Get Better Gear!
- Texas Tea for the iPhone and iPod touch from Snakehead Software, $1.99
- Tenqa SP-109 Stereo Wireless Bluetooth Speaker from Tenqa, US$39.99
- RedLaser from Occipital, LLC , US$1.99
- iSkin solo, solo FX, and solo FX SE iPhone cases from iSkin, US$29.99 (solo); $32.99 (solo FX); $34.99 (solo FX SE)
- MobiValet from MobiValet, US$24.99 - $49.99
Top 5 Free Apps
iTunes New Music Releases
Top 5 Paid Apps
Discover New Music
Bowie at Beeb: Best of BBC Radio 68-72
- David Bowie
The companion CD to a BBC television concert, BBC Radio Theatre has some of the best renditions of many of Bowie's best songs throughout his career. "I'm Afraid of Americans" is substantial
- Bumblebeez 81
Part white rap, part alternative, part pop, and part rock, the Bumblebeez grabbed a hold of me with "Pony Ride," and didn't let go.
This group does a marvelous job of moving seamlessly be
- Congo Norvell
Very few albums manage to capture snapshots of a quality of life in the manner that Congo Norvell's sophomore record, "Abnormals Anonymous," does.
Comparisons to the Velvet Underground are
- Death Cab for Cutie
With the introduction of Plans, Death Cab for Cutie became a new addition to many user's Artist list after the single "Soul Meets Body" became a hit on iTunes. Offering a fresh alternativ
- Bauhaus
Go Away White is an album I've been waiting more than 20 years to hear, and the good news is that it was worth the wait. The latest -- and last, no...for real this time -- album from
Reader Specials
Visit Deals On The Web for the best deals on all consumer electronics, iPods, and more!
In-Depth Review
Mic Extender Cable for iPhone
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 at 5:15 AM - by Bob LeVitus
The Mic Extender Cable by Newer Technology is an ingenious little device that combines a short cable and a microphone to allow you to use your favorite stereo headphones as your iPhone headset. Of course you can use your favorite stereo headphones with your iPhone without this device, but you will probably need a $5 or $10 adapter to allow the plug to fit into the iPhone's recessed headset port. And, of course, if you use your favorite stereo headphones with your iPhone without this device, you can use them to listen to music or video, but you'll have to unplug them to talk on the phone.
The concept is brilliant. The cable is a little over two feet and includes the microphone, an on/off switch (shown below) and a shirt clamp (on the back of the mic; not visible below). Just plug in your favorite earphones and you can enjoy great sounding music, video, and phone calls. That's the good news.

The bad news is that the execution isn't nearly as stellar as the concept. Unfortunately, the microphone just isn't very good. Of the five headsets I tested recently, this product almost certainly had the worst sounding microphone. On the other hand, it didn't totally suck and only one person commented that I didn't sound as good as usual during my testing.
P.S. To test microphone quality I created a set of short audio recordings using five different headsets (and the iPhone alone without a headset). If you'd like to hear them, you'll find them here.
The Bottom Line
If you're an audiophile or just wish the Apple iPhone Stereo Headset (the white one that comes with each iPhone) didn't suck so much, the Mic Extender Cable is just the ticket. If you can live with its mediocre microphone it's a bargain at $15.
Just The Facts
Pros:Lets you use your favorite earphones as your iPhone headset.
Cons:Microphone quality is marginal.
Recent Headlines
- Google Lowers Nexus One “Equipment Recovery Fee” to $150
- Texas Tea for the iPhone and iPod touch
- Notebook, iThoughts Add TextExpander touch Support
- Fixing iPhone and MobileMe Sync Headaches
- Juniper Readies Software to Improve Cell Carrier Networks
- Survey: iPad Announcement Increased Awareness, Fails to Convert New Buyers
- Pwnage Tool 3.1.5 Adds iPhone OS 3.1.3 Support

















Post Your Comments