Ears On With the New BlackBerry Music Gateway

ORLANDO—RIM just took the wraps off of its new BlackBerry Music Gateway at BlackBerry World. The new Gateway is a shrewd update to the original, which reduces the size, adds support for NFC, and cuts the price in half. We were able to hear it in action.

The new BlackBerry Music Gateway lets you wirelessly stream music to your home or car stereo from your BlackBerry smartphone, PlayBook tablet, or any other Bluetooth-enabled device (which means non-BlackBerry devices work, too). Once connected, you should have about 30 feet of range away from the Gateway before losing connection.

The Music Gateway connects to any existing home stereo equipment or car stereo using RCA or standard 3.5mm cables, both of which are included with the device. The one that I saw was hooked up to a standard home theater setup, with a receiver connected to a set of Bose speakers.

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There are two ways to connect to the Gateway. Like the original, you can use Bluetooth 2.0 to pair your Bluetooth-enabled device to the Gateway, and stream music automatically from there. RIM is stressing the fact that this is a universal device, so you can connect anything with Bluetooth, from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy Tab.

Once connected, you can access other applications or surf the Web while still playing music. Music automatically pauses when an incoming phone call is received and continues when the call is ended without skipping a beat.

New to this version of the device is support for NFC, though support for the technology isn't as universal as with Bluetooth. RIM says the Gateway should work with BlackBerry and NFC-enabled Nokia smartphones just fine, but may not play well with others. Still, with NFC, pairing is simple as can be. Simply tap your device on the Gateway to pair it, and tap it again to stop.

The NFC pairing process was fast and simple in person, and audio quality was good, though it did experience a few drops, but this may have had to do with the crazy levels of interference in the crowded demo booth.

The BlackBerry Music Gateway will begin shipping in June for $49.99. Check back with PCMag for a closer look when it comes out.

About Our Expert

Alex Colon

Executive Editor, Reviews

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s executive editor of reviews, steering our coverage to make sure we're testing the products you're interested in buying and telling you whether they're worth it. I've been here for more than 10 years. I previously managed the consumer electronics reviews team, and before that, I covered mobile, smart home, and wearable technology for PCMag and Gigaom.

My Areas of Expertise

I’ve written hundreds of reviews of cell phones, fitness trackers, robot vacuums, smartwatches, and various other products.
I’ve also edited thousands of reviews and articles on consumer electronics technologies and products.

The Technology I Use

I’m writing this bio on my 24-inch blue iMac, which I initially bought for personal use, but quickly decided to use for work instead of my tiny, company-issued ThinkPad (sorry, IT team). The screen is big, bright, and sharp, and the speakers are surprisingly good considering how thin the machine is.

The other big screen in my life is a 65-inch LG C9 OLED TV. If you’re wondering whether OLED is worth the premium over LCD, I’m here to tell you that it is.

I’d be doing my beloved LG C9 a disservice if I didn’t have it hooked up to a capable sound system, so I have a Sonos Beam sitting on a media console underneath the TV, and two Sonos Ones set up as rear channels for surround sound. If you’re a Sonos user, I highly recommend adding the Sonos Sub to your setup. It’s definitely a little more expensive than it should be, but it's truly money well spent.

Of course, as an editor, I also do plenty of reading that isn’t related to work, and I love to sit down with a good, old-fashioned, paper-and-ink book. But when carrying a book isn’t convenient, I break out my first-generation Kindle Paperwhite, which is still working just fine nearly 10 years in.

With 15 years of experience in tech, Alex guides PCMag's product testing to help you decide what's worth buying and how to get the most out of it.

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