Comments on: Life-Changing iPod/iPhone Tip

By: Ed Garay

Ed Garay — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:59:03 +0000

Apple has finally bringing wireless stereo to the iPhone/touch. Release 3.0 includes built-in support for Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) so dealing with and running around with wires will be at least optional.

There are many decent Bluetooth Stereo headsets out there. I like and use the Motorola S9 :: they are very small, music sounds great and they also work for phone use. Say, I am on the treadmill listening to music off my current smartphone; when a call comes in, I hear a little blurb, I tab the Motorola S9 to pause the music and begin talking on the cell. When the call ends, the music resumes. Bluetooth Stereo is so cool.

For extra credit, buy yourself a Jabra A121 or some such. This is a $20 little gadget that plugs into any 1/18″ stereo miniplug of any device to transmit its audio via Bluetooth Stereo. Works gread on the gym’s threadmill flat screens, computers, old iPods and anything else that does not support native A@DP. Wireless reach is about 40 to 50 feet.

Running wireless coming to a street near you…

By: amadeopuzzo

amadeopuzzo — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:36:37 +0000

Obviously not sailors. As any sailor (as in sailboats) would know, when you wrap a line, you give it a quarter twist in your fingers as you come around, so that the line doesn’t twist up on itself. Add that to the top video, and then tie it off by creating an extra slip knot loop with the end, and you’re done. We wrap our lines from sheets to halyards in this way, and I’ve done it in miniature on my earbud cords for years. Works clean and neat.

By: instig8r

instig8r — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:59:13 +0000

Re: One True Way…
That’s the way we used to do microphone cables when I worked for a TV station: over-under. Absolutely prevented kinks (deadly to audio cables). That was 35 years ago and I can’t wind ANY cord (even the extension cord for the electric lawnmower) any other way. I seem to be singularly unable to teach anyone else the technique, though. I just get stares and threats of mental inquest warrants…

By: msadesign

msadesign — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:11:29 +0000

dude. I don’t think that’s what Gruber wants. And it’s not what I want: I want to just stuff them in my pocket, see? and have them come out not tangled? k?
Also. Every electrician knows about over/under. And she also knows that little electronic devices have teeny little wires that will break if you repeatedly try to wrap them like coax. I know this because I did this.
We’re almost done here. All the examples get points off for style. When wrapping the cable around the folded mass, you always line up the successive turns so that you get rows just next to each other. Neatness counts.
It’s shocking really that I have to say this.

By: gazhay

gazhay — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:48:24 +0000

“One True Way of Headphone Wrapping”
yeah, i love wrecking my headphones and having to replace them. The only *true* way to wrap any cable, as any sane person knows, is over-under.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7BdHxygbYWk
Save your cables from this demented method people!

By: Charles

Charles — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:54:11 +0000

Those two wrapping methods are absolutely identical. I repeat: topologically identical. Once you remove the cables from “devil horns,” the twist will relax and it is identical to the first wrap.
I’ve been teaching this technique for decades, I learned it from electronics repairmen so I call it “The Electrician’s Wrap.” But it is more appropriate for large cables (like power cords) that do not contain tiny, fragile, shielded wires. There is too much stress on the central wraps, they are wrapped too tightly at too small a radius. An alternate version I teach (for big cords like 6 or 8 feet) is to grab the two ends of the cable together in your left hand, pull the cables out from there with your right hand until you have the halfway point, then fold it in halves repeatedly until it’s a manageable bundle. Then wrap and put the end through one side of the loops like in the videos.
But none of these methods are optimal for iPhone cords. I just wrap the cord loosely around my hand and shove it all in my pocket, untied. Sure, it tangles sometimes. Tangles are better than broken wires.
The biggest problem with these wraps or ties is that the earbuds are still exposed. The rubber rings on my earbuds wore off completely, I didn’t notice until I stuck them in my ears and wondered why it was so uncomfortable. I note that high-end earphones like Etymotic come with small leather storage bags.