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There was a time when we only had one type of earphone, and it was wired. Now, thanks to the expansion of Bluetooth technology, the days of untangling cords are over. It’s mostly been a pleasant experience to evolve with this technology, save for the instances when I find myself staring at a seatback entertainment system.
On a recent flight to Atlanta, I found myself sifting through the junk in my bag. I finally pulled out a pair of tangled wired headphones. Hallelujah. But wait, these didn’t have a regular jack. They were Lightning earphones meant to be plugged directly into an iPhone charging port.
And that’s how I ended up sitting there, in the middle row, watching a soundless movie with subtitles. I must have looked truly pitiful because my seatmate offered to share his earphones with me. I wasn’t that desperate, but the experience spurred something in me. As soon as we landed, I googled Bluetooth adapters. Someone had to have created a solution.
Thankfully, I had the help of an audio engineer in the family while searching for an answer. With his expertise, I honed in on the 1Mii Bluetooth transmitter. While there are a few other Bluetooth transmitters on the market, we opted for the 1Mii because it has two separate 3.5 mm jacks. One of the jacks folds in, making it ideal for both in-flight entertainment that requires the classic single-pronged jack as well as the two-pronged jacks typically found on international flights. (Rumor has it that airplanes were built with those two-pronged jacks so passengers wouldn’t steal the headphones passed out in flight.)
The container for the 1Mii Bluetooth transmitter is slim, sleek, and black, doubling as a charging case. It is made to pair Bluetooth headphones or AirPods to equipment that doesn’t have Bluetooth, such as CD players, some TVs and gym equipment, and of course, in-flight entertainment systems. I took it for a test drive on my Nintendo Switch before my first airplane experience, plugging it into where the headphone jack normally goes. The transmitter worked great, connecting to my wireless noise-canceling headphones flawlessly. Things went just as well in the air. Operation is easy, with a single button to hold that creates the Bluetooth connection. I also appreciated that it transmits in stereo, keeping the full spectrum of sound.
Just like that, my transmitter officially solidified itself as an essential part of my packing list. An added bonus that I hadn’t considered? There was no need to awkwardly play limbo with my wired headphones when someone in my aisle had to use the restroom.
To ensure I never leave them at home, I keep the transmitter in my headphones case. Maybe one day in-flight entertainment will have Bluetooth capabilities, but until then I’ll have my handy transmitter to give me the best wire-free listening experience.