Cambridge Silicon Radio pitching Apple on Bluetooth iPod
posted September 16th 2005 9:33PM
If there's one surefire way for a supplier to totally kill a relationship with Apple, it's to go public about it
before the deal's even closed, but Cambridge Silicon Radio thought it'd be swell to let The Independent know that
they'd approached Apple about wedging CSR's Bluetooth chipsets into future iPods. No word on whether Apple actually
went for it or not, but after months and months of rumors it seems like the time is finally right for Bluetooth to find
its way into the iPod (enough with the third-party dongles already!). Synching iTunes over Bluetooth would be a bitch,
but we're thinking that an iPod with A2DP would be perfect for use with a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones or
streaming to a Bluetooth-enabled car stereo, right? It's amazing that Creative hasn't gotten on this, they keep talking
big about getting the edge on Apple through innovation; well, an MP3 player with wireless Bluetooth headphones would be
a good way to instantly differentiate them from their archrival.
[Thanks, CoreyTheGent]
Kinda cool, but would be slow would be good if your syncing cable messes up!
I could totally see Apple updating the 4G iPod line with Bluetooth, perhaps a larger screen, maybe an over all redesign. It would only be a good thing...
Please...Is the cord from your headphones to your iPod really such a pain? To me, having yet another device to charge (bluetooth headphones) would be more of an inconveinence than a cord from my headphones to my mp3 player. This isn't even considering how bluetooth headphones will be considerably larger and heavier. How many car stereos have bluetooth for stereo devices? Every car stereo I've seen with bluetooth only use it as a speakerphone. And to top this all off, everytime you use bluetooth, your battery life is going to be close to halved (if not more). This idea would be great for Creative, who is more about packing as many features as possible in their devices without much though as to whether or not they are really that useful.
Blutooth = needed.
WiFi = next step (for both iPod and iPod Video :p)
"Please...Is the cord from your headphones to your iPod really such a pain?"
yes.
BT would be great. Then I could connect my iPod to my cell phone and listen to it through the hands-free.
Apple already uses CSR chips already in some of their computers.
BT 2.0+EDR is much more power-efficient and would be a great improvement. Apple has embraced bluetooth tech and it is viable that they would add it to their iPods.
Apple could also be considering Wireless USB instead of bluetooth.
I don't see how apple will compromise their form factors by having to more than double their battery sizes to accomodate the current consumption of BT. Plus, has any one see an A2DP headphone that wouldn't totally destroy their refined Apple-boy sense of style???
If Apple put in Wireless USB we could have headphones and reasonable wireless syncing speeds Natch!
Could this be the real reason Steve went over to Intel, to gett wireless USB first?
come on, having the possibility to have a wireless headphones doenst mean you have to use it. it s a nice feature to have while working out or riding a bike. it would be sweet do to away with the dongle.
I think you have a point about looks WAE, but Apple would make their own swanky headphones, of course.
Unfortunately as much as I love bluetooth (which is a lot) I think the reason we haven't seen them in DAPs yet is because of possible interference issues. Wifi, phones, microwaves, and various other electronics could cause a problem with reception. With that said, I've never used bluetooth headphones, so maybe with the newer 2.0 they would sound good most of (if not all) the time.
Forget this whole headset thing-why not utilize the bluetooth to use the ipod like a remote control to control itunes from a distance
No7 - Maybe they're going to design there own headphones...
Yum fingers crossed
Just don't forget the streaming digital radio (Yes, they already have it; it's in sattelite radio).
#13 Yeah ... like Apple's attempt at earphones was so great.
Toshiba seem to have. Proposed the ideas of Bluetooth. >> Link
http://www.mygigabeat.com/images/blog/tosh1_15.jpg
I don't know any Japanese, so am not completely sure what its saying.
What I found to be interesting is that the iPort I saw at CEDIA Expo already had a provision on the motherboard for Bluetooth, so either they know something we don't or they're just being silly!
http://www.iportmusic.com/iport-inwall.html
God people. It would be an option. Just like the video out features on the iPod Photo are an option. I almost never use it but I'm glad its there. Slapping a BT 2.0 radio in there would allow all kinda of expansion. BT keyboard support to edit and change your playlists on the go? BT headsets? BT syncing 2.0 should be at least OK for day to day syncing. You wouldn't want to do a full sync across a BT connection but syncing 10-12 tracks? Why not? Or how about an incar receiver. You don't even need to pull your iPod out of our bag. Just press play.
as for wireless headphones. Bring it on. Yes the wires aren't that much of a bother. What is, is in the winter when its -10 I don't want to go groping through my pockets looking for my iPod to change the track. Having the volume and track select on the headphones itself (Like some BT headphone providers do.) would be freaking cool.) And even if the battery does die. It not as if Apple will ever remove the headphone jack. Just pop in your trusty wired headset and away you go.
God people. Grow an imagination.
YES, the wired headphones are a pain. With Steve's obsession with all things wireless (the new iMacs ship with Bluetooth and wireless keyboard and mouse are available) I'm surprised there's no wireless iPod. Imagine a wireless nano. wow. Maybe Steve could just include the nano's guts into some sort of headset with a wireless remote.
Would be cool, cause then bluetooth headphones would be a $90 (and price coming down). I think this is what Toshiba is selling theirs for
http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000003026291/
These don't look terrible.
Once you travel around with you iPod in your bag and headphones with no cable and the ability to change tracks and volume, you won't go back. Wireless headphones rock.
The extra mA-hours required would be a tradeoff, less battery life (say 8-10 instead of 14-18 hours on a charge). Apple could deliver a 3/Mbs chipset which could be used for syncing, but I think sending to home stereo/car stereo/headphones is a better app.
The only problem is adding the cost of bluetooth chip ($100 retail for Apple's price structure) would burden all of the players with hardware and cost only bluetooth users care about. Can't see Apple offering it as an option. Personally it might convince me to upgrade to get rid of the dongle.
it needs Wireless USB first
"It’s amazing that Creative hasn’t gotten on this"
Hey Engadget, did you loose memory ?
http://www.engadget.com/search/?q=creative+bluetooth&submit=Go
Anyone know where to buy one of these 3rd party Bluetooth dongles? I'd love to buy the HP BT headphones but without a way to get Bluetooth on my MP3 player they're kind of useless to me.