As you've probably heard by now, most third-party earphones don't work with the iPhone because of the way the iPhone's earphone jack is recessed into the case. Fortunately, there are solutions -- adapter cables with a thinner plug -- that are cheap, easy to use, and relatively convenient. The RadTech offering I'm about to review is officially known as: ProCable - Audio Extension Cable 3.5mm Male - Female. But since that's a mouthful, I will just refer to it as an adapter cable from here on.

Now I've seen press releases for adapter cables like this one from several vendors. Since I don't think one adapter cable is likely to be "better" than another, this is probably the only one I will review for the following reasons:

1. It's the only one that appears to be shipping today. In fact, mine arrived early last week almost as soon as I realized I needed it.

2. It's less expensive than the others -- $6.95 vs. $10 or more.

3. I've tested it with half a dozen earphone and speaker cables and it's worked flawlessly with all of 'em.

4. I am very satisfied with the other RadTech products I use.

Using this cable couldn't be easier. Plug your headphone or speaker cable into one end of the adapter, then plug the other end into your iPhone and your third party earphones or speakers instantly become compatible with your $600 phone.

Here's what it looks like:

The Bottom Line

What can I say about a product that does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it for less than similar products from other vendors? If I discover a better quality cable that costs less I'll let you know. But for now, this one works great, is available today, and sells for just $6.95.