Nearly every smartphone and tablet currently sold in the United States has a 3.5mm audio jack for outputting stereo sound via wired headphones, earbuds and speakers – we all know that.  What goes unnoticed by a surprisingly large number of users, however, is that many of these devices also support wireless stereo audio, courtesy of a Bluetooth profile called A2DP.  But in order to enjoy this feature, you’ll need a pair of compatible Bluetooth headphones or earbuds to pull the whole thing off.

And there are plenty to choose from – but perhaps the most widely-used Stereo Bluetooth headphones are the Motorola MotoROKR S9.  These have been around for years and are generally well received – though like all of its competitors, has some quirks.

But there’s another model in the family: the MotoROKR S9-HD, an updated variant of the original, featuring better sound, easier controls, improved earpieces, and SRS Labs WOW HD.

The MotoROKR S9-HD is also a Bluetooth headset, meaning you can use the headphones for voice calls.  This feature, while included, probably won’t satisfy most for frequent use, but that’s okay.  The S9-HD is really for enjoying audio.

You’ll find A2DP Stereo Bluetooth support on many devices running Android (v2.1 and above), iOS 3 and 4, Windows Mobile 5+ and Windows Phone 7.  Check your product literature for details.

MSRP: $119

Best Online Price: $53

The Pocket PC Central Motorola XOOM Tablet Accessories Center is now online.

Accessories for this upcoming Android tablet are currently limited, but we’ll be adding new accessories for the device as they become available in February and March 2011.

Check back over the coming weeks for more Motorola XOOM accessories…

Learn more about the Motorola XOOM Android Tablet…

When Android 3.0 tablets begin shipping next month, users will have a welcome and very overdue surprise: the new tablet OS supports Bluetooth and USB keyboards right out of the box.

Android OS versions 2.2 and below require extra software in order to connect to and use Bluetooth keyboards.  Android 2.3 technically supports the HID Bluetooth profile, but is not necessarily keyboard friendly.

Learn more:  Android 3.0 Keyboard Support Information

We’ve come to expect a new Jawbone Bluetooth headset each year since Aliph shipped its original model in 2007.  This year is no different.

The newest headset from Aliph is the Jawbone Era, an evolution of an already impressive product with several new features. 

Perhaps the most interesting change is the included accelerometer, which makes it possible to control the headset with taps and shakes.  For example, shake the Jawbone Era four times (a Double ShakeShake), and the headset enters pairing mode.  Tap it twice (TapTap), to answer a call.  This functionality, powered by MotionX, will be updated over time with new commands.

NoiseAssassin, the noise cancellation technology that first put Jawbone on the map, has also been updated to v3.0 for better performance.  New, too, is a wideband “HD” speaker for clearer sounds on the user’s end.  The headset also supports A2DP for listening to music from many current smartphones.  iPhone and BlackBerry users will see a battery meter for the Era on their phone’s status bar.

Two processors power the Jawbone Era, likely required for all of the unit’s features.  MyTalk is back, a service which allows the headset to be updated, tweaked and otherwise personalized; it also allows you to install apps like Caller ID by Name. 

Basically the same size and dimensions as last year’s Jawbone Icon, the Era is available in four colors (shown above), each with a different external design pattern (the Silver Lining is shown at the top).  The Era also includes 7 earbud “fit options” and a removable earloop.  Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours, or 10 days standby, and charging is by way of a microUSB port. 

The Jawbone Era has an MSRP of $129 and is available now at the Jawbone web store. Amazon, along with other online and brick-and-mortar retailers will have the headsets in stock soon.

Unfortunately, no.  Skype is available for a range of smartphone operating systems, most notably Android and the iPhone’s iOS, but according to various reports, the folks at Skype are not planning to bring their popular VoIP software to Windows Phone 7 anytime soon.

Why?  The company cites issues with the tools Microsoft has made available for Windows Phone software development, along with certain limitations of the OS with regard to multitasking and sockets support. 

Some so-called ‘homebrew’ attempts are being made to bring Skype to Windows Phone 7, but they’re still in the early stages. Add to that the fact that company has been somewhat unfriendly to third-party developers (like Fring) who have integrated Skype service into their apps in the past, and the outlook on this front isn’t good.

Still, if Windows Phone grows in popularity and some of the OS restrictions are loosened, Skype might make a go of it at some point down the road.

BYA: You ask, we answer.