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JVC and Kenwood's new head units pack wireless Android Auto
After a tease at the end of 2017, JVCKenwood has spilled the beans on its head units (yes, plural) with wireless Android Auto support. Its core JVC brand has unveiled two models, the DVD-equipped KW-V940BW and disc-free KW-M845BW, which let you keep your Android phone in your pocket while using its in-car interface on your center stack. They also support Apple CarPlay, as the image above suggests, as well as JVC's WebLink (for controlling apps like Waze, YouTube and Yelp). Music fans can control Spotify, iHeartRadio and Pandora directly from the receiver or stream music from up to five phones with a DJ feature.
Kenwood will be one of the first to offer wireless Android Auto
Google talked about wireless Android Auto back in spring 2016, but there hasn't exactly been widespread adoption. You still have to assume that you'll need a USB cable when you hit the road. That's about to change: JVCKenwood has casually teased plans to unveil a high-end head end unit with "wireless connectivity for Android Auto" at CES in January. It's keeping most details close to the vest, as you might expect before the big show, but it will pack Apple CarPlay support and a 720p screen.
CES 2015: Kenwood aftermarket CarPlay display; VW cars get CarPlay in 2015
A TUAW reader wrote to us yesterday bemoaning the lack of new products from Apple other than upgrades of previous devices. Among the things he thought were missing were HomeKit products and CarPlay devices. Well, there have been plenty of HomeKit-related announcements at CES 2015, although they're not from Apple - the company simply created the HomeKit framework for others to create products for. The same is true of CarPlay, and there have been a couple of interesting announcements in that arena today. First, Kenwood announced it will be coming into the aftermarket CarPlay market with the horribly-named DDX9902S multimedia receiver. No pricing or availability information has been provided, but the company is displaying its CarPlay-compatible unit (which also supports Android Auto) at CES. The unit supports not only regular smartphone connectivity features like Bluetooth pairing for music and phone calls, but also supports Pandora and iHeartRadio out of the box. HD Radio and Sirius XM Radio will be available as well. Kenwood's announcement follows that of Pioneer in October. Alpine has also announced a head unit supporting CarPlay. The second CarPlay announcement for today is that Volkswagen will support both CarPlay and Android Auto in their automobiles later this year. VW appears to be keeping its options open, as they'll also supporting a smartphone-agnostic MirrorLink app in the US. These three dashboard overlays will run on a base platform in the Volkswagen vehicles, allowing those purchasing cars to choose between the overlays depending on their needs. Volkswagen also plans to release a new parking assist technology soon, saying that drivers will be able to monitor semi-autonomous parking from the sidewalk by using a smartphone as a remote control.
JVC Kenwood's wooden cube speakers offer realtime streaming of nature sounds
This year's CES has seen no shortage of wireless speakers of all shapes and sizes, but none quite like these options that JVC Kenwood has introduced in Japan. Available in 12.2 and 5.35-inch sizes, the cube-shaped speakers are made of wood and little else, with a vibrating frame producing the sound. As The Asahi Shimbun reports, that system isn't the best for producing deep bass (making them less than ideal for music), but it apparently fares considerably better with the medium and high-pitched sounds of birds and rustling tree branches. JVC Kenwood didn't just stop at the speakers themselves, though. It's also offering a subscription service to go along with them, which will stream realtime sound from microphones set up in the mountains of Takayama and Morotsuka. Not surprisingly, these don't come cheap. The small one with set you back ¥60,000 (or about $680), with the larger model running a hefty ¥300,000, or more than $3,400 -- the subscription service also comes with an unspecified monthly fee.
Kenwood announces four new in-car multimedia receivers: connects through Bluetooth to most smartphones
Within its array of updated audio hardware, Kenwood announced several new in-car multimedia receivers that is can hook up to your favorite smartphone or tablet (whether it runs on Android, iOS or BlackBerry). Through your smartphone of choice, you'll be able to access and play from Pandora, while there's even an option to upgrade to Harmin navigation if you're using an iPhone, where there's also new Siri voice controls and automatic Bluetooth pairing. There's more music options through Sirius (if you have the necessary vehicle tuner) and a refreshed touch UI with customizable icon arrangement. The DDX790 ($700) packs a 6.95-inch WVGA touchscreen, with an external Bluetooth mic and a two-year warranty, while the DDX770 ($680) is similarly specced, but with a single year warranty. Cheaper still, the DDX470 ($580) shrinks down to a 6.1-inch WVGA touchscreen and similar Bluetooth features, while the DDX370 ($530) has the same screen but forgoes any Bluetooth tech. However, it will connect to Ford SYNC and hook up to steering wheel and hands-free controls. Both the DDX470 and the DDX370 will appear in February, while the DDX790 and the DDX770 will be available starting March.
Aha Radio partners with Subaru and Honda, brings social media to 2013 vehicles
At last year's CES, Aha Radio brought its hyper-connected social media ways to two high-end Pioneer head units. This year, however, the service is about to make a bigger splash by announcing it'll be built into select 2013 Subaru and Honda vehicles. Equipped autos will have access to "thousands of personalized, web-enabled stations" like MOG, Rhapsody and Slacker, appearing as a selectable source alongside more traditional AM, FM and satellite radio options. And naturally it'll integrate with Aha's iPhone and Android apps. If a new vehicle isn't to your liking, Kenwood will also start integrating the service into head units later in 2012. We'll get hands-on with the above system in a Subaru's new BRZ soon, but to tide you over, two PRs await the break.
Kenwood's still making Media Kegs, announces bilingual MG-G608 for the Japanese market
We've been covering Kenwood's Media Kegs since the dawn of Engadget, and though we haven't seen one in awhile, there's no question this line of MP3 players is still alive and kicking. The company just debuted the MG-G608 for the Japanese market with a bilingual UI, stereo Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, and one neon chassis. Otherwise, you might find its specs -- namely, a small 2-inch display, lack of video playback, and a modest 8GB of storage -- a bit ho-hum. To be fair, it does support microSD cards as large as 16GB, though even then, you might prefer 32GB, depending on how expansive your Hatsune Miku collection is. Japanese and English speakers alike can pick one up in Japan next month for ¥15,000 ($183).
Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now
If you've been waiting for Sandy Bridge to land on Acer's Timeline X laptops, then today's your day. Well, it depends, as these new machines are only available in Taiwan for the time being. Just a few hours ago, the lucky folks over at Engadget Chinese managed to get up close and personal with these bad boys: we have a couple of 13.3-inch 3830TGs (pictured after the break), a 14-inch 4830TG, and a 15.6-inch 5830TG (pictured above). With the exception of Core i3-2310M on one of the 3830TGs, these laptops all come with Core i5-2410M, NVIDIA GT540M (with 2GB DDR3 RAM), 640GB hard drive, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and USB 3.0 ports. As for multimedia, sitting below the 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit LCDs are Dolby Home Theater speakers by Kenwood, and additionally, the two larger models also pack a DVD Super Multi DL drive. Compared to the previous-gen Timeline X range, the most notable difference here is the new chiclet keyboard brought over from the Ethos range, which should trap a lot less dirt thanks to the tighter gaps. You'll see that the new Timeline X ID has gone for a more tranquil look -- the touchpad no longer has a silver trim around it, and likewise, the edges around the body are no longer tapered. Also gone is the removable battery underneath, but given the impressive portability (4.12 pounds, 4.67 pounds, and 5.49 pounds, respectively), we won't miss this feature too much. On the contrary, there's now an extra mouse button, presumably for offering better left and right-clicking. So far so good, and if you're digging these laptops as well, then they can be yours for between NT$32,900 (US$1,133) and NT39,900 (US$1,374). Head over to Engadget Chinese for the whole stash of hands-on photos.
Kenwood AS-iP70 converges picture frame, alarm clock, FM radio and iPhone dock into one
We know, you've seen enough iDevice docks to make your eyes bleed with frustration, but if your bedside table is growing a bit cluttered with all the appendages and chargers you have lying around, you might wanna check this one out. Kenwood's 7-inch AS-iP70 can serve as a picture viewer, a music player, an alarm clock, or an FM radio, while also packing USB and SD card inputs for alternative media sources. All in all, it looks quite slick and has plenty of buttons to play around with, but be warned that its 800 x 480 resolution is intended for pictures only, there's no video playback to be had. If that and the ¥25,000 sticker (about $270, launching in Japan this April) have you running scared, you might want to check out Sony's cheaper, AVI-playing alternative right over here. More pictures of Kenwood's new hotness can be found at the source.
Kenwood lights up your life with prototype OLED-illumed speakers
Details are scarce on these new speakers from Kenwood, but if you find yourself frequently faced with a lamp-or-noise dilemma, we might've just stumbled upon the solution. The prototype flat speakers, developed by Junji Kido of Yamagata University in Japan, are inexplicably surfaced with white Lumiblade-style OLED lights -- we're not sure what that does for the sound, but we probably won't be trading in our studio monitors in anticipation of this brightly lit conjectured future.[Via OLED-Info]
Washington DC announced as first MPH mobile TV market
In the 22 city-strong foot race to get a live MPH-based mobile TV network up, running, and available to anyone who wants it, it looks like Washington DC's poised to come out on top. Raleigh has already deployed a handful of transmitters for the benefit of bus-goers, but the Open Mobile Video Coalition has announced that Washington DC's local CBS, PBS, NBC, and Ion affiliates plus a Fox-owned independent will all be ready to roll with MPH transmissions by late summer; of course, what remains to be seen is what sort of hardware will be ready to take advantage of the tech by then. We can likely count AT&T and Verizon out for offering MPH-enabled handsets seeing how they're still trying to figure out how to profit from their MediaFLO-based networks, so T-Mobile and Sprint's decisions to take a wait-and-see approach to the mobile TV phenomenon may really end up working in their favor here. Moving beyond the phones, it's said that Dell will be showing some sort of netbook this week with an integrated MPH tuner at the NAB show in Vegas this week, while Kenwood has in-car solutions in the works. As long as the broadcasts stay free -- which by all accounts they will -- the standard has a fighting chance at relevancy, assuming hardware comes to the table.
Kenwood SP0001 speakers sure to spice up your in-house raves
Kenwood's about to unleash some really crazy speakers upon the world... if you live in Japan anyway. The bad-looking dudes have 10-watt, 2 channel speakers with 6-centimeter woofers and 2.5-centimeter tweeters, which isn't exactly super powerful, granted -- but they are transparent. Oh, and they have some awesome LED effects, as well. We're not sure exactly when they'll be available, but they're going to run you ¥100,000 (about $1,000) when they are. Check another shot (with LEDs in full effect) after the break.
Kenwood takes a note from Bose with DTS Surround Sensation CD system
If you weren't well versed on logos (and you were illiterate, too), you'd probably assume that the music system pictured above was just another overpriced Bose that could be yours for nine low payments of $49.99. In fact, it's a new Kenwood-branded CD system that will purportedly be able to simulate surround sound from just two speakers. The system will include the DTS Surround Sensation technology, a slot for audio CDs and a rather vanilla display. Beyond that, we're left to simply wonder, as Kenwood is remaining mum on critical details like pricing, release date, RMS, driver size, frequency range and input / output options. Wow, that kind of dodgy secretiveness reeks of some other company we know of... but we're sure it's not intentional. (Right?) [Via Impress]
Kenwood trots out iPhone-compatible I-K50 head unit
We suspect the whole "iPhone-friendly" bit is more marketing hoopla than anything else, as Kenwood's I-K50 head unit definitely lacks a straight-up dock connector, but that doesn't mean it won't play nice with Apple's latest handset. Boasting a USB port right on the front, the single-DIN deck gets down with iPods, iPhones and practically any DAP or PMP with a USB connector. Of course, it also supports those antiquated discs we Earthlings call "CDs," and the front-mounted auxiliary input makes it really easy to connect any source with a headphone output. It's set to drop in around a month in Japan for ¥23,100 ($259).[Via iPodNN]
Kenwood's CR-iP500 will do the All Black haka with your iPod
No, it's not a Doomsday clock, ticking away the precious seconds of your brief mortality. It's just another iPod dock, the CR-iP500 from Kenwood. The 371 x 175 x 187-mm globule of thump brings a pair of amplified 5W speakers, a built-in FM tuner, slot-in CD player, and a USB 2.0 jack to playback unprotected WMA and MP3 audio files off USB sticks. Yeah, iPods too, just as long as you don't stretch the definition to include the iPhone which this dock doesn't appear to support. Expected to hit Japan for ¥27,000 (about $280) in early December. Update: Oh Kenwood, turns out your dock is just a rebadge of the LG PC12 already on sale in the US and elsewhere for $250 MSRP.[Via Impress and Akihabara News, thanks PABLO]
Kenwood's Prodino gets good marks for storage options, not so much for price
The name of this portable digital audio system is partly derived from the Italian word for "great," and we're hoping it's an accurate descriptor, because at a likely price of ¥45,000 ($462) plus another ¥12,600 ($129) for an iPod docking station, this thing isn't as affordable (or stylish, for that matter) as previous products we've looked at. The Prodino (less sexily known as the CORE-A55) tries to earn the price tag by supporting not only USB but up to 32GB of storage on SD or microSD -- perfect for that slotMusic collection you wasted your money on. With speaker output at only 10W each, though, we're thinking a little shopping will find you a more attractive alternative.[Via Impress]
D&M Holdings bought up by Bain Capital, Kenwood not involved
Talk about needing a roster to tell the players apart! RHJ International -- which owns some 49-percent of the D&M Holdings hydra (Denon, Marantz, Boston Acoustics, Escient, MacIntosh and Snell) -- has accepted an offer from Bain Capital to the tune of ¥510 ($4.74) per share in a buyout bid. But earlier reports that pinned Kenwood as a partner to Bain in this effort have been denied by Bain. There's some goings-on here, for sure. First, we haven't seen any dealings involving the 12-percent stake that Philips has in D&M. Also, the soon-to-be JVC Kenwood Holdings states that it has not decided on whether it will invest in D&M; which corroborates pretty well with the latest Bain statement that Kenwood is not involved, and there are no ongoing talks of future involvement. Corporate squabbling and conspiracy theories aside, we just hope that the D&M brands come out unscathed.
JVC, Kenwood to merge under JVC Holdings
Every bean-counter knows that falling prices and shrinking margins add up to one thing - cost-cutting pressure. Now we get word that JVC and Kenwood are merging underneath a single holding company, aptly named JVC Kenwood Holdings. Hopes are high for the new company, with plans to quadruple profit in three short years by focusing on car and home audio. Expect to see more of this kind of merger/acquisition activity, especially among small- to medium-sized companies as more competition -- especially from South Korea and China -- ramps up. Every JVC share will be exchanged for two shares in the new company, while Kenwood stock will get a 1-for-1 rate. JVC definitely got the better end of the deal, with JVC's president continuing on in that role with the new company. It will be interesting to watch how this might affect Kenwood/Bain Capital bidding for D&M Holdings.EDIT: the new company will be called JVC Kenwood Holdings, not JVC Holdings. - Thanks, dcny!
Boston Acoustics gets efficient, cuts 30 employees
Amidst recent news about D&M Holdings being sold off, principal shareholder RHJ International has stated that 30 layoffs at Boston Acoustics are an unrelated happenstance. It's unfortunate timing, to be sure, but RHJI spokesman Gail Petersen has stated that acquisition preparation was "absolutely not a factor," and cited a decrease in new Boston Acoustics product development this year and increases in efficiency amongst companies folded into D&M holdings as reasons for trimming rolls. Whether it's coincidence or causality (if it's coincidence, it's an awfully common one), it should all get wrapped up soon -- word is that bidding between Merrill Lynch, Best Buy, Advantage Partners, and Kenwood/Bain Capital should end soon.Read - Boston Acoustics Cuts 30 EmployeesRead - Interview with RJHI's Gail Petersen
D&M Holdings up for sale
While the roster of storied high end names is pretty long, don't think for a minute that the blue-blood part of the market has not experienced consolidation. D&M Holdings is a prime example of this: D&M's owner, RJH International, has managed to fit Denon, Marantz, McIntosh, Boston Acoustics, Snell and Escient under one umbrella over the years. And now RJH is looking to cash in on the concentrated dollop of high end, offering up 49-percent of its shares in D&M. Philips has agreed to offer its12-percent stake to a winning bidder as well. Our math tells us that's more than a controlling percentage. Harman International, apparently satisfied with its own high end roster (including Harman Kardon, Infinity, Revel and Mark Levinson), has bowed out of bidding. That leaves Bain Capital (Kenwood) and Best Buy as the most prominent bidders, both of which scare us a little. One of the things we really enjoy about the D&M brands is the individual "personalities" behind them, and that's a credit to the management overlords. There's no guarantee that this variety of flavor will survive an en masse transition to new ownership.
