MadCatz announces iPhone-compatible AirDrives headphones

MadCatz may be best known for its video game accessories, but it looks like the company isn't about to let the iPhone bandwagon pass it by, with it now announcing that it'll soon release an iPhone-compatible version of its AirDrives "interactive headphones." Helping the phones earn that distinction, it seems, is their use of MadCatz's trademark InAir technology, which lets wearers still hear what's going on around them. New to the iPhone-friendly model (that's the non-iPhone version up above) is an integrated microphone, and the always-useful one-touch music-to-phone capability. Of course, there's nothing to stop you from using them with something other than an iPhone, although if you don't need the headset functionality, you may want to opt for the standard $100 models, as these'll drive a slight premium of $120 when they're released early next year.

[Sam @ Nov 1st 2007 12:55PM]

...which lets wearers still HEAR what's going on around them...

[paragraph @ Nov 1st 2007 1:04PM]

seems like a waste to me... i'd rather spend that dough on the exact opposite and lose the mic.

But thats just me.

[sr @ Nov 1st 2007 1:05PM]

Thank you. I wonder what here-ing things around you is like.

[nih @ Nov 1st 2007 1:34PM]

Oh shit.

They forgot to make a left-ear piece.

[paul.davis @ Nov 1st 2007 1:02PM]

Burn in hell IPhone!

[bjrcboy @ Nov 1st 2007 1:03PM]

i was like you.. till i got one last week. I'd make love to it if i could fit you know what in the headphone jack!

[paul.davis @ Nov 1st 2007 1:04PM]

Could we just shrink these down and implant them into our necks? Just leave the jack at the edge of the skin?

[Mark Galvan @ Nov 1st 2007 1:32PM]

@bjrcboy:

They make 3.5mm to 2.5mm adapters you know.

[dj-kenpo @ Nov 1st 2007 1:26PM]

wow..

those look worse than the dollar store headphones. I hope anyone wearing thsoe knows their lameness is compounded by the fact they spent $100 on THOSE.

do people actually have THAT bad taste? talk about cheap plastic

[Justin @ Nov 1st 2007 1:26PM]

I've only been following iPhone news sort of tangentially over the past...well, ever, but what's this about not being able to use a regular old bluetooth headset? Or am I misunderstanding the point of this one being iPhone-compatible?

If I'm reading this right, it's just another reason for me not to get one. Proprietary headsets...ugh!

[LordJohnWhorfin @ Nov 1st 2007 1:40PM]

For some inexplicable reason, iPhone does not support the stereo bluetooth profile (A2DP), so while you can use any non-Apple bluetooth headset to make and receive calls, forget about using cordless headphones. Oh, and no voice dialing either.

[Justin @ Nov 1st 2007 1:46PM]

Okay, so I misunderstood, then. I mean, what you said is kind of bad enough, but I thought from the article that it didn't support standard *monaural* bluetooth headsets. Good to know that it's not that bad. =)

[icandigthat @ Nov 1st 2007 1:42PM]

I'm confused all around on this one. These appear to be rigid, uncomfortable, overpriced headphones that tout more noise from the outside world as a feature? All made by a company best known for it's xbox controllers?

BJRCboy or anyone else who has them, are we all missing something here?

...besides decent click-controlled, iphone-jacked, in-line mic'd entries from Bose, Shure and Sennheiser.

[Shibathedog @ Nov 1st 2007 1:55PM]

Who keeps buying this "Mad Catz" crap. Mad Catz and Pelican each make without a doubt the most garbage accessories ever. I don't even know how this shit gets approved for shelves, its such low quality you would think there would be a point where someone steps in and says no, you can't sell this, its just too low quality. Even the brand name is ridiculous.

Please stop buying this garbage so this company can stop making it.

[bonkeykong @ Nov 1st 2007 2:37PM]

You know when you go to a friends house to play video games and they have 3 good controllers and one crappy controller, that someone always gets shafted with? That is the MadCatz controller they received as a gift.

[Alexander @ Nov 1st 2007 2:40PM]

iCessories suck. Move along, nothing to see here.

[inspiro @ Jan 5th 2008 5:38PM]

A comparable product is available from Acousticlobe at Mylobie.com. Lobies offer interchangeability with existing earbuds and feature comparable functionality at a fraction of the cost for Airdrives.