[Jason Snell]

cosmica said:

On the Griffin SmartTalk product page, it says it can skip BACKWARDS, can you verify that it does? The Apple supplied remote and some of the other ones only skips forward. If the SmartTalk does skip backwards, it's even value just increased 100%.

That's just wrong. It can't do that.

[hightechscaresme]

Wow, bitter much tmpatrick? I'm assuming you did not buy an iPhone due to this egregious design decision, so why are you reading about adapters. Most of us go into purchases with our eyes open so we don't have to complain about things afterward.

The Griffin does look like a good option in this case although the Monster product looks like it has promise as well. Nice run-down of most of the adapters available today.

[visnaut]

Jason, great article. You should consider reviewing the TuneBuds Mobile, also from Griffin.

tmpatrick said:

Oh, I'm crystal clear on the concept here, but thanks for the sentence fragment to hit it home.

Just a handy tip for you: ad-hominem attacks don't improve your core argument.

tmpatrick said:

I can't believe I have to point out the ridiculousness of the above scenario. I have two better ideas: How's about when you plug in plain ol' expensive "read-only" headphones, Apple turns on the speakerphone mic during calls and save their users $20 on a dongle?

And I can't believe I have to point out that it already does: if you have normal headphones plugged in (expensive or not) and you answer a call, guess what? The caller's voice is sent through the headphones, and you can hold the iPhone at a comfortable distance from your face, and they'll be able to hear you! Almost as good as having a microphone attachment and you don't have to spend more money, just more effort. I used to do this with a pair of inexpensive in-ear headphones, taking calls in crowded supermarkets, and it worked great, callers could hear me very clearly.

tmpatrick said:

Sure, and if you're worth $400, what's another $20 between friends? Sigh. Seriously, is it because today you're in for a penny, you should expect to be in for a pound tomorrow?

Well, more like, if you spent a pound yesterday, what's a penny today? If you can bring yourself to spend that much on a luxury phone, that must mean you're not wasting your savings or furthering your debt such that, if the economy goes to the shitter tomorrow, you're not out the $400 that you need right now. And if that's the case, then surely another $20 must not be much to you.

[lin2log]

Oh come on people. Anyone who argues so adamantly against something so utterly trivial by essentially claiming it to be BS and practically an irresponsible waste of money (lol), whilst arguing with WRONG facts, obviously having ZERO knowledge on the subject, and otherwise utter BS ad-homonym's, is what we call FRUSTRATED TROLL. And you know the rule:
Don't feed the troll.
... even if it IS entertaining (in a morbid kinda way) to watch him make an even bigger fool of himself after each meal... ;-))
cheers

[tom92103mac]

Where, oh where, is Sennheiser in all this? Apple should license companies like them and Etymotic to produce a high-end version of the iPhone headset.
Apple does a surprisingly good job on the headphone amps built into the iMac and iPhone, only to stick us with having to use adapters for everything (Mini-DVI, iPod dock adapters, recessed mini-jacks, etc.) This is pure arrogance and antithetical to the design prowess they show in almost every other aspect.

[jdillinger19]

"How's about when you plug in plain ol' expensive "read-only"
headphones, Apple turns on the speakerphone mic during calls and save
their users $20 on a dongle?"

It is entertaining that not only are you missing the point of these devices but the fact that what you are asking here already exists. It's a wonder how you get through the day kid.

[division100]

I love Macs and Apple, but I agree some of the miracles the iPhone is capable of are let down by the requirement to buy so many add-on products for so popular flexible use. Apple's headphones fall out of my ears when I walk, and sound like tin cans when compared to the headphones I use on my other gadgets & phone. If it's the best iPod ever, why not make it standard to be able to use whatever the buyer thinks is the best sounding headphones... without adding bulk/wires/mess/costs by requiring add-on purchases like these? My old SonyEricson came with an adapter that does what these ones do... at no additional cost.
But I bought and iPhone anyways, and took it back after 1 week, for a variety of reasons including: poor reception issues, and in-part by being irritated by other 'common sense' design failures like the additional bulk of cases and adapters. The only headphone adapter's I could find added bulk in my pocket - which was full enough just trying to fit the phone in... making it harder to get the phone in and out of my pocket quick enough to answer the phone... And whilst I love iPod/iPhone in concept... (yes I have had several)... I like many others resent having to buy so many add-on items to get basic things done (like preventing scratches on the product, like using headphones other than Apple's, etc.)
If a gadget is meant to fit everything you need into your pocket, than it's a let down to need so many other add-ons to use it the way you like...

[Dan Frakes]

timewasting said:

How about a review of the various iPhone headphones with buttons for those of us who don't want to deal with separates?

I'm working on that one ;)

[Dan Frakes]

tmpatrick said:

Oh, I'm crystal clear on the concept here, but thanks for the sentence fragment to hit it home. The first question I have is: why on earth, for all their product design prowess, would they insist on a recessed miniplug jack?

You'll have to ask Apple. But for the record, pretty much every Macworld editor has, in one article or another, criticized the iPhone's design in this respect. That issue simply wasn't relevant to this article.

tmpatrick said:

Second: why should a $400 phone require an adapter - any adapter?

Up until very recently, you couldn't buy a high-end set of headphones that included a microphone and an iPhone controller (or even just a microphone). Are you advocating that those who previously spent several hundred dollars on good headphones should spend another several hundred to buy a new version of the same headphones with a mic and remote built-in? If not, then the need for an adapter is obvious.

tmpatrick said:

How's about when you plug in plain ol' expensive "read-only" headphones, Apple turns on the speakerphone mic during calls and save their users $20 on a dongle?

How does that help you make or take a call when the phone is in your pocket or bag? Or control playback?

Serious question: why is it so offensive to spend $20 so you can make and take calls -- and control music playback -- using your favorite headphones? $20 seems quite reasonable for a good microphone and a remote.

[Dan Frakes]

tom92103mac said:

Apple should license companies like them and Etymotic to produce a high-end version of the iPhone headset.

Note that Etymotic does indeed make such a product, the HF2, which is essentially the ER-4P with a mic and remote button. I'm looking at it for an upcoming roundup.

[surly]

I saw this adapter in the Apple store the other day. At first I was really impressed and almost bougth them. one of the features I liked most is that it does not add another 30 inches to the length of your headphones like so many of the others do. You could end up with a cord dragging down to your knees, or have to add a "service loop" somewhere to keep the cord length manageable. What I didnt like about the monster adapter is that it is this solid extension sticking out of the end of your iPhone. I could see issues where it would get in the way and possibly provide enough leverage to damage the earphone jack if it got bent.

Another feature I did like was the price. I dont recall what they were at the Apple store, but amazon has them for $22, so unlike most Monster products one can hardly call them overpriced. (Note: there are two reviews on Amazon on this adapter, both pretty bad)

[detjoe]

Hey. The Apple supplied headset/remote can skip backwards by clicking 3 times, so I assume the griffin is capable of that as well.

Best regards

Joern

[unithom]

Pardon the hindsight revisionism, but - I think that now Apple has released iPhone software rev. 2.1, you can now triple-click to go backwards a track.

Then again, now that the iPhone 3G is out and the headphone jack is flush with the body of the device, one reason for having one of these products has been eliminated. (I got the Shure extender for my Bose QC2 headphones... it works okay. Spent my original iPhone idiot tax rebate - the $100 store credit - on that product.)

I'm revisiting this topic because I'm considering using a product called 'Slipstreamz' to safely wear my iphone earbuds while cycling. Not so much for listening to music (BAD) but more in case I need to pull over to take a call, without having to take off my backpack and dig around for my phone.

With a long enough extender cable, I could leave my iPhone in my bag and just have the end of this extension cable sticking out - that way if there's an incident (like me going over the handlebars!) hopefully it's more of a 'clean break'.

[lukeee17]

Yes they can skip backward. Triple click.