Sony’s new MEX-BT3600U CD tuner has it all: USB and Bluetooth interfaces, a quick-search interface that lets you browse your MP3 media and support for hands-free through the car stereo. If your Walkman or mobile phone can stream audio over Bluetooth, then the MEX-BT3600U can receive and play it back on the car stereo. Thanks to support for Bluetooth A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) and AVRCP (audio/video remote control profile), you can skip tracks or pause audio from your car stereo.

A USB port on the front of the player provides a convenient way to connect your digital music player. The front-panel AUX input also lets you connect an external player’s audio output. Featuring 24-bit D/A conversion and 52Wx4 channels, the Sony MEX-BT3600U has three separate pre-outs as well.

The unit also comes with a card-sized infrared remote. No word on the pricing yet.

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Tags: a2dp, Auto, avrcp, bluetooth, car, cd player, handsfree, mobile phone, streaming audio, usb

Samsung had a treat, at least for the media, announcing its latest Anycall MusiCall mobile phone series. The Samsung Anycall F338 release was backed up with mini live-concert performances of singers like Justin Cheng, Kary Ng and RubberBand. Samsung promises an ultimate sound experience on the Anycall F338 phone.

Available in a slider design, the Samsung Anycall F338 provides quick access to the phone’s music interface. It supports A2DP - advanced audio distribution profile - for stereo Bluetooth. With support for 3.5G (HSDPA) networks for high-speed data transfer, the phone brings with it a 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom. A secondary VGA camera is available for video conferencing.

The Anycall F338 supports 4GB microSDHC memory cards for expanded memory.

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Tags: 3.5G, a2dp, audio player, bluetooth, Cell Phones, fast, HSDPA, music, Samsung, Samsung, smartphone, stereo audio

Out at the FCC, there’s a new Sony Ericsson Bluetooth portable speaker system. The SE MBS-100 lets you enjoy wireless stereo audio from a mobile phone or other Bluetooth-capable device. When you receive or make a call, the speaker is intelligent enough to pause the music and start playing it again after the call has ended. In order to get this to work with your Bluetooth device, it has to support the following Bluetooth profiles:

• A2DP (advanced audio distribution)
• AVRCP (audio/video remote control)

The MBS-100 Bluetooth stereo speaker comes with its own charger. Pairing with your mobile or other device is simple, with the universally secret pass code (0000). It is still a class 2 device, with around 33 feet (10 metres) range.

No word on the pricing or availability yet, but the speakers do add a bit of dash to your otherwise dull desk.

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Tags: a2dp, audio, avrcp, bluetooth, mbs, Portable Devices, Sony Ericsson, Speakers, stereo

Look what was snooping around the FCC’s hallowed halls. The Nokia BH-903 Bluetooth stereo headphone was recently approved, so it should be on its way to the markets soon. An interesting thing about the headset is its built-in FM radio. Why not a satellite radio, you might ask. Anyway, the BH-903 is a class 2 device offering a 10-metre (33 feet) radius and lets you listen to music or receive calls on your mobile phone.

Compliant with Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) specification, the Nokia BH-903 offers the following profiles: Headset (HSP), Hands-free (HFP), Phone Book Access (PBAP), Advanced Audio Distribution (A2DP) and Audio/Video Remote Control (AVRCP). Of course, your mobile device may not support all of them. The controller features a microphone on the back, a mute key on the side and an answer/end key on the front.

Nokia claims that on a full charge, the device offers up to 15 hours of talk time, 250 hours of standby time, 15 hours of music playback and 15 hours of radio. Pair it with your mobile device using the universal secret code , “0000″.

No word on the pricing yet.

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Tags: a2dp, avrcp, bh-903, bluetooth, Cell Phones, handsfree, Headphones, headset, hfp, hsp, Nokia, Nokia, stereo

Parrot announced a slew of Bluetooth devices at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual show. One of the new devices is a high-performance car stereo with integrated Bluetooth car kit, two are new music kits that support audio streaming and there’s also a hands-free phone solution for people riding a motorcycle. The Parrot RK8200 car stereo is a full-fledged Blutooth car kit boasting AM/FM RDS stereo, internal memory that can store up to 300 MP3 tracks, and support for external memory in the form of an SD card reader.

The RK8200 also comes with an iPod connector, input jack for analog devices and USB port for flash drives. This car kit can stream audio over Bluetooth thanks to its A2DP (advanced audio distribution profile) support. Thanks to automatic phonebook sync, call record maintenance and storage capacity for as many as 8,000 contacts, voice recognition and Parrot TTS (text-to-speech), you won’t ever have to worry about using your phone while driving. The dual microphone system on the RK8200 handles echo cancellation, while the Parrot dynamic choice of best microphone (DCBM) technology helps in noise reduction.

Priced at US $279.99, the Parrot RK8200 Blutooth car kit will hit the stores in Q2 2008. A bit far away. If you want something quicker than that, you can opt for the Parrot PMK 5800, a Bluetooth/FM portable device that runs on your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet. Priced at US $119.99, the PMK 5800 ships in November.

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Tags: a2dp, Auto, bluetooth, car, handsfree, kit, parrot, Portable Devices, stereo

Plantronics announced a new Bluetooth headset in its Voyager series. The new Plantronics Voyager 855 is a unique mono-to-stereo convertible Bluetooth headset featuring AudioIQ DSP, a noise reduction technology. The Voyager 855 is targeted at Bluetooth mobile phones and offers a convertible design thanks to its detachable stereo cable. This lets you use the voyager either for entertainment in stereo mode or communication in mono mode.

The Voyager 855 also comes with form-fitting earbuds for comfortable, all-day wearing. With its sound-isolating earbuds, you can concentrate on your calls or music without worrying about ambient noise disrupting your experience. Furthermore, in stereo mode, the headset’s AVRCP (remote control) Bluetooth profile gets enabled as well, letting you control your audio playback.

Switching between calls and music is easy with Plantronics’ stereo multipoint technology. AudioIQ is the company’s proprietary adaptive DSP technology that automatically adjusts audio levels to increase clarity.

Priced at US $149.95, the Plantronics Voyager 855 will be available in October 2007.

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Tags: a2dp, avrcp, bluetooth, Headphones, Headphones, mono, Plantronics, stereo, voyager, wireless