Samsung’s new 8K display chip could shrink bezel sizes to nothing
As the 8K revolution gets underway, Samsung is looking to a new display chip to improve the way 8K TVs perform, and how they can be built. By reducing the number of components needed, the new 8K chip could result in 8K TVs that have virtually no bezel, bringing the super high-res displays in line with 4K TVs.
Vizio opens beta sign-ups for SmartCast 3.0 with AirPlay 2
At CES 2019, we learned that several major TV manufacturers would be adding AirPlay 2 compatibility to their lineups. Vizio was among this small list, and now appears it will be the first to launch it. The company has opened sign-ups for the beta of SmartCast 3.0, which will enable AirPlay 2 later this year.
Roku adds premium subscription options to its Roku Channel
The Roku Channel has been offering Roku users a big collection of ad-supported content for over a year. Now, that service is being augmented through the availability of add-on premium subscriptions to services such as Starz, Showtime, and Epix. The service is expected to be available on all Roku devices within weeks.
Speaker specialist Sonos reportedly plans to launch its own line of headphones
Could it be that Sonos, a company that has only made speaker and speaker-powering products since its inception, is finally ready to build it own headphones? That's the rumor that's circulating, and if true, it would signify a new chapter in the Sonos story, one that would take it outside the home for the first time.
Spotify adds artist-blocking feature, despite its denials
Though it continues to claim you can't do it, there's lots of evidence that Spotify has added an artist-blocking feature to its platform, making it easy for users to never hear a specific musician or band on any of the company's playlists, collections, or radio stations. But what does this mean for artists?
Report: Spotify preparing to launch $100 in-car streaming device
According to a report, people familiar with Spotify's plans say the company is readying a dedicated in-car music streamer that will cost $100. The device will work with any Bluetooth-enabled audio system and can be controlled by voice. No word on when such a device will launch.
Plex is the latest player to contemplate the subscription streaming game
With massive reach thanks to its client app being supported virtually every media device on the planet, Plex is now looking at the future of its media curation platform. That future likely involves more partnerships with subscription services like Tidal, but a free, ad-supported option could come, too.
Dolby’s secret recording studio app may soon exit stealth mode
In secret testing since June, Dolby's stealth recording and social network app may soon be ready to make an appearance if reports are correct. Dolby 234, as it is known at the moment, blends unique noise-canceling tech with Instagram-like audio filters, and a social component.
Walmart abandons its plans for a streaming Netflix killer
Rumored plans for a Walmart owned, Vudu-labeled Netflix streaming killer have been shelved according to a new report from CNBC. Apparently Walmart got cold feet after it looked at just how much money it would need to invest in original content in order to successfully compete with Netflix.
How much are the initials ‘LV’ worth? $700 if you put them on your earphones
In the world of high fashion, a few brands can always be counted on to charge premium prices. Louis Vuitton is one of these brands. The Vuitton-branded truly wireless earbuds look divine but sound the same as earbuds that cost $700 less. But what's $700 when you can wear LV in your ears?
Spotify adds simplified Car View mode for Android users
What was once just a test is now a reality: Spotify is rolling out a new, simplified in-car user interface for all Android users called Car View. It automatically engages when the app detects a car Bluetooth connection, but it's not compatible with auxiliary or USB connections for now.
Cord-cutting has grown by 48 percent in 8 years, according to Nielsen
People are continuing to ditch cable (14 percent of U.S. homes now participate in the trend) but not all cord-cutters are the same. In fact, there are two distinct groups within the cord-cutting universe, with a very small, yet growing third group that's worth paying attention to.
Roku adds automatic sign-out mode, for those with regular houseguests
Being able to use a Roku device for streaming your favorite shows while staying at a hotel or Airbnb is awesome. What is less awesome is leaving yourself signed in after you leave. Thanks to a new automatic sign-out feature, this fear should become a thing of the past for both hosts and guests alike.
Sling TV offers free shows, a la carte subscription channels to Roku users
Cord cutters rejoice! If you are among a select group of Roku users, Sling TV will be giving you free TV shows and the option to subscribe to individual channels without having to subscribe to the company's base level of channels. It also has some new features for finding the content you want.
Polk Audio’s Command Bar joins Alexa’s multiroom music party
Polk's Command Bar is a home theater soundbar with Alexa built in. But with a new update, it can also be grouped with Amazon's Echo products, and other third-party speakers, to produce a sophisticated multi-room, whole-home sound system, all of which can be controlled by your voice.
Smart speakers the likely cause of Chromecast Audio’s untimely demise
Goodbye Chromecast Audio, we hardly knew you. Google confirms rumors that it has killed Chromecast Audio, the inexpensive wireless dongle that let people stream music from their phones, tablets and laptops to any audio system they owned. Sales of smart, and Bluetooth speakers are the likely cause.
Optoma’s all-in-one laser projector gives you 120 inches of 4K for $3,000
All too often, getting a really big image size for your home theater has meant dropping tons of money on a large TV, or putting up with the compromises of a decent projector. Optoma's new P1 4K laser projector bucks that trend by offering up a 120-inch image that's plenty bright, and costs less than many 4K TVs.
Beyerdynamic’s Lagoon ANC cans combine customization, noise cancellation
No two people are alike, or hear sound the same way. This may explain why a growing trend at CES is sound-customization software. Beyerdynamic introduced this feature in 2017, and now it's taking another shot at it with its new-for-2019 noise-cancelling Bluetooth Lagoon ANC headphones.
Crosley’s RSD mini-turntable is a 3-inch player made just for Record Store Day
What's cooler than playing retro albums on a vinyl turntable? Playing retro tracks on a tiny, 3-inch turntable. At least, that's what Crosley Radio is hoping, as it lays out plans to revive a very obscure -- and very small -- vinyl format that has really only had one champion: Jack White.
Panasonic shows off first 4K OLED with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ at CES 2019
Panasonic has been mostly absent from the American TV market for some time now, but it hasn't been ignoring TVs altogether. Its latest 4K OLED TV promises some of the best color accuracy to date, and has support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, making it the first OLED TV to do so.
Tablo’s new auto ad-skip feature might change cord-cutting forever
The best part about free, over-the-air TV is that you watch and record your favorite shows without paying a dime to the cable companies. But needing to skip ads on DVR recordings still isn't as much fun as watching Netflix, which is why Tablo is going to let its users skip them automatically.
Vava’s 4K laser projector delivers 150 inches of cinema-grade video for under $4K
Laser projectors showed up in a big way at this year's CES, wowing us with their brightness and super-large image sizes. Vava, a company that is less than five years old, has one too. The price seems right, but does it have what it takes to compete with the majors? Read on to find out.
Cambridge Audio’s Alva TT makes zero compromises as a wireless turntable
Wireless turntables so far, have offered convenience at the cost of sound quality, something no audiophile should put up with. Cambridge Audio's Alva TT is the first Bluetooth model that doesn't force such a compromise, thanks to its hi-res aptX HD BT codec. It's a match made in hipster heaven.
Samsung debuts its monster 98-inch QLED 8K TV at CES 2019
There's 8K and then there's 8K. The difference? Size. At least, that's what Samsung appears out to prove with its latest announcement from CES 2019: A massive, 98-inch 8K QLED TV. Though there's no word on price, we do know it will have AirPlay 2, and an exclusive Apple partnership at launch.
Silicondust launches dedicated DVR storage devices for cord cutters at CES 2019
Cutting the cord using Silicondust's OTA receivers has always been an easy and inexpensive option. But the company's DVR functionality has required hard drive space on a computer or NAS drive for it to work. That changes with two new storage-based devicesthat make the service easier to use than ever.
Is Hisense’s 100-inch, RGB three-laser TV the ultimate home theater centerpiece?
Hisense debuted its first Laser TV, ultra-short-throw projector a year and a half ago. Now, at CES 2019, the company unveiled a dual-laser version and a remarkable three-laser, RGB projector capable of 3500 ANSI lumens, 4K, HDR, and a massive color gamut. We give you an up-close look here.
Hisense shows off triple-laser TV, 1-inch thick LED at CES 2019
Hisense, the Chinese company known for its value-priced TVs has shown up at CES 2019 with some interesting innovations in display technology, including a triple-beam laser TV, and a 1-inch thick LED TV that uses the screen as the TV's speaker. It also showed off updates to its existing line of ULED TVs.
TCL goes big, rolls out a 75-inch 8K QLED Roku TV at CES 2019
You might only just be getting used to 4K, but the resolution ride is far from over. The proof is TCL's new 8K Roku TV which the company debuted at CES 2019. Known for producing high-quality TVs on the cheap, this new 8-series Roku TV could be the model that ushers in the 8K age.
Sony debuts its massive Master Series 8K consumer TV at CES 2019
When Sony showed off its first 8K prototype at CES 2018, we were blown away by the intensity of its HDR brightness, and excited to see it come to market. That day is here, and Sony's new 8K TVs come in huge, 85- and 98-inch sizes. With 4x the resolution of 4K, these new projector-class TVs are very impressive.
Dish is building Google Assistant right into its Hopper DVRs
For most of 2018, you've been able to control your Dish Hopper set-top box, through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. But coming soon, you won't need a third-party device to make this happen, as Dish will be building Google's Assistant right into its popular set-top boxes.
Panasonic puts new spin on legendary turntable, shows off headphones at CES 2019
It's been years since Panasonic updated the legendary DJ classic, the SL-1200 direct-drive turntable, but CES 2019 is the temporary home of the SL-1200MK7, hich featureas a slew of improvements. It also released a series of new Bluetooth headphones, for active lifestyles and audiophiles alike.
Mobile audio gets an upgrade thanks to new Sonarworks apps
Sonarworks is used by audio engineers around the world to get more accurate sound from their headphones. That same tech has been available for a year to consumers under the True-Fi brand, but only on desktops. Today, the company added Android and iOS apps for the same abilities on mobile devices.
Mobile masters: Tidal’s better-than-CD MQA tracks come to Android
Audiophile-grade music tracks and streaming music services don't come together very often, and when they do, it's not always easy to find a device that will play these files. Today that changes, with Tidal's announcement that its Android app will now decode its master-quality MQA tracks without any additional hardware.