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Bang and Olufsen's 360-degree speakers deliver sound in style
Earlier this week, Bang and Olufsen introduced its BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2 multi-room speakers, and we just checked them out at IFA 2016. As expected, considering they both cost upward of $1,000 each, the new 360-degree speakers look stylish and unordinary. And while they do resemble Samsung's R wireless speakers, B&O's set is made with more premium materials -- namely "rock solid" aluminum, according to the company. The biggest feature of the BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2, however, is the fact they can project sound all around you. That, in theory, should make for a more immersive experience when you're listening to any audio.
Bang and Olufsen's new BeoSound speakers project music 360 degrees
Bang and Olufsen typically unveils new audio gear at IFA and this year is no exception. Following last year's $1,000 BeoPlay A6, the company has two new speakers that project sound 360 degrees. The new devices are called BeoSound 1 and BeoSound 2, both sporting a conical design that looks like a base of a lamp more than a speaker. That's not a criticism though, it will actually blend in better on a shelf or side table than a boxy cube typically would. B&O is known for its high-end aesthetics and these new speakers continue the lineage with aluminum shells that project bass out from bottom and are open up top for acoustics.
LG delivers three new super-sized ultrawide monitors
LG has continued to push the limits of 21:9 aspect ratio monitors over the years and its latest three additions are something to behold. Ready to debut at IFA and coming to the US this fall, they include the "world's largest" 38-inch curved 38UC99 model that goes on sale in September for $1,500, a 34-inch curved 34UC79G due in October for $700, and the flat 34-inch 34UM79M coming in November for $600.
Whyd is a colorful take on voice-controlled wireless speakers
Just two years ago, Whyd was trying to mix up the music streaming world, with a service that let you collect tracks from around the internet, and put them in one place. Today, it's moving into hardware with a multi-room wireless speaker. Don't worry, if you were into its aggregation service, (as you likely know) it wasn't killed, but made open source earlier this month. Starting today, though, the Whyd brand will live on as a multi-room speaker system.
Google's virtual reality field trips are available to everyone
Have you been slightly envious of kids going on Google's virtual reality field trips? Don't be. As part of a broader educational push, Google is making the necessary Expeditions app available to everyone. So long as you have an Android device (iOS is coming soon), you too can pay a VR visit to the Great Barrier Reef and other wonders of the world. You don't need Cardboard or another VR viewer to make it work, but this might give you an incentive to get one.
Polaroid's first smart TVs pack 4K and Google Cast
When Google unveiled a wider range of TVs with Google Cast support, you might have done a double-take when you saw Polaroid's name -- what, the reborn camera maker? Yes, it's true... and you may have a good reason to take notice. Polaroid has unveiled its first-ever smart TVs, and it's clear that they offer some bang for the buck. Every model in the LED-lit range packs a 4K display, a 120Hz refresh rate, native HEVC decoding and Google Cast streaming, so you won't have trouble either watching Ultra HD video or sharing a YouTube clip from your phone.
Google Cast and Android TV are coming to even more screens
During today's I/O keynote Google just barely squeezed in some notes about Android TV. On stage, while the Cast feature/ecosystem took a starring a role in the new Home device while also expanding from Vizio's TVs to work on screens from Magnavox, Philips, Polaroid, Toshiba, Westinghouse "and more." Picture-in-picture, new APIs for recording live TV and support for 4K / HDR video will all be a part of the Android N upgrade on Android TV, although there's no mention yet of a new Nexus Player with support for things like Ultra HD, or USB 3.0 hookups for external storage.
B&O Play speakers add Google Cast for wireless audio
Google Cast for audio is a standard feature on most new wireless speakers these days, and Bang & Olufsen is making sure its B&O Play customers can use that tool as well. The company announced an update for the BeoPlay A6 and the larger (and much pricier) second-gen A9 that will add Google's wireless connectivity. If you'll recall, the option works like a Chromecast for TV: it pulls content directly from the service you're using rather than using your phone or tablet's connection. Back at CES, Google revealed that Cast would arrive on more speakers this year, and B&O is helping it keep that promise.
Sony's Google Cast speakers are ready to put music in any room
Back at CES, Sony announced new multi-room audio gear with a soundbar and two speakers to put music all over your house. Now, a few months after their debut, those devices are available to actually buy. As a refresher, the HT-NT5 soundbar features six speakers that are angled upward to better project sound and Sony's so-called Super Tweeter tech to lend a hand with high-res audio. It's also Google Cast friendly, which means streaming music, podcasts, etc. from the likes of Play Music and Spotify is a few taps away.
Vizio brings tablet remotes and 4K to lower-cost TVs
You don't have to splurge on Vizio's higher-end P-Series TVs to get some of their nicer features. The company is trotting out new M-Series and E-Series sets that bring over some of the nicer features, even if they aren't quite as eye-catching. Like its pricier counterpart, the M-Series now uses a 6-inch Android tablet remote (running the company's SmartCast app) and supports Google Cast streaming from other devices in your home. It's a big step up in quality over last year's model, too. There are twice as many active LED lighting zones (64) for higher contrast ratios, and you'll get luxuries like support for HDR video and Dolby Vision. Prices for the soon-to-launch, 4K-only line start at $850 for a 50-inch set, and scale all the way up to $4,000 for an 80-inch behemoth.
Chromecast app expansion prompts a name change to Google Cast
Google's trying to redefine the TV and audio experience with its Casting technology, and it is getting the help it needs from manufacturers to do just that. One of them being Vizio, which today revealed a new set of 4K, HDR TVs that rely solely on Google Cast to get streaming content from third-party apps. As part of this, Google is now changing the name of the Chromecast app to Google Cast, in what's supposed to represent the broadness of the platform, according to the company.
Vizio is bringing Google Cast to wireless speakers
Vizio's new SmartCast platform, based on Google Cast, isn't just headed to TVs. The company also revealed that it's working on a few wireless speakers that'll bundle in the technology. There's the Crave 360, a portable circular speaker that looks like Logitech's UE Boom lineup and Amazon's Echo, and the Crave Pro, a large bookshelf-like entry. Additionally, it's developed a wireless home theater system consisting of a soundbar, satellites and a surprisingly flat subwoofer. You'll be able to send music to the speakers through any Cast-enabled app, as well as manage them via the SmartCast app.
Google Cast is coming to more speakers this year
At last year's CES, Google announced that the Cast tech that allows you to beam video with a Chromecast would be available to audio as well. This meant that companies were free to put the feature in new devices alongside AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity. While a few options arrived in 2015, Cast isn't yet a common feature on new speakers, soundbars and other audio gear. That stands to change in 2016, and today, a number of audio companies announced plans to take advantage this year.
Sony expands its multi-room audio line with two new speakers
Sony already has a stable of speakers to handle multi-room audio, and at CES 2016, the company is adding two more. With the SRS-ZR7 and SRS-ZR5, the company offers a pair of options that feature HDMI connections to improve the sound coming from your TV. Both the four-speaker SRS-ZR7 and the smaller SRS-ZR5 can be arranged in wireless stereo mode with either two of the same model or one of each. As was the case with the SRS-X77 we tested a while back, all of the multi-room setup and other controls are tweaked through Sony's SongPal app.
MusicCast is Yamaha's answer to Apple Airplay and Google Cast
There's no shortage of WiFi-networked speakers for consumers, but Yamaha wants to bring its own solution and products to the market. Enter MusicCast, the audio manufacturer's version of Google Cast or Apple Airplay, which lets you use an app to wirelessly play music across multiple devices in a home (or office) -- so long as they're all connected to the same WiFi network. Of course, this isn't only designed to be a competitor to Google or Apple's technology, with Sonos being another main player in the space. But Yamaha hopes to stand out by offering MusicCast on more than just speakers. According to the company, its High-Fidelity-ready tech will also work with streaming services, internet radio apps and Bluetooth devices, as well as external sources like set-top boxes, sound bars and Blu-ray players.
SoundCloud adds Google Cast to its Android app
You can add SoundCloud the list of services that employ Google's Cast tech to beam tunes to speakers and other devices. With the latest update, the music library not only lets you wirelessly send tracks to your audio gear, but it'll also play them via Chromecast, Android TV and other Cast-friendly gear. In terms of speakers, options are available from LG and Sony with streaming services and audio apps like Rdio, TuneIn, Deezer, Pandora and Google Play are ready to serve up that Yacht Rock playlist.
Sony's Cast-friendly speakers offer high-res and multi-room audio
Are you a fan of using Google's Cast tech, AirPlay or Spotify Connect to handle your wireless speaker duties? Well, Sony announced a trio of audio gadgets that play nice with all three. Continuing its affinity for alphanumeric product names, the company's SRS-X77, SRS-X88 and SRS-X99 speakers also feature a Sonos-like multi-room experience thanks to the Song Pal app. The pricier two of the lot, the SRS-X88 and SRS-X99, add in support for high-resolution audio via USB and a thumb drive or direct connection to your computer. If you prefer to go that route, you can expect compatibility with AAC, FLAC, WAV and other file formats that offer better sound quality over a regular ol' MP3. The SRS-X88 and SRS-X99 also pack in a S-Master HX digital amplifier and LDAC tech that's said to keep Bluetooth streams sounding top notch (from compatible devices, natch). The difference main between the two? Power. The SRS-X88 has five speakers at 90 watts and the SRS-X99 houses seven with 154 watts. I guess it really just depends on how loud you want to blast "Hells Bells."
Lenovo unveils a $49 Chromecast competitor
Lenovo has unveiled its own media sharing device to keep up with the Chromecasts and Roku Streaming Sticks of the world. But the Lenovo Cast differs considerably from Google's similarly named device, and not just because it looks like a puck instead of a stick. You start by plugging it into the HDMI port of your TV or monitor (it supports HDMI 1.3) and sync up with your WiFi network, like similar products. But from there, it taps into your DNLA or Miracast-enabled smartphone, tablet or laptop, to output up to 1080P video to your big screen. That's unlike the Chromecast, which uses its proprietary (though ubiquitous) Chrome browser environment.
Sony's latest receivers and sound bars pack Google Cast streaming
LG isn't the only tech giant rolling out Google Cast-friendly devices this month. Sony is launching two AV receivers (the STR-DN860 and STR-DN1060) and two sound bars (the HT-NT3 and the HT-ST9, above) that all take audio from Google Cast-capable mobile and web apps, so you won't have a problem sending music to your TV's speakers. Outside of the NT3, you'll also get alternatives like Bluetooth, Spotify Connect and (on the receivers) Apple's AirPlay.
LG's Google Cast speakers are ready to take on Sonos in the US
We may have gotten a closer look at LG's latest audio gear back at CES, but now the collection of speakers and soundbars is shipping in the States. If you'll recall, the company's Music Flow line of gadgets is equipped with Google Cast -- the same tech that allows you to beam video to a TV via Chromecast. This means that you can send tunes to one of these speakers with your phone and a capable app. Speaking of apps, the current list of supported software includes Google Play Music, Pandora, Rdio, TuneIn and more. But what about Spotify? Well, the devices play nice with Spotify Connect for remote control duties, or there's a Music Flow controller app for Android and iOS. It's clear that LG is hoping you'll choose it over Sonos.
