Presenting the Abe Bluetooth Stereo Cassette Adapter BT80C

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.abe-hk.com/english/products/cassette/cassette.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.abe-hk.com/english/produ...te/cassette.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Now you can listen to your favorite MP3 tunes through any ordinary cassette tape recorder. The Abe BT 80C Bluetooth Stereo Cassette wirelessly connects Bluetooth-enabled music players or PC to your car or home stereo tape recorder. Just put the Bluetooth Stereo Cassette into any cassette tape recorder, pair and connect it to any Bluetooth-enabled audio devices such as MP3, PDA, CD or PC, you are ready to enjoy your digital music with full sound and convenience."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/ca.jpg" /><br /><br />I've never heard of Abe as a company or a product line, but they're the first I've seen to come up with this concept. I've got to admit, this BT cassette adapter is one of those things that I never considered, but I couldn't help but smack myself on the forehead and exclaim "Of course!" when we received word of this. Now unfortunately, it doesn't appear that this product is in mass production yet. I'm guessing this is an OEM product looking for a reseller as the website appears to be catered around trade-shows. Anyone know any different? Let us know!

[foebea]

Ive been screaming for stuff like this since I first got my pocket pc. Unfortunatly, I do not have a cassette player in my car, so won't be able to drool over this.

I am still waiting on the bluetooth fm adaptor.

[TheOrange]

I have been using the cassette tape adapter (that I got with my Sony Discman in 1994) to listen to MP3s on my pocket pc while driving. Eliminating that cable would be a wonderful thing. Seems like a great idea.

[ricksfiona]

Great idea!

[Sven Johannsen]

I am still waiting on the bluetooth fm adaptor.

What do you envision that to be? I already have an FM thingy that broadcasts my PPC audio to an FM radio. If I had a way to plug a BT receiver into my radio to play what it receives, i.e. the radio had a line in, I'd just plug the PPC in there with a cable. I'm just curious what this BT FM adapter would do.

I to am not that excited about the Cassette option as I haven't had a cassette player in a car four years. They all come with CDs if anything these days. Some of the other products the company lists are interesting though.

[Sven Johannsen]

I have been using the cassette tape adapter (that I got with my Sony Discman in 1994) to listen to MP3s on my pocket pc while driving. Eliminating that cable would be a wonderful thing. Seems like a great idea.

Does your Sony Discman or PPC have BT out, with a stereo capable profile? I expect not, so you would need one of this companies other products, the BT TX that plugs into the earphone jack, much like the box that goes with the Bluetake earphones.

Based on the specs, if you have the A2DP profile you get with the HP BT stereo headphones, this should work directly from a PPC though.

[JackTheTripper]

"Do they make one for my 8-track?"


(Joke stolen from friend. ;) )

[gabrandt]

I am still waiting on the bluetooth fm adaptor.

What do you envision that to be? I already have an FM thingy that broadcasts my PPC audio to an FM radio. If I had a way to plug a BT receiver into my radio to play what it receives, i.e. the radio had a line in, I'd just plug the PPC in there with a cable. I'm just curious what this BT FM adapter would do.

I to am not that excited about the Cassette option as I haven't had a cassette player in a car four years. They all come with CDs if anything these days. Some of the other products the company lists are interesting though.

I've been hoping for that too. If you're thinking what I'm thinking, it's the same as any corded FM adapter just uses BT from the PPC to the FM unit. Leave it on the dash, set it next to any radio and xmit FM from BT audio.

[carlosvr]

This product would be complete if you could pair your Bluetooth enabled phone to it, and use it as your car's hands-free kit.

[Jonathan1]

I smell an iPod accessory in the works. :)

[kinged]

I tried one of those FM transmitter a few years ago for my ipaq. The sound was horrible and I had to return it to Best Buy the next day.

I have been using the cassette adapter for the car and sound was great.

I would love to have this thing so that I can get rid of that wire.

However, I am not sure how it is going to work. It seems you would need battery inside the cassette adaptor. One would probably need to connect ipaq to a dongle while it sits on my dash. If that's the case, forget it. I would stick with the wire.

[OneAngryDwarf]

Tasty... I want... I have my handheld wired up for power in my car already w/ a bluetooth gps... anybody have any idea if and when this thing comes out if I could use it and the gps at the same time?

[disconnected]

I would have loved this when I had my iPAQ 5555; the volume on it was so low I could hardly hear driving directions from Mapopolis. Now it seems almost too late; not only is my 4700 considerably louder, but most rental cars now only have CD players.

[Guttrhead]

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000127032903/

They were talking about this at engadget a few weeks back. What I was curious about was why the title under the picture said "Abe USB Bluetooth Stereo Cassette BT 80C" What is USB in there for? Also, How is it charged? a battery is listed in the specs, but no cords come in the pack. Someone mentioned that it might be powered by the spinning of the tape heads. That would be very cool, but no one could figure out how it really worked.

[beq]

What a coincidence, just the day before I saw this Abe BT cassette adapter being advertised on The Gadgeteer site (IIRC), and I was definitely intrigued but when I'd clicked on the link I was confused as I could not seem to find a purchase link :) On their site there was also an outboard adapter that plugs into a 3.5mm stereo jack as I recall...

I don't have a cassette player in my own car, but my friend does. Which brings me to something I've always wondered, this friend always told me that she had had a CD adapter that works similar to a cassette adapter in the past but lost it. I didn't know such a thing is possible? I'm referring to a CD that you insert, which would have a thin cable lead that goes back to your audio player's line-out.

[makic]

Assuming that you want to use it in your own car (and not a rental), you should think about a product such as the Motorola Bluetooth Car Kit (http://www.gobluelife.com/pd_motorola_bluetooth.cfm). While more permanent, it is more flexible.

[Sven Johannsen]

Assuming that you want to use it in your own car (and not a rental), you should think about a product such as the Motorola Bluetooth Car Kit (http://www.gobluelife.com/pd_motorola_bluetooth.cfm). While more permanent, it is more flexible.

That's for cell phones, not to do stereo music listening.

[Darius Wey]

I to am not that excited about the Cassette option as I haven't had a cassette player in a car four years. They all come with CDs if anything these days. Some of the other products the company lists are interesting though.

I agree. While this cassette adapter is sweet stuff, my car lacks a cassette player altogether, so if I had to choose between this and an FM transmitter, I'd go with the latter. Greater compatibility and less battery drain too!

[Jonathon Watkins]

Well, this would seem perfect for my car. It's cassettetastic. :wink:

I do wonder about the battery issue however.....

[makic]

That's for cell phones, not to do stereo music listening.

It can do both . .

This car kit also has the ability to communicate with other Bluetooth™ enabled devices inside the car, including wireless phones and portable MP3 players.

. . . assuming the player used a Headset or Handsfree Profile. So you are probably right about the stereo part.

[gwassef]

i would like to have this adapter