Ipod And Headphones Views

General Goods

Although it's anybody's guess whether Apple will release an iPod with integrated Bluetooth wireless capabilities, Logitech has stepped up to the plate with its Wireless Headphones for the iPod ($150), the first set of Bluetooth headphones for Apple's MP3 player. The well-designed product includes white neckband-style headphones with foam-covered ear pads and built-in controls, a low-profile Bluetooth 1.2 wireless transmitter (measuring 1.25 by 2.5 by 0.75 inches) that attaches to any dockable iPod, and a charger cable. (If you want wireless headphones for another MP3 player, check out Logitech's Wireless Headphones for MP3.) The transmission range of up to 30 feet lets you conveniently stash your iPod in a messenger bag or a purse, for instance, while listening untethered.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries power the headphones and the transmitter, so you don't have to worry about any drain on your iPod's battery. The charger cable splits into two plugs to simultaneously accomodate both components. Because the device's battery life is rated at up to 8 hours, the 'phones nonremovable cells are likely to require more frequent recharging than your iPod. That said, in informal testing, we got nearly 9 hours of continuous playback from new, fully charged batteries. A status LED located on the play/pause button blinks red when the headphones' cell runs low, but it's less useful than mobile phone-style battery-status bars would be. The batteries fully recharge in around 2.5 hours.

In addition to being a cool iPod accessory, the Logitech Wireless Headphones for the iPod also deliver solid sonic performance. The 'phones sound markedly bigger, smoother, and more detailed than most portable audio headphones, including the stock earbuds supplied with our iPod Photo 60GB. Although the Logitechs weren't able to play quite as loud as the stock iPod 'buds, sufficient volume was always available. Midrange and treble-intensive sounds, such as vocals in Bjtörk's track Headphones, sounded pleasantly velvety, while bass lines had competitive presence, thanks in part to the 'phones relatively large 40mm drivers and fairly deep-reaching 20Hz-to-20KHz rated frequency response. When we roamed more than 20 to 30 feet from the iPod with the headphones, playback dropouts were a problem, but aside from Bluetooth range limitations, transmission was for the most part seamless.