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Marshall taps Alexa for its first smart speakers
In a move that Spinal Tap probably never saw coming, Marshall has launched its first ever smart speakers with Amazon Alexa control. The Acton II and larger, more powerful Stanmore II, part of Marshall's "Voice" lineup, are successors to the previous models of the same names. The big update is Alexa voice control, making it easier to find and change the name of the current artist or song, crank up the volume, and any other Alexa-related functions.
Marshall's Stockwell speaker is a guitar geek's dream despite its flaws
When I first saw a Marshall-branded speaker announced some time ago, I immediately dismissed it as a gimmick. As a recovering musician, I figured the company's line of headphones and other portable audio gear was just some middle-of-the-road tech decked out in the stylings of the brand's iconic amplifiers. I began to doubt my stance recently, though, as Marshall trotted out its London smartphone aimed at folks who are serious about playing music on their daily driver. The device turned out to be a respectable piece of kit, and pushed me to finally spend some time with one of the company's speakers. With that in mind, I gave the $229 Stockwell Bluetooth option a go. While it may not be the best-sounding choice, it certainly checks all the design boxes for this former guitar player.
Marshall's Kilburn speaker packs even more guitar amp aesthetics
If you like your portable audio gear to match your guitar rig, Marshall's new Bluetooth speaker fits the bill. The Kilburn not only handles music-playing duties via the aforementioned wireless connection, but its design resembles one of the company's guitar amps. From the speaker grill to the outer shell, gold-accented controls and guitar strap handle, the device looks just like a miniature version of what you'd see on stage. Sure, Marshall's been selling speakers for a while now, but this is its first portable option. Inside, a 4-inch woofer, a pair of 0.75-inch tweeters and three amps (two 5W and one 15W) handle those playlists for up to 20 hours before needing a charge. It won't arrive until next month, but when it does, the Kilburn will set you back $300.
Samsung's new 'ring' speakers pipe sound in every direction
Samsung has tackled just about every kind of speaker you can imagine, but it hasn't had an answer to hot-selling 360-degree speakers like the UE Boom. Well, that changes today: the Korean firm has unveiled the WAM6500 and WAM7500, its first compact one-piece speakers to promise room-filling sound. Both center around a "ring radiator" that pipes audio in every direction while supposedly striking a careful balance between bass and treble. If you ask us, though, they're as much about the "premium" styling as anything else. The portable 6500 (above) looks like the kettle from an avant garde kitchen, while the tabletop-oriented 7500 (below) could easily double as a 31st-century desk lamp. Samsung hasn't divulged pricing, but these fashion-forward designs will likely command a premium.
Which portable speakers are worth buying?
While some people like to listen to their favorite music on a quality sound system with a set of high-end speakers or headphones, most people are just fine listening from a cheap headset or the built-in speakers on their phones. But what if you're somewhere in the middle, and want your music to be portable, but still sound great? Plenty of companies have stepped up to give you just that, releasing speakers that deliver solid highs and clear lows, all in a package that you can fit in a bag. There are too many out there for us to review ourselves here at Engadget, so we've pulled together reviews from sources we trust to help highlight some of the better recent options.
Jambox and Mini Jambox score a water-resistant option for an extra $50
Sure, you might shrug off peril when it comes to placing portable speakers near the tub or sink, but it wouldn't hurt to have an added line of defense. To that end, Jawbone is now giving folks who purchase a Mini Jambox or its normally-sized counterpart from their website the option to add Liquipel 2.0 protection for an extra $50. The coating bestows hardware with an IPX-5 rating, which lends it protection from water splashed upon it from all angles. It might not be the time of year to bust out your super soaker or dip into a pool, but you can prepare for summer by picking up one of the specially-treated gadgets at the bordering source link.
Logitech's Ultimate Ears Mini Boom wireless speaker can take a bruising
So you want a portable Bluetooth speaker, but you're worried that it won't survive your party-driven lifestyle. What to do? You may want to consider Logitech's new Ultimate Ears Mini Boom, which can take a moderate amount of abuse thanks to its metal frame and rubber housing. Like the full-size Boom, the Mini Boom can still operate in pairs (through Android and iOS apps) and lasts for a healthy 10 hours per charge. It will also power up through micro-USB in the event that you're nowhere near a wall outlet. Logitech expects to ship the Mini Boom this month in a variety of flashy colors for $100.
Scosche intros BoomBottle, thinks you'll prefer sound over water during bike rides
Looks like Braven's BRV-1 ruggedized Bluetooth speaker just got some competition out of CES. Scosche has unveiled its BoomBottle speaker, which is indeed similar in form to your average water bottle -- perfect if you don't actually use that H2O holder on your bike or bag. This IPX4-rated "splash-proof" system lasts about 10 hours per charge, pumping out sound through two 40mm drivers and a passive bass unit. The BoomBottle is covered in rubber and TPU to handle light impacts, and houses a 3.5mm input if you don't want to stream over Bluetooth. No word on pricing or availability just yet, but you can also read about it and the also announced RH1060 "reference-grade" Bluetooth headphones in the press release after the break.
Belkin introduces Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater for iPad, we go hands-on (update)
While Belkin has long been at the forefront of Apple accessories, offering everything from keyboard cases to baby monitors, it somehow left the audio arena unexplored. That ends today with the introduction of the Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater. Behind that mouthful of a product name is essentially a portable speaker dock for the iPad housed inside a protective case, which seems a lot more reasonable than Bang & Olufsen's pricey speaker "wedge." The Thunderstorm's front-facing speaker system boasts full-range drivers and integrated air channels for "immersive sound" and "deeper bass." All the internals are powered by Audifi, a mobile audio engineering outfit that Belkin specifically hired for the project. As for the cover, Belkin took a cue from Apple's own magnetic offering, but went a step further with the addition of multifold creases for different viewing angles. We spent a few days with the Thunderstorm and so far we're impressed with the volume and depth from such slim speakers. Though we didn't have a chance to test it, Belkin is also offering a free iOS app to accompany the product -- it essentially lets you fine-tune the audio with presets for music, movies and games. However the Thunderstorm is not without a few annoyances: the case adds an unsettling amount of bulk to the iPad and it's currently only available with the now-ancient 30-pin connector (we're told a Lightning-equipped version is due in Q2 2013). If you're happy with the ole universal dock though, you can pick this up in the coming weeks from Belkin's online store, Amazon.com or the Apple Store for $200 a pop. In the mean time, you can get a closer look at it with the galleries after the break. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Libratone intros Zipp portable AirPlay speaker with PlayDirect, expectedly wrapped in wool (update)
If you've been following the surge of AirPlay speakers that started hitting the market in 2011, you've likely feasted your eyes on the spendy wool-clad systems by Libratone. While its larger Live and Lounge units have primarily been purposed for households, its new Zipp speaker is the being touted as the "first and only" portable AirPlay speaker. Make no mistake, unlike B&O Play's portable AirPlay-equipped Beolit 12 ($800), the Zipp's loaded with Libratone's proprietary PlayDirect protocol, meaning it doesn't require a separate wireless network / router for iDevices to connect to it over the air. The Zipp moniker is a play on the swappable wool grill which cozies around its vertically-standing tubular enclosures. Weighing four pounds and measuring in at 10.2 inches high by 4.8 inches in diameter, this "portable" unit is a good bit larger than the Blutooth-equipped Jawbone Big Jambox placed sideways, but it'll certainly fit in a backpack -- hey, it does have a leather carrying strap. Thankfully, that weight is partially due to its internal rechargeable battery, which should last up to eight hours. As far as the speakers go, you'll find a duo of 1-inch ribbon tweeters facing the sides for the left and right channels, along with a 4-inch up-firing woofer. The rig also features Libratone's signature FullRoom design, which forces a 360-degree dispersion of the sound by way of deflectors in front of the tweeters. Beyond that, it'll naturally work with Libratone's existing iPhone app, allowing you to change the DSP on the fly for optimal output regardless of its placement in a room. The Zipp will hit Apple Stores later this October wrapped with a single red or grey zippered grill for $399, while other retailers will carry the $449 Classic Color and Funky Color editions, which each come with a trio of those wool grills (black, blue and red for the Classic, and black, pink and yellow for the Funky). Past that, a single grill by itself will cost you a relatively expensive $49 directly from Libratone. In the meantime, join us past the break for more details about the unit itself and PlayDirect, our initial impressions and a hands-on video overview.
HP unveils first NFC-enabled mouse, various other PC accessories
In addition to unveiling all those laptops, HP just announced a boatload of peripherals. Of the bunch, the most compelling might be the NFC-enabled Touch to Pair Mouse, which, as the name suggests, can be paired with another device simply through tapping. (Good thing lots of computers currently have NFC, right?) If, by chance, you don't have NFC on your laptop -- and you probably don't -- the mouse will function just fine as a regular old Bluetooth device. Look for it in November for $39. Elsewhere on the wireless mouse front, HP announced the X6000 (pictured), which has four-way tilt scrolling and can be used on most surfaces, including glass. That arrives this month for $59. Finally, if your tastes are a bit simpler, there's also the Wireless Mouse X4500 and X5500, which will be available this month for $29 and $39, respectively. Beyond mice, HP also trotted out the $29 Wireless Classic Desktop keyboard, along with the $49 Wireless Elite v2. For audio lovers, there's the HP Portable Bluetooth Speaker, which will go on sale next month for a cool $79. Eighty bucks (or thereabouts) will also get you a 90W universal power adapter that claims to be compatible with most notebooks. It also has a built-in USB port, allowing you to charge a mobile device at the same time. Rounding out the list is the Webcam HD 4310, a $69 $89 shooter capable of 1080p video, autofocus, autoexposure and three-way video calling. All that in more digestible form in the PR after the break.
Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker spotted at FCC and HMV: take one and call Dr. Dre in the morning
The Beats by Dr. Dre badge has usually been attached to headphones and the occasional laptop or smartphone. We've never really seen it attached to dedicated speakers, however, and that's where both an FCC filing and a sighting at UK retailer HMV's online store raise a few eyebrows. The House that Dre Built appears on the edge of launching the Beats Pill, a Bluetooth wireless speaker with four drivers and a shape that more than explains the medicinal name. While we don't know just how much of that signature Beats thump we'll get, we do know from the FCC that the Pill can serve as a speakerphone, carries an aux-in jack and will last for a typical 8.5 hours on its USB-rechargeable lithium-ion battery. There's also signs of a red version of Beats' Mixr headphones coming at the same time. HMV has publicly scoured its pages of any trace of a ship date or price for the Pill, but cached copies point to a £170 ($276) price and a release around September 28th -- not necessarily trustworthy figures, but they may be in the ballpark. Our only question is whether or not we'll get a dose of the Pill in the US. [Thanks, Germaine]
JBL freshens its portable speakers with Micro II, Bluetooth-toting Flip and Micro Wireless
JBL has been on a wireless speaker kick lately -- it might as well throw some truly portable models into the equation. Accordingly, two of the three speakers it's shipping today, the Flip and Micro Wireless, sport Bluetooth audio and a 5-hour battery to cut the cord. The Flip (seen above) is the multi-talented athlete of the bunch: its design can work either upright or on its side to stuff into small spaces, and a built-in mic provides speakerphone duties. The Micro Wireless' puck shape isn't as clever, but it fits a standard 3.5mm input jack and space to clip to a carabiner or lanyard. Both these and the Micro Wireless' strictly wired counterpart, the Micro II, have a bass port to improve the low-end frequencies that are so often missing in this class of speaker. Prices may be the real incentives here: the Flip is the most expensive of the trio at $99, while the Micro Wireless and Micro II are even lighter on the wallet at respective $59 and $39 price points.
Nokia and JBL's PlayUp NFC-equipped Bluetooth speaker wants to pair up with your Lumia
Nokia may have partnered with Monster for its last batch of Lumia-focused audio wares, but now JBL is also in on the deal. Say hello to first product from Nokia and JBL, the successor to the Play 360 portable speaker, dubbed PlayUp. The noiseybox is packed with Bluetooth and NFC, and as for the design, it's made to complement "current and future Lumia smartphones." Like the Play 360, the PlayUp is a cylindrical, top-shooting speaker with physical volume controls, a large power button near the bottom and a 3.5mm jack for plugging in PMPs. The PlayUp weighs 760g and it measures in at 118 x 118 x 128mm -- a fair bit chunkier that the 360 (110 x 110 x 124mm and 514g). Despite the heft, the PlayUp's battery is rated for 10 hours of use, which is disappointingly just under half of the 360's replaceable cell. Charging gets handled via micro-USB and -- thankfully -- a wall adapter is included. Naturally, the notable change is JBL's baked-in audio expertise. The unit can pump out a healthy 89dB of volume (aided by a bass port), which isn't shabby, but still shy of the ear-ringing 120dB the $99 UE Mobile BoomBox can produce. There's no word on whether tow units can pair wireless stereo like its elder, or what version of Bluetooth is packed inside, but we'll be sure to let you know once we find out. Nokia also plans to release an app for the device to allow for remote control. Given that Nokia has knack for consistency across its products, it's likely that the white, black, cyan and bright yellow color choices will match up with the WP 8-loaded Lumias at their September 5th unveiling. The PlayUp will be available for €149 (about $186) before the year is out, which includes a travel pouch and a 3.5mm audio cable. In the meantime, hit the source link for more details.
Jawbone Jambox gets Android app support, semi-ironic silent mode
Those who bought the regular Jawbone Jambox have had to look on at Big Jambox owners with envy over the past several weeks for more than just the obvious: the larger model was the only one to support the Android version of the Jawbone Companion app and give audible reminders of distinctly non-audio tidbits, such as Google Calendar appointments. The software side of the gap is now closing through a version 2.2 update to the original Bluetooth audio brick. Along with adding in that missing Companion support, there's now a slightly misleading silent mode -- it's just turning off audible control cues and voice prompts, not turning the speaker into a paperweight. If these and minor tweaks like subtler volume tones strike your fancy, the Jambox update is ready and waiting.
Braven Six Series Bluetooth speakers now shipping, three choices for on-the-go audio, USB charging
Jawbone's Jamboxes may be the first gizmos that jump to mind if you're searching for wireless, on-the-go speakers, but they're not the only options out there. An outfit by the name of Braven has been teasing its own Bluetooth-enabled Six Series stereo noiseyboxes since April, and now it's officially ready to ship them off. Aside from pumping out wire-free audio, each unit can be used as a portable USB charger for your various gadgets. You'll have a choice between the aluminum-encased 600 ($150) and 650 ($190) models, while the 625 ($180) variant features a ruggedized, shock-absorbing enclosure and a water-proof bag for the more adventurous of you out there. You'll get anywhere from 12-20 hours of charging depending on the model, but each features the same internal setup for sound: two three-watt speakers paired with a dual passive bass radiator. You'll find more details on the specs of each model and your color options in the press release after the break.
NuForce compresses a rechargeable speaker, USB DAC and headphone amp into a $119 Cube
For better or worse, your options are plentiful when it comes to palm-sized speakers aimed at improving the audio of your gizmos. While many simply tout Bluetooth or USB connectivity, NuForce is hoping to shake things up a bit with its new Cube. This micro-speaker isn't wireless, but it's got the unique ability to also function as a headphone amp and USB DAC -- all in a footprint of 38.5 x 58.5 x 60.0mm (2.30 x 2.30 x 2.36 inches). Aside from giving you multiple ways to add more kick to your tunes, the Cube packs a rechargeable battery that'll last for up to eight hours. Sadly, however, it doesn't appear like you'll be able to daisy chain units together for a tiny stereo rig. On brighter notes, you'll have a choice of silver, red, blue or black, and an iPod Nano adapter is available to make it pretty much the smallest dock we've seen. It'll cost you a spendy $119 to get the Cube within your ears' vicinity, and you'll find more details in the press release below
SuperTooth Disco2 hands-on
Move over Jambox, there's a new portable audio contender entering the market. The Disco2, shown off at this week's CTIA 2012, is SuperTooth's smaller, more compact sequel to its O.G. 28 watt powerhouse of the same name and a direct threat to the niche market occupied by Jawbone. Housed in a colorful hourglass-shaped design that should please the style-minded, this rechargeable speaker connects over Bluetooth to your device of choice, outputting 16 watts of 360 degree sound through two speakers and a subwoofer. It's set to hit the market mid-month priced at $99, but for consumers that want a bit more of an aural punch, an additional unit can actually be paired up to deliver a fuller stereo effect. Judging from its powerful performance on the noisy showroom floor, however, you'd probably be fine with just the one. Click on below to take a better look at the company's curvy offering. Sean Cooper contributed to this report.
Braven Six Series speakers offer Bluetooth audio, wired charging
When is a wireless speaker not a wireless speaker? When you can also plug your phone into the speaker to charge it up in a pinch. That's the hook with Braven's new Six Series speakers, anyway, which come in three different varieties that each pack a USB port that lets you either charge your smartphone or daisy chain multiple speakers together. Ranging in price from $150 to $190, the three different models all also boast similar features across the board, but differ in construction, with the top-end 625s offering a rugged housing (not to mention a built-in LED flashlight), while the 600 and 650 each sport an all-aluminum design -- battery life also varies a bit by model. If the speakers look a little familiar, it's because Braven is the company formerly known as Spar, which offered some similar speakers under the Zephyr name. Hit the source link below for a closer look at each model.
Grace Digital's Eco Terra boombox now available for $149.99, ready to rock the beaches
We're not sure what took Grace Digital this long to release the Eco Terra, but hey, you can now grab one well ahead of the summer season. Priced at $149.99, this IPX7-certified boombox works just fine even when dunked in water -- the two 3-inch speakers will always float upwards to annoy fellow swimmers. There's no iPod dock connector here as the job's done using a 3.5mm jack inside the watertight compartment, but much like many iPhone headsets these days, you can use the buttons at the top to control music playback and volume on supported iPods or iPhones; whereas with other MP3 players you can only change the volume after flipping a switch. Additionally, the Eco Terra comes with an air pressure release valve to allow easy compartment access across different altitudes. We assume this means someone somewhere has a habit of blasting out music while trekking. Of course, you'll need to install four C batteries to get things started, and that'll keep you partying in the wild for around 25 hours -- long enough to play the Baywatch soundtrack CD about 23 times. Hit the source link if you're ready to spend some cash.
