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Nissan and AT&T are connecting more cars, new or old
The New York Auto Show wraps up this weekend, where using technology to keep cars (and the people in them) both safer and more connected is receiving much of the attention. The 2016 Nissan Maxima is launching with new SiriusXM-powered NissanConnect Services that link your car to the network by satellite, paired cellphone or its built-in cellphone connection. In 2013 Nissan announced it's working with AT&T on the package, and AT&T is independently launching a new Car Connection 2.0 plug-in that will put some similar features into anyone's car. It's the same link that keeps Tesla's Model S connected to the cloud and downloading performance-enhancing OTA updates, but now it's coming to more vehicles. Read on to find out exactly what's included, plus a drones-eye view of the NYIAS floor.
Voxx combining broadcast TV with Roku in Q4 2013, working with RCA and Terk
Roku may have lots of streaming content as is, but that doesn't always compare with what's on broadcast television. Voxx Accessories (formerly Audiovox) sees this problem too, but rather than just pointing it out idly (like us!), the accessory maker claims it has a fix. That solution includes an integrated digital antenna, creating a solution that pulls in broadcast TV (read: "over-the-air local HD broadcasts"), plus the features of Roku's Streaming Stick. We won't see the fruition of those efforts until late 2013, and when it does arrive, it'll come in collaboration with RCA and Terk (as seen in the first two product images above). The only bad thing we can find about this mashup of old school OTA and the latest in IPTV? That it's not here yet. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Acoustic Research unleashes pair of audio docks in AirPlay and Bluetooth flavors
Voxx International (formerly known as Audiovox) has a habit of making a splash at CES, and this year has been no different. Today, the company's Acoustic Research subsidiary announced a pair of audio docks: the AirPlay Audio System (ARAP50) and the Bluetooth Wireless Audio System (ARS70). With the former, users will be able to wirelessly stream playlists from their iDevices simply by plugging the system into any old 12-volt outlet and linking it up to a wireless network. The Bluetooth variety, meanwhile, offers essentially the same capabilities for the rest of the smartphone universe, including owners of Bluetooth-equipped Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry devices. Details on specs remain frustratingly vague, but we'll probably find out more this Spring, when both systems are slated to hit the market. The AirPlay Audio System will retail for $200, while the Bluetooth Wireless Audio System will cost you $130. Head past the break to get the full PR treatment.
Advent intros the OTOCAM3 multimedia navigation system for Toyota Camry
Advent's new auto soundsystem team-up with Audiovox hopes to juggle enough other tasks to stand it out of from the crowd of infotainment offerings jostling for space inside your car. Alongside connectivity to Pandora through iPhones, the OTOCAM3 includes iGo Primo navigation software, Navteq US and Canada maps and a Parrot module built-in with an external microphone. The whole system is steered through an eight-inch touchscreen and can hook up with vehicle metrics like fuel mileage and tire pressure. While Pandora functionality will arrive in Q1 2012, any Toyota Camrys bought during the holidays or shipped before then will still get the feature through firmware upgrades. Navigate down for the full press release.
Audiovox Android headrest pairs DVD player with app delights
Yes, more Android-powered accessories. This time it's a headrest from Audiovox, which connects through WiFi networks and provide in-car time-killing for passengers in the back. It'll generally require you to tether to your smartphone for the privilege -- unless you like idling outside your home or office. But once you're connected, expect to get the requisite social networking, web browsing and app joy of the Google OS. Alongside the DVD (not Blu-ray) player, there's also an SD slot, HDMI and USB port, although the company's keeping schtum on exactly which version of the OS it'll arrive with. Anyone who needs more Android in their life can peruse the press release below.
Alienware's M14x revealed: classic middle-child overachiever, none of the simmering sibling resentment
First, Alienware's M17x got a bit of spit and polish with a new Sandy Bridge CPU and a 3D display, then the M11x got Intel's speedy new silicon too. Now, the middle alien child appears to have gotten a similar makeover. Christened the M14x, rumor has it that Alienware's newest portable rig packs an Intel Core i7-2820QM 2.3 GHz CPU, up to a 750GB 7200RPM HDD, 256GB SATA2 or SATA3 SDD, a robust NVIDIA GT555M GPU, LTE or WiMAX connectivity, and your choice of 14-inch screens: either a 1366 x 768 display or a Full HD 1920 x 1080 LCD. Following its big brother's lead, the M14x also rolls with a pair of Klipsch speakers for hi-fi fragging. No word on when this mothership lands, but with those specs, we wouldn't mind making first contact -- would you?
Klipsch speakers coming to Alienware's 3D-enabled M17x gaming laptop
Altec Lansing does it, as does Harman Kardon. Oh, and lest we forget about Beats. We're talking about companies that have gone the extra mile (and paid a certain price) to get their speakers into the shells of laptops, and now the fine folks at Alienware are grabbing a top-tier name of their own: Klipsch. Despite being snapped up by Audiovox a few months ago, the outfit's powering ahead with an apparent plan for expansion. Today, Alienware's launching its first-ever Klipsch-equipped laptop, the 3D-enabled M17x. Not only will buyers find Intel's newest Sandy Bridge CPUs, a 1080p 3D panel, custom lighting controls and an HDMI input, but they'll also be gifted with a set of Klipsch drivers and MaxxAudio 3 software from Waves. Hard to say if the partnership will soon bleed over to even more of Alienware's machines, but all logical signs are pointing to "yes." As for this guy? It'll ship this month starting at $1,499.
Audiovox shows off the industry's first in-car Blu-ray player, the AVDBR1
We've been seeing demo units of in-car Blu-ray players at CES for years, but Audiovox is apparently finally ready to offer one for sale with its AVDBR1, seen here skulking about the halls of CES. Due in the spring with an MSRP of $349.99, it can be installed under the seat or in a storage compartment and is even BD-Live compatible with optional WiFi upgrade, available after a firmware update arrives later this year. Of course, even if you like video in the car -- usually for the kids in the backseat -- there's plenty of other ways to get it including digital copies that can be activated on your phone, tablet or laptop, or DVDs included in the combo packs most major releases have. Add to this the fact that mobile screens are generally too small to make a big difference with HD and there's plenty of reasons to be skeptical, but if you are on a long road trip with only the Blu-ray copy of Black Dynamite to keep you company, you'll be glad you opted for the AVDBR1. Want more details? Check the press release after the break. %Gallery-113480%
Audiovox to buy Klipsch, we can't help but worry
It's true. Audiovox, a relative no-name in terms of consumer end products in the music industry, has just signed a non-binding term sheet to purchase all of the shares of Klipsch Group and its worldwide subsidiaries. We're told that the transaction is subject to a number of contingencies, "including satisfactory completion of due diligence, negotiation and signing of definitive agreements and requisite approvals," but we can't imagine anything popping up to stop the inevitable. No hard financial terms were revealed, and there's no estimated closing date for the deal. Oddly enough, Klipsch was here at CES unveiling a smattering of new products, and Audiovox was also here showing off far, far less interesting gear. We're hoping and praying that Audiovox allows Klipsch to continue working as its own entity rather than swallowing 'em whole and stifling innovation with corporate bureaucracy (similar to how Disney lets ESPN run its own show), but we'll be honest -- we're feeling a little uneasy about it. Klipsch is definitely one of our favorite audio companies around, and the last thing we'd want is to see a good company get hit with an undue amount of heavy-handed corporate control. Here's hoping for the best! P.S. - If you missed our Klipsch headquarters walkthrough from a year ago, feel free to have a peek.
FLO TV rebates for devices and service are now live
FLO TV said that it would be refunding the eight folks who actually bought into its services once it made the tough decision to shut things down on March 27, 2011, and lo and behold, it's a promise kept. What we weren't expecting, however, was any sort of monetary compensation for hardware, but it looks as if FLO TV will be providing some sort of rebate amount to those who purchased a FLO TV Personal Television, Audiovox Portable DVD Player with FLO TV or FLO TV Auto Entertainment center. It's unclear how much you'll be getting back -- you'll need to go through the entire rebate process to find out -- but you will be reimbursed for any prepaid FLO TV services that you're no longer interested in using (or won't be able to use due to the March 2011 cutoff). Hit the source link to file your claim, but be aware that your service will be cut within 72 hours of submitting it. Beyond the break, you'll find the full email that FLO TV is sending to its customers. [Thanks, T.J.]
Audiovox rolls out FLO TV-equipped DFL01 portable DVD player
FLO TV may not be the runaway success that Qualcomm hoped it would be, but it's been pushing into one new area after the next as of late, and you can now add portable DVD players to that list -- Audiovox has just rolled out the first such device with its DFL01 player. It was actually announced way back at CES in January, but is now available to order for $199, which will get you a 7-inch widescreen display, three months of free FLO TV service (it'll run you $14.99 a month after that) and, of course, a built-in DVD player. Somewhat curiously, it seems that HSN is the only retailer actually shipping the device right now, but it's said to be "coming soon" to Best Buy as well.
FLO TV storms automotive lots, FLO-EV gets launched and FLO smartbook apps surface
FLO TV may not have had the best Super Bowl commercial (not by a long shot, actually), but the fledgling mobile programming service is doing its darnedest to make some waves over in Barcelona. The biggest news is that Qualcomm will be on hand at MWC in order to showcase a FLO-enabled smartbook, a device that will purportedly bring together live television and live social networking updates -- something that would come in handy while watching the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics, for example. In other, more international news, FLO-EV is being introduced, with Qualcomm describing it as the "next evolution of the FLO air interface." Finally, Audiovox has announced that an in-vehicle system based on FLO TV is now sweeping the nation, with Advent-branded solutions hitting up showroom accessory departments en masse. Now, if only these guys and gals could convince people to care about TV on-the-go...
RCA Lexi e-reader sports Barnes and Noble software, Audiovox hardware
Quite frankly, readers, it looks like Audiovox is out of control. It's already deluged us with RCA branded camcorders, digiframes, and iPod soundsystems, and now it looks like the company is entering the e-book game. The RCA-branded Lexi e-reader sports a 6-inch (800 x 600) 16-level grayscale display, 2GB storage, and a battery life of some 7,000 page turns. Other features include ezTurn functionality (for the south paw in your life) and something called Auto-Magic content synchronization. As for content, this bad boy ships with Barnes & Nobles Desktop Reader for purchasing, managing, and, yes, reading the latest Dan Brown bestseller (some sort of sinister conspiracy, we believe). But that ain't all! Adobe Reader Mobile is also included, making it interoperable and fully compatible with PDF and ePub formats. Look for it in May for $229.99. PR after the break.
Audiovox goes wild at CES: digiframes, camcorders, remotes, iPod sound systems
Are you ready for this? No, we mean are you ready for this? We sure hope so, 'cause Audiovox is about to drop eight new products on you here in the desert. Kicking things off is the Acoustic Research brand with two new iPod / iPhone-friendly sound systems: the ARS1i (36-watts) and ARS2i (50-watts). Both of these guys arrive with twin 2.5-inch carbon fiber woofers, two dome tweeters, AM / FM radio functionality, a bundled remote, backlit LCD, soft touch front keys and an auxiliary input jack. The latter also touts a built-in rechargeable battery and portable handle, and while it will list for $199.99 this Spring, the lesser-specced sibling will sell for $50 less. Moving on, there's the RC60i and RC66i iPod clock radios from RCA, with the latter running on standard alkaline batteries and designed for the on-the-go crowd. That one will sell for a penny under $100, while the AC-powered RC60i will be offered at $79.99 when they hit this Spring. Staying on the RCA beat, there's the new line of Small Wonder pocket camcorders. The EZ4000 is a rugged, waterproof version that can capture 1080p clips onto a microSD card for $169.99 (available this Spring), while the palm-sized EZ5000 ($169.99) and EZ5100 ($199.99) look entirely more like a conventional camcorder and offer up 720p / 1080p video recording, 8 megapixel still shots, a 2.4-inch flip-out LCD and a rechargeable battery. The smaller EZ1000, EZ2000 and EZ3000 models round things out on the low end, with full specifications of these in the press release after the break. The outfit is also introducing the DPF8100 ($129.99) and DPF8300 ($129.99) digiframes, both of which are a part of the newly created Décor series; if those are just too classy for you, there's also a 7-inch DPF7407 ($129.99), which fits squarely in the cutely named Celebration series. Closing things out are the $39.99 RCA Voice Control Remote (which gladly listens to commands that you bark at it), a gaggle of new AR outdoor wireless speakers, a few new Jensen in-car head units and Zentral Home Command smartphone remotes. Feel free to dig in for more information on those just past the break. %Gallery-81170%
Audiovox integrates PlayStation 2 into rear-seat entertainment system
Tired of strapping muzzles on your youngsters whenever you have to make that eight hour trek to grandma's pad? So were a couple of engineers at Audiovox. The VOD10PS2 claims to be the planet's first fully integrated gaming system made for the car, with the overhead system not only packing a 10.2-inch display, but an honest-to-goodness PlayStation 2 console as well. Just so we're clear -- the $949.99 asking price nets you the box itself, a screen, a PS2, two wireless controllers, a built-in dome light, a pair of fold-flat IR wireless headphones and a copy of Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando and Hot Shots Golf 3. Heck, there's even a remote and FM transmitter, not to mention a pair of trim rings that'll obviously work with whatever drab interior color you selected for your minivan. So, willing to pay just under a grand to shut the little ones up forever? (Tempting, isn't it?)%Gallery-73801%
RCA's EZ209HD Small Wonder HD camcorder ships to retailers
It may lack the buzz factor of a Flip Video unit, but RCA's delightfully bantam Small Wonder HD camcorder is apt to provide just as much enjoyment without attracting loads of paparazzi. First announced at CES this year, the EZ209HD captures clips at 1,280 x 720 (H.264) and checks in at around 0.5-inches thick. It's shipping out now to retailers across the nation for under a Benjamin, but you should probably include a 16GB SDHC card in your budget plans. You know, just in case you plan on shooting for longer than the 2.85 seconds allowed by the 256MB of internal memory.
Audiovox in-car MediaFLO hands-on
Qualcomm's MediaFLO tech was originally intended for screens so small that resolution, artifacting, and wholesale crappiness don't really matter, but when you're building out a whole new wireless network for this thing, monetization is a high priority wherever you can find it. To that end, Audiovox is lending a helping hand with a new receiver launching later this year that'll plug into most in-car video systems and deliver MediaFLO programming straight to your back seat, your front seat, or whatever bizarre place (engine compartment, maybe?) you've mounted a display. We weren't terribly impressed with the video quality; generally speaking, DVD is probably the better entertainment option here, but if live shows are a must-have for you, this is just about the only cheap, easy way to roll. We're told 10 to 15 channels will be available at launch -- but unfortunately, Audiovox says that neither AT&T's nor Verizon's exclusive channels will be part of the lineup. Pricing hasn't been announced; if we had to guess, we'd figure on something like $20 per month, so you'd better really desperately need blurry TV when the drive gets boring.%Gallery-41382%
Acoustic Research ARIR200 / ARIR600i WiFi radios bring weather alerts, iPod support
Nothing too groundbreaking here, but Acoustic Research has a new pair of WiFi radios on tap at CES. The first one is the ARIR200 Infinite Radio, which pulls double duty as an internet / AM / FM radio and a traditional alarm clock. It provides direct access to Slacker content and comes bundled with a prepaid subscription to WeatherBug. Moving onto greener pastures, we've got the ARIR600i, which adds in a "subwoofer" and includes an iPod dock for charging your PMP and playing back tunes while docked. They'll be available in February / mid-May, respectively for $129.99 / $199.99.
Audiovox HDP100 HDMI-over-powerline kit tested, on sale
Generally speaking, anything over powerline has received tepid reviews at best, and sure enough, Audiovox's promising HDP100 is just more of the same. The kit seeks to shuttle HDMI signals over your existing power lines within the home, but in CNET's review lair, critics found that the signal was "slightly degraded over what it expected from a true HDMI cable (i.e. perfection), showing lower resolution and some subtle choppiness, as if it was dropping frames." Still, those with smaller TVs or less demanding eyes may find this desirable over running all sorts of cabling across your floors; if we just rang your bell, you can snap the package up now for around $399 (or less on the street).
Audiovox HDP100 sends HDMI over powerline
If you're tired of waiting to beam your HD signals across the room over thin air but still crave that tidy install devoid of snaking wires, you might want to give HDMI over powerline a try. For $400, Audiovox will hook you up with its HDP100 HD Powerlink system (apparently under the Acoustic Research brand) -- a single transmitter, receiver and accessories that will transmit HDMI and IR remote signals over the Romex already in your walls. Of course, as with all things with names ending in "over powerline," performance can vary based on things like your home's wiring, what other devices are placed on the circuit, how the HDP100 units are plugged in and maybe even the phase of the moon; but that same $400 will disappear pretty quickly if you have a pro pull some wires through the walls.
