Gear4 BluEye review

In the dark pre-iPhone days we longed for a way to bring our iPod and mobile together in Holy Communion. Then, just as we were about to turn our blowtorch on and weld the two together, the Gear4 BluEye arrived to save us the trouble.

This nifty plug-in device arms your iPod with Bluetooth and is essentially three devices in one – a wireless bridge to your mobile, an FM radio and a remote.

No missed calls

Once it’s connected to your ‘Pod – it plugs in via the dock connector – you can make and receive calls on your iPod without having to pull your phone from your pocket. The BluEye makes sure you won’t miss any calls while transfixed by your latest math rock playlist by interrupting the song and giving the caller’s number on the iPod’s display.

If you choose to take the call you’ll need to talk into the BluEye’s microphone, positioned at the top of the unit. A clip means you can position it close to your mouth, which it’ll need to be if you don’t want to sound like you’re down a coal mine. But it works seamlessly and you’ll be heard even on a bustling street.

Radio + iPod

That’s not the end of the BluEye’s talents either. It has an FM radio with good reception, meaning you can switch to the delights of Radio 4 if your music collection gets a bit stale, and there’s even voice activated dialling thrown in for good measure.

The only downside with the BluEye is that it draws its power from your iPod – which means you’ll lose that crucial juice at the end of the barrel and will probably have to charge on a daily basis. But if you can stomach that, this is about as good as iPod accessories come.