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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

iPhone/iPad - Cut the Cord Please!

With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and soon to be Near-Field Communication we should be able to eliminate the need for the cord to stream music, movies and photos to a PC, TV, Home/Car stereo, PS3, Projector, Printer and other devices? 

I have seen examples of this technology on NCIS and Hawaii Five O and other shows where they swiftly swipe from their iPad in the direction of a screen and the image is magically thrown onto to the nearest TV.  Does this exist or is this just Hollywood special affects?  We are already syncing wirelessly.  Obviously manufacturers would have to add functionality to their devices.  Most new TV's and other devices have WiFi capabilities or are connected via Ethernet already and software updates can provide new enhancements.

If I want to listen to music on my car stereo, I have to purchase and plug into an RF transmitter cradle or if my car stereo has an auxiliary input I can use an audio cable to listen to music.  With  three iPhone's an iPad and iPod in our family, things can become very messy in a hurry on family trips.  Between the 12 volt charger cables, FM Transmitter cradle and/or audio cord and Seagate GoFlex Satellite drive, I have a messy maze of cords and hardware in my center console. If I dock my iPhone in an RF transmitter cradle I sometimes can't read it and wish I had it in my hand (Accept if I am driving of course.  Don't text and drive!).  Good luck texting or answering a phone call from the passenger seat of course while the iPhone is docked in a cradle. I hears Ford is building WI-fi connectivity in their vehicles so this could happen.


Apple Remote is a step in the right direction, but what if I am at a friends house and I want to be the DJ or share some photos on their equipment.


Are you listening Apple?  You are already working on this right?  I would find it hard to believe if I were the first person to think of this.

In the meantime while you wait for this feature and you are looking for an FM Transmitter cradle there are two important features I would like to point out.
  1. If you use a cover for your iPhone make sure it will work with the cradle without having to take the cover off.  You will notice this one has a short flexible power connector VS some that have a fixed power connector.  This one works great with my Otterbox Case .
  2. The FM Transmitter cradle shown here has an adjustable mount that is NOT flexible.  I would avoid using ones with a flexible neck if possible.  I don't like mine.  For one it is permanently stuck in the 12 volt adapter hole but most of all the adjustable neck won't stay in the position that I like.

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