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JBL debuts five new Bluetooth speakers with something for everyone
When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, JBL likes to cover all the bases. The company has a literal truckload of options, ranging from tiny portable units for under $100 all the way up to pricey party machines.
Grab a free Amazon Echo Show 5 when you buy an Echo Studio at Best Buy
Best Buy is offering a free Amazon Echo Show 5 if you buy an Echo Studio.
Upcoming Google Nest smart speaker emerges in regulatory filing
Google looks to be doubling down on its fabric aesthetic.
Marshall's waterproof Emberton speaker lasts for 20 hours
You may not get to enjoy many pool parties this summer, but Marshall's latest speaker will come in handy once social distancing ends. The company's new Emberton speaker packs its signature sound in a vintage-inspired frame that weighs just 24.6 ounces and is IPX7-certified, meaning you can submerge it under approximately three feet of water for about 30 minutes. Despite its small size, Marshall says Emberton sounds rich, clear and loud.
Amazon offers steep discounts on a host of Echo speakers
Amazon is running significant sales on multiple Echo devices, including the Dot, Flex, Plus and Studio.
The original Google Home is 'no longer available' in the company's US store
Google's original Home speaker is listed as 'no longer available' in the official US store, prompting questions about its future.
Samsung's 2020 soundbars include models with Alexa and object tracking
Samsung is releasing 2020 soundbars that are as much about looks as they are audio performance.
Apple's HomePod falls to $200 again at Best Buy
Apple's HomePod has dropped to $200 once again as part of a Best Buy sale.
Bang & Olufsen adds Alexa to its Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker
B&O says this is the first Bluetooth-only speaker with Alexa built-in. The first A1 sounded great for its size, but B&O says it improved the sound quality for the 2nd-gen model. The 2nd-gen Beosound A1 is available now in black and grey color options from B&O and select retailers.
Sony debuts three new Extra Bass speakers for portable dance parties
Today, Sony revealed a trio of redesigned options in its Extra Bass line with updates to sound quality and design. The three models — SRS-XB23, SRS-XB33 and SRS-XB43 — are priced at $100, $150 and $250 respectively, so there should be something that fits your budget.
Google's original Home smart speaker is on sale for $30
Google's Home smart speaker is on sale for $30, or lower than you'd usually pay for the less capable Nest Mini.
Sonos is reportedly giving the Playbar a long-awaited redesign
Sonos appears to be giving the Playbar an overdue makeover, including a slicker design and likely connectivity improvements.
Apple's HomePod is on sale for $205
Apple's HomePod smart speaker has been discounted to $205 at OWC, making it a considerably better bargain.
Amazon's Echo speaker drops to $60 at Best Buy
Best Buy is selling the latest Amazon Echo speaker for $40 off, and it'll throw in a Smart Plug for an extra $10.
Bang & Olufsen's Beosound Balance is a $2,250 statement speaker
Bang & Olufsen is back with another stylish speaker for deep-pocketed audiophiles. The Beosound Balance, which sits somewhere between the Besound 2 and disc-shaped Beosound Edge, has been conceived with a London design agency called Layer. It's split into two parts: a cylindrical base and larger bucket-shaped upper, that work in tandem to fill your room with hopefully-great sound. "Together, these two elemental forms create a sculptural object," Layer explained in a press release, "like a plinth supporting an artwork or vase that disrupts the monoblock format of most speakers." We'll let you decide if it looks like a museum exhibit or not.
Google is finally fixing Bluetooth audio on Home speakers
Most people who buy Google smart speakers use them for direct streaming, but that hasn't been entirely voluntary for the past year. Ever since late 2018, people have complained that any Bluetooth connections (from phones or to other speakers) would drop after a few minutes or less. Not much of a feature, is it? However, relief appears to be in sight. Google staff have confirmed that they're "investigating" a fix. There's no mention of when it might be ready, but it's a welcome relief after many months of silence.
Huawei's smart speaker will be available outside of China, but not the US
Huawei is about to compete more aggressively in smart speakers... insofar as it can, anyway. The tech firm is planning to launch its Sound X speaker in Europe following a China-only release in the fall. It'll pack the same Devialet-powered 360-degree sound and 60W double subwoofer. However, it won't initially ship with a voice assistant -- the Xiaoyi helper is clearly China-focused, and the US blacklisting prevents Huawei from using Alexa or Google Assistant.
Staples is opening podcast studios in six Boston stores
Staples' latest ploy to get people into its retail stores is podcast recording booths. This week, the podcasting company Spreaker announced that it's part of a collaboration bringing recording spaces to six Staples stores in the Boston area. The booths are part of a new Staples Connect model, in which the retail stores offer coworking and community event spaces.
Sony's new TV remote doubles as a portable speaker
Sony has introduced a new remote control for TVs in Japan, and you most likely won't be losing it in your sofa. The device, spotted by The Verge, isn't just a remote control, you see -- it's also a wireless speaker that you can bring with you around the house. It looks like a typical speaker when viewed from the side, and it's bulky enough that it won't disappear into thin air (as typical remotes seem to do) as soon as you set it down. The top panel, however, has all the buttons you'd expect a TV remote to have, except its volume adjuster is a knob.
Sony is still trying to make 360 Reality Audio a thing
At CES last year, Sony impressed me with its carefully planned headphone and speaker demos for 360 Reality Audio. The 2019 installment of the show was the debut for the company's immersive audio standard -- technology that we would repeatedly hear about until Amazon debuted the first device that could handle it: the Echo Studio. I wrote that Sony had created what I hoped would be the future of music, and I still feel that way. However, thus far, Sony has made the technology available on headphones through its audio companion app, via a camera-based ear calibration tool. But it still hasn't announced a speaker of its own, or added the capability to existing devices.
