The Bluelink has most likely been our most complicated project ever – mostly because it is difficult to find simple solutions for something that is fairly complicated.
We are now finalizing it and will start shipping it in March. This year – for those of you who might feel the need to ask 😊.
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From the previous versions of the Bluelink, we have changed – everything.
The main controller is changed from a very (extremely) power-hungry ESP32, to a SAMD21 controller. The Bluetooth circuitry is changed from the ESP32 built-in to something easier to control.
The way the Bluelink works, is however not changed: the side buttons are taken from the Bluelink generation 2, and the way the unit interacts with you is exactly the same way as on generation 2.

Here you have some of the main specifications & features for the Bluelink Ultimate III:

• Size is 38mm wide, 72mm high and 13mm deep.
• Weight is around 35 grams
• Communications method to phone and pad: Bluetooth
• Plugged on the cable system: The Bluelink can easily be attached & detached to your Avee system.
• Battery life: estimated to be more than 20 hrs playback time.
• Full stereo – regardless of the setting of the GA adapter or what is available in the aircraft.
• Failsafe operations: whenever the Bluelink is out of power, you will still be able to listen to your talkative co-pilot and talk to ATC.
• Configurations are done via the easy-to-use keyboard and  high quality spoken audio messages from the Bluelink.
• The internal 600mAh li-po battery is charged via a source with an USB-C connector.
• The Bluelink can be operated while charging.
• Battery status messages are shown on your phone/pad, and can be heard as spoken messages.
• The Bluelink supports three different muting modes of the audio and it is very simple to switch between these mute modes:
  • Level mute: the music you are listening to is turned down to a preset level when ATC / co-pilot audio is detected.
  • Mix mute: ATC / co-pilot audio is mixed with the music you listen too.
  • Audiobook mute: the music or audiobook you are listening to is paused whenever ATC or co-pilot audio is detected.
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• Telephone support: telephone conversations are now supported. You will always hear your own voice – so no need for screaming.
  The following modes are supported:
  • Open mode: the co-pilot hears you, and you hear the co-pilot. You can talk to ATC as normal.
    Press the mode key to change mode to private mode.
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  • Private mode: you hear the co-pilot, but the co-pilot can not hear you.
    You can NOT talk to ATC in this mode.
    Press the mode key to change mode to full private mode.
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  • Full private mode:you do not hear the co-pilot and the co-pilot does not hear you.
    You can NOT talk to ATC in this mode.
    Press the mode key to change mode to return to open mode.
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• Languages supported: English and French as standard, but in principle any language can be supported by the Bluelink.
  All audio messages are stored as wav-files, and can easily be replaced.
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• Software upgrades
  The software in the Bluelink can be updated by connecting the Bluelink to a Mac or PC via the USB cable.
  The Bluelink will pop up as a disk drive, and the Bluelink software is simply updated but dragging a valid Bluelink software file over to the Bluelink disk drive.
  Super simple and it works every time!
• The software IDE
  For those of you wondering, the Bluelink Ultimate software is developed using the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE version 2.3.4).