Twelve South Debuts New 'AirFly' Wireless Transmitter for Using AirPods With In-Flight Entertainment Systems

[MacRumors]

Twelve South today announced the launch of the AirFly, a new adapter accessory that's designed to let you use your AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones in situations where only wired headphone jacks are available, such as on an airplane or at the gym.

When you fly, in-flight entertainment systems often require you to plug wired headphones into the headphone jack to hear sound, preventing you from using AirPods or Bluetooth headphones. The AirFly connects to these kinds of systems, allowing you to listen wirelessly using your AirPods.

AirFly is a small Bluetooth device that's about the size of the AirPods themselves. You connect them to the AirPods over Bluetooth and then use a small cable to plug the AirFly into any headphone jack that requires a physical connection.

This is a bit of a niche product because this likely isn't a situation most people run into on a daily basis, but for long-haul flights where in-flight entertainment is essential, the AirFly is a useful little addition to your carry-on. It's also handy for workout equipment at the gym that requires a physical connection to listen to the gym's entertainment offerings, or in a car that doesn't have native Bluetooth support.

As previously mentioned, the AirFly is similar in size to the AirPods, and it comes with a travel pouch, so it's easy to take with you. Along with the pouch, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable is included, plus there's a micro-USB to USB-A cable for charging the AirFly.

The AirFly has a built-in battery that will last for approximately eight hours, and it can charge from any USB port.

You can purchase the AirFly from Twelve South's website or from Amazon.com for $39.99.

Article Link: Twelve South Debuts New 'AirFly' Wireless Transmitter for Using AirPods With In-Flight Entertainment Systems

 

[Precursor]

That is AWESOME!
So this can be used with any system that doesn't have bluetooth too!

 

[lars666]

A normal bluetooth transmitter, branded as "AirFly", to sell it for four times the price ... nice!

 

[GizmoDVD]

Couldn’t this be used with anything that does not have Bluetooth?

 

[wacky4alanis]

What are the delays like on these kinds of things? Will the audio and video be noticeably out of sync?

 

[Agneev]

Max $15. Over priced.

 

[-Ryan-]

I bought a cheapo Bluetooth transmitter from eBay for the same purpose. Cost about £10. Unfortunately it didn't work very well with the AirPods so although I think this is overpriced I'm happy to pay a premium for something that has clearly been designed with AirPods in mind.

 

[csurfr]

Or you could buy what is most likely the exact same thing in a different case for 1/2 the price from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073XYXVZL/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

 

[QuarterSwede]

Planes still have those jacks? I haven’t seen one on a United flight in years. It’s all on your own personal device now.
[doublepost=1526393217][/doublepost]

Or you could buy what is most likely the exact same thing in a different case for 1/2 the price from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073XYXVZL/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

I knew it looked familiar.

 

[Muttznuttz]

Bought this on Amazon ages ago...
Link: http://amzn.eu/ioKScBn

Does a bloody good job. Use it on my old iPod and it connects to anything, sounds good.

What are the delays like on these kinds of things? Will the audio and video be noticeably out of sync?

Fairly bad. Up to a second, I've found. No good for watching film / TV

 

[roar08]

The exact same product, rebranded:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...c69-5d65-8453-03cd09d067b1&pf_rd_i=9926003011

 

[windywalks]

I can't imagine using my AirPods on a flight - the sound insulation is non-existent and the volume levels necessary to hear anything are both offending to passengers and border on permanent hearing damage.
ANC cans all the way on a plane.

 

[avanpelt]

Seems to me like the in-flight-focused name is missing the mark. There are plenty of other uses for a bluetooth transmitter than on an airplane. Most airlines seem to be recommending BYOD instead of using their system; and that seems to be what most people are doing, anyway. The airlines would love nothing more than to completely remove those systems from their planes (and they will likely continue to do so). Lower aircraft weight equals more fuel efficiency; and that saves the airlines a substantial amount of money.

 

[roar08]

I can't imagine using my AirPods on a flight - the sound insulation is non-existent and the volume levels necessary to hear anything are both offending to passengers and border on permanent hearing damage.
ANC cans all the way on a plane.

I've flown LA <-> London twice (once in premium, once in economy - there's a measurable noise difference) using both my AirPods and my Sony MDR-1000X. Overall, sure, the cans win for comfort and sound, but I was still able to use the AirPods for hours. They don't need to be loud to produce good quality sound.

 

[scottcampbell]

I've only had bad experiences with BT transmitters. Most recently in an attempt to use my AirPods for Nintendo Switch, which only has a 3.5mm headphone jack. I ended up with lag, noise, and low volume.

 

[SlaunchaMan]

It's also handy for workout equipment at the gym that requires a physical connection to listen to the gym's entertainment offerings, or in a car that doesn't have native Bluetooth support.

I would avoid suggesting that people use AirPods in the car. You need to be able to hear while you're driving!

 

[windywalks]

I've flown LA <-> London twice (once in premium, once in economy - there's a measurable noise difference) using both my AirPods and my Sony MDR-1000X. Overall, sure, the cans win for comfort and sound, but I was still able to use the AirPods for hours. They don't need to be loud to produce good quality sound.

Then you are probably one of those people who get a perfect fit from the AirPods.
They only fit so-so in my ears and don't fall out too easily, but I could never use them on a plane. They're still better than the EarPods - those would fall out non stop.

 

[stygs]

Two things:

If this is marketed specific to flight, it needs to come with one of those dual-pin adapters that many aircraft use.

If this is for “long haul flights where IFE is essential” then 8-hours isn’t nearly long enough.

 

[Appleaker]

This does not deserve an article.

I first thought it was just an unoriginal product selling for an outrageous price, but as others have pointed out it’s simply a rebranded existing product, or more accurately a branded existing product.

 

[sandman42]

I can't imagine using my AirPods on a flight - the sound insulation is non-existent and the volume levels necessary to hear anything are both offending to passengers and border on permanent hearing damage.
ANC cans all the way on a plane.

Ditto this. I love my AirPods, but I find them nearly useless on airplanes due to the lack of isolation. Have to turn them way up, then, with the background, it’s all just noise stew. Still this product (or the other cheaper versions) would have some usefulness outside of the airplane.

 

[iHamish]

Two things:

If this is marketed specific to flight, it needs to come with one of those dual-pin adapters that many aircraft use.

If this is for “long haul flights where IFE is essential” then 8-hours isn’t nearly long enough.

We were just on a long-haul Swiss Air flight and normally we use our Sennheiser noise canceling headphones which come with a couple of adapters (including a dual-pin adapter). Apparently Swiss uses a non-standard dual-pin adapter, so we were unable to use our own headphones. I'm guessing there are a number of different plugs now in use, so any product is going to have to include more than a single adapter to be useful to me.

 

[Mac 128]

The exact same product, rebranded:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...c69-5d65-8453-03cd09d067b1&pf_rd_i=9926003011

Yup. I've been using these for years on long flights, and paid half the price. However, big difference -- I use them with BT headphones with compatible AptX for low latency. I also use these with my TV at home. Without an AptX compatible device, these devices are useless with video.

And what do you want to bet that for twice the price, this doesn't even use a Lightning connector to charge, which means it has to be charged with a non-Apple charging cable as well. So much for designed for Apple!

What are the delays like on these kinds of things? Will the audio and video be noticeably out of sync?

AirPods, nor any of Apple's technology utilizes AptX low latency technology, so these are useless for staying in sync with video, unless the video device is synchronized with the BT output (apple's solution). So people using these with their AirPods and airline AV systems are going to be disappointed.

 

[aaronhead14]

But most airplanes still have that dumb dual 3.5mm port, the one where there's a separate plug for the right and left ears. So... this device is pretty much pointless.

 

[Mac 128]

But most airplanes still have that dumb dual 3.5mm port, the one where there's a separate plug for the right and left ears. So... this device is pretty much pointless.

That doesn't make the device useless. You just need the same two prong adapter people have been using for years to plug in their own headphones.

Heck, the complimentary headphones they gave me on my Quantas flight came with a removable adapter -- which I removed and kept for just such a situation.

 

[Iconoclysm]

A normal bluetooth transmitter, branded as "AirFly", to sell it for four times the price ... nice!

Do you really know if it's a "normal" bluetooth transmitter at four times the price? Same build quality, same battery size, same connection options?
[doublepost=1526403477][/doublepost]

Yup. I've been using these for years on long flights, and paid half the price. However, big difference -- I use them with BT headphones with compatible AptX for low latency. I also use these with my TV at home. Without an AptX compatible device, these devices are useless with video.

And what do you want to bet that for twice the price, this doesn't even use a Lightning connector to charge, which means it has to be charged with a non-Apple charging cable as well. So much for designed for Apple!




AirPods, nor any of Apple's technology utilizes AptX low latency technology, so these are useless for staying in sync with video, unless the video device is synchronized with the BT output (apple's solution). So people using these with their AirPods and airline AV systems are going to be disappointed.

Isn't Apple's solution the AAC codec for Bluetooth? And if this device actually leverages that, wouldn't that be what makes it "designed for Apple"?
[doublepost=1526404943][/doublepost]

The exact same product, rebranded:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...c69-5d65-8453-03cd09d067b1&pf_rd_i=9926003011

And right there, shows it uses the AAC codec over bluetooth - exactly what airpods use. Also priced in the same range.