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Apple delays HomePod smart speaker until early 2018
We hope you weren't counting on giving (or getting) a HomePod for the holidays -- Apple has delayed the release of the Siri-powered speaker from December to early 2018. In a statement, the company said it needed a "little more time" before the device was ready for its initial release in Australia, the UK and the US. It's not yet clear how this will affect releases in other countries (we've asked the company if it can elaborate), but we wouldn't be surprised if it pushed back their releases slightly as well. They were already being asked to wait until early 2018.
Xbox One consoles could support premium wireless speakers
Xbox is jumping aboard the WISA train. Microsoft's console is the first gaming brand to become a member of the trade group known as the Wireless Speaker and Audio Association. That makes it the odd one out among audio and electronics manufacturers like Bang & Olufsen, Gibson, Harman/Kardon, and LG. By signing up, Xbox will be able to partner with its WISA cohorts to provide support for more high-end wireless hardware.
Marshall's updated speaker line packs Chromecast and multiroom audio
Marshall has been lending its signature guitar amp aesthetics to headphones and speakers for quite some time. However, there was one notable omission in the company's feature set: multiroom audio. Today, Marshall is announcing an update to its wireless speaker line that gives its existing Acton, Stanmore and Woburn models some current features.
Sonos will unveil a voice-controlled smart speaker on October 4th
After all that talk about voice control, Sonos is finally ready to put its money where its mouth is. The connected speaker company has sent out invitations to a New York City event on October 4th where it has some "news to share." The invitation (below) has virtually no details, but the open mouth on the front is a not-so-subtle hint as to what's coming -- it's that smart speaker that popped up in an FCC filing earlier this month. Based on the description, the device will use far-field mics to accept commands from "multiple voice platforms," which suggests that the expected Alexa support may be just the start.
Bang & Olufsen's modular speakers double as wall art
There hasn't been a shortage of attempts at modular speakers, but how many of them would you be willing to place at the center of your living room decor? Not many, we'd wager. Bang & Olufsen, however, thinks it can do better. It's introducing a wall-mounted speaker system, BeoSound Shape, that's designed to be as artistic as it is functional. You can scale your system to the exact size and pattern you want, including color -- a range of fabric options lets you be as flamboyant or subdued as you like. You need at least six modules, but B&O is promising that you can have a "practically unlimited" number of them if it suits your fancy.
Apple will start selling Sonos speakers today
Sonos still offers one of the best experiences for those who want to keep music in sync throughout their home. But it's not a brand that everyone knows, and in a place like Best Buy or Target it has to fight a lot of other competitors for shelf space and attention (that's not the case in its massive NYC retail store, of course). Today, the company's retail presence is getting a boost thanks to a new partnership with Apple. Starting this afternoon, you'll be able to buy the Sonos Play:1 and Play:5 speakers on Apple's website in the US. By October 5th, the speakers will be on sale in 468 Apple retail stores around the world, and they'll be coming to more markets online in the following weeks.
Sonos puts speaker controls on your iPhone's lock screen
Ask iPhone-toting Sonos speaker owners about their biggest gripe and they'll probably point to the lack of at-a-glance controls. You have to launch the app every time, which is a pain when you just want to pause a song from across the room. Life is about to get much easier, though: Sonos has updated its iOS controller app to introduce lock screen controls. They behave almost exactly like what you'd see for on-device music playback. The only big difference is that it'll identify both the source of the tunes and where they're playing. You can't switch rooms or audio sources, alas, but it's still far more convenient than unlocking your phone.
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.
Denon outfits Heos speakers with Bluetooth and high-res audio
Denon debuted its Heos line of speakers nearly two years ago, a set of audio gear that looked to rival multi-room setups like Sonos and others. Now Denon is giving the speakers a bit of a boost by adding some new features. The new Heos lineup sports the same model names and exterior design as Series 1 that arrived back in 2014. However, what has changed is the addition of high-res audio and Bluetooth connectivity.
Philips' izzy offers simple take on multiroom audio
As expected, a number of companies debuted multiroom audio gear here at CES, but Philips aims to make its system the easiest to use. With the izzy line of speakers, the company's goal is simplicity while still offering all of the perks of a multiroom setup. To accomplish that, the izzy speakers don't require an app to get going. Instead, the speakers create their own network by using so-called izzylink tech to pair with each other. When I asked if users should be concerned about range, a Philips rep assured me it wouldn't be an issue. I look forward to putting that to the test in the future.
Amazon's new Fire TV can talk to your connected home
Amazon's Echo speaker and 4K Fire TV just got much better at handling around-the-house tasks. The Fire TV now controls smart home devices with a simple voice command -- you can ask it to dim the lights right before you start a movie. It'll search for local businesses and restaurants, too, in case you want to get some sushi when you're done watching. The Echo already has these features, but you can now ask it when a TV show starts to make sure you catch that big season premiere. Both the Echo and Fire TV upgrades are relatively straightforward, but they'll mean a lot if you're tired of bringing out your phone to ask simple questions.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is coming to retail stores
You no longer have to buy online to give the Amazon Echo a shot. Amazon will soon sell the smart, voice-guided speaker in more than 3,000 retail stores, including Brookstone, Fry's, Home Depot, PC Richard & Son, RadioShack, Sears and Staples (which previously sold it on the web). The rollout is taking place over the next few weeks, and a few big stores are conspicuously absent in the mix -- Best Buy, anyone? Still, this beats worrying about holiday shipping headaches.
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.
Why Sonos thinks you're ready for a $500 speaker in your home
Sonos faces a unique challenge on the eve of launching the most important products it has developed in years. The company's mission statement is simple to sum up: It wants to make it easy to listen to high-quality music anywhere in your home. And it believes its new products, the flagship Play:5 speaker and new software called Trueplay, move that goal forward. But there's one part of that mission -- "in the home" -- that speaks to perhaps the toughest problem facing the company: How do you convince people who've grown up listening to music with their iconic iPod headphones to spend hundreds of dollars on an expensive home audio setup?
Amazon's Echo speaker reads you the top news headlines
Amazon just made it much, much easier to catch up on the news while you're getting chores done around the home. A newly-added option for its voice-guided Echo speaker, Trove, lets you ask the device to read the top news headlines on a given subject. Want to get the gist of the latest political drama? Just say as much -- you don't even have to glance at your phone or your wrist. This isn't going to provide insightful commentary, of course, but it could be good for those moments when you just don't have time (or the free hands) needed to go in depth.
Samsung's 360-degree wireless speakers take aim at Sonos
Samsung's biggest announcement at IFA 2015 was the Gear S2, its long-rumored round smartwatch. But, as expected, that's not the only thing the company is showing off in Berlin, Germany. The R1, R3 and R5 are new wireless, multi-room speakers designed to take on Sonos. What makes them different than most of the competition, though, is their 360-degree enclosure -- Samsung says the ring-radiator technology powering them helps fill any room with sound. Compared to the last-generation models, the speakers revealed here at IFA are not egg-shaped, but rather feature a more tubular look. (You could always go for the R7, if that's what you're looking for.)
Amazon's Echo speaker plays music from multiple accounts
Amazon's Echo speaker has been fine for playing music and audiobooks so far... unless you live in a household with more than one Amazon user, at which point it just gets messy. That won't be a problem any longer, though: Amazon has added support for multiple accounts, making it easy to play solely from your own collection. You only have to tell it to switch profiles to get your tunes. Simply put, this could be a lifesaver if you're going to share an Echo with roommates or a significant other -- you don't have to create a shared account or risk having someone else pollute your song recommendations.
Build your own smart, modular speaker with SparkBlocks
You've seen modular controllers and even modular phones, but here's a new twist: a modular speaker system. Meet SparkBlocks, a crowdfunded audio system that's just as elaborate (or simple) as you want it to be. The basic unit is little more than a portable speaker with a 4-hour battery, but you can attach components that turn it into much more, including a media hub. Hook up a SmartBlook and you get a tiny touchscreen computer that can answer phone calls, get alerts and download apps. Other add-ons will boost audio quality, charge your phone, clip on to your bike and even light up your camping trip.
Amazon's voice-savvy Echo speaker now reads audiobooks to you
If you're the sort to wander around the house listening to audiobook versions of hot new novels, Amazon just made your day: it upgraded its voice-guided Echo speaker to handle Audible files. Much like a kid asking for a bedtime story, you only have to ask the Echo to read you a title. It'll even pick up where you left off without mentioning the book by name. Amazon's audio tube won't speak text (at least, not yet), but this is a big step forward if music playback alone just won't cut it.
Amazon's voice-guided speaker juggles your IFTTT tasks
You can tell Amazon's Echo speaker to directly control certain apps and services, but what if you want it to send information to other apps that you use more often? That's where IFTTT's new Alexa channel might save the day. Give the Echo a command and IFTTT will relay certain tasks to key apps. You can deliver your to-do list to Gmail when you ask the speaker about your itinerary, for example, or add your grocery items to Evernote without touching your phone. Frankly, this makes the Echo a lot more useful in daily life -- you no longer have to change some of your app habits to make the most out of Amazon's audio cylinder.
