AirFly’s wireless headphone dongle adds a screen to guide you through the pairing process
Twelve South has announced the AirFly View, a wireless headphone adapter with a built-in screen that guides users through pairing. It aims to make connecting headphones to devices without Bluetooth, such as in-flight entertainment systems, easier.
The screen provides pairing instructions in 24 languages, shows the battery level and identifies connected headphones by their Bluetooth names. The device has an estimated 16-hour battery life and can stream to two pairs of headphones at once; Auracast support could expand that number when more headphones support the feature. It is available for $79.99 and includes a carrying case and an adapter for split airplane headphone jacks.
In short
- AirFly View adds an on-screen guide to headphone pairing.
- It supports 24 languages and lasts an estimated 16 hours.
- It costs $79.99 and streams to two headphone pairs.
Explained simply
Bluetooth lets devices connect wirelessly over short distances, but older equipment may not support it. Many aircraft entertainment systems, for example, provide audio through a headphone socket, so travellers with wireless headphones need an adapter to connect them.
Twelve South makes AirFly adapters, which transmit audio from a headphone socket to Bluetooth headphones. The AirFly View adds a screen to show pairing guidance and device information; it can also connect two pairs of headphones at once. Its features are aimed at making wireless listening easier with equipment that lacks Bluetooth.