Hardware

Happily, while the Air 100 looks like a Sonos, it also has similarly high build quality. The speaker grill covers the entire bowed fascia, though the Air 100 does offer more on-device controls and connections than its Sonos counterpart. Up top there’s power and volume keys, along with buttons to switch between Bluetooth and aux-in sources, as well as five preset keys for internet radio stations. If you’ve ever been frustrated by having to reach for your phone or tablet to manage a Sonos stream, the direct controls on the Air 100 could save you some time.

On the back, there’s an AC power input, bass control knob to adjust the lower frequencies, a WPS button for easier pairing with compatible routers, an ethernet port, “service port” that Cambridge Audio warns shouldn’t be used by owners, a 3.5mm aux-in port, and L/R RCA inputs for a CD player or other analog source. The Air 100 comes with a compact remote which can be used to tweak volume and bass, as well as flip between sources and up to ten internet radio presets.

Inside there’s a 100W amplifier and two 4-inch balanced mode radiator drivers, along with a WiFi b/g radio and Bluetooth. The Air 100 also supports Apple’s AirPlay, for direct streaming from iPads, iPods, and Macs/PCs running iTunes, while the Bluetooth aptX, SBC, and AAC codecs are supported for higher-quality streaming from other phones and tablets.

What you don’t get is any sort of docking station. There’s no way to physically connect your iPhone or iPad to the Air 100 to recharge it, though that does mean that there’s no messing with different 30-pin/Lightning dock connector plates and cradle adapters.

Usability

The Sonos-esque looks are deceiving. There’s no grouped playback support from the Air 100; unlike, say, a collection of PLAY:3 units, you can’t hook them all together and syncronize playback of a single track. Instead, each Air 100 is controlled in turn, either from the local buttons, the bundled remote (which is on the flimsy side, but functional), or the free iPad, iPhone, and Android apps.

Setup is straightforward, initially requiring you to connect your computer to a WiFi network hosted by the Air 100 to access its browser-based settings page and punch in your usual wireless network credentials. Then, you can access it via its IP address from any browser on the network; alternatively, you can go for a wired ethernet connection direct to your router, or hit the WPS button if your router supports it.

Cambridge Audio stores ten default internet radio presets to get you going, but changing them is a matter of opening up the MinxAir app on your phone or tablet and browsing through the list. Stations are sorted by location or genre, or you can search, and there’s a list of recently played streams along with shortcuts to your phone’s music app and Shazam, the app that identifies what’s playing by its musical fingerprint. If you’ve a Spotify account then you can stream tracks from that, too.

It doesn’t have to be internet music sources, however. Hit the Bluetooth button and the Air 100 automatically goes into pairing model; then it’s just a case of choosing the speaker from the list on your mobile device, and then starting playback. AirPlay works in a similar way, with the Minx speaker showing up as an AirPlay device from the menu in iOS or iTunes. We were quickly able to funnel music over to it from an iMac and then from an iPad mini.

Finally, there’s the analog options. If your media player doesn’t have Bluetooth, then you can hook it up to the 3.5mm input with a regular cable; the RCA inputs are ideal for a set-top box or CD player. Pressing the analog button switches over to those sources, though the Air 100 will automatically flick over to AirPlay or Bluetooth if those connections become active.

Performance

There’s a surprising amount of sound that comes out of the Air 100, given its 13.9 x 7.2 x 4.6 inch dimensions. Cambridge Audio calls its speaker technology “Balanced Mode Radiator” (BMR) but the important thing is that there’s an impressively broad soundstage during playback, though as with all single-box options the Air 100 lacks in stereo separation.

You don’t get an active subwoofer (and there’s no support for plugging in an external sub), with the carry-handle doubling as the passive bass output. Still, with some judicious tweaking of the bass knob we were able to coax low level sounds out that matched what the mids and trebles were doing, and comfortably fill a room with music without encountering distortion. Up next to a PLAY:3 we noticed a lack of the top-end sparkle that the Sonos achieves with its dedicated tweeter, but the Air 100 managed a healthy mid section with some nice stabs of bass along the way.

Wrap-up

At £329, the Minx Air 100 finds itself more expensive than the £259 PLAY:3 but competitive against other AirPlay speakers. In the case of the Sonos, you trade the potential for multi-room support and the slickness of Sonos’ remote experience for Bluetooth and native AirPlay support (though it’s worth noting that Sonos enabled direct playback of local iOS music with a late-2012 controller app update). The PLAY:3 also lacks the analog inputs; you need to step up to the £349 PLAY:5 if you want that.

Against something like the Libratone Zipp (£329), however, the Air 100 looks very solid indeed. It lacks the battery support of the Zipp, but makes up for it by throwing in Bluetooth. That makes the Cambridge Audio speaker a lot more interesting for cross-platform users, who aren’t entirely committed to Apple. The Air 100 js also more powerful and delivers a more fulsome sound than the smaller Zipp.

Yes, we’d still head straight to Sonos if we had any ambitions to outfit multiple areas of a house with music, but for bringing audio to a single location – whether kitchen, bedroom, or office – the Minx speaker covers all the bases in a convenient way. The physical controls make it user-friendly for those uninterested in digging into a smartphone app, while the iOS and Android app compatibility, as well as the presence of Bluetooth, suits it to a platform-agnostic household. It’s that versatility which gives the Air 100 the edge over other AirPlay systems.

However, the HBO Go app still requires an HBO cable subscription, so you’re out of luck if you thought otherwise. Kessler didn’t mention whether or not HBO plans to offer a paid version of HBO Go to users who don’t subscribe to HBO, but as of right now, he says that an HBO Go-only subscription just isn’t economically viable at this point.

The AirPlay feature will be added as an update to the HBO Go iOS app and for Cinemax’s MAX Go App, both of which should be set to go in the iTunes App Store. Kessler says that the company’s long-term goal is for the HBO Go app to be on all platforms, including the Apple TV, so hopefully it’ll only be a matter of time before everyone will have access to the app.

Of course, we’ve heard rumors earlier this month that we might be seeing an HBO Go app arrive on the Apple TV, and now it’s finally happening, although the timeline is still a bit blurry at this point. Apple sold over 2 million Apple TV units during this last quarter alone, so HBO will no doubt get a lot of exposure by releasing its app on Apple’s STB.

[via AllThingsD]

That way, rather than forcing users to open up an app on their phone or tablet, and on their smart TV or STB-enabled TV, and then make sure they’re paired together, it should be a one-button process. That’s pretty much what AirPlay does – automatically locating other AirPlay gadgets on the same network – but whereas Apple’s system is limited to the company’s own hardware, DIAL is being offered up freely.

Unlike AirPlay, however, DIAL doesn’t include any screen-sharing abilities; instead, that functionality will be left up to the app developers themselves to initiate, should they want to. Instead, it’s being positioned as broader than that, in the expectation that more developers will jump onboard if it’s more flexible.

What DIAL can do that AirPlay can’t, meanwhile, is prompt smart TV users to download and install relevant apps if they’re available, to unlock new features, as well as open up web apps on internet-connected sets. Chrome support may also be added, allowing the browser on your laptop to open up apps on your TV.

All well and good, but compatibility is the key to success, and there DIAL has something of an advantage already. According to Netflix, current-gen Google TV hardware already has support for DIAL, and there’s some support in 2012-range Samsung and LG sets; Sony is also expected to get onboard, since it and Samsung were apparently instrumental in testing DIAL during its development.

Netflix will be allowing DIAL adoptees to use the phrase “based on DIAL” in their branding, though will be licensing out use of the logo itself separately. There’ll also be a mandatory registry - which currently includes Pandora, Hulu, the BBC, Flingo, and more – for “first screen” apps (i.e. those shown on your TV) with DIAL support.

[via GigaOm]

The Skifta app is able at launch to be able to play media to itself (in-app) or to a third party player from your many multiple media sources. It’s able to create virtual DLNA channels with connections like Soma Radio. You’ll be able to work with the same remote “shift” and remote access capabilities as the Android version of the app.

Perhaps the most important bit that’s different here in the iOS app is the ability to interact with AirPlay devices. You’ll be able to “talk” to AirPlay devices, accessing media from one source (like a NAS drive with DLNA capabilities) and play to an AirPlay-capable machine. The user interface is also extremely similar to the Android version, the team behind the app intending this to be a “ground-up” Apple mobile device app, but still sticking with much of the same design decisions in the way you’ll see and touch the app.

So you select a media source, you select a device with which to play the media you’ve got on that first device, and you play away! This app is available in the App Store now - have a peek!

While that’s cool enough on its own, the OMNI AMP allows you integrate your legacy speakers into your sound system, so you don’t have to worry about ditching your old speakers (which we can’t imagine were all that cheap) just because you’re using a new wireless system. The OMNI AirPlay system also includes the ONMI Link, which is a “stereo receiver for any active amplified system.”

Next up we have the OMNI SP3i and the SP5i, which are both active three-way speaker systems that respectively feature 4-inch and 6-inch subwoofers. Rounding out the collection of equipment in the OMNI system is the OMNI Surface, which is comprised of active three-way, wall-mountable flat panel loudspeakers. That all sounds great, but the real winning feature here is the ability to set up a wireless sound system using both your new and old speakers. That’s sure to come in handy for people who have purchased a lot of audio components throughout the years.

During its time at CES, Behringer will also be introducing the iNUKE Boom Jr. This is obviously a smaller version of the original iNUKE Boom, only with this iteration, Behringer has ditched the dock in favor of Bluetooth, meaning more wireless functionality. It’s also AirPlay compatible, so you’ve got quite a few noteworthy features in the iNUKE Boom Jr.

At the moment, we’re not sure when Behringer will be launching all of this new audio equipment, nor do we have a solid price. Behringer says that it will be offering these “affordable” audio solutions at “projected price points” of $299 and below, though it didn’t part with any specifics. Look like we’ll just have to wait until the official unveiling at CES 2013 to find out more!

This version of YouTube once again solidifies Google’s presence in the iPhone and iPad, with it’s own logo and everything, too! Where for the first few years you were working with a build-in app for YouTube on your iPhone or iPad back when they came out, you’ve now got an app that’s entirely Google’s own. You’ll find that this version of the app takes what was originally launched back in September and boosts it up to a powerful new solidity – and what with 400 million devices working with the app as a potential, it’s more than past it’s due!

This app is available today globally wherever you can download and use YouTube regularly and will be working on your iDevice imminently if not instantly. This is by no means the final version of YouTube for iOS, instead acting as the new hero, with Google asking you, the user, to continue suggesting features they might implement in the future. You’re going to be able to now work with each of the screen sizes offered on iPad, iPhone, and everything in-between, and it’ll be perfect for your iPad mini – if you were wondering, that is.

This update will work as either an update or a new download if you’re in a position for one or the other, and will also continue to work with your Google profile for personalization. You can also pick up a brand new Gmail 2.0 download today as Google continues their rain down upon us with new versions of apps for Apple products.

That free app allows users to browse through music with cover art, adjust the volume and the tone of the speaker, and customize the digital signal processing to make the sound suit their tastes. The speaker has 20 W of power and a frequency response of up to 20 kHz. The outlet prongs are on the back of the speaker allowing the entire speaker to hang from the front of an outlet in any room.

The signal-to-noise ratio for the mobile speaker is 80 dB. It’s designed to work on 100 V to 240 V making it usable who in the US and abroad. The speaker is compact measuring 190 mm deep by 92 mm tall and weighing 0.42 kg. The speaker appears to only support Apple AirPlay enabled devices.

The speaker is available for pre-order right now for $199. That price includes free ground shipping. Exactly, when the SoundFly Air will, ship is unknown. JBL simply says that it’s up for pre-order and will ship when available.

That’s right, it’s made out of ceramic (porcelain, to be exact) and is also compatible with AirPlay. Plus, the octagonal shape of the speaker serves a crucial feature. By simply rolling the speaker to one of its six sides, it’ll change the audio channel of the surround sound. For example, you can lay it on one side to use it as a right-rear speaker, or roll it to another side to change it to a center speaker.

Obviously, the speaker has six different audio channels in total. The other four are right speaker, left speaker, left-rear speaker, and mono mode. In order to accomplish the change in the audio channel with a roll of the speaker, it has built-in motion sensors on the inside that detect when the speaker is at what position, and then activates the appropriate audio channel.

Obviously, porcelain breaks fairly easily when dropped, so we’re not sure how durable the speaker is, but it’s nice to see products being made out of porcelain other than toilets and Chinese dolls. Plus, the speaker looks incredibly nice and it would definitely look good sitting on anyone’s speaker shelf.

The Unmonday 4.3L speaker has special pre-order price of $499, with an estimated regular price of $700. Currently, the speaker still has 7 days to go in its Kickstarter campaign, which is where you can pre-order it now for the special $499. While the speaker shows as not yet reaching its funding goals, the company has said it received $1 million from a private investor, so the project is a go.

Hardware and Design

Libratone has been pushing its brand of quirky fabric-clad simplicity for a few years now, and the Zipp follows in the footsteps of the Beat we reviewed last year with more wool wrapping. A 10.2-inch tall, 4.8-inch diameter cylinder, the 4 pound Zipp has a whimsical leather handle and can be dressed up in one of eight different colors of outer sleeve.

These range from the sober – black or a pale grey – through to the more eye-catching, such as bright red or purple; each has a simple zip fastening running the length of the speaker. Libratone will offer individual Zipp models – in grey or red – at Apple Stores for $399/£329 apiece, or in three-pack boxes with either black/blue/red or black/pink/yellow covers and a single speaker for $449/£369. Additional covers are available from Libratone direct, priced at $49.95.

Under the Italian wool lurks the latest version of Libratone’s FullRoom sound technology, here paired with a single 4-inch bass driver and two 1-inch ribbon tweeters driven by 60W of digital amplification. Although that may sound like a 2.1 setup, Libratone insists on calling it “360-degree” audio, with no front/back or left/right, and the same quality of sound no matter where in the room you’re sitting.

That’s the same promise as the Libratone Beat, but whereas that model was stuck within cable range of a power socket, the Zipp can join you in the garden or on the go. An internal rechargeable battery means the Zipp can go entirely wireless, with Libratone claiming up to eight hours of runtime if you plug in your source direct, or half of that if you’re using AirPlay.

It’s not the smallest portable speaker, but it’s also not the most difficult to transport; certainly it’s easy to tote around the house, while we could see it getting packed into a rucksack with your next picnic too. The leather carry handle is a neat touch, and feels sturdy enough to swing the Zipp from; it also masks the majority of the ports and buttons on offer. While the power button and volume keys are on the top of the speaker, under the strap there’s a USB port, aux-in input, LEDs for battery and wireless status, a WiFi button, and a PlayDirect/Setup button.

PlayDirect

What’s PlayDirect, you ask? That’s Libratone’s alternative to AirPlay, based on Apple’s system’s little-discussed device-to-device WiFi support. Rather than demanding both iOS or OS X gadget and the Zipp be hooked up to the same wireless network, a direct connection can be established between the two. Unfortunately, because iOS doesn’t support simultaneous PlayDirect and WiFi internet access, using the out-of-the-box settings you’ll find your iPhone or iPad loses its data connection when you pair it straight to the Zipp.

That’s fine if you’re content to play back nothing but music stored locally on your phone, but an issue if you were hoping to stream music from Spotify, Pandora, or similar services. Libratone provides instructions to work around it (basically assigning a static IP address to the iPhone/iPad’s WiFi connection) but you can only then stream from internet services if your device has a 3G/4G connection. WiFi-only iPads are out of luck.

Of course, you can use AirPlay as normal, as long as there’s a WiFi router in-between to connect to – a distinct possibility in your home or garden; less likely when you’re at the beach – and hooking the Zipp up is straightforward. You can either plug in your iOS device via USB and have the Zipp suck the WiFi settings out, or you can navigate to the speaker in your computer’s browser and punch in the relevant details that way. Switching between AirPlay and PlayDirect is a simple matter of hitting each button on the Zipp, with it taking under a minute to reconnect; however, if you roam out of range of PlayDirect, it can take a power cycle of the speaker to get it paired up again.

It’s also possible to connect an iOS device via USB and play back music that way, and the aux-in port takes a stereo audio input from any external source – whether it’s your Android phone or an old Discman – you might have lying around. Still, the emphasis is most definitely on Apple’ ecosystem; you don’t get Bluetooth.

Performance

We used to have generally low expectations of portable speakers: battery powered generally meant mediocre sound. Since then, though, we’ve seen several attempts to supercharge mobile music, and so the Zipp has plenty to live up to. The most obvious rival is probably Jawbone’s BIG JAMBOX, though slightly smaller than the Libratone and eschewing AirPlay in favor of Bluetooth.

What the Zipp has as its main advantage is an active bass driver, rather than the passive bass radiators of the BIG JAMBOX. With that, the Libratone system sounds a whole lot more rounded and complete: trebles and mids are bright and broad, while the bottom end is enthusiastic but without the imprecision that can affect passive rivals.

Libratone is keen on its 360-degree sound concept, and it’s certainly less directional than traditional speakers. Where Sonos’ PLAY:3 works best when firing forward, into the body of the room, the Zipp can fill a space with less concern to its actual placement. On the flip side, though, there’s no way to pair two Zipp units together for actual stereo playback – as you can do with Sonos speakers – and the Zipp generally blurs the stereo channels together.

A companion iOS app allows for remote selection between seven different EQ presets – neutral, easy listening, soft, rock, jazz, movie, and live – with a separate setup tab for choosing between different placement positions. You can tell the Zipp whether it’s on a floor or a shelf, on a table, or outdoors, and even specify the distance from the walls and other more precise factors. Battery life came in at around the four hour promise from Libratone when we streamed from an iPad over PlayDirect.

Wrap-Up

Apple is pushing away from speaker docks and focusing on wireless audio, and the accessory industry is eager to oblige. Such systems have generally been more expensive than traditional, wired docks, but that’s also encouraged manufacturers to dress them up and make an altogether more “premium” experience.

On that front, the Libratone Zipp makes a convincing argument. The hardware is solid and distinctive, and the wool covers, though initially seeming gimmicky, make more sense when you think about being able to easily replace scuffed, ripped, or otherwise damaged sleeves that may get battered around while you’re on the move.

Most importantly, though, it sounds great. It may lack the simultaneous multi-room playback option of systems like Sonos, but it’s far more portable; that iOS doesn’t make coexisting PlayDirect and internet data connections straightforward is a blip on usability, but it’s one that will hopefully be addressed with new firmware. Unfortunately there’s no chance of adding in Bluetooth, which means the Zipp is unlikely to gain any great following among the Android faithful.

At $399 it’s a hundred bucks more than a BIG JAMBOX, but to our ears the audio performance is well worth the extra cash. Broad compatibility with Apple devices and appealing design make the Zipp a solid pairing to your iPhone or iPad, with the reassurance that it won’t be left behind when the next range of iOS devices appears.

In fact, Kiko gets the same proprietary algorithms as the company’s far more expensive network media players – Linn famously opted-out of CDs, persisting with turntables until it jumped directly to streaming systems, and then set up its own high-bitrate record label, Linn Records, to sell digital music of the quality it believed was required -  which are applied to its range of inputs. You get three HDMI and one S/PDIF, RCA phono, and a TOSLINK digital optical, together with ethernet for streaming from an internet service or your networked PC/Mac/NAS.  There’s also a 3.5mm aux-in and a headphone socket on the front panel.

The output is to the matching Kiko speakers, which pairs each driver with a 33W RMS amp and use a digital crossover. There’s also an HDMI output for your TV or projector. Various free apps, such as Kinsky for iPhone and iPad [iTunes link] are offered for remote control, media selection, and more.

Of course, Linn’s main rival isn’t B&W or Bose, whose AirPlay-compatible systems start to look cheap in comparison to the Kiko, but brands like Bang & Olufsen. The Danish company’s BeoPlay A9, for instance, is far more outlandish in its appearance than the Linn system, but costs roughly the same (though doesn’t have the same flexibility in streaming or connectivity).

Does that make the Linn Kiko a bargain? At £2,500 in the UK and around $3,390 in the US, it doesn’t come cheap, though you’re getting the culmination of several years of R&D not to mention in-house production of the curved aluminum casings (available in six colors).

Behind the fabric front there are two 3/4-inch tweeters and two 3-inch midrange units, which each get an 80W class D amp of their own to power them. Bass is taken care of by an 8-inch unit with its own 160W class D amp,  and there’s a bass reflex design to emphasize that.

B&O programs the BeoPlay A9 with three different modes, depending on positioning, whether you’ve got the speaker stood in the corner or freestanding the middle of a room, or wall-mounted. Six fabric cover colors are offered – silver, white, black, red, green, and brown – and three leg finishes, including oak, beech, and teak.

The touch sensor allows you to swipe up or down to change volume, while covering it completely mutes the system. Track selection and playlist management are done via the iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, and there’s a line-in and USB ports underneath.

Unsurprisingly for B&O, none of this comes cheap. The BeoPlay A9 will be priced at a hefty $2,699 when it hits stores in the second half of November.

Alternatively, there’s a wired audio input option, with the Zipp’s battery good for eight hours of play. It will also work with your PC or Mac, and there’s a Libratone app for iOS devices which allows equalizer settings to be tweaked.

As for the sound itself, Libratone’s FullRoom “360-degree sound” system is implemented again, with a digital amp powering dual ribbon tweeters and a system which basically fires out audio from all directions; there’s no front or back as such. It works reasonably well in our experience with Libratone’s Beat.

Like the Beat, though, none of this comes cheap. The Zipp is offered at $399 with a single wool sleeve, and will be sold in red and grey at Apple Stores from October. At the same time, Libratone will also be offering $449 bundles of a single Zipp and three extra covers, with either the black/blue/red or black/pink/yellow sleeves packaged together.

Docked, and your iOS device pushes out digital sound, or you can unplug when your battery is charged and switch over to AirPlay. There’s both optical digital and analog stereo outputs, as well as a composite video output.

Those using the DS-A5 with an Onkyo receiver can use the RI (Remote Interactive) port to remotely power up the A/V kit when they start AirPlay streaming from the iOS device. It also allows the DS-A5 to be controlled by a universal Onkyo remote.

Finally, the ethernet connection hooks up to a home network, and there’s support for streaming audio from iTunes on your Mac or PC. Onkyo says it will work with the iPhone 5, though since it uses the old-style 30-pin Dock Connector you’ll presumably need to wait until you can get a Lightning adapter next month.

The Onkyo DS-A5 iPod/iPhone/iPad Dock will hit shelves in October, priced at $199.

The app automatically searches for other nearby users – it can even create its own peer-to-peer WiFi link – and allows you to drag and drop files onto that user’s face (or into a group dropzone) to share files direct. You can send them the entire file in one go, or stream it to their iPhone or iPad display as a secondary screen, and the viewer can take snapshots of the presentation feed and annotate it. If there’s no WiFi available, it’ll fall back on Bluetooth instead.

Two versions of the hardware are in the works: AirBridge Pro has HDMI, VGA, 3.5mm audio-out and USB 3.0, with a microUSB port for charging its 3hr battery (though 8hrs is the target, if the Kickstarter raises enough). It can record mirrored video – such as an impromptu presentation you broadcast from your iPad – as an MP4 video onto a USB drive plugged into the base station, and streams mirrored video, over WiFi, to up to ten network-connected iOS devices.

The AirBridge Lite slims connectivity down to just HDMI and the 3.5mm audio-out, and supports cordless mirroring but no recording or ten-device streaming. As for the app, that can hook into cloud storage services like Dropbox, Box, and Skydrive, as well as authenticate via Facebook or LinkedIn. Altogether, up to 1080p HD resolution is supported.

Right now, AirBridge is compatible with all three generations of iPad and the iPhone 4/4S; mirroring requires an iPad 2, new iPad, or iPhone 4S. Given Apple is widely expected to switch to a new, smaller port as of the iPhone 5, the AirBridge team have made the docking connector modular.

Production is said to be possible within four months of funding completing – assuming AirBridge gets the ambitious $500,000 the company is looking for – with the round closing on October 20. A $99 pledge gets an AirBridge Lite once production starts; a $125 pledge steps up to the AirBridge Pro.

According to the sources, AirPlay Direct needs only speakers or a hi-fi device to work. That means you can stream your music to certified hardware without needing a Wi-Fi network. That will open a whole new realm of sharing, assuming the sources are accurate.

AirPlay Direct will allow you to stream music from your iPhone to a speaker system at the park or anywhere else where you don’t have access to Wi-Fi. The sources also claim that AirPlay Direct is a working title and the official name of the service could change. However, the sources report that the new service will be unveiled at the launch of the new iPhone rumored to take place on September 12.

Another tidbit from the sources indicates that Apple will be changing the iPod connector size commonly used on speaker docks. Apple is also said to be pushing AirPlay streaming on compatible docks so iPods don’t have to be connected. Most Android speaker docks currently support Bluetooth, and Apple appears to want wireless to be featured on most dock accessories. Changing the iPod connector on next-generation devices has to be good news for accessory makers since users will need to upgrade.

[via Telegraph]

The Powerline Music Extender also allows the user to stream music to speakers anywhere in the home from a smartphone, tablet, or Windows computer. Both Apple and Android hardware is supported for music streaming. Users can choose specific remote speakers in the home that are connected to the new powerline music extender and played music easily.

Mac computers and iOS devices use Airplay functionality for streaming music while PCs and Android devices need to download an app to stream music. The music can be streamed to any audio system or device that connects via RCA jacks. Apple users can also stream music throughout the house from services like Pandora, Spotify, or Deezer.

An available download for PCs allows the user to connect a Windows computer to a remote USB device located anywhere in the home thanks to the integrated USB port on the powerline adapter. The connected USB device can be anything from a printer to a hard drive. The adapter also has a pass-through outlet so you can still plug devices into your outlet. The Powerline Music Extender Starter kit sells for $139, and a single adapter sells for $99. Availability is set for October.

You can also use this system with your Mac or PC, all of it using iTunes and AirPlay technology to make the whole show go. You can also use Android smartphones and tablet as well as any number of web browsers from whatever device you’ve got handy to control your CasaTunes Music Server. There’s also a wall mounted CasaTunes Keypad you can use to work with music you’ve got stored locally.

David Krinker, CEO of CasaTunes notes that this CasaTunes Air system is made specifically for users who have “maxed out their wired solution but are still looking to add music in more rooms.” CasaTunes Air also supports a growing system with add-ons galore. This system, in fact, is an add-on for already existing hardware that CasaTunes already distributes. CasaTunes version 4 with CasaTunes Air is ready to go for all CasaTunes line of music servers.

Check out CasaTunes Air for 6-room solutions ranging up to your highest dreams, and head to our recent review of an alternate solution in this same realm, the PLAY:3 from Sonos, as picked up in multiples by our own Chris Davies and check our multiple solutions using AirPlay as well in the timeline below!

Pioneer has introduced three new wireless speakers in total, the the XW-SMA1, XW-SMA3 and XW-SMA4. The XW-SMA1 kicks things off as the cheapest of the three, offering two 3-inch speakers as well as “a ¾-inch soft dome tweeter”. Bass response has also been tweaked to get the best performance possible out of the speaker.

The XW-SMA3, meanwhile, is the same as its younger brother but adds in a rechargeable battery and ruggedized exterior for wireless music on-the-go. Pioneer say that you should be able to get around 6 hours of music playback out of this model with volume set to 50%, or around 4 hours if you crank it up to 11.

Finally, the XW-SMA4 commands a total of five speakers, which includes the aforementioned dual 3-inch speakers, a dedicated 4-inch subwoofer, and dual ¾-inch tweeters. Pioneer say that all three speakers should ship sometime in August, with prices set at $299 for the XW-SMA1 and $399 for the XW-SMA3 and XW-SMA4.

[via Engadget]

This updated device brings on a complete hardware redesign and allows the AirPort Express simultaneous dual-band Wi-fi. It looks one whole heck of a lot like the Mac Mini or the Apple TV now, and works with the same frequencies it had before, 2.4GHz and 5GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi, but can now work with both at the same time. Also this device works with two ethernet ports for wired connections and works with the same USB 2.0 and 3.5mm headphone jack as in previous models.

This refresh of the AirPort Express will cost you the same amount as previous versions have at $99 and is available from the Apple Store online right this second. Grab it immediately, and check the rest of our WWDC 2012 coverage through our giant WWDC 2012 portal all week long!

But besides streaming audio and video content from your Mac to other AirPlay-enabled devices, the introduction of Game Center on OS X Mountain Lion, also means that games can be streamed or mirrored. With AirPlay and Game Center now integrated into the Mac, users can play against other Mac users or even iPhone and iPad users.

With this integration, Apple can push more multiplayer games that work across both OS X and iOS so that users can play against each other whether they’re on a Mac computer, an iPhone, or an iPad. Apple demoed the fun in action on stage at WWDC 2012 with a racing game.

The RX-V773WA and the RX-V673 offer a balance in sophistication and simplicity. They boast robust performance, while making setup, control, and connectivity simple and convenient. The AirPlay support lets you stream from any iOS device, which can also be directly connected via USB on the front panel. An improved proprietary YPAO system makes it easier to calibrate and adjust amplifiers, while an upgraded system controller app makes it easy to control the AV receivers from an iPad or other iOS and Android devices.

Yamaha’s two new network AV receivers are also future-proof with support for 4K video pass-through using yet-to-be-announced source components that can deliver content with four times the resolution of 1080p. The models also offer 3D video pass-through with Audio Return Channel.

The flagship RX-V773WA is priced at $849.95, while the RX-V673 is priced at $649.95. For the full details on the new AV receivers, check out the Yamaha product page.

There’s also a 3.5mm audio input for third-party audio sources, and your iPhone or other iOS device operates as a remote control. What you don’t get, despite the WiFi, is support for non-AirPlay streaming unfortunately, which means Android users are out of luck.

Aesthetically, Logitech is pleased as punch with the UE Air Speaker’s piano black housing and curvy casing. Considering the price – and the fact that it’s up against the B&W Zeppelin Air with its luxury appeal – that’s something the company can’t afford to skimp on.

Connectivity also includes wired ethernet, though your iPad, iPhone or other device will have to be on the same network, only wirelessly. The Logitech UE Air Speaker is up for preorder now, priced at $399.99, with deliveries expected to kick off next month.

The iW2 sports a similar minimalist design and wireless capabilities to the iW1, but it’s about 25 percent smaller and costs $100 less at $199. The iW2 also doesn’t come with a rechargeable battery and is instead powered by an AC adapter. A remote control is included.

iPhones, iPads, and iPod touch devices can be connected to the iW2 for charging or music playback. However, the speaker does not offer a dock, so the devices are connected through a USB port on the back. The iW2 will begin shipping for $199 on April 1. iHome plans to release iW3 and iW4 AirPlay speakers for around the same price point later this spring.

[via CNET]

It’s important for a number of reasons: Bluetooth 4.0 has drastically reduced power consumption mode, suitable for devices such as watches and remotes. Range is also improved over older Bluetooth standards: theotrically devices could communicate with each other up to 200 feet.

Bluetooth 4.0 can already be found in various Apple devices, including the iPhone 4S, and now the new iPad. Potential uses could include streaming AirPlay over Bluetooth 4.0, which would allow Apple AirPlay devices to play nice when there isn’t a WiFi network available. The increased range, combined with low latency, means it’s feasible from a technical standpoint.

Even if you think a little smaller, the lower power consumption needs of Bluetooth 4.0 means that headsets or keyboards would require substantially less power, and thus recharges. Apple also provide the appropriate APIs needed to gain access to Bluetooth data for developers working on accessories.

More on the new iPad in our full hands-on.

Beyond Full HD, the big change for the new Apple TV is the iTunes in the Cloud support, allowing you to access movies and TV shows you’ve bought on other devices. They’re streamed in 1080p, though if your home connection or wireless network isn’t up to the task you can set the box to a 720p cap. Connectivity includes HDMI and WiFi a/b/g/n, along with 10/100 ethernet, an optical audio output and a microUSB port for firmware flashing.

Interestingly, inside is another new processor, a single-core variant of the Apple A5 that replaces the previous-gen’s single-core A4 chip. That likely means 1080p isn’t coming to the older model. It’s also worth noting that if you want to mirror the new iPad’s display on your Apple TV, you’re limited to 720p; 1080p is only supported on AirPlay streaming. Navigating menus is slick and pain-free, though streaming performance will obviously depend on your broadband connection.

Unfortunately there’s still no third-party app support, though the refreshed UI does make accessing third-party services like Netflix more straightforward. Still, as a companion to the new iPad it’s an interesting proposition: it’ll drop alongside the new tablet on March 16, priced at $99.

We’ve got more photos and video coming up, but the wireless networks aren’t playing ball – stay tuned!

The speaker will work the Panasonic remote control application for the iPhone simply called Panasonic Stereo System Remote 2012. The speaker is only 59 mm deep making it easy to place wherever you want. It has special sound technology called direct vocal surround in the speakers, and another feature called nano bamboo technology.

Nano bamboo technology uses a speaker made of fine bamboo fibers to produce high-quality sound with renewable materials. The direct vocal sound is designed to provide a three-dimensional sound field allowing you to hear clear vocals and instruments anywhere in the room. The speaker also has an integrated preset equalizer with settings for heavy, soft, clear, vocal, and flat. The speaker has 10 watts of power, measures 430 mm x 128 mm x 59 mm, and weighs about 1 kg. Pricing and availability outside Japan are unknown.

The most elegant – and simple to install – way, of course, would be to integrate an AirPlay receiver chip into one of the speakers, thus requiring only a power supply and a connection between the left and right units. That’s not how Systemline’s setup operates, however.

Instead, the speakers are routed via a CAT5 connection down to a wall-plate, into which both a power supply and an Apple Airport Express are plugged. It’s the Airport Express that handles the AirPlay magic, simply feeding into the wall-plate via an optical digital cable. Systemline does at least preconfigure the wireless on the Express to show up as “Systemline” on your iPhone.

On the plus side there’s flexibility: if you don’t want to use AirPlay, you can unplug the Express and jack in another source. Still, for £599 including tax ($948) – which gets you everything bar the iOS device – it’s an expensive way of hiding your AirPlay-enabled speakers.

Plug the Raspberry Pi into the TV, using the standard HDMI output, run the AirPlay app, and the iPad can select the cheap computer as a playback option for video. If you’re wondering, the creepy cows are from the infamous cyriak.

Although billed as a low-cost way for students to get to grips with programming and open-source hardware/software, Raspberry Pi is looking more and more interesting to everyone else, too. Back in August it was shown running Quake III, and now it looks like it could make for a capable little A/V streaming adapter too.

The first ten units went up for auction at the start of the month and brought the charity a pretty penny; however regular production has since started, with pricing at the far more reasonable $35.

[via Gizmodo]

There’s only 500 of these devices available in the entire world, ladies and gentlemen, and they’re going to cost you a whopping $1,099.99. If you prefer the non-limited edition, on the other hand, you can grab the DS9800W mentioned above for a slightly more affordable $799.99. You’ll be blasting hard, whatever you do, with SoundCurve technology for crystal-clear audio and FullSound technology to “restore sonic details” to compressed music. The 100W RMS total output power wont sound bad either.

The spherical nature of this device will make full use of your music, humming it out from your desk in full fashionable style. What do you think – gonna pay over a thousand bucks for a limited edition wood-covered speaker that’ll blow your mind with full AirPlay abilities for your iDevice? You could also, of course, head back down to the SoundSphereMini as well, that costing a cool $499.99 and rolling out with 50W RMS total output power.

The Mini will be available in March of 2012, the basic SoundSphere is out now, and the limited edition will be out in April 2012. Might as well grab em all!

The Party In A Box comes in a sleek black casing with aluminum accents and programmable multi-color perimeter lighting that looks sophisticated and yet is ready to party. It’s an omni-directional hybrid system featuring eight speakers with dual 6.5-inch subwoofers, two 3-inch midrange speakers, and four one-inch tweeters to deliver a powerful and balanced full range of sound.

The system uniquely bundles three wireless technologies, including Apple’s AirPlay, Bluetooth, and a 5.8GHz two-way transceiver that offers CD quality, uncompressed sound that can be synced with multiple Party In A Box units or with other wireless speakers. However, pricing and date of availability have not been announced yet.

As for the new headphones, SOUL is introducing seven new design and color concepts, including the SL300CG chrome gold and SL150CS chrome silver limited edition models. There’s also a new white and gold finish SL100GW and in-ear models with the SL49NB green and black, SL49RB red and black, SL49PW pink and white, and the SL99W white and platinum.

The Beolit 12 features a very compact form, designed by designer Cecilie Manz. It follows in the success of the BeoSound 8 system that offered docking for iPads, iPods, and iPhones along with premium sound, craftsmanship, and portability. With the Beolit 12, the company hopes to appeal to both its Bang & Olufsen following as well as to a wider audience with the system’s fashion-forward design, convenience, and price point.

The system supports Apple’s AirPlay technology, allowing users to wirelessly stream their iTunes music collections from their iPod, iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC. It also has a built-in power supply, rechargeable battery, and easily tucked away power cord for portability. At normal sound levels, the rechargeable battery can charge another device, such as an iPhone, and play back music simultaneously for up to 8 hours.

The Beolit 12 is set to arrive in Bang & Olufsen showrooms, the company’s online store, and in Apple Stores later this month. It will be available initially in dark gray, with additional colors of yellow, blue, and light gray to arrive in spring.

[via B&O]

Connectivity includes both WiFi and ethernet, and there’s a digital audio output socket to hook up a separate amp system along with an analog input for non-Apple PMPs. On the front is an iPhone/iPod touch/iPod dock for local playback, or alternatively you can stream using AirPlay from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or iTunes on a PC or Mac.

Two way sync means you can use the volume controls on the Contour 200i Air itself to adjust the settings on your Apple device, and Pure throws in a remote control as well. The company also offers the Pure Lounge app, to tune in to internet radio through your iOS device, as a free download from the App Store.

The Pure Contour 200i Air will go on sale in March 2012 for $329.

The iW4 AirPlay Wireless model comes in a sleek black chassis and works with your iPad, iPhone, or iPod. With AirPlay, you can easily stream your iTunes collection to the speaker dock over your home WiFi network. The iP18 is more whimsical, featuring a cube design that glows with color-changing LEDs. It has a smaller footprint and only works with your iPhone or iPod.

The iD50 model is an app-enhanced Bluetooth clock, radio, and speaker dock, compatible with your iPad, iPhone, or iPod. The iW4, iP18, and the iD50 are priced respectively at $269.99, $69.99, and $169.99. The devices will debut at CES, but likely won’t be available until sometime later this year.

[via PCMag]

If you haven’t got a wireless-enabled device, then you can either hook up via the analog composite input or the USB port. The latter also recognizes memory sticks, PMPs and hard-drives loaded with MP3, WMA and WAV files.

As for the Samsung Audio Dock DA-E670, that has a 40W amp – though no vacuum tube tech – driving a 2.1 speaker system. Connectivity includes an aux-in port and Bluetooth, along with a USB port, AllShare and AirPlay just like its more complex sibling.

No word on pricing or availability at this stage, though we’ll know more at CES next week.

The Airtight app costs $0.99 and lets you stream non-DRM movies to your TV via your iPhone, iPad, or any other Airplay-enabled device. It works with the Logitech Revue or Sony devices with the latest Google TV update that supports Android Market.

However, the app is still in beta and can only stream videos and photos at the moment. It doesn’t yet support features such as music and mirroring. It also isn’t sanctioned by Apple, which could take legal action to prevent Airtight from using AirPlay technology for Android devices.

[via TechCrunch]

It allows you to control your iTunes music using an Apple smart device like the iPhone. The speaker uses Klipsch’s famous horn-loaded technology in a thin speaker for better sound. The speaker is in a thin cabinet with a minimalist design that is glossy black in color. I am not a fan of glossy finishes since they tend to gather dust and fingerprints.

The G17 is designed to be wall mounted or placed on a table or desk using the included smoked glass base. The speaker is 17-inches long but makes big sound. It will work with just about any iPod on the market along with the iPhone and iPad. The biggest downside is the price at $549.99 each.

With the new chip, the Apple gear will be able to stream music over WiFi using Airplay and will be able to stream to devices using Bluetooth 4.0 as well. That would allow Airplay devices to work together when there is no WiFi network present. AirPlay already has limited support for Bluetooth as it is now using the AD2P protocol.

The new Bluetooth 4.0 push hasn’t been confirmed by Apple, but considering Apple is on the Bluetooth SIG board of directors it would be easy to see this coming. The good thing about Bluetooth 4.0 is the relatively long range of 50M, and the fact that it uses little power and has low latency as well.

[via 9to5Mac]

The connectivity is fast enough that the content on the external display be it video or games and other stuff is shown in in real time. That is particularly important if you want to play video games on a larger screen. The demo video at the end of this shows the developers playing Angry Birds and other content and what happens on the phone happens at the same time on the larger display.

The Xbounds device supports a lot of features and has tech that allows the user to zoom in and still get clean and clear graphics. This is a very cool little device and will let you sit on the couch and shoot that video content out to your TV. The Xbounds also supports multiple player gaming. The dev kit for the Nexus S and the HDMI dongle needed sells for 998 euro and the consumer kit will sell for 99 euro according to Al Sutton. The Xbounds system uses Dream Chip inside and supports encrypted WiFi networks.

[via Twitter@ al Sutton]

This device also has DNLA 1.5, vTuner Internet Radio, and built-in wi-fi connectivity. You’ll be able to see all the action on the integrated 2.5-inch color LCD screen and the whole system is made to work with the free Apple Remote app for ultra-simple control. You can sync your DLNA-certified PCs and hard-drives to work with Music Tap to wirelessly stream music that way, and vTuner Internet Radio will give you access to thousands of internet-base radio stations from all around the world.

There’s another function in here that you can use in collaboration with another free app from the iTunes App Store, that being Air Jam, which when installed on each of your Apple devices allows up to four of them to be connected via Bluetooth to your Music Tap. With this setup you’ll be able to make a group playlist to play on your Music Tap – party time! Have a peek at this video to see what this whole thing is really about, then pick it up from Pioneer for $399.00 instantly.

The AirGo Outdoor Sound Station can be used as a permanent outdoor speaker system unlike other shiny AirPlay-equipped systems we’re used to seeing that are meant to sit pretty indoors. The AirGo provides a powerful amplifier and wide soundstage perfect for your deck, patio, lawn, or driveway. You can stream music from your iTunes collection on your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac or PC.

And since the AirGo uses an AirPort Express for its AirPlay connectivity it can also help extend your home WiFi network and act as a portable WiFi hotspot. This specialized speaker system, however, doesn’t run cheap and is priced at $399.

[via Wired]