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The latest Fire TV devices include a revamped Cube and Anker soundbar
Amazon isn't quite swamping the market for Alexa devices like it did last year, but it still has plenty to show for late 2019. A since-deleted TechCrunch post (now official) has revealed that Amazon is introducing more than 20 Fire TV devices at its imminent IFA event, highlighted by an upgrade to the Fire TV Cube. The media hub and smart speaker hybrid now packs a six-core processor that's roughly twice as powerful as before, with support for 4K and Dolby Vision HDR content up to 60FPS. Also, some common voice controls are now hosted on-device, making it up to four times faster -- you shouldn't have to wait in agony while the Cube navigates to the home screen.
Roku's first soundbar doubles as a streaming box
Generally, when I think of Roku, I think of those handy HDMI streaming boxes that turn dumb TVs into smart ones. And sometimes my mind will wander to Roku TVs, smart television sets built by companies like TCL and Sharp that run the company's Roku OS. The thing is, Roku wants to be more than just an outfit that throws Netflix onto your TV screen. As evidenced by the wireless speakers it released last year and its growing team of audio researchers and engineers, Roku also wants to be the company that makes your streaming media sound great. And that's where its new Smart Soundbar enters the picture.
B&O's first soundbar packs Dolby Atmos, Chromecast and AirPlay 2
Bang & Olufsen isn't waiting for IFA to share its news for the week. The high-end audio and television company is using Venice Biennale, an annual arts exhibition in Italy to reveal its latest product: the Beosound Stage. Believe it or not, this is actually B&O's first soundbar. The company does have the Beosound 35 which it debuted at CES 2016. However, despite its look, that aluminum-wrapped speaker was designed for music rather than complimenting your TV.
JBL's long-delayed Android TV soundbar is finally here
JBL made a big splash last year at Google I/O 2108 with its $400 Link Bar that works as an Android TV Box, Google Assistant speaker and Chromecast device all in one. It turned out to be harder to stuff all that in than expected, however, as the device was significantly delayed following pre-orders that started nearly a year ago. Now, the wait is over, as JBL has announced that the Link Bar is finally available.
Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar review: A full bag of tricks
Sennheiser has spread the gospel of its Ambeo tech for years. The broad pitch is incredibly immersive audio for AR, VR and your living room. As far as consumers are concerned, though, Ambeo is just a headset that records 3D audio and headphones for Magic Leap. At CES 2018, Sennheiser revealed it was cramming the technology inside a soundbar, so we could all use it for a more common activity: watching TV. It took the company another year and a half to release the $2,500 Ambeo Soundbar, and the wait was mostly worth it.
Bose adds Google Assistant to its smart speakers and soundbars
When Bose debuted its smart speakers and voice-controlled soundbars last year, the company promised support for other voice assistants besides Alexa was on the way. Today, it makes good on that promise. Bose says starting tomorrow in the US, an automatic software update will bring Google Assistant to all existing smart speakers and soundbars. That list of devices includes the Home Speaker 500, Soundbar 500 and Soundbar 700. The company also announced a new, smaller smart speaker today: the Home Speaker 300.
Bowers & Wilkins unveils wireless Formation speaker family
Bowers & Wilkins, best known for its luxurious Nautilus and 800 Series Diamond speakers, is launching a wireless audio system called Formation. The company is starting with a soundbar, two bookshelf-style speakers, a cheaper single speaker, a standalone subwoofer and an audio box that gives older devices streaming capabilities. All five pieces will work separately or in tandem for a multi-room experience similar to Sonos.
Samsung's new soundbars detect what's on screen to optimize output
Samsung has announced its new soundbar lineup: the Q series, optimized for -- you guessed it -- the company's QLED TVs. The HW-Q70R and HW-Q60R are the latest offerings from Samsung's ongoing collaboration with Harman Kardon, with the premium HW-Q70R supporting Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
JBL delays Link Bar release yet again
If you pre-ordered JBL's $399 Link Bar last August, you could end up waiting almost a year for it to arrive -- or possibly longer. Pre-order customers were originally told the all-in-one soundbar, TV box and Google Assistant speaker would ship in October. That didn't happen, and last month, unknown delays pushed shipping to spring. After pre-order customers noticed another ship-date change, Android Police confirmed with JBL that "in-market availability is now planned for mid-to-late summer."
TCL's first soundbars ship this spring
TCL is getting into the soundbar game -- no, for real this time! Last year, the company announced the TCL Roku Smart Soundbar, the first product in a new line of Alto-branded audio hardware. The problem? That soundbar never actually shipped. We're not sure what happened, but it hasn't stopped TCL from pursuing its home speaker aspirations. Today, the company has unveiled two new soundbars: the Alto 5 and 7. The former is 31.5 inches wide and designed for 43-inch or larger TVs. The latter, meanwhile, is 36 inches long and meant for 55-inch or higher panels.
Sennheiser's Ambeo 3D audio soundbar goes on sale in May for $2,499
Last year at CES, Sennheiser revealed a soundbar prototype with its impressive Ambeo 3D audio technology inside that offered an immersive 5.1.4 experience. At this year's show, the company is showing off the final version of the living room speaker and giving us an on-sale window: May. Sennheiser is also talking pricing -- you know, so you'll have a few months to get your affairs in order. That's mostly because the Ambeo Soundbar will cost $2,499 when it arrives this spring.
Vizio works on making its 4K TVs even better in 2019
While many other manufacturers chase new technology with 8K and HDMI 2.1, Vizio is enhancing its 4K TV lineup, starting from the lower-priced V series all the way up to its top-of-the-line P-Series Quantum X. The V series steps in where Vizio's E line of TVs used to reside, with smart TV features, Dolby Vision HDR and up to 16 zones of local dimming, with models ranging from 40- to 75-inches.
JBL targets spring arrival for its Android TV-powered Link Bar
JBL made a splash with it's Android TV-powered Google Assistant soundbar back at Google I/O, but the company wasn't able to ship the speaker before the end of 2018. Despite opening up pre-orders and rumblings of anticipated ship dates in the fall, the Link Bar has yet to make it's official debut. JBL is chatting up the device this week at CES, and part of the details include an updated timeline for when you might be able to grab one: spring 2019. The $399.95 soundbar and an optional $299.95 subwoofer are both expected to ship then.
Optoma's P1 laser projector brings a 4K home theater anywhere
Optoma's latest projector joins competition like Hisense and LG by including everything you need for a home theater in one package. The P1 Smart 4K UHD Laser Cinema is not just a laser projector, as it combines the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control we've seen in previous Optoma units with a NuForce Dolby Digital 2.0 sound bar that has built-in woofers.
LG's latest sound bars feature Dolby Atmos and Google Assistant
LG sells a lot of TVs, so if you're not into a full, eight-speaker home theater system, it wants to sell you a sound bar to go along with it. The problem is, sound bars are kind of boring, so with CES 2019, LG is trying to sex them up. For its three latest sound bars, it has integrated Google Assistant for voice control, offered Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, teamed up with Meridian Audio for simulated multi-speaker sound and unveiled an all-new, more modern design.
Bose's new smart speaker and soundbars offer Alexa control
Voice assistants don't seem to be going anywhere. If anything, they're becoming more and more ubiquitous. Case in point: Bose's new line of soundbars and speakers with Alexa and other smarts built in. Out of the box, the Home Speaker 500, Soundbar 500 and Soundbar 700 will react when you start shouting commands at Amazon's digital assistant this October. Bose promises that other voice assistants will follow at some ambiguous point, and early next year there will be an update that adds AirPlay 2 streaming.
JBL's Android TV soundbar arrives in October for $399
You don't have to wait too much longer if you like the thought of a Google-powered soundbar. JBL's Link Bar is now available for pre-order in the US for $399, with shipments poised to start in October. You won't get a room-shaking system for that money with a modest 100W output and no subwoofer (it does support wireless models), but you will get smarts.
Samsung's Harman unveils its new premium soundbar lineup
When Samsung acquired Harman International Industries last year, it was pretty obvious the tech brand had eyes on the Harman Kardon audio division. The pair have worked together on a few projects since --smartphones and tablets featuring Harman-owned AKG-tuned audio, for example -- but now the collaboration is taking Samsung further into the premium audio sector. Two new co-branded premium soundbars developed with Harman, the Samsung HW-N950 and HW-N850, will go on the market later this month.
Sonos Beam is now on sale for $399
If you've been waiting to pick up the Sonos Beam soundbar, now's your chance. The speaker is now on sale for $399 on the Sonos website and at retailers.
JBL's next soundbar doubles as an Android TV box
JBL and Google announced a new soundbar that gives users voice control over a number of features and devices via the Google Assistant. When you plug the JBL Link Bar into your TV, for example, you can then say "Hey Google" and ask it to play whatever TV show, movie or YouTube content you want to watch or listen to. It can even be used to control your smart home devices or play music. The JBL Link Bar features seamless HDMI input switching and the Google Assistant can also be used when the TV is off.
