The BlackBerry Music Gateway was unveiled recently by Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM). The device will allow users to wirelessly stream music through Bluetooth and near field communications or NFC technology. The price tag of the BlackBerry Music Gateway is at around $50 and is set to be released by June.
It will be possible to connect the BlackBerry Music Gateway into a car audio system or a home stereo system through RCA or 3.5mm auxiliary input connectors. After connecting this, the device can stream music from a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or a Blackberry handset through a Bluetooth connection. The device also allows users to connect to a rival smartphone.
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Streaming music through the BlackBerry Music Gateway is possible up to a maximum of thirty feet although the sound quality will degrade as the receiver is placed farther from the device.
The BlackBerry Music Gateway can also use NFC technology to connect to a smartphone by a simple tap, which would facilitate the connection although the Bluetooth connection is used in streaming music through the device.
The NFC feature is only possible when the BlackBerry Music Gateway is paired with a BlackBerry device although the smartphones from competitors can be paired up with the device using the standard Bluetooth pairing method. Some BlackBerry devices that are NFC-enabled include the Curve 9360, Curve 9380 and the Bold 9790.
The price tag of the BlackBerry Music Gateway will be a good alternative for users in big cities since sound quality of FM transmitters in cars is goes down due to interference. The BlackBerry Music Gateway is compatible with Slacker, Pandora, BBM Music and other music applications.
Whenever a call is received, the music is paused by the device, which weighs around 28 grams and can be hidden at the back of a home stereo without any problems. Due to the portability of the BlackBerry Music Gateway, it offers an advantage over other devices like the Apple TV, which cannot be used inside a car.
