BlackBerry Music Gateway connects via NFC

RIM has unveiled the BlackBerry Music Gateway, a second stab at allowing BlackBerry Users to stream music to another device.

This time the new device connects to BlackBerry devices via NFC rather than Bluetooth, turning their phone or PlayBook into a remote control enabling wireless music to be played.

The music accessory was demoed at the BlackBerry Solutions Showcase in Orlando, the precursor to BlackBerry World. Pocket-lint was in attendance and got to see the device first hand.

Where the BlackBerry Music Gateway impressed was with its NFC connectivity. Bluetooth is old hat, but the powers of NFC are still in its infancy (at least in the UK) and seeing the Music Gateway connect to an NFC-enabled BlackBerry Bold 9900 by simply tapping the devices together appealed to our inner geek.

Music was then played via a music system - though it is also compatible with car stereos too – with RIM claiming the connection will remain intact for up to 30 feet.

Even non-BlackBerry users can get in on the act as the 3.5mm headset jack makes it possible to connect other supporting smartphone or music players.

Ok so it's not quite the show-stealing device we might have hoped for, but the BlackBerry Music Gateway's not a bad to start to RIM's biggest few days of its calendar year.

The BlackBerry Music Gateway will be available from June 2012 for $49.99.

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