Cingular Go Phone: Griffin SmartShare with Headphone Adapter for iPhone 1G (Black) Review

The Griffin SmartShare + Adapter package is labeled as the "must-have connections for your iPhone," though I think the more accurate description would be the "nice to have connections for your iPhone in two or three specific situations."The package contains two separate devices: first is the Headphone Adapter that lets you use any 1/8" (3.5mm) stereo-mini plug headphones with your iPhone.Though Griffin says "without our Adapter, most available headphones won't fit,"that simply is not the case. All of the headphones I own except for one pair fit into the iPhone headphone jack, and the one pair that didn't fit was my studio reference Sony MDR-V900s.Those cans are way too large to lug around with me all the time anyway, not to mention way to overpowered for the less than high-fidelity sound quality of the iPhone/iPod.But more importantly, if you really want to upgrade your headphones for the iPhone, why not just buy a pair that have the microphone already built-in?I love my V-Moda earbuds and bet that the V-Moda Vibe Duo iPhone-compatible headphones/headset are a much smarter investment.

The second item in the package is the SmartShare adapter that lets you plug two sets of headphones into one headphone jack, so each listener can each set their own volume level.Of the two items in the package, this is the more useful Ð though in very specific situations.If you and your partner want to take one iPod on a long plane flight, for example, this is the perfect device for giving each person a piece of the action while allowing he or she to control their volume independently.The sound quality on these is near-perfect and I could only detect the faintest alteration of the signal when compared to listening to the iPhone without the SmartShare.While it doesn't solve the dilemma of Slayer or Sade, the SmartShare adapter does give the two of you a way to listen on the music once you've settled on the playlist.

At $14.99, the Griffin SmartShare + Adapter is certainly affordable.And while this low price plus the quality for which Griffin has come to be known makes this a good purchase, I think the first question you need to ask is will I ever need to use these things?If you have a favorite pair of headphones that do not fit the small headphone jack on the iPhone or if you ever think you'll need a stereo headphone splitter to share tunes with someone else, then you can't go wrong with this product.

(Zach Zaletel, an Alaska Apple User's Group Member, with much input from Chris Schutte, iphone owning friend.)

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Product Description:
Sharing your favorite music has never been easier, thanks to the SmartShare with Headphone Adapter for iPhone. With individual volume slides on each output jack, each listener can hear the music exactly as he or she likes it. Designed to slip easily into any accessories bag, you'll soon wonder how--or why--you lived without it.
What's in the Box
Griffin iPhone SmartShare with Headphone Adapter for iPhone.

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