Hasta La Gadget!

Should you be the sort of person who doesn’t mind fiddling around with alpha level software, you’ll definitely want to know about the BlueMaemo Bluetooth emulator. Available via the Extras-Devel repository on your N900, this app allows the device to mimic other Bluetooth gadgets, such as keyboards, mice, and yes indeedy, gaming controllers. Its developer Valério Domingos humbly points out that the purpose of connecting up to a PS3 is purely for menu navigation and easier text input, though we’ve no doubt a few hardcore Nokia loyalists will try using this in an action game to prove the N900’s superiority. You may follow Valério and his ongoing refinement of the app in the Maemo.org link below, or you can jump past the break to see the full controller layout and an instructional video on how to hook things up — it’s in Italian, but you should be able to grasp what’s going on senza problemi.

[Thanks, shellshock]

Continue reading N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator

N900 turned into PS3 controller courtesy of BlueMaemo emulator originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The wait has been long, but now there’s finally a means by which to connect your dear, yet almost buttonless, iPhone or iPod touch to a Bluetooth keyboard for some more intense finger tapping action. The project that delivered us this teasing video back in February has at long last reached the application stage, where simple commoners like us can use it to synergize our gear — provided we’ve had the wherewithal to free it from Cupertino’s overbearing clutches first. The BTstack Keyboard app is now available in exchange for $5 at the Cydia store, so if you want to be the first to write a bestseller on his or her iDevice, there’s no time like the present.

Update: We’ve done the inevitable and had a quick play with the app ourselves. Pairing our iPhone and keyboard was a veritable cinch, and we were met by delightfully rapid responsiveness throughout, whether using it in Safari, composing text missives, or jotting those novella notes down. You should note that command, cut, copy, paste, and highlighting functions are not yet active, and then hurry along past the break to see a video demo.

Continue reading Want to connect your iPhone and Bluetooth keyboard? There’s a (jailbroken) app for that (Update: video!)

Want to connect your iPhone and Bluetooth keyboard? There’s a (jailbroken) app for that (Update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got an iPhone, or a 2G iPod Touch? Or any device which can beam out A2DP stereo Bluetooth? Want to connect it to a stereo for some big, room-filling sounds? Finally, in this rather contrived Q&A, are you too lazy to simply walk to the stereo and plug a 3.5mm jack into your device?

If you answered yes to all those questions (except the one about plugging in a jack), then you’re in luck! With Belkin’s tiny little Bluetooth Music Receiver you can stream music directly from your iPhone to the stereo, with no side effects save the premature draining of your battery due to the Bluetooth. Even the plugging in isn’t so painful, as you only have to do it once.

The dongle comes with a jack-to-jack cable, and a jack-to-RCA cable for fancier rigs, and will happily receive and convert your music into analog peaks and troughs from up to 33-feet away. It’ll even remember six different devices.

The price is a reasonable $50. And until Apple allows music streaming directly over Wi-Fi from iPhones to Airport Express units, it’s a good option for stereo hookups. Or you could just suck it and use a cheap old cable.

Bluetooth Music Receiver [Belkin via TUAW]

Belkin has unveiled the Bluetooth Music Receiver, a gadget that lets you stream music tracks wirelessly from an iPhone or iPod touch through a home stereo system.

Basically, it’s a little wireless puck (pictured). The new receiver works up to 33 feet away, pairs with up to six devices
(though only connects to one at a time), and comes with standard-size
3.5mm-to-RCA and 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cables in the box. It’s available now
for $49.99.

Since it’s over stereo Bluetooth, music tracks should sound *somewhat* better than an FM transmitter. If anything, there won’t be any static, and you’ll have a slightly wider frequency range.

But it won’t be audiophile quality: you still need a dock or other direct connection for that, at least until we see a new Bluetooth 3.0 spec. Actually, scratch that–Bluetooth 3.0 is already out, at least in spec form, and it does nothing to improve stereo audio quality. Oh well.

Just now dusting off those vinyl-wrapped cabinets from the glory days of disco? Good, ’cause Belkin‘s about to breathe new life into ’em. The outfit’s newly unveiled Bluetooth Music Receiver presents itself as the device to stream your iPhone and iPod touch jams to your home stereo, but in realty, this thing will work with any BT 2.0-enabled music streaming device. Phones, PMPs, genetically modified children — you name it. Simply plug the base station (shown after the break) into your home stereo, pair up to six Bluetooth devices with it, and watch as your favorite tunes are transmitted from device to driver sans cabling. It’s almost magical, but we’re not quite sure if it’s $49.99 magical.

Continue reading Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo

Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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