280W of that comes from the class D amplifier in the subwoofer, which automatically adapts its output to the shape and size of the room. Each of the satellite speakers gets 140W to play with, and tips the scales at 800g. Formed from pressure-treated aluminum – in fact 170 tons of pressure is involved – they can be fitted with a choice of six colored fabric fronts.

The subwoofer body comes in white only, though the top fabric section can be switched out to match with your decor. Hooking up to a B&O surround-capable TV is a matter of plugging in the A/V multi connector, but you can also use an A/V receiver and any other brand of TV or projector.

Since you might not want to hide the vase-like sub under a table or behind the sofa, as per many blockish rivals, B&O includes a “positioning dial” which can quickly set it to the right sort of settings for whether it’s in the corner, against a wall or bookcase, or in the middle of the floor. There’s also peak volume protection, so that none of the cones burst from unexpected highs.

B&O says the BeoLab 14 surround sound speaker system is on sale globally this week, priced at €2,995 ($3,855).

Hardware

What VIZIO delivers with this system is a fully ready-for-action system, the box containing both the cables for the speakers and the gear necessary for your to mount the speakers if you do so desire. Of course you’ve also got the option to set the bar at the base of your television if you’ve got it on a television tablet station, and your subwoofer certainly needs to sit on a flat surface.

But your satellite speakers just beg to be hooked up to the corners of your room, angled directly at your head, and so forth. In the box you’ve got two satellite wall mount brackets with the attachment screws you’ll need to mount the satellite speakers to them. These satellite speakers aren’t wireless, you should note, each of them need to be connected to the sound bar in order to blast sound. The wireless connection exists between the subwoofer and the sound bar – up to 60 feet of space can exist between them – though the signal is best under 30 feet, and in the clear, too.

Once you have the wireless connection in place, each satellite speaker is connected to the subwoofer with a single RCA cable. The sound bar is also able to be connected to your television with as little as a single cable, if you like. The back of the bar has a USB port, a digital optical audio in, coaxial in, a single analog audio in port and a set of analog audio in ports.

Each of these inputs are seen by the sound bar as a different option accessible by the set of buttons on the far left of the unit or through the system’s remote control. Because of this, you’re able to connect several devices to the bar at once, choosing between them if you’ve got a need for such a thing.

Button controls on the side of the sound bar include five separate clickers, one each for power, input, and Bluetooth input, with one button for volume up and one for down. You’re able to “wake” the system from its low power “sleep” after it’s not been in use for an extended time by pressing the power button or by tapping a volume up or down button. This set of buttons is easy to get used to, but we’d have preferred some physical differentiator between the set to more easily tap at once.

The remote control works with a digital display that contains one of our other – admittedly very few – complaints in that it doesn’t seem to light up enough to be read in the dark. While it’s nice to be able to see which option is being selected, in-the-dark movie adjustments will be limited to what you’ve memorized for controls. If that’s just volume adjustments and track controls, you’ll be good to go. The controller itself is a conveniently small size and has a soft-plastic bottom, making it a comfortable experience – and again, one easy to get used to for sound control.

Sound

Each channel in this system’s surround speakers works with 1 x 2.5″ full-range driver. The subwoofer works with a 6″ throw (high excursion) driver and the full system has 102dB sound pressure with what VIZIO says is less than 1% total harmonic distortion. The sound bar works with 3 channels, left and right, each of the three tweeters coming in at 3/4” each. This the system is rounded out with a set of Center Channel 2 x 2.5 full-range drivers.

You’ve got a pack of software compliments to the hardware delivery here with features like DTS Circle Surround, DTS TruVolume, and Dolby Digital / DTS Digital Surround for audio decoding. Needless to say, this system can get loud. There’s really no arguing that.

The delivery you’re going to get with this setup depends a lot on the machine you’ve got feeding it, of course, but in testing each of the inputs with different devices – and not just televisions – we’ve found the end product to be generally well balanced. If you’ve got a child sleeping in the room next to your television attached to a VIZIO S4251w 5.1 Sound Bar system, you may have trouble finding a balance between too quiet and too loud.

Adjusting for bass, moving the sound around to the system’s satellites, and taking a bit of time to optimize the sound for your chosen room will correct for this sort of situation. Also helping with this situation is DTS TruVolume – made specifically to provide a consistent volume no matter the media. Making sure you understand how to work with TruVolume as well as this system’s adjustment abilities is vital for a superior sound experience.

Wrap-up

This system delivers the best of what your HDTV, stereo, or any other sound-blasting device is capable of. The VIZIO S4251w 5.1 Sound Bar system delivers an immersive sound experience that’s not just good for the relatively inexpensive package it’s delivered to the market with: it’s worth more than it costs ($329.99 USD, if you’d like to know). It’s not often that we can say such a thing for a device here in an age when a product is replaced by a newer, more powerful version of itself in no time flat: VIZIO delivers a product you’ll be satisfied with for many years to come.

Sound quality is something you’re not going to want to skip when you’re aiming for a full home theater experience. VIZIO delivers a powerful solution in the S4251w 5.1 Sound Bar system, one that’s not to be overlooked.

The portable speaker is designed to be very compact and lightweight yet provide big sound. The physically small device measures 24 x 10.5 x 5.1 cm, yet produces 40 W of power using three digital amplifiers. Inside the small enclosure are three individual speakers.

The three speakers allow the device to provide 2.1 stereo sound across the frequency range. The speaker system has two combined midrange driver/tweeters each getting 10 W of power and a subwoofer that gets 20 W of power. The woofer also benefits from enhanced bass thanks to a space-saving bass reflex tube.

Another interesting feature of the portable speaker is that it has an integrated voice optimized microphone to allow the Speaker 2go to act as a hands-free speakerphone on the go. The speaker has an aluminum frame making it more rugged than some plastic offerings on the market. Wireless range of Bluetooth speaker is 10 m and has a 3.5 mm stereo jack. You can also charge devices directly from the speaker using its built-in USB port. The speaker will launch in June for £269.

[via Loewe]

Computer peripheral maker Gigabyte has now announced what it claims to be the world’s first USB 3.0 speakers. The speakers are called the Gigabyte GP-S3000. The speakers get the connectivity they need to play music and audio from your computer via USB 3.0 port, and they also get power from the USB port as well.

One of the biggest benefits to plugging a pair speakers into a USB 3.0 port compared to a USB 2.0 port is the amount of power available. The USB 3.0 port offers up to 900mA of power, which means speakers with bigger amplifiers for bigger sound can be connected and draw power from the USB 3.0 port. The speakers aren’t officially available yet, so Gigabyte is withholding some the specifications.

The speakers are expected to be high-end offerings and they do have all the controls needed on one speaker housing. The speakers will come with a black housing or white housing. Other key details we don’t know at this point are when the speakers will be released and how much they will cost.

[via EverythingUSB]

Meridian says that the DSP520 is built to offer the best performance possible out of a loudspeaker, with the drivers mounted into the front extrusion of the speaker enclosure. There’s also a separate case that houses the electronics and amplifiers for the speaker. The speaker can be mounted either vertically (pictured above) or horizontally.

The new speaker model can also be paired with other Meridian speakers as well, including other DSP in-wall models like the DSP640 loudspeaker and the DSW500 subwoofer. It can also be paired with any of Meridians freestanding speaker options. What perhaps most impressive is that the DSP520 is just 7.8 inches thick, meaning that it’ll fit into any wall nicely without too much of a problem.

However, these speakers don’t come cheap. You’ll be laying down a whopping $5,000 per speaker, which can certainly add up if you’re planning multi-speaker setups in your living room. However, it’s not everyday when you come across a speaker that’s made for being mounted inside walls. Of course you could DIY a method to stuff a normal speaker into a wall, but we digress.

The wireless Bluetooth speaker is specifically designed to fit into a water bottle holder on a bicycle. The speaker is covered in a durable nonslip shock absorbing TPU coating. The coating helps the speaker survive drops and vibrations from rough terrain while riding a bike.

The wireless speaker is IP4X rated for weatherproof construction allowing it to survive rain, water, and sweat. The speaker grills are also dustproof. The device uses dual 40 mm drivers promising rich and clear audio with amplified acoustics for loud environments. Each of the speakers uses an omnidirectional diffuser providing music in all directions for 360-degrees of sound.

Scosche promises deep bass from the boomBOTTLE thanks to a large passive subwoofer housed in a tuned and ported enclosure. The device will work with any smartphone or other device featuring Bluetooth and has a range of 33 feet. Rubberized buttons on the wireless speaker allow you to skip tracks and adjust volume. The internal rechargeable battery is good for up to 10 hours of continuous playback per charge. The gray version of the speaker is available right now for $149.99. Green, yellow, pink, and blue versions will be available online in May.

[via Scosche]

THe FS1 Air has a very compact design, meaning its designed to fit into any area in your home or in your office. It has Class HD Technology, an amplifier that delivers high power density and high efficiency, combined with a Digital Signal Processor, which controls the equalization and crossover of your music, to create the best performance possible and best tone quality for your music.

Of course, if you don’t want to wirelessly stream your music to the Scuderia FS1, you can always plug your music device in via the 3.5mm jack available on the device, or dock your iOS devices on the 30-pin connector. The Scuderia FS1 Air Speaker Dock was inspired by the Scuderia Ferrari racing team, as well as the Ferrari itself. You can tell by the speaker’s beautiful curves, black and red color scheme, and the quality of music the device can produce.

Ashvin Patel, CEO of Logic3, says, “We designed the FS1 Air to offer a sophisticated solution that provides a crisp and powerful audio experience.” We first heard about the Scuderia FS1 Air Speaker Dock way back at CES this year. Previously, we expected the device to cost about $549.00, however, the price has been confirmed to be $649.00. It’s quite expensive for an audio dock, but it’s something audiophiles will want to have in their collection.

The patent in question was filed in 2008, and involves speaker technology that provides sound output boost and that enables a speaker to be connected to TVs and computers. According to THX, Apple uses this technology in many of its devices and in doing so has caused it to lose money and suffer “irreparable harm.”

In the complaint filed, THX seeks for Apple to either fork over money in compensation for the losses and damage THX says its alleged infringement has cause, or to stop using its patented technology and to agree to a reasonable royalty. Given the products Apple allegedly uses the technology in, it is reasonable to assume that monetary damages could be a substantial sum.

THX originated as a way to make sure that the audio in Lucas’s Star Wars movies could be properly produced outside of the theater. The company did this by establishing standards, as well as a certification for sound systems, reports Bloomberg. Not surprising, Apple declined commenting, while THX said that it doesn’t discuss pending legal issues.

[via Bloomberg]

The speakers feature true stereo audio when listening to music or watching videos on the HTC One without headphones. Plus, it’s enhanced with Beats Audio (obviously). Of course, this is one of the big features of the new phone, and it truly revolutionizes audio on smartphones, where in the past most devices only have a mono speaker on the back.

Along with the speakers are dual microphones that allow for HDR sound recording in order to produce clear and undistorted audio. HTC says you’ll be able to take this thing to a concert and record great live audio from the event, something that most smartphones today have a serious problem with. Of course, we’d have to test that theory out before we believe it.

HTC has also made a new music player that uses the cloud to deliver lyrics and other song information to users. It seems pretty straightforward and self-explanatory, but that seems to be all the info on that at this point. HTC’s current music player isn’t terrible, but it’ll be nice to have a fresh new look and more features added on.

The entire package comes with the base, three speakers, AC power cord, and a 3.5mm audio cable — all of which costs $299. The speakers themselves are cubes that measure six inches all the way around, and the base for which they sit upon is about an inch tall and a foot-and-a-half long. These definitely don’t take up a lot of space, so if you’re looking for a set of compact speakers, these can definitely be in the running.

Setup is fairly straightforward and it involves simply just turning everything on, pairing the speaker base with your Bluetooth-enabled device, and you’re off to the races. Turning on the base will make it discoverable over Bluetooth, and then each speaker has its own power that you can toggle for each, so if you don’t happen to need all three speakers, you can just turn on one or two and use those, leaving the third one charging on the base if you want.

Turning on each of the speakers will reveal a soft LED glow underneath the speakers around the outer edge. This is an amazing design feature that we really dig, and it gives the system a little added personality when you’re blasting your tunes. Unfortunately, when the speakers are turned on, there’s a faint humming noise that comes from each speaker. You don’t hear it at all when you have music playing, but if you pause the music, and you’re in a quiet house, you’ll be able to hear the buzzing from a bit of distance.

The Bluetooth range is about 25 feet according to Bem, so you’ll be fine if you’re in the same room as the base, but you definitely won’t be able to have control from across the house. In my 800 square foot apartment, I was able to control it from anywhere in the living room, but once I started to make my way back to the bedroom, it started to cut out at random points. Having the base placed in the middle of the apartment definitely helped with that, but if you have a bigger living space, you’ll want to think about placement and where you’ll use it the most. On the other hand, the speakers have a huge range, with a 120-foot max distance from the base. Anywhere I set the speakers, they were all able to pick up a signal. I had one in the bedroom, kitchen, and the living room — great for doing chores all around the house without having my music fade in and out.

Of course, if you don’t want to use Bluetooth, you can use the included 3.5mm audio cable and plug directly into the base. This will save on your device’s battery life, as well as increase the quality of the audio a bit, since you’re going through a hard wired connection There’s also an auxiliary-out port for effectively turning another pair of speakers that you have lying around into Bluetooth speakers, although you’ll have to keep the base nearby since that’s what you’re plugging into, but it’s a great way to turn some high-powered speakers into wireless speakers with Bem’s Speaker Trio base.

As for speaker quality, the Speaker Trio won’t replace your dedicated stereo system (if you even have one). First off, the speakers aren’t that big, so you won’t get that punchy bass that we know you love. Plus the music is being sent over Bluetooth, which will degrade the quality of the audio before it even gets to the speakers. Nonetheless, the audio doesn’t sound distorted, and if you’re not a hardcore audiophile, the speakers don’t sound too bad, frankly. They certainly beat using your laptop or mobile device speakers for sure.

Bem claims that each speaker gets around 6 hours of battery life, which should be enough to get through an average house party, unless you party really hard, in which case you probably have a high-wattage boombox anyway. I was able to go several hours without a problem. In fact, my laptop’s battery was getting low long before the speakers started to show signs of weakness.

In the end, there are a lot of great uses for the Speaker Trio. You can place them all around your house so that your music is with you wherever you are, or you could use them if you’re wanting to watch a movie or play some games on your tablet — just keep the three speakers nearby and you’ll be immersed in surround sound (although the Speaker Trio doesn’t support actual surround sound, but rather you’ll be surrounded with sound). These speakers are versatile, and even though they may not have the punchiest bass, they’re way better sounding than any laptop or mobile device speaker. However, is the $299 price tag too much for these? That really depends on how often you’ll use them. If you plan on using them every day for most of your audio needs, then laying down three benjamins might be worth it to you, but if you only plan on maybe using them for parties or just as a convenience factor at certain times, we’re not sure if $300 can be warranted here.

The new speaker features force feedback, which Divoom calls “Vibration Bass,” and it essentially reacts to gaming actions with shakes and vibrations for a more realistic experience when it comes to gameplay. The ONBEAT-X1 Bluetooth gaming speaker also provides 8 hours of music playback, thanks to the built-in lithium ion battery that’s rechargeable via microUSB.

The speaker works with all Bluetooth devices, including pretty much all smartphones and tablet, but if you don’t have a Bluetooth-enabled device, you can plug directly into the speaker using a traditional 3.5mm audio cable that comes included with the package. You’ll probably get better quality through the cable anyways, since Bluetooth tends to degrade audio quality just a tad.

As far as pricing and availability, the ONBEAT-X1 will be on sale starting later this month, and it will be available in either black or white. You’ll be able to pick one up for $39 once they become available. The speaker comes with suction cups to attach to your device, a microUSB cable for charging, and a 3.5mm audio cable for connecting to non-Bluetooth devices.

Of course that’s only one way of looking at the situation. Another would be to see that HTC’s smartphone sales didn’t exactly do as planned with the most recent quarterly earnings report showing sales down by a significant margin. HTC has even gone so far as to mention inexpensive smartphones for 2013 across markets such as China for a main strategy throughout the immediate future.

So what would HTC need to bring to the market to push their new line of high-end smartphones lead by the device known (at the moment) as the HTC M7? They’d need to deliver a rebranding of camera and sound technology as we know it. As Apple used the term “Retina” to let the world know they’d be going above and beyond the market’s then-current “best” in display resolution, so too must HTC re-brand excellence in their cameras and speakers.

The tip we heard this week about Ultrapixel cameras in smartphones from HTC may not be that far off from the truth. The tip was that HTC would bring a set of three camera sensors effectively stacked one on top of the other to create photography that has multiple sets of data for each pixel. The result would be photos more sharp and color-correct than any we’ve seen on a smartphone or tablet before.

And what about the speaker situation? It may just be that HTC has amped up their friendliness with the Beats brand or that they’ve done away with them altogether. The final result will be louder speakers, forward-facing speakers, or more “futuristic” sound delivery through wireless technology. The final result in the HTC One series over the past year was the Beats logo sitting on the back of each handset and not one whole heck of a lot more, when it came down to real-world use.

Now we wait (until the February 19th big event) to see if HTC can make another wild impact on the industry like they claim they’ve done in the camera history lineup they’ve posted today. Have a peek at the set in the gallery below and let us know how many of these devices you’ve owned or found yourself lusting over as they were released over the past several years.

While the P910 might look like a typical speaker system, the company assures us that it’s not. SOUL claims that the PIAB P910 is the first speaker to sport different functions that’s rolled into one package — it’s an indoor/outdoor portable sound system with Bluetooth, auxiliary input, an Apple dock, and HDMI.

The box has eight omnidirectional speakers, including two 6.5-inch subwoofers, two 3-inch midrange speakers, and four 1-inch tweeters. Furthermore, the box has a built-in Tri-Band two-way transceiver that allows syncing between up to eight other speakers either through Bluetooth or the 3.5mm auxiliary input.

Essentially, the PIAB P910 can act as a boombox, a PA system, or even a Karaoke machine thanks to its microphone input. Of course, though, versatility and excellent sound quality will cost you big time — SOUL is selling the PIAB P910 for $999 on their website, but if you’ve been looking for a portable, multi-functional speaker system, it may very well be worth the cash.

Essentially, the three speakers are meant to be placed in different rooms, that way users can blast their beats to multiple rooms at once, whether it’d be for a party or if you’re just running around the house doing chores. The three speakers come with a base, which emits a wireless signal to the three speakers, and users can control the speakers with their smartphone or any other Bluetooth-equipped device.

What’s perhaps even more impressive, is that each speaker has a 120-foot wireless range, or a little over a third of a football field. This provides plenty of options as far as speaker locations are concerned, and on a full charge, you can get six hours of music playback time from the speakers. To charge the speakers, all you have to do is return the speakers to the base, which has three metal contacts, one for each speaker.

The speaker set sports a sleek and modern design, and each speaker measures 6 inches x 6 inches, making them easy to move without hassle. The bottom of each speaker will also glow (as pictured above) to indicate different statuses to users, such as when the speakers are ready for use, and when they’re charging. You can buy these in either black or white, and they’re priced at $299 on Bem’s website.

The company made a big appearance at last year’s CES with its incredibly-oversized iPod dock, the iNuke Boom. However, this year the company launched a series of AirPlay-compatible products, and we ended up checking out the Link and the SP5i. The Link is a stereo receiver that can turn any pair of ordinary speakers into networked AirPlay-supported speakers.

The Link and Amp both look very similar from the front, and are the exact same size, but the difference between the two is mostly dependent on the connections on the back, as well as the hardware on the inside. The Link has red and white RCA audio inputs, and the Amp includes two stereo wire inputs. Both models include an ethernet port for home network connectivity, and there’s also a 1/4-inch headphone jack on the front for personal listening. The Amp features a 2 x 40W stereo amplifier for increased quality and louder music out of those low-powered speakers you have lying around.

The SP5i is the company’s flagship OMNI AirPlay speaker, and it’s an active three-way speaker system with a 6-inch subwoofer inside. It’s a fairly large speaker, and the audio certainly doesn’t sound bad. Even with the loud noise and the large crowd on the show floor, the speaker blasted away and the bass was certainly bumping.

The OMNI Link will cost $129, and the Amp will be priced at $199, while the SP5i will cost you a hefty $349. The company will have a smaller version for $249 that will come with a smaller 4-inch subwoofer.

Right away, the big thing about these speakers is that they highly resemble the look of the side mirrors of a Mini Cooper and the front is half mirror, half speaker grille. It comes with a slew of nifty features, including NFC automatic pairing, 10 hours of playback time, thanks to the robust internal rechargeable battery.

What’s also impressive is that the top half of the speaker (the mirror portion) also acts a touch screen of sorts. You can adjust the volume and mute it as well. There’s also a touch button that enables voice-activated command capabilities for voice prompts. On the back, you have the NFC sensor and the microUSB port for charging.

The Mirror Boombox weighs just over 12 ounces, so it’s pretty light for such a speaker, and as far as availability and pricing, the speaker will be available later this month with pre-orders starting now. You’ll also be paying $149, which is a pretty penny to pay, but Mini Cooper lovers will no doubt love it.

The company had originally promised that its previous Disco 2 speaker would have A2DP technology that would allow two speakers to work together to achieve stereo audio, but that didn’t happen. However, the company introduced the Disco Twin, which offers a pair of speakers with, not A2DP, but Bluetooth, with the left-sided speaker being the master speaker.

Each speaker provides 16 watts of RMS power combine for a total of 32 watts. The Disco Twin speakers feel surprisingly robust, and they have plenty of weight to them so that they won’t slide around easily on your desk or shelves. However, the cloth covering surrounding the speakers seem a bit fragile, and could easily tear if you’re not careful.

Either way, the speakers provides excellent volume, and even in the crowded and loud ballroom, the speakers were crisp and clear, and were plenty loud with even a few notches left to go before it hit level 10. The Disco Twin is priced at $199 and general availability is said to be starting in February.

First off is the most exciting yet oddly named Scosche boomBOTTLE. With this neat portable and fully waterproof Bluetooth Speaker you’ll be blasting tunes or listening to your favorite book on tape while on the go. They’ve designed the omnidirectional speaker to nicely fit inside the waterbottle rack on all of today’s bicycles.

The boomBOTTLE offers omnidirectional sound from dual 40mm drivers delivering rich bass and amplified acoustics that won’t get lost in the wild during a bike ride. It features a vibration and water-resistant casing for durability, multiple color options, 10 hours of battery life and a 33 ft Bluetooth range. As usual 3.5mm options are available for those wanting to jam to some tuned while camping, and don’t need wireless capabilities. You’ll also get microphone support for hands-free calling if needed. No pricing or details are available at this time.

Next up is their reference grade RH1060 over the ear Bluetooth headphones. This new RH1060 headphones builds on Scosche’s award winning reference grade design by adding Bluetooth for a truly wireless and free experience. They rock the same 40mm drivers made from rare-earth neodymium magnets for superior sound and voice reproduction. Just like the speaker above offers 33ft range, full audio controls on the right earpiece, and micro-USB for charging the built-in rechargeable Li-Ion battery.

Then last but certainly not least is Scosche’s oddly named lobeDOPE headphones. These colorful California inspired cans will look great, sound great, and won’t break the bank. These being the only wired headphones announced today but that is a good thing. The headphone’s powerful 40mm drivers are optimized for any musical preference, and will sound great. There’s no details on specs at the moment but you can expect the new lobeDOPE cans to come in red, black, blue, green, orange gray and pink to match any personal sense of style.

Stay tuned right here on SlashGear for plenty of hands on with everything from CES, including these new Scosche products by heading to our CES 2013 portal.

TYLT had tons of products on display here, and we’ll be showing off more all week long. Their brand new TYLT TUNZ Bluetooth speaker had a few unique features up its sleeve like bass reflex, NFC tag capabilities, Bluetooth, USB 2.0, and even acts as an external charger for those moments in need.

All of TYLT’s new products are fun and full of color. Who needs the boring and old white anyways right? The TYLT TUNZ includes three adjustable and interchangeable silicon bands of different colors so you can personalize the look whenever you’d like. Connectivity is as usual via Bluetooth, but also offers the usual 3.5mm audio in, as well as audio out to export sound to a nearby device or TV. Then we mentioned NFC. The TUNZ comes with a free NFC app by Tagstand for easy NFC tagging to instantly play your favorite music and more.

With 30 hours of playback, the 2,500 mAh battery inside also doubles as a portable charger via USB 2.0 to your favorite smartphone. For more details and information you’ll want to start by heading here, and TYLT told SlashGear to expect their new speaker to hit the streets in early Q2 of 2013. The expected retail price will be $149, so should compete nicely with other options such as the JAMBOX. Even though the competition doesn’t offer the charging feature.

The new system consists of three main components: two types of music players and a network gateway, and users use either a smartphone or tablet to control the system. Since this is the company’s first product that they’re selling directly to consumers, they’re including a handy wizard to get novices started with setting up the new system.

The two music players, the P200 and P100, provide up to 60 watts of power per channel and 20 watt, respectively. (2 channels @8 ohms). The P200 is equipped with aptX Bluetooth technology, so most tablets and many smartphones are able to send music wirelessly at top quality to the P200 for playback in one or multiple areas.

The NuVo Wireless Audio System will be available to consumers from two authorized on-line retailers, Smarthome.com and PartsExpress.com. The GW100 network gateway will carry a retail price of $199, while the P200 wireless player will sell for $599 and the P100 for $479.

The Jam Plus is what you see above. It’s a wireless Bluetooth portable speaker and it works with devices from up to 30 feet away. It also uses the company’s Jam2 technology so that you can pair up a second Jam Plus speaker for true stereo sound — perfect for putting a speaker on either side of your bed for the ultimate stereo alarm clock.

HMDX claims that the battery lasts 4 hours of wireless audio playing, but if you feel like saving a bit on battery and don’t mind being tethered, the Jam Plus provides a line-in port to connect your device directly to the speaker. The Jam Plus will be available sometime this spring at a price of $59.99.

The Burst is another one of the company’s newest products (pictured above), and it’s even smaller than the Jam Plus. It doesn’t have any wireless options, but it does have a retractable 3.5mm headphone jack so that you can plug directly into the speaker. What’s most impressive is its size — it’s extremely tiny, but it packs a huge punch. Testing it out on the show floor proved to be successful. Even with the noise level of all the people around us, the Burst speaker gets loud, and all this will provide around 8 hours of listening time. The Burst will be priced at just $24.99 and will be available this spring.

The company announced three more JBL speakers: the $149 OnBeat Mini, the $149 Charge, and the $399 Rumble (pictured above). The Charge is a portable stereo speaker bundled with Bluetooth and a high-capacity battery that lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge. It even charges mobile devices on the go while they’re being used.

The OnBeat Mini is a portable speaker dock that comes with a Lighting connector for use with Apple’s latest iOS devices, including the iPad mini, iPhone 5, and the refreshed 4th-generation iPad. The company is marketing the docks portability more than anything, rather than its sound quality, so if you’re an audiophile of any kind, the JBL Rumble might be your best bet.

The Rumble is priced at a steep $399, but it features a Lightning connector and it focuses purely on delivering an awesome sound. Plus, it can stream music with non-Lightning devices as well, and it works with various DJ mobile apps to make the Rumble a viable choice for any music-loving geek.

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!

With the Zikmu Solo, as it was with the original Zikmu, you’ve got what’s first a monstrous iPhone dock, then set of connections that’s ready to rock for the future. This device is built for the 30-pin generations of iOS devices including everything from the iPhone 3Gs to the iPhone 4S, iPod nano (every generation between 2 and 6,) iPod classic, and iPod touch 4th, 5th, and 6th generation.

You also have Bluetooth connectivity for basically every modern smart device as well as instant connectivity with NFC. The folks at Parrot assure us that every NFC-carrying Android device using Android 4.1 and above will be able to connect instantly with the NFC sensor placed at the top of the Zikmu Solo – instant splendor! You can also connect to the unit with Wi-fi synchronization with WPS – this way you’ll be able to access and play music from one computer with another computer blasted out of your Zikmu, no sweat! This speaker also works with UPnP, DLNA, and Samba – there’s basically no modern wireless speaker connectivity technology that doesn’t work here, when it comes down to it.

Under the hood then you’ll find that you’ve got 2 x 20W side HARP (high aspect ratio panel) drivers between 350Hz and 20KHz, a center speaker that got a 1 x 20W BMR (balanced modal radiator) driver between 350Hz and 20KHz, and under the bottom of the beast you’ve got a 40W Woofer. That woofer, for those of you interested in the wee specifics, is a 6-inch 40W neodymium unit working between 50Hz and 350Hz, and audio restitution hits between 30Hz and 20kHz on the regular.

Audio power for this beast on the whole is 100W RMS output with a Class D amplifier for digital sound – “pure” digital sound, of course. And that it is – pure as the driven snow working with AAC, MP3, LPCM and WMA file types natively with software updates coming in via wi-fi and ethernet. The ethernet port that makes this update magic (and the web-based audio connectivity magic) happen sits on the bottom side of the unit as well.

Down at the bottom end you’ve also got a combined input socket that works with analog line-in as well as digital optical – 24 bit sound for your ears to explode by. Your analog line-in action will be used mainly for hi-fi channels and your everyday average television sound-out connections. In the box you get the speaker itself, a remote control, an AC power cord, one optical Toslink adapter / 3.5-inch jack, and a few “universal” dock adapters that work for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS.

There’s also a unique Parrot Audio Suite app that works with iOS devices at the moment (with Android coming soon) that allows you to change the Room Size and Position for automatic settings based on both – this speaker is smart! This app also has an equalizer that works as directly with the speaker’s sound settings as possible and has a set of pre-set modes. You can of course change the source volume from this app, work with Bluetooth and wider volume management, and name your speaker – a must!

This unit is a masterpiece of iPhone dock greatness, that’s for certain. If you’re not an iPhone or iPod owner working with a unit thats got a 30-pin connector under the bottom, you might want to wait for a Parrot Zikmu either devoid of a dock at the top or one that also has the ability to cradle any smartphone, not just one made by Apple. That said, if you’re not worried about the tiny element that is the look of the top of the speaker, this speaker is a great, great unit.

The Parrot Zikmu Solo is set for a MSRP 999 USD pricetag and will be out immediately if now soon – have a peek and see where you can grab it! And be sure to be aware that you can get it in black or white – or get one of each!

Personal taste notwithstanding, the dock is pretty snazzy looking, like a speaker partially submerged into whatever surface you place it on. Although the image seems to show off silver, white, and red versions of the speaker, the leaked details say that it will be offered in red, black, and white. The phone is docked in front of what appears to be a single large speaker, but is in reality two 3W speakers.

Specs are said to be 6W of total output, which will make the speaker loud enough for your average user, but not exceptionally powerful. There’s a 3.5mm audio stereo connection cable, a charging port, and power and volume buttons. Connectivity is Bluetooth 3.0, and there’s microUSB for keeping things charged during those long music sessions as well as wired connectivity.

According to SamMobile, Samsung will be showing the device off at the Consumer Electronic Show next month, or possibly at MWC. After the launch, it is expected to hit shelves sometime during the the first quarter of 2013. We’ll be covering CES 2013, so stay tuned for the latest updates and possibly a first-look review of this speaker dock.

[via Android Community]

The hat is available in three colors and has a large set of circular speakers that go inside allowing you to listen to music while you exercise or work. The beanie is made from moisture wicking fabric that pulls moisture away from your head allowing it to evaporate quickly. The hat has a built-in microphone that works with the iPhone, BlackBerry, and other mobile devices for phone calls.

The disc-like speakers inside are 8.5 mm thick making them comfortable while delivering a full sound spectrum. The speakers connect to your MP3 player using a standard 3.5 mm plug. The speakers are removable so the hat can be cleaned.

The drivers are 35mm in diameter and have 32 ohms impedance. The frequency response is 20 to 20,000 kHz. The Sound Disc Sport Beanie is available right now for $45.

Joining the Sonos Party

With the Sonos SUB you’ve got a one-button-connected bass component for your Sonos system. You will not want to buy just the SUB and not at least one of the two speakers that Sonos has to offer, those being the PLAY:5 or the PLAY:3. With either of the PLAY speakers – if you buy one at the time this post is being published – Sonos has a special “Gift Pack” that essentially means you’ll get a free Sonos Bridge with the purchase of either speaker. So you’ve got the Bridge, either a 3 or a 5 speaker (or two) and the SUB – this is the basic setup you’ll want, not just the SUB.

This is because the Sonos family of devices works in its own net, and does not connect the same way a standard speaker does. On the other hand, if you do pick up the Sonos CONNECT or CONNECT:AMP, you’ll be able to connect a standard RCA line-in bit of audio to your SONOS network where it can be wirelessly output to the SUB and wired to several of your standard speakers with combined spring binding post / banana jack connectors all at once. And if you don’t know what that means, I wish you good luck and suggest you get a standard speaker setup.

On the other hand again, if you want to work with Sonos from top to bottom, you can connect whatever you want to a CONNECT and blast all your audio from all your sources. If you just want music, you wont have to mess with all of this stuff, you’ll only need one Sonos speaker – and the AMP, since that’s what we’re reviewing, of course. To connect your devices together, you either need to hook one (any one) of your Sonos speakers or SUB to the internet with an ethernet cord.

If you don’t want to connect one of your speakers with an ethernet cord – if your router is in a room that you don’t want speakers in, for example – then you should indeed get the BRIDGE. With the BRIDGE you can connect to the web, then the BRIDGE will be your access point for all the rest of the devices. Then you’ve only to access and wirelessly control the music you want to listen to from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android phone, Android tablet, Mac, or Windows-toting PC.

Software

The software experience with Sonos is being updated rather rapidly – just today we found an update for the iOS apps that allow us to play music directly from the device, this effectively taking the place of what Apple notes is their unique wireless capability in AirPlay. Android has an app that’s essentially the same as the iOS experience, while the Mac and PC versions of the software offer, again, basically the same abilities with slightly different layouts.

Above: Android, Below: iOS (iPhone 5)

The larger the screen you have, the easier it is to navigate the Sonos user interface – while when you’re working with a display as small as the iPhone 5, you might be tripped up by the slightly less-than-intuitive arrangement of the buttons and access to your tunes. Once you’ve set up your own playlist or have decided upon a single source for your music though, you won’t have to worry about it.

At the moment you can use a variety of music sources including Pandora, Spotify, tunein, Amazon Cloud Player, Songza, Rhapsody, mog, SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, Slacker Radio, Wolfgang’s Vault, DAR.fm, AUPEO, rdio, murfie, last.fm, and stitcher. Sonos is currenly working with the developers of 7digital and Hearts of Space to get them onboard with this wireless experience as well.

Perhaps the most useful element in all of this SonosNet wireless control environment is the power to group speakers together individually. You can set up a couple of PLAY:3 units in your living room with a SUB under the couch while you’ve got two PLAY:5 speakers in the kitchen and a set of two 5′s, two 3′s, a SUB, and a CONNECT:AMP in your basement to play some heavy-hitting theater beats, each of the rooms with their own audio, all of them in the same network. The real power of this system is for the super-vested in Sonos to create their own massive network, really.

Sound Quality

There’s not much to be said for the sound quality of the SUB that’s not already spoken by Sonos themselves: “soul-shaking” is what they call it. Indeed it is difficult to even set this device up for sound if you live in an apartment for fear that you might not only disturb the residents above and below you, but that you might wake up your neighbors across the hall as well, not to mention the whole complex across the street.

But once you do have the system set up and ready to rock, you can turn the whole thing down to human levels. This system is made to be sitting either right out in the open next to your television set or in the center of your room or under your couch or bed. If you do place it under your seats, prepare to get you butt rumbled. The sound here is as loud and as precise as any system we’ve yet tested.

The SUB doesn’t break up the family as other massive stand-along subwoofers might. Instead it’s able to be mixed right in with the natural array of sounds coming from the rest of your Sonos speakers – and with your Sonos apps you’re able to push them all up and down individually as needed, of course.

Wrap-up

The Sonos SUB is a massively expensive subwoofer made to be part of the full wireless speaker family for an equally giant price: $699 right out of the box. You do get free shipping and unlimited support from Sonos, and we’re to understand that there’s a slightly less glossy version of this machine coming soon that’ll cost just a bit less than this first release. If you’re willing to pay $699 for a component in your hi-fi speaker arrangement, you certainly wont be disappointed in the SUB.

Have a peek at the column/review Small Sonos: Is multi-room music overkill in a tiny apartment? by Chris Davies for additional insight with the Sonos PLAY:3 and the overall Sonos experience.

Stand-alone speakers are almost always a good gift for that random person in your life in need of a “just because” gift: check the iFrogz Boost Nearfeild audio speaker for example. If you’ve got a smartphone, not even necessarily if you’ve got an iPhone, your gift receiver will be amazed at the hot sound enhancement that occurs with this fabulous unique technology. We also suggest you take a peek at House of Marley for some bright and fabulous audio equipment – see their showing in our Redemption Song on-ear headphones review as well as our review of the massive Bag of Rhythm. Noone else will have those gifts to give at your party, you can bet!

Other highly approved stand-alone speakers we’ve had a peek at and enjoyed include, first, the SuperTooth Disco 2 – the original Disco and the Disco 2 remain out and about in our office on the regular. They’re out because they’re extremely simple to use and they’re both compact in shape – they’re just that nice. The Libratone Zipp has been an entirely reliable speaker made to work first and foremost with wireless commands from your iPhone or iPad.

Another of the most unique and creative of speakers we’ve got here is HiddenRadio – a speaker that connects to your smartphone (if you wish) then plays music louder or softer based on how high or low the knob is on the device. For those of you who want to go just about as wireless as a non-battery device will bring you, you’ll want to see the Sonos collection for music in your home – and stay tuned to SlashGear for a review of the Sonos SUB – it’s bumping right now for real.

For those of you that don’t want to spend too much cash but do want to afford a pair of headphones rather than a tiny pair of earbuds, there’s always the greatness of Tenqa Remxd – a hot ticket indeed for very, very few dollars from you. Moving up the scale as far as headphone quality goes we’ve got (in no particular order), Marshall Major Pitch Black headphones, ThinkSound ms01 monitor series earbuds, the Jabra Supreme-UC Bluetooth headset (wireless greatness), and don’t forget the Monster Inspiration Active Noise Cancellation Headphones – they’re beastly!

The folks at Plantronics have been hitting it correct this year with gems such as the BackBeat Go wireless earbuds and the lovely Plantronics m55 bluetooth headset to kick up the market in the quality sector. This year Apple also revealed their own new and updated pair of earbuds called Apple Earpods – they drown your eardrums in lovely warm sound! The team at V-MODA has been coming correct this year too with such beasts as the V-MODA Limited Edition Crossfade LP2 headphones as well as the slightly newer and slightly smaller V-MODA Crossfade M-80 White Pearl headphones – both are powerful and made with extra high-quality materials to boot!

The JLB OnBeat Micro starts at $99 USD and will be bringing on the smaller of the two dock sizes. This device is made to be small enough to fit into your purse or backpack and works with both an (included) AC adapter and batteries for wireless action. This dock charges any of the smaller Apple mobile devices on the market while they’re docked, but anything from the iPad mini and up is going to have a tough time as the shape does not allow. This device also has a built-in USB connector for powering and playing other portable devices as well.

The JBL OnBeat Venue LT works with a “hidden” lightning dock behind the JBL logo at its base. This unit is made to work with all of the Apple mobile devices in the newest range and has been described as “ideal” for the iPad mini and iPad 4th gen by Harman. This device works with Harman TrueStream Bluetooth wireless streaming technology, too – this means it’s able to connect with up to eight devices – like magic! This larger of the two devices will cost you $199 USD straight from the online JBL store.

Both devices are available immediately if not soon from your favorite JBL retailer and would be fabulous for that iPhone 5 owner friend of yours this holiday season. Keep that in mind, too, folks: we’re ramping up on the holiday season for 2012, this meaning we’ll be inundated with products left and right from here until the end of the year. Exciting times for all those who love gadgets galore!

Each one of the Exclaim speakers has its own internal amplifier, bringing 36 watts RMS power to 6 internal active speakers. Each unit has 2 passive radiators with its midrange/tweeter housings for high efficiency and dynamic range, and 2 supplementary passive radiators live inside as well. The 2 passive radiators bring deep bass as well as high performance from the woofers, of course.

These units connect with a simple 3.5mm auxiliary cable, this included in the box, and each unit’s volume and power/standby controls sit at the side of the one master speaker unit. This set is set to be available immediately if not soon for $99.99 USD from Edifier’s online shop, and also ship in Canada for $99.99 CND as well. Grab a pair right this minute!

And note how interesting it is that these speakers are being marketed not just to the computing and television amplification crowd, but the mobile audience as well. We’re now deeply embedded in a mobile universe, where a tablet or a smartphone is just as or more important to include in your device’s marketing than a TV or a full-sized computer is. Keep an eye on Edifier in the near future for more future-thinking technology across the board.

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.

These loudspeakers feature aptX and ACC technology for high-quality audio. According to a statement by NuForce’s CEO Jason Lim, the company implements the latest technology and focuses on custom design, allowing them to provide “the most advanced audio performance from a Bluetooth bookshelf speaker today.” The speakers consist of a tweeter with a soft dome design, while the outer portion of the speakers are wrapped in soft leatherette, available in white or black.

Specs include a 1-inch soft dome tweeter, 3.5″ composite paper cone woofer, NuForce’s Air DAC wireless system for higher quality audio than can be transmitted over Bluetooth, analog inputs (RCA) for use with audio devices, and Class-D amplification. The amplifier has a max output of 18 watts, while the harmonic distortion is less than 0.5% 1W 1kHz. The frequency response is 50Hz to 20kHz, while the signal to noise ratio is greater than 75dB.

The NuForce S3-BT will be available October 31st at NuForce.com, “several online stores” that aren’t specified, and NuForce dealers. It’s priced at $299. NuForce is based out of Milpitas, California, and is known for its variety of amplifiers, converters, headphones, speakers, and subwoofers.

Beats says that the Pill is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled device, and it sports a range of 30 feet, which means you can get pretty far away without your music cutting out. Beats promises “soaring highs and deep, booming bass,” with the Pill, even though you wouldn’t expect that kind of range from a portable speaker. Not digging the black color scheme? You’re in luck, because the Pill also comes in red and white.

The Pill comes packed with a USB 2.0 cable for charging and data, a 1.5-meter audio cable with 3.5mm jacks on both ends, an AC adapter for those times that you don’t need to go wireless, and a carry case that comes complete with a carabiner so you can attach it a bag easily. The whole unit comes in at 0.34kg in weight, with a height of 45.72mm and a length of 190.5mm. In other words, taking the Pill on the go shouldn’t be a problem at all.

The Pill also features an internal microphone, so you can use it to make calls (so long as your phone is connected through Bluetooth, of course). That will undoubtedly be a handy feature for some folks, but that dual-functionality naturally comes with a price. The Pill will set you back $200, so be prepared to plop down some cash if you want to take this guy home with you. Still, despite the relatively hefty price tag, we can’t help but find the Pill endearing. What about you?

Obviously, we all own multiple devices like laptops, tablets, desktop computers, and of course smartphones. A wireless speaker like the ARIS can connect to all of your devices via your home WiFi network. This gets rid of the hassle of moving music files between devices or moving the devices entirely in order to plug it into a set of speakers.

The speaker system has six internal drivers and four amplifiers that provide 100W of power and a maximum SPL of 105dB, which is certainly respectable. The speaker comes with an anodized aluminum enclosure and measures 6.5-inches high by 14.75-inches wide. There’s also a red steel stand that’s both adjustable and removable.

The ARIS works with both Windows 7 and Windows 8, and is even compatible with different remote control apps on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone 8. This means users can DJ their music right from the comfort of their couch without going directly to their computer to change songs. Obviously, the speaker is a lot like what you would find with Apple’s AirPlay-compatible speakers and other DLNA-certified speaker systems, but it’s the first of what we’re sure will be many Windows 8 certified devices.

Apple has equipped the iPhone 5 with three mics to aid in noise cancellation. This will come in handy for both voice calls and video, and they will also help in a big way with voice recognition. To complement the multiple mic setup, Apple has made a few improvements to the speakers and earpieces, bringing the size of both down by a significant 20%. As an added bonus, Apple has also announced that Wideband audio will now work with more frequencies.

So, with the iPhone 5, we can expect audio quality to be a bit better than we’re used to with other smartphones. This is on top of other improvements already announced by Apple, including the iPhone 5′s lightweight and thin design, a 4-inch screen, and the addition of Retina Display. Be sure to have a look at our liveblog of Apple’s event for details as they’re revealed, and also stop by our Apple portal, where we’re posting all the news you need to know from today’s event!

That wasn’t the only major announcement from today’s Nokia event, however, as the company also announced the Lumia 820. The Lumia 820 is a Windows Phone 8 handset for the budget-minded consumer, but aside from a few downgrades in some places, the Lumia 820 comes packed with the same hardware that the 920 does. Those interested in the Lumia 820 should be sure to check out our hands-on with the device to get a better feel for how it is.

With the release of the Lumia 920, Nokia is rebooting PureView, and showed off some pretty impressive results. We don’t have a solid release date for either handset yet, but both will be arriving in a variety of colors before the year ends – that’s with LTE and HSPA+ functionality too. The Nokia Lumia 920 will also be packing a glove-friendly touch screen when it arrives, and Nokia also announced a range of accessories for the device as well.

Some of those accessories include the JBL Power Up speakers and the Fatboy charging pillow – which allows for wireless charging of your handset. We went hands-on with some of those accessories, so have a look at it to see if they might be some extras you’d be interested in buying. The Lumia line will be getting AOL’s entertainment hub through AT&T, and the company also announced today that over 7 million Lumias have been sold to date. Will the Lumia 920 and 820 boost that number? You can bet that Nokia is hoping so, and from what we saw, the company just might have a pair of winners on its hands. Stay tuned.

TDK has announced that the Life on Record products now feature Bluetooth technology allowing wireless audio for portable devices on the go. One of the more interesting products looks like a modern 80s boombox fittingly called the Life on Record Wireless Boombox. It supports wireless streaming with Bluetooth 2.1, has an integrated rechargeable battery, 2.1 stereo configuration, and an integrated FM tuner. It also comes with remote control and has a 3.5 mm input. The device sells for $399.95.

The next product is the Life on Record Wireless Weatherproof Speaker. This device looks more like a sound bar for a notebook computer but is made to be able to survive spills and rain on the go. It features Bluetooth 2.1, an integrated rechargeable battery, and has a weatherized design that is IP64 compliant. It also has an integrated microphone and a 3.5 mm stereo input it will sell for $249.95.

The Wireless Sound Cube has a different shape than the other devices, but shares most of the same features, including Bluetooth, adjustable equalization, an auxiliary input, and remote control. It will sell for $299.95. One of the other products is the Wireless Charging Cube selling for $399.95. This device and is a speaker cube with integrated Bluetooth but also has a Qi induction charging pad on the top. That means you can lay your compatible smartphone or other device on top to charge while you listen to music. It is also weatherized with an IPX3 compliant design.

Let’s jump right in with the sound bars, shall we? First up is the Mini 3D Sound Bar with Subwoofer, which sports dimensions of 11.4-inches long, 3.9-inches wide, and 2.8-inches tall. This sound bar is obviously aimed at those who suffer from a lack of space (though the included subwoofer won’t help with that), and it comes with five different ways to connect to your devices, including “two analog connections, two digital connections and Bluetooth wireless technology.” This means that, should you want to, you can connect the speaker wirelessly to a tablet or laptop and listen on the go.

The other sound bar Toshiba revealed today is the 3D Sound Bar SBX1250. This one will likely be a bit larger than the Mini 3D Sound Bar, but it would have to be as it houses six individual speakers. Two of those speakers are optimized for lower frequency to give you a nice bass boost and all six of them sport Sonic Emotion technology “to create an immersive virtual 3D sound field and deliver a total peak power of 100 watts.” Toshiba also says that this sound bar doesn’t require any calibration – just hook it up and you’re good to go.

Toshiba claims that both of these speakers eliminate the need for finding a “sweet spot” for listening and offer excellent sound quality regardless of where you are in the room. Both come with a remote control included in the package, and even though we don’t have a solid release date yet, they should be available sometime in fall 2012. You can grab the Mini 3D Sound Bar for $129.99, while the SBX1250 will set you back $179.99.

Moving right along to Toshiba’s next announcement, the company has revealed Canvio Cloud Storage, which marks its entry into the cloud storage market. It’s being advertised as a cloud storage system for the home, and is compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 8 PCs, Android and iOS devices, Smart TVs (that are connected to the Internet, of course), and DLNA-compatible devices. An app for Windows-based PCs, Android, and iOS allows you to manage all of your saved content, and it has the added bonus of being entirely self-maintained, which means that you don’t have to pay subscription fees to store your stuff (though you have to do all the work).

The Toshiba Canvio Cloud Storage device comes in 2TB ($219.99) and 3TB ($249.99) varieties, and the company has given it a release window of September 2012, meaning it should be arriving soon. So there you have it – Toshiba has a slew of new devices for you to check out, and we’re expecting to hear more about these before long. Stay tuned, and be sure to check out our story timeline below for more on what Toshiba has been up to lately!

The PlayUp speakers certainly are reminiscent of the Play 360° speaker, but we’re thinking that the color has more to do with that than anything else. As you can see in the image above, the speakers come in four colors – cyan, black, white and bright yellow. On the outside, we’ve got “specially created double-shot plastic” which makes for a more durable speaker, and though we don’t get many specifics about the speaker’s innards, Nokia says that this bad boy is capable of a maximum output of 89dB. In other words, this tiny thing (its dimensions are 118 x 118 x 128mm and it weighs 760g) can get pretty loud.

You’ve got a pretty big range when it comes to frequency response, which comes in at 85Hz – 22kHz (-6dB). Users can connect their phones through Bluetooth or, in the case of next-generation Lumias running Windows Phone 8, through NFC. Of course, Nokia isn’t about to leave anyone out in the cold, so if you’ve got a phone that doesn’t have Bluetooth or NFC, you can connect your device to the speaker through a 3.5mm jack. To top things off, we’re told that the battery lasts for 10 hours before needing a recharge.

There isn’t a solid release date for the PlayUp speakers yet, but Nokia says that they’ll begin shipping “before the end of the year.” While we don’t know the release date, we do know the price – picking up one of these will set you back €149, which is around $187. The PlayUp speaker is only the first product of Nokia’s partnership with JBL, and we’re told that more is on the way in the future. Stay tuned.

Let’s jump right in with the Logitech UE Boombox and the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox. Both allow you to connect smartphones and tablets through Bluetooth – the Boombox can support up to 8 devices connected through Bluetooth, and it can handle three connected at once. The Mobile Boombox can only handle two devices connected at once, but its advantage comes in its rechargeable battery. While both come with a rechargeable battery, the Mobile Boombox can go for 10 hours, whereas the Boombox is only quoted for six hours of use. You’ll be getting better sound quality with the Boombox, as it Logitech says it comes with “eight custom-tuned drivers,” but the trade-off is that the Mobile Boombox’s smaller form makes it easier to use on the go. There’s also price to consider, with the Boombox coming in at $249.99 and the Mobile Boombox priced at $99.99.

If the boomboxes aren’t quite your cup of tea, the company is also offering the Logitech UE Smart Radio. Using “one simple, unified interface,” users can access their favorite Internet radio stations, music services or their personal music collections on PC or Mac, and it even comes with a color display that shows the track name, album art and station information. Users can also save their favorite stations to access them quickly in the future, and connect an iPhone, iPad or Android device to use it for navigation. The Logitech UE Smart Radio comes with a six-hour rechargeable battery and will set you back $179.99.

Next up, we have a rather expensive set of earphones – the Logitech UE 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones, to be specific. The earphones’ “four-armature speakers and a three-way crossover in a
universal fit” allow for excellent sound quality, and the earphones come with two detachable cables, one of which includes a mic and controls. To make sure the sound you’re hearing is as clean as possible, the earphones also feature five silicon and three Comply Foam tips. You better be ready to shell out a lot of cash for these, though, as Logitech UE has given these a price of $399.99.

In addition to these new earphones, Logitech UE will also be launching three new sets of headphones. The Logitech UE 9000 Headphones are the most impressive of the bunch, but they’re also the most expensive. The headphones feature Bluetooth connectivity, meaning that you can listen wirelessly, but there’s also a cord included in case you run out of juice during an extended listening period. Touch controls allow you to answer calls, switch between songs and change the volume, and Logitech’s “high-resolution drivers” are present to ensure that sound quality is top notch. Featuring around-the-ear cushions made of memory foam and articulating joints, the Logitech 9000 Headphones come in at $399.99.

If you want a good set of headphones but don’t want to shell $400 for them, Logitech has you covered there too. The Logitech UE 6000 Headphones feature a fold-up design, plush around-the-ear memory foam cushions, UE sound signature and active noise canceling technology. The UE 6000 sports a price tag of $199.99, which is a little more manageable than the $400 the 9000 demands. Even cheaper still are the Logitech UE 4000 Headphones, complete with Logitech’s high-sensitivity drivers, plush memory foam cushions in an on-the-ear design, and – like the 900 earphones – an on-cord mic and controls. They also fold up when you’re not using them, and come with a travel pouch to store them in. Expect to pay $99.99 for these bad boys.

Logitech says that all of these products should be available beginning in September, which as you may have already noticed is right around the corner. Since all of these products are compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, you’ll be able to find them at Apple Stores across the country. Are you planning on buying any of these new products?