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Firmware updates for Pioneer AV receivers add HTC Connect music streaming compatibility
Pioneer flirted with HTC Connect earlier in the year, and now the relationship is getting more serious with firmware upgrades to Pioneer's AV receivers adding compatibility for the DLNA streaming tech. Fresh firmware is available now for the majority of 2012-model standard and Elite receivers, so if you've got a One series handset, an EVO 4G LTE, a Droid Incredible 4G LTE or a brand new Droid DNA, wireless streaming is just an update away. To see if your receiver has been granted HTC Connect-certification, head to the source below, where you'll also find links to download the relevant firmware.
HTC Desire X hands-on (video)
Earlier this year, HTC spent much of its mobile bombast on that other major European conference: MWC. But that doesn't mean the company showed up to Berlin empty handed. In a closed door session today, the company demoed a flagship of sorts: the Desire X. The 4-inch handset, just recently announced, may look familiar -- that's because it lifts distinctive elements of the premium One series for a decidedly upscale spin on an entry-level device. With an 800 x 480 Super LCD display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 8255 running Sense 4.1 atop Ice Cream Sandwich and a 5-megapixel rear shooter enhanced by the outfit's ImageChip, this first-timer device is anything, but average. Curious to see how this top-shelf budget phone fared in our testing? Then follow along after the break for some initial impressions. Follow all of our IFA 2012 coverage by heading to our event hub! %Gallery-163799%
Pioneer SMA wireless speakers put AirPlay, HTC Connect in one happy family (update: hands-on photos)
Apple and HTC might be at each other's throats in court, but they're living in peace and harmony in Pioneer's world. The fresh new SMA wireless speaker line supports both Apple's AirPlay format and HTC Connect-certified DLNA to take audio over WiFi no matter whether it's coming from an iPhone or a One S. Proof that we can all get along is good in itself, but Pioneer is also throwing in Wireless Direct, a trick that turns the speaker into its own WiFi access point if it can't latch on to a nearby router. Pioneer's stratification of the range is dictated by whether you value freedom or raw power. The XW-SMA1 is the baseline with two 3-inch speakers and a 3 / 4-inch tweeter, with a bass reflex port doing its best to mimic a subwoofer; the XW-SMA3 is the exact same with a lithium-ion battery good for six hours of cord-free play, and the XW-SMA4 goes battery-free but rolls in a proper 4-inch subwoofer and an extra tweeter. The lot arrives in August and costs either $299 for an SMA1 or $399 for either of its premium siblings. %Gallery-159245% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
HTC Connect certifies AV gear for your One series phone, Pioneer lines up
HTC is going on something of a certification tangent: it's following its PlayStation Suite approval with its own program, HTC Connect. Home AV equipment with the label promises to lift the standards for streaming media to or from one of HTC's devices. The rubber stamp will be limited at first to DLNA audio and video, but it should eventually include just about anything that doesn't involve a wire, such as Bluetooth, in-car media, NFC and wireless speakers. There isn't an immediate deluge of partners. HTC has scored a rather big ally, however: Pioneer's DLNA-ready receivers and wireless speakers this year, and beyond, will flaunt the HTC Connect badge. Don't brag about the media credentials of your One X just yet. Although the Connect seal of approval won't be needed for media streaming anytime soon, it will only be coming to the One series through an upgrade in the months ahead.
