Bluetooth

While many are looking towards virtual, augmented, and mixed realities as the next big wave in computing, there is already one that is also silently making waves in our modern lives.Some have nicknamed it the "Fourth Platform", the contextual computing that permeates virtual personal assistants like Siri, Cortana, or Google Assistant. Despite being controlled by voice, these assistants are usually inconveniently found in smartphones that we have to take out or speakers that we can't take with us. That is why Bragi, a leading wireless headphone maker, and Starkey, a leader in the hearing aid business, have banded together to bring the Dash Pro tailored by Starkey, as well as the plain Dash Pro, offering a truly hands-free wireless ear computing experience that can also be personalized to fit your ear.

Continue Reading

Apple's new 9.7-inch iPad is resolutely targeted at those wanting to ditch their laptop for something easier to carry, and Logitech thinks it has the perfect keyboard companion. The Logitech Slim Folio keyboard case promises more notebook-like text entry for the iOS tablet, complete with a magnetic locking mechanism for more flexibility in where you use your tablet, not to mention impressive battery life.

Continue Reading

Google has a new pair of Bluetooth (wireless) headphones coming and we've got the full specs for you well ahead of release. While we don't expect these headphones to be mind-blowing by any means, it's interesting to see how Google has more than one way of revealing or choosing not to reveal products in early testing. In this case, it would seem like Google didn't make quite as big an effort to conceal what they're about to release due to the relative small amount of market-wide impact they're going to have.

Continue Reading

Gamers, especially hardcore ones, are a very picky bunch. Everything has to be absolutely or at least near perfect. And that isn't limited to graphics only. It also extends to the audio experience, something that Razer knows only too well. Now the gaming brand is bringing some of that audio expertise to mobile. With the new wireless Hammerhead BT and the wired Hammerhead for iOS, smartphone users of any platform will be able to enjoy Razer's brand of audio quality, be it for gaming, music, or even just phone calls.

Continue Reading

Bluetooth speakers are nothing new but they have almost always been ignored by audiophiles because of the superior quality of wired audio accessories. But with giants like Bose putting their weight on their improvement, Bluetooth speakers have vastly improved over the years. Case in point is the SoundLink Revolve and Revolve+, which Bose bills as its best Bluetooth speakers ever. Designed from the ground up for full and strong 360-degree output, these two promise to be the life of the party, both indoors as well as out.

Continue Reading

Smart speakers seem to be the trend these days, but not everyone wants a speaker that talks back at you or buys dollhouses just because the TV said so. Some just want the ability to wirelessly play audio from their phone or computer and sound great while doing it. For these more traditional use cases, Logitech is providing the new Z537 Powerful Sound with Bluetooth. A mouthful that really just translates to a wireless, sometimes wired, 2.1 speaker system.

Continue Reading

What's old is new again, or so the saying goes. Many typists and writers romanticize the classic typewriter, and that has lead to various typewriter-esque keyboards over the years. Joining them is Penna, a Bluetooth keyboard that'll appeal to even the most discerning hipster. The model looks very similar to a classic typewriter, but with some modern features including a built-in tablet stand and wireless connectivity.

Continue Reading

It seems that Bluetooth headphones are a dime a dozen these days, but Marshall is hoping it catches your attention with its new Monitor headphones. Marshall certainly has the fact that it's been waist deep in the music industry for 55 years going for it, but can these Monitor headphones stand out in a sea of other high-end sets?

Continue Reading

Finding a good Bluetooth speaker at an affordable price is a hassle, and it becomes an even more difficult endeavor when you need that in a portable package. Ultimate Ears thinks it may have a solution to this conundrum with its new Wonderboom speaker, promising good sound, portability, and some degree of durability in a package that costs $99. Is it too good to be true, or does the Wonderboom actually deliver on the claims Ultimate Ears has made?

Continue Reading

With Apple hastening the decline of the headphone jack, what do you do if you're not inclined to spend $150 or more on Bluetooth headphones? After taking on Bose back in October, Plantronics is back with an even more affordable set of cans, the BackBeat 500 Series. Promising some smarter Bluetooth tricks than AirPods, with a bargain $79.99 price tag, there's a lot to recommend them.

Continue Reading

Three months in, has the reality distortion field around the AirPods faded, or are Apple's Bluetooth headphones still my pick of iPhone accessories? They may have met with some ridicule when Apple revealed them, but the ongoing stock shortages would suggest that the mass market doesn't care: they want their AirPods, and they're willing to pay $159 for them. Having lived with them as my primary headphones for some time now, I can't say I disagree.

Continue Reading

Thus far, if you wanted to use Amazon Alexa with a Bluetooth speaker, you needed to get a Dot device. That has changed, as Amazon has quietly introduced Bluetooth speaker pairing support for its Echo device, as well. By pairing Echo with a Bluetooth speaker, users are able to enjoy the powerful and better quality audio delivered with a speaker rather than the device’s own built-in audio offering.

Continue Reading