Windows Phone Thoughts: Bluetake's i-PHONO mini Bluetooth Headphone Kit Reviewed

As mentioned earlier, the BT450Tx transmitter offers all sorts of media devices the freedom of wireless - even those that aren't Bluetooth-enabled. Pairing the transmitter and headphones is simple and requires no real user input. First, pairing mode is enabled on the headphones. Next, pairing mode is enabled on the transmitter by holding down the universal button for a few seconds until the adjacent status indicator flashes red and blue. For a brief moment, the transmitter searches for the headphones and automatically adds them as a paired device. You need not enter a passkey. This is essentially a one-time process. The transmitter stores the paired device information in memory, so any future connection between it and the headphones is automatic.

Once the transmitter is connected to a media device, stereo audio is wirelessly broadcast to the headphones. When connected, the indicator lights on both accessories flash blue.


Figure 13: Using the i-PHONO mini with the Sony D-EJ885 CD Walkman.

Figures 13 and 14 show the transmitter connected to a Sony CD Walkman (with the universal audio adapter) and an iPod mini (without the universal audio adapter). The transmitter also includes a special remote connector that works with select models of the iPod range. So, aside from A2DP, AVRCP is supported, effectively allowing you to use the headphones to remotely control media on the iPod.


Figure 14: Making that iPod wireless!

You can also use the i-PHONO mini as a hands-free headset for use with a mobile phone. If you use a Pocket PC Phone Edition, then that may happen to be your universal device for communications and media. The process of pairing and connecting it to a phone is much the same. Where the headphones are being used on a device which supports both HFP/HSP and A2DP, it's able to switch profiles automatically when answering/making a call.

While the i-PHONO mini is certainly usable as a hands-free headset (with the power/call supporting the answering and ending of calls), it does have a slight background hiss, and the microphone isn't of the noise-cancelling variety. If you already have a dedicated hands-free headset, then you may want to continue using it for communications, unless your lifestyle demands the convenience of an all-in-one headset such as the i-PHONO mini.