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Nokia's Play 360 Bluetooth speaker uses NFC daps to pair with your phone
Nokia's N9 got most of the attention earlier today, but the gang from Espoo also announced a nifty new portable speaker to complement its slice of MeeGo. Called the Nokia Play 360, this little barrel of omnidirectional audio streams music from your phone via Bluetooth. It also makes the pairing process easy with NFC -- a simple tap of your N9 or Nexus S to the speaker gets the tunes flowing. Not only that, when you get two of these sound boxes together, they sense each other through NFC and switch your sound to stereo. So, what's the price of such aural enjoyment? It'll cost you €149 ($213) when it ships in Q3 of this year.
UCube speakers run off USB, are coming to an Amtrak quiet car near you
You can use these USB-powered UltraLink UCube speakers on a bus, on the beach, or on the table at your favorite McDonald's, but please -- for the love of god -- don't. Remember: with great convenience comes great responsibility, and if these speakers are as impressive as the dramatic marketing video below implies, disruption of the peace is about to know no bounds. At $150 per pair, these sleek sound machines aren't cheap, but each speaker is able to pump out 15 watts of peak power -- you won't be filling a large room with crisp, distortion-free sound, but they're probably loud enough to play your tunes or flicks for a group of friends, or to annoy strangers in a park. UltraLink claims that the speakers use DSP-controlled power supplies to "store energy during quiet passages," allowing the 3.25 inch cubes to reach their 15 watt peak output with 170-degree listening angles. We haven't had a chance to go hands on, but if these speakers sound half as good as they look, we may have a better solution for playing music in the CES trailer next year.
Altec Lansing's Orbit USB Stereo trumps your laptop's speakers, has split personality
USB speakers aren't exactly headline-grabbing gadgets these days, but the fact remains that most laptops could still use a little help on the audio end. If you're in need of a quick fix for your weak-sounding machine, then Altec Lansing's $49.95 Orbit USB Stereo (iML247) might be worth your consideration. As the name says for itself, both power and audio input are managed through one USB cord, meaning no batteries are required here. Better yet, when not in use, you can simply fold up the legs, stuff the cables into the hollow ends, and then twist the speakers together to form one smooth tube for storage. Of course, note that this Orbit won't work with devices sporting the common 3.5mm headphone jack, and obviously don't expect cinematic sound quality from these tiny canisters -- hey, there's always a trade-off. Hands-on pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-122790%
Jawbone Jambox vs. Soundmatters foxL v2... fight!
Two portable speakers clamber into the ring, each boasting big, beautiful sound for their diminutive size. Both cost $200. Both have the same technology inside. The Jawbone Jambox and the Soundmatters foxL v2 with Bluetooth each want to be your wireless audio wunderkind, blasting music and taking Bluetooth calls. At best, you're only going to buy one. Which speaker should you choose? Following our Jambox review, we got our hands on a foxL and put the two head to head, and after the break you'll see which one came out on top -- both literally and figuratively. %Gallery-111933%
The Aepel Phone is a product
Um, ok look... we're not sure what the Aepel Phone is exactly. We know it's for girls because the t-shirt says so and we know it's a phone because it's right there in the product name. However, "phone" seems to be a whacky mistranslation of the "binary CDMA" tech used in the wireless mic. If we had to guess, we'd say it's a battery-powered compact speaker for fetishists ensnarled by their desire to read Canon service manuals to bespectacled teddy bears. It's more common than you think. Check the whole mangled press release after the break.
Jawbone Jambox review
You may have already gathered that we're fans of the Jawbone Jambox -- seeing as how it appears in our Holiday Gift Guide -- but does a miniature portable speaker, even one that pumps out 85 decibels, deserve a $200 price? How about that battery life? We've spent weeks now with the little Bluetooth speaker that could, throwing it at every scenario in sight, and after the break you'll find a full review with all the upsides and downsides. %Gallery-106618%
Jawbone Jambox Bluetooth speaker now available for $200
It's hardly the most affordable Bluetooth speaker around, but Jawbone's new Jambox did manage to impress us when we got our hands on it earlier this month, and you can now finally pick one up yourself directly from Jawbone, or at your local Apple store and "select" Best Buy stores. As expected, it'll set you back $200, and it's available in your choice of four different colors / designs, each of which pack the same 800mAh lithium-ion battery that promises ten hours of continuous use, a built-in mic that will let you use it as a speakerphone, and an output capacity of 85 decibels that Jawbone says "fills even the largest rooms with stellar hi-fi sound." If you're looking to judge that for yourself, you can apparently do so at an Apple store, where Jawbone says the Jambox will be "featured alongside the iPad."
Jawbone intros Jambox portable bluetooth speaker, we go hands-on (update)
Since 2006, Jawbone's been making noise-canceling bluetooth headsets boasting modern design and military-grade sound. This is not one of those. This is the Jawbone Jambox -- a wireless bluetooth speaker -- and it's what happened when the company decided to let the music out. Functionally it's almost exactly the same as a Jawbone Icon, down to the pairing process, and MyTALK upgradable software platform, but instead of a tiny mono earpiece you're getting a stylish portable speakerphone with a 3.5mm input jack and some serious stereo potential. We've had it playing for several hours now, and while it's not going to be the life of a large party even at maximum volume, it pumps out a terribly impressive amount of clear, room-filling sound for its size. If you pick it up or set it down on a table, you'll feel the vibrations nearby. You can't quite tell from this angle, but that stainless steel grill wraps around an airtight enclosure made of polycarbonate infused with glass, which houses a pair of full-range drivers and a microphone up front and a "moving-wall passive bass radiator" around back for some extra low-end goodness. We're told this last was quite the innovation, which didn't impress us much until we were told what Jawbone put inside the radiator to ensure mass and rigidity: the unit's 800mAh lithium-ion battery. Speaking of juice, Jawbone tells us the unit's good for about eight hours of continuous playback at 75 percent volume. You'll be paying a good bit to get this designer toy pumping out your jams, as any of the black, red, blue or silver units will run $200 at Best Buy and the Apple Store when they hit November 16th, but if you've been aching for a modern, handheld ghetto blaster, this is definitely one way to go. PR after the break. Update: As some have pointed out in comments, a number of the ideas here aren't actually new -- you can find a very similar portable Bluetooth speaker (down to a patent-pending "BassBattery" and a $200 price) in the Soundmatters foxL v2 with Bluetooth. Update 2: As it turns out, the foxL v2 isn't exactly a competitor, it's an ally of sorts, because the Jambox is a collaboration with the same Dr. Godehard Guenther who invented the original device. "JAMBOX leverages the core analog acoustics that made FoxL great," says a representative, but with numerous improvements: Jawbone's noise cancellation and Bluetooth know-how, a thicker, stiffer speaker enclosure and a Yves Behar design. %Gallery-106618% %Gallery-106677%
iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a case, looks like a cassette
It's hard to say what exactly Portable Sound Laboratories is going for with its latest iMainGo speaker, but for those who are still shedding tears over Sony's decision to axe the Walkman cassette player, it's probably a sight for sore eyes. The iMainGo X portable speaker doubles as a PMP enclosure, with a clear back that still allows for access to on-unit controls. It also packs a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, an internal speaker, a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input and the ability to daisy-chain with other X devices. At $69.95, it's not exactly an impulse buy, but at least they're tossing in a travel bag, wrist strap and carrying case, right?
JVC introduces SP-A230 and SP-A1M: portable speakers for portable players
We'd tell you these things are probably too easy to lose, but it probably matters not -- after all, you've already been suckered into buying one based on how insanely janky / adorable it is. JVC has just introduced the SP-A230 and SP-A1M portable speakers, with the former being shown above. That guy is a bar-styled stereo unit with a pair of 30mm drivers, a brain-melting 160mW x 2 of power and a 3.5mm auxiliary cable for connecting to any 'ole PMP. The A1M ships with a single 30mm driver and relies on a pair of AAA batteries, compared with a pair of AA batteries necessary on the larger A230. Pricing remains elusive, but you can expect 'em in a variety of colors this November... well, in Japan at least.
Franklin Roadie modular music system needs a table to boom
We've seen speaker systems that use flat surfaces as a diaphragm before, but Franklin's Roadie might be the first modular to splash down in the new millennium. It's a three part system (if you want it to be), consisting of the EVS-2000, EVS-3000 and EVS-4000. In order of mention, you've got a base model that accepts sources via a 3.5mm input jack, a rechargeable battery with SD card slot, and a bonus tweeter / equalizer. It ain't much good in your hand, but slap it on a table (or any other flat surface, like a floor) and the tunes start to boom. Or become marginally more audible, anyway. The trio should go on sale soon for $99.99 as a bundle, while the 2000 and 3000 can be picked up by themselves for $49.99 / $79.99, respectively.
Logitech S715i rechargeable iPod / iPhone speaker unleashes next generation hyperbole
We know what you're thinking: not another iPod / iPhone speaker dock. Maybe, but it's way more than that if you listen to Logitech describe it. According to the boys from Cali, the $149.99 S715i "sounds like a beast" with 8 custom-designed, laser-tuned speaker drivers that deliver "next generation," "professionally tuned acoustics" capable of "filling a room" with "bold sound." So yeah, it's just another iPod speaker dock, although that 8-hour rechargeable battery is nice. Full PR and video overview after the break.
WOWee One portable speaker latches onto surfaces, iPad's coattails
Portable devices that turn any surface into a speaker are hardly anything new, but the folks behind the WOWee One portable speaker (not WowWee) seem to be making some slightly bigger claims than most, and are even throwing out the increasingly popular "perfect companion for the iPad" phrase for good measure. As with other similar devices, the WOWee One conducts sound through any surface you rest it on (even a wall with an optional attachment), but it also has the benefit of patented "Gel Audio" technology, which promises to produce bass frequencies about three octaves below any other comparable device. You'll also apparently get about 20 hours of use from the built-in rechargeable battery, and your choice of three different colors -- all for the not so low price of $79.99. Head on past the break for a quick video.
Soundmatters' foxL v2 portable Bluetooth speaker rocks the suburbs
Soundmatters made a few (sine) waves last year with the introduction of its awfully cute foxL Bluetooth speaker, but for those preoccupied with other matters, there's nothing wrong with snagging v2 in order to catch up. The pocket-sized (5.6- x 2.2- x 1.4-inches) speaker sports new BT circuitry that allows for 3x better reception than the prior version, and it also automatically pairs and searches for Bluetooth devices. Users can now answer and terminate a call from the speaker itself, and as expected, you'll also get a bit more volume out of this one compared to the original. The rechargeable battery will keep the jams spinning for five hours on a full charge, and if the international charging prongs weren't enough, there's also the option to regenerate over USB. It's set to ship later this month to jet-setting music junkies for $199, while a wired (read: non-BT) variant will go for $30 less.
Bose Wave SoundLink wireless music system goes on sale today
Bose Wave SoundLink, the too-expensive, yet pretty OK looking wireless music system by the "too expensive, yet pretty OK looking" consumer electronics people over at Bose, has gone from rumor to reality as of today. Expect to pay $599.90 for the whole McGillicuddy or -- if you've already bought into the Bose Wave thing -- pick up that SoundLink upgrade kit featuring a USB Bluetooth dongle for a mere $149.95. A steal at a fraction of the price! PR after the break.
Logitech dishes two new iPod / iPhone speaker docks, one of them rechargeable
Not quite sure if you've noticed, but Logitech has been on a tear for the ages here recently. As the torrent of new gear continues, we're now faced with another pair of iPod sound systems desperately attempting to knock the "me-too" status and contribute something positive to the world. The Rechargeable Speaker S315i is the larger of the two, boasting a rechargeable battery that's supposedly good for up to 20 hours of listening. The unit is fully compatible with dock-connecting iPods and iPhones, and there's even an auxiliary input for those who aren't down with Cupertino's wares. The smaller Portable Speaker S125i plays and charges any iPod model and can be powered by an AC adapter, four AA cells or 8.43 tablespoons of Jobs' favorite fairy dust. Check 'em out this month and next for $129.99 and $69.99, respectively.
FiiO PS1110 Walkbox portable speaker says 'buy more'
$15 for a hunk of metal and plastic that makes noise and looks pretty cool? Sure, it's not quite that pink cube that OMM told you pick up on the way home from your occupation, but FiiO's PS1110 Walkbox portable speaker is just that right blend of retro and modern that makes us all weak in the knees. Let us be thankful we have commerce.[Via technabob]
Devotec Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker hands-on and nano-review
So we've been playing with the Devotec Industries Solar Sound Bluetooth speaker system for a couple days now, and we've got to say we're pretty impressed -- we just wish it could run directly (and indefinitely) off the solar panel, instead of requiring an internal battery that takes 12-24 hours to charge from the sun or four hours to charge off USB. That said, you will get eight hours of decent audio when the battery is full, and it's actually relatively loud -- you'll be more than fine indoors and in quieter spots, although cranking things up all the way results in some audible distortion. Of course, it's A2DP, so setup is a breeze with most Bluetooth devices, including 3.0 iPhones, and you can hook most everything else up with the included 3.5mm headphone cable. (Just keep in mind that Apple doesn't properly support AVRCP, so the forward and back control buttons don't work correctly over Bluetooth.) Not bad for $79 -- and you won't have to burn through endless AAs to take your tunes on those summer picnics and beach trips.
Bose intros SoundLink wireless music system, charges $550 with a straight face
Ah, Bose. While almost any other audio company would be properly lambasted for charging $549.95 for a portable sound system with absolutely no hard specifications (driver material, amplifier type, wattage, etc.) to speak of, somehow or another Bose gets away with the practice. All bitterness aside, the fresh SoundLink Wireless Music System is actually rather attractive, and unlike its other models, this one arrives with a USB dongle that enables computers to stream tunes directly to it. 'Course, we're not told what kind of technology is used here nor how far you can stray without losing signal, but as we alluded to earlier, this is all par for the course for Bose. In brighter news, there's a rechargeable battery that keeps it humming for three hours on a full charge, and the bundled IR remote could probably be programmed to control your media app from afar. Oh, and there's a standard 3.5 millimeter auxiliary jack for linking things up the "old way." Start saving your pennies quarters, folks -- this one ships to those with more dollars than sense on August 27th. [Via HotHardware]
Crapgadget: Delicious salmagundi of decorative inanities edition
We're always big fans of mixed-use gadgets -- but these ones kind of mutilate the principle. On hand today we've got a two pack of bedazzled necklaces -- one an MP3 player, the other a USB flash drive / watch combo. We've also unearthed a USB speaker that claims to be a whale, but more closely resembles a weird, in our opinion. Finally (and this one was worth the wait, trust us), we've got a tiny Moto Horn for your bike, which makes it "safer" to ride your bike by... making vroom vroom motorbike noises as you zoom along. Consider these our best suggestions for what to do with your disposable income, folks.Read - USB Jewel Square Necklace MP3 PlayerRead - USB Jewel Watch Necklace Flash DriveRead - USB Cetacean Whale SpeakerRead - Moto Horn
