Polk Audio’s Legend Series is an impressive new flagship speaker line
Polk Audio, a brand with a reputation for high-quality but affordable speakers, has decided to go upmarket with its latest flagship speaker series called Legend. With prices that start at $1,199 for a pair of bookshelf models and go up sharply from there, these are not your average Polk speakers.
Braun reinvents its classic speakers with Google Assistant to compete with Sonos
Braun has partnered with the U.K.'s Pure Audio to revive its iconic LE line of speakers, with tech and features that put it on par with today's best wireless audio products. The three new speaker models clearly pay homage to Dieter Rams' original designs, but the price may scare off all but the most ardent Braun fans.
JBL’s colorful new wireless speakers brighten up any party or situation
JBL came out with a slew of new audio products for IFA 2019, including the colorful Pulse 4, the Link Music and Link Portable smart speaker duo, and three new soundbar packages that can add immersive sound to any size of home theater. They all arrive this fall and we've got the low-down on prices and features.
Jabra’s new Elite 75t true wireless buds offer 7.5 hours of battery life
In what appears to be a case evolution, not a revolution, Jabra has released the Elite 75t -- the successor to the company's excellent Elite 65t true wireless earbuds. The $200 earbuds improve on the 65t's battery life and comfort, with a few tweaks to the charging case thrown in for good measure.
Sonos unveils updated Play:1 and Connect with new names, new features
The Sonos Play:1 and Sonos Connect have been mainstays of the company's wireless audio product lineup for years, but now it's time for a change. The Play:1 is now superseded by the $179 One SL, designed to stereo pair with a Sonos One, and the new $399 Port replaces the Connect. Here are all the details.
Sennheiser makes its Momentum Wireless headphones smarter and more affordable
How do you improve on a set of wireless headphones that are already among the best-sounding cans you can buy? Make 'em smarter. That's what Sennheiser has done with the latest generation of its Momentum Wireless noise-canceling headphones. Hands-free operation and voice assistant access are just the start.
Adidas joins the wireless headphone game with two models designed for athletes
You can now add Adidas to the growing list of companies making wireless headphones. The company has debuted two new models, one with an on-ear headband style, and an around-the-neck earbud set designed to be sweatproof for workouts. Neither offer noise-canceling or voice assistant support.
The next-gen TiVo Edge DVR will provide 4K, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos … eventually
Images have leaked of what purportedly is TiVo's next DVR, called TiVo Edge. With a design guaranteed to be less controversial than the current Bolt series, the new model will also support Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. However, streaming app providers will have to update their apps to make them work.
Roku Smart Soundbar and Wireless Subwoofer reinvent the home-theater-in-a-box
Bringing its world-class simplicity to home theater sound, Roku has debuted two new speakers: The $180 Roku Smart Soundbar, which does double duty as a speaker and a Roku media streamer, and the $180 Wireless Subwoofer, which adds extra low-end to the soundbar, or a compatible Roku TV.
Bang & Olufsen’s first soundbar looks stunning and has a price tag to match
There's a first for everything, and when we're talking Bang & Olufsen, that first is often fancy very expensive. Such is the case with the Beosound Stage, the company's first soundbar. It's a Dolby Atmos-capable, 11-speaker work of art that will set you back $1,750 -- if you go with the base model.
Redmi’s first TV is a $530, 70-inch 4K model that you probably can’t buy
Mostly known for its aggressively priced Android smartphones, Xiaomi's Redmi subsidiary is now making TVs. The company announced that its first model, a 4K, 70-inch smart TV will go on sale in China in September for approximately $530, making it one of the least-expensive TVs in this size.
Here’s how to get Hulu for just $3 per month, thanks to Chrissy Teigen
Thanks to a new promotion around Chrissy Tiegen's upcoming Hulu cooking show, Family Style, you can sign up for the on-demand streaming service for half a year at half the normal price for the ad-supported tier. That's $3 per month for six months -- a pretty good deal, but a very time-limited one.
Sonos’ first portable Bluetooth speaker likely to debut at IFA next week
In what appears to be confirmation that Sonos is working on its first Bluetooth product, an FCC filing and leaked product photos shows a speaker that bears a strong resemblance to the Sonos One. Given Sonos' plans to attend IFA, the speaker is likely to debut at the electronics show in Berlin next week.
Sharp claims it will be bringing the world’s largest 8K LCD TV to IFA 2019
Think your TV is big? Sharp wants you to think bigger -- way bigger. Its latest TV is an 8K, 120-inch monster, the biggest of its kind, the company claims. With built-in 5G connectivity, Sharp says it will be suitable for any number of applications, including education and displays of museum-quality art.
New TVs may automatically disable the awful Soap Opera Effect
It looks as though the entertainment industry is finally taking some concrete steps to rid us of the scourge that is the Soap Opera Effect. A new proposal would create a Filmmaker Mode, to be used on all new TVs, which would automatically turn off image processing on filmed content.
First-gen Chromecast still secure, but new features from Google are unlikely
Google's first-gen Chromecast is now 6 years old and it appears that it is beginning to near the end of its life. A report indicates that the HDMI streaming dongle will no longer be getting new versions of the Chrome browser that powers its feature set, though Google has committed to doing security updates for now.
KEF’s new Q250c is the chameleon of home theater speakers
Following in KEF's tradition of building home theater speakers that look as good as they sound, the new $600 Q250c is a smaller version of the company's Q650 center channel, but built with greater flexibility in mind. With a sealed design, smaller footprint, and multiple finishes, it can go almost anywhere.
Here’s why it’s highly unlikely your Bluetooth headphones will be hacked
Despite recent headlines that make it sound like Bluetooth is highly insecure and not to be used under any circumstances, the reality is it's unlikely your Bluetooth headphones are about to be used to compromise your security. We explain the threat, how it could affect you, and what you should do going forward.
How to upload music to Spotify
Ever wondered if you can add your private music collection to your Spotify account, so you can listen to it on-the-go? It's possible, using a feature called Local Files. It works differently than uploading music to other streaming services, but we've got a step-by-step how-to for those who want to make it happen.
Bose’s $349 portable smart speaker with Bluetooth aims to steal Sonos’ thunder
In advance of Sonos' much-leaked launch of its first Bluetooth speaker, Bose has dropped its own portable smart speaker -- the $349 Bose Portable Home Speaker -- which looks like a virtual carbon copy of the expected Sonos product. It supports Alexa and Google Assistant and goes on sale in September.
Apple is readying noise-canceling AirPods and a cheaper HomePod
If you've wanted to buy Apple's popular AirPods but feel they're missing features like water resistance or noise-cancellation, and you also kind of wish Apple would drop the price of its HomePod smart speaker, you may be in luck. A new report says the company is prepping to do so in the coming months.
Apple Music takes a peek at what people are Shazaming for new weekly playlist
Taking on Spotify isn't easy, but Apple Music is making great strides, especially in the U.S. Now the streaming giant is hitting Spotify where its users live: A new weekly chart/playlist has been added to Apple Music and it's powered by the company's Shazam music identification app. Will it attract even more users?
Roku Channel adds a section just for kids, gives parents more control
The ever-expanding Roku Channel -- Roku's all-in-one free and paid online streaming service -- now has a section featuring kid-friendly programming from both ad-supported and subscription sources. It comes with a new way for parents to control what their kids watch in the form of a PIN-based filtering system.
Samsung’s quantum OLED plans could mean better, cheaper OLED TVs for all
If you love the way OLED TVs look, but have always been put off by the price, Samsung's latest announcement should give you hope: The company plans to start making QD-OLED TVs, which marry the advantages of QLED and OLED into a single TV. Apart from better TVs, the move could bring us cheaper OLEDs too.
Plex ends support for home theater PCs with new desktop app
Plex users who have traditionally relied on their PCs as an all-in-one solution for organizing and watching their media collection on the big screen may be in search of a new solution. Plex has announced it's killing off the Plex Media Player app, in favor of a version that no longer supports TV Mode.
Spotify may be considering higher prices for its music plans
Spotify is the world's most popular music streaming service. But would that still be the case if it raised its prices? That's something the company is reportedly thinking of testing on its home turf of Scandinavia, where it enjoys a healthy lead over its streaming music competitors.
The original Mac design team reimagines Apple’s AirPods. Would you wear them?
Most people would agree that if you were intent on redesigning Apple's mega-popular AirPods, you wouldn't make them more controversial-looking. And yet that's what the team from Frog Design has done — with a purpose. The fully open wireless hoops known as Unum, let people see your ears, which is the whole point.
The Roku Channel gets five new channels, including the free Fubo Sports Network
The Roku Channel is a great place to search for a variety of free, ad-supported movies and TV shows -- especially handy for cord-cutters who miss their cable subscriptions. But it also has a great collection of free livestreaming options. These now include more sports, news, and comedy, bringing the total to 30.
Look out! 3D TVs could be poised to make a surprising comeback
3D TV as a consumer technology has been all but dead since TV manufacturers abandoned it in favor of 4K, HDR, and QLED, all of which have led to stunning, but admittedly 2D images. But don't count 3D out just yet: A new holographic version of 3D that doesn't require glasses and can be seen from any angle is around the corner.
Spotify’s favorite speaker feature lets your tunes follow you with just a tap
Spotify appears to be testing a new feature that lets users select a favorite Spotify Connect speaker or TV and then have the app automatically prompt you to switch your listening session when it detects that device nearby. It's similar to a feature Apple has promised in iOS 13, with its HomePod.
Ditto lets you watch up to four sources of video at once on an Apple TV
Apple TV's screen mirroring feature is very handy, but also very limited. You can only mirror Apple devices and only one at a time. A new version of Squirrel's Ditto app for tvOS eliminates these restrictions. It's a fee-based service, but for some folks, it could make Apple TV far more useful.
CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox sue Locast, a free, nonprofit TV streaming service
In a story that his highly reminiscent of the legal battle that ultimately took down Aereo, Fox, CBS, ABC, and NBC are jointly suing Locast, a nonprofit that streams these TV channels for free over the internet. Adding fuel to this fire is AT&T's apparent support of Locast, to the tune of $500,000.
Android TV finally gets the full Hulu experience, including live TV
Hulu is a great streaming service with some very attractive prices and features, so it's no wonder Android TV users want in on the Hulu action. As of August 2019, they can do so with no limitations, now that Hulu has promised to update Android TV devices to the full Hulu experience including live TV.
Vizio updates even 3-year-old SmartCast TVs with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit
Vizio joins LG in updating its smart TVs with Apple's AirPlay 2 and HomeKit technologies. Unlike LG, Vizio is adding these features to a huge range of models, some of which date back as far as 2016. The features are contained with SmartCast 3.0 which starts rolling out to eligible TVs today.