I've been digging Bluetooth audio a lot lately. Not so much from a sound quality standpoint, but because it can be much more convenient than having to fumble around with wires. And because I find myself listening to Pandora more and more.
I've also been finding that Bluetooth audio can be much more reliable than a wired connection when switching back and forth between an iPod and Pandora. In a 2011 Kia Sorento EX AWD, the wired hook-up for an iPod (with a proprietary cable that plugs into both the aux-in jack and USB port) was a fail, as shown in the video above. Sorry for the blurry quality; the vids after the jump are clearer.
While the iPod would initially play fine and so would Pandora when I switched to it with the wired connection, after switching back to the iPod the system would freeze. Not so with a wireless Bluetooth audio connection.
As shown in the video above, with the wireless connection, switching between the two sources came off without a hitch. (But you couldn't skip tracks using the Sorento's onscreen icons during Bluetooth audio streaming mode, which you see me trying at the beginning of the vid). And as shown in the video below, once I switch from the wired connection to unwired streaming by pulling the plug on my iPhone, the iPod played again.
Bluetooth audio isn't a new technology, and it has its sound quality drawbacks and isn't available on all media players and smartphones. Apple finally relented in adding it to the OS 3.0 operating system with the introduction of the iPhone 3GS, for example. Plus, it usually doesn't allow as much control over playback or display file info as with a good iPod-integration solution.
But Bluetooth audio is becoming more prevalent since it's an easy add-on for automakers -- and a dream technology for them since there's no hardware to fail and subsequently service. So you can expect it to proliferate on new vehicles.
If I only wanted to listen to my iPod, I wouldn't be writing this post. But like many people, I want as many music options in the car as possible, including Pandora. And internet-connected smartphones makes this possible.
I also want it to work simply and without fail.
By the_big_al
on August 4, 2010
05:50 PM
ya and too bad Att decided to cap their usage at 2G's... or pay through the nose. Else I'd be using Pandora ALL the time. Even so much that I think I would be willing to pay their $36 a year.
I've never experience any problems switching from Pandora to the iPod or vis-versa. But then again, I don't have it plugged into an audio system either.