not to mention the problem of having a wire run the full distance from my pocket or my laptop bag to my ears.

I made the decision to go wireless.  And I’m not talking some crappy Infrared (IR) Wireless headphones that don’t work without line of sight connectivity.  I wanted the whole package – Bluetooth connectivity with an adapter specifically for iPods, plus the ability to pair my headphones with my cell phone as well.  I mean, if we’re shedding wires, why not find something and dual-purpose it?

After days of hunting and research, I finally settled on the Jaybird JB-200im Bluetooth iPod Adapter and Headphones (pictured above – more photos in gallery at the end).  It came with the headphones, an iPod adapter, and a secondary adapter for other devices.

At first glimpse, it’s easy to see why these are popular.  While other Bluetooth headphones rely on either a bulky adapter or over-the-ear phones, the Jaybird has fairly snug and comfortable earbuds with a behind-the-ear loop to hold the Bluetooth receiver.  And their iPod solution is fairly unobtrusive as well, hanging only slightly more than an inch from the bottom of the iPod.

The pairing of headphone to iPod was fairly painfree, and playback was almost instantaneous.  I’ve yet to pair it with my phone, since I was lucky enough to find my old Bluetooth phone earpiece this weekend, but ‘m sure it will work just as well.  The sound quality coming off of the iPod was probably not as good as what I get from playing my tunes on the iHome system in my bedroom, but it is plenty good enough for me to use while walking.  The Bluetooth range seems pretty good, but it also seems fairly variable.  At home, with nothing else around me, I can easily get 25-feet of range without any quality or sound loss.

Now, for the downside.  The iPod adapter does not like movement.  At all.  When walking at a slow pace from my office across campus, the slight jostling in my bag is enough to knock it loose from the bottom of the iPod, and produce intermittent drops in audio coming from the headphones.  I can’t imagine this would function well for, say, someone on a five-mile run.  Luckily, I don’t function well on a five-mile run either, so this will never be a problem for me.  Most often, a quick reset or even a re-pairing of the devices will eliminate the problems.  Thirty seconds at most.

Second, interference.  I’ve noticed that when I’m in a high-population area (like… oh, I don’t know… the cafeteria on a major college campus) that the connection seems to drop more frequently.  I’ve attributed this to the fact that in a room that holds 500 students, there are probably 450 Bluetooth enabled cell phones, 100 Bluetooth earphones, and at least 50 Bluetooth enabled laptops.  Again, a re-pairing of the devices all but eliminates the problem, but it can be a bit annoying.

Personally, for my preferred use of the device, these headphones are a lifesaver.  The reduction in cables coupled with the freedom of moving around without having to stuff an iPod in my pocket every time I stand up makes them 100% worth the purchase.

Tags: audio, bluetooth, Gadgets, headphones, ipod