We've been testing Saitek's new iFreedom speakers, which come equipped with Bluetooth to connect your mp3 player wirelessly. It’s supposed to be A2DP compatible and wirelessly hook up with any A2DP mobile phone or laptop, however the iFreedom speakers wouldn't connect to the soon-to-be-reviewed A2DP-enabled Treo 750v.

A2DP describes how to transfer stereo sound over Bluetooth. It’s useful because some headsets based on A2DP can simultaneously connect to a mobile phone and A2DP audio device. They can then automatically pause music playback when a call comes in.

The Bluetooth.org website lists all products which have undergone compatibility tests. Saitek's product isn't listed, suggesting it's not compatible.

I expected Bluetooth to be a tightly regulated standard, however it says: "Neither the trademark nor Bluetooth qualification guarantee that a product fully complies with the Bluetooth specification or is interoperable with other manufacturers Bluetooth enabled products. That remains the responsibility of the product manufacturer."

Being Bluetooth or A2DP compatible doesn't guarantee anything. Deeper reading revealed that A2DP should be a well defined standard with a central codec supported as mandatory. Yet different manufacturers can add propriety codecs which complicates compatibility.

I’d recommend readers either try before they buy an A2DP device, ask, or make sure the manufacture has listed your device. Manufacturers may often state just one or two phones that their headset is compatible with and you can't assume further compatibility.