Home Entertainment

With space becoming a premium even at home, people are becoming more conscious and smarter about how they set up their rooms, their furniture, and their home entertainment devices. Along with cutting the cord, some people have resorted to completely cutting off the large and immovable TV sets from their lives. Projectors, particularly smart projectors, have lately become the go-to solutions for those that still want the big-screen experience at home without permanently committing space for a large screen. The Mi Smart Projector 2 is Xiaomi's newest entry in that market, and we give it a thorough test to see if it checks enough of the right boxes for its price.

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Bose has introduced SoundLink Flex, a new portable Bluetooth speaker that features an "ultra-durable" construction for use in environments that may be hazardous to less robust portable audio devices. SoundLink Flex is small enough to carry with you to the workshop, on your next hike, or to the poolside, with Bose noting that its new product packs its proprietary audio tech.

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Google TV is adding user profiles and easier control via a new virtual remote, in an attempt to better streamline the living room. The profiles feature will allow multiple people to set up their own accounts on a Google TV-powered set top box, streamer, or TV, complete with their own Google Account.

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Xiaomi has long dabbled in products outside of its core mobile business, and it seems that its competitors are also trying to break into new markets. Realme is the one that is perhaps trying to leave its mark in as many markets as it could, from tablets to laptops and, soon, to TVs. Unlike OnePlus, it isn't making its own TV, though, and instead will be launching an HDMI stick running Google TV next week.

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Sony is hoping to coax more cash out of gamers who managed to find a PlayStation 5 in stock, with new TVs that include PS5-friendly features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping, and a badge to more easily recognize them. The "Perfect for PlayStation 5" branding will launch first on five models of Sony TV, with the idea being that gamers can be confident they'll each make the most of the console's video and audio capabilities.

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Amazon is expanding its Fire TV range, with the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max going on sale today as the new flagship of the easily-installed streaming devices. Billed as the most powerful Fire TV Stick so far when Amazon revealed it last month, it supports WiFi 6 connectivity along with 4K HDR10+ streaming, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos, with easy wireless surround sound options for those with select Echo smart speakers.

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Although it isn't by any means a big name in the Android market, NVIDIA has earned quite a reputation for how it has so far managed its SHIELD TV devices. Even those models nearly half a decade old continue to receive updates, something few manufacturers have been able to pull off. That said, NVIDIA did categorically deliver some bad news about Android 10, but it seems that it is also working behind the scenes to deliver an even more recent version of Android to its users.

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We've known for a long time that HBO is working on a Game of Thrones prequel series called House of the Dragon, but today, we're getting our first look at it. HBO has released the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon, showing us some brief and somewhat vague glimpses from the show. Unfortunately, this new teaser wasn't accompanied by a premiere date, so it looks like we're going to have to wait longer for that.

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Sonos' original Beam wowed with just how much home theater audio it packed into its tiny footprint, and now the Beam (Gen 2) is adding Dolby Atmos to the mix. A little more expensive at $449, and a lot smarter inside, this new Beam sees Sonos double-down on targeting an audience that wants surround sound but doesn't want to be surrounded by speakers. There, with some qualifications, the surreptitious soundbar succeeds.

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IKEA and Sonos have revealed a new version of their Symfonisk lamp speaker, upgrading it with more flexibility around design and more choices for bases and shades. The original Symfonisk table lamp was launched in the first wave of Sonos and IKEA's collaboration back in 2019, effectively combining a connected speaker in the base with a simple lamp on top.

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Russell T Davies is set to return to long-running BBC science fiction show Doctor Who, more than a decade after handing over the reins for the hugely popular TV series. It's a huge step by the BBC, which has seen upheaval in its wildly successful show following the revival that Davies is credited with spearheading back in 2005.

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While TVs today are getting smarter and larger, not everyone may have the space to even hang such a panel. Conversely, some might want a watching area bigger than what most consumer TVs can offer. In both cases, laser projectors can provide the flexibility that some people need in a home entertainment system, and young company VAVA just debuted what could be one of the stronger options in that market. The VAVA Chroma ultra short throw projector packs quite a lot of buzzwords and features, but is it really worth the price it is asking? We picked up the large projector and placed it near our wall to find out.

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