10
Nov
2011
Digital Trends: High-end audio engineers Geneva have released the Model XS, a compact travel-case speaker system with Hi-Fi acoustics and Bluetooth streaming. (more…)
Tag: bluetooth
07
Oct
2011
16
Sep
2011
09
May
2011
Hothardware: Creative is on a serious roll this week. First, the D80 Bluetooth speaker, and now a line of new BT headphones. The new WP series is comprised of the 450, 350, and 250, ANC all three feature support for Bluetooth calling and music listening. The company is really playing up the invisible mic angle, and they’re insinuating that these were specifically designed to work with mobile devices. You’ll find a degree of noise killing powers throughout, with the 450 able to last around 8 or 9 hours when listening to music.
Pricing on the trio ranges from $60 right on up to $129, with the 350 on sale this month and the other two on sale in September.
09
May
2011
HotHardware: Creative is on a serious roll this week. First, the D80 Bluetooth speaker, and now a line of new BT headphones. The new WP series is comprised of the 450, 350, and 250, ANC all three feature support for Bluetooth calling and music listening. (more…)
05
Nov
2010
Car Tech/Cnet: Parrot, makers of the previously reviewed and highly rated Minikit Slim Bluetooth speakerphone, has just announced the latest in its line of hands-free car kits, the Parrot Minikit Smart. However, the Smart has a trick up its sleeve. It’s not just a speakerphone, it’s also a universal phone cradle and a USB charger.
The Minikit Smart attaches to the vehicle’s windshield with a suction cup and connects to any handset that supports Bluetooth wireless, acting as an external speaker and microphone for for hands-free calling. If it sounds anything like the Minikit Slim, we’re sure that call quality will be quite good. Thanks to support of PBAP, the unit will sync address books when paired with compatible phones for easy access via voice activated dialing. Up to 2,000 contacts can be synced per phone, and up to 10 phones can be saved in the unit’s memory.
A2DP audio streaming is also supported, so users are able to stream music through the Smart’s loudspeaker. However, this feature is most handy when used in conjunction with, for example, navigation apps, where the boosted audio output can help users to hear critical turn-by-turn directions over road noise.
Like most Bluetooth speakerphones we’ve tested, the Minikit Smart features a rechargeable battery–this one boasts 10 hours of talk time or a week of standby–but can also be powered by its included 12-volt car charger. The Smart also features a powered USB port for connecting and charging your handset of choice and even ships with three 3-inch pigtails for connecting phones that use Mini-USB, Micro-USB, or Apple 30-pin dock connectors.
Parrot Minikit Smart will be available in November 2010 at an MSRP of $129.99 through BestBuy.com, Crutchfield.com, 6th Avenue Electronics, Car Toys Al & Ed’s, ABT Electronics, Car Toys, Fry’s Electronics, Bell Canada and ParrotShopping.com.
15
Oct
2010
Electronista: Cobra Electronics, well-known for their long-standing line of radar, laser and speed-trap detection devices, are launching the iRadar Detection System, which combines a state-of-the-art radar/laser detector with an app for the iPhone, which uses Bluetooth to connect and control the detector, enabling users to hear, log and view alerts for various threats.
The software uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS capabilities to show motorists their speed and compass heading as well as tap into a larger database of known hazards. The iPhone display of the app also notifies drivers of past alert locations, their car battery voltage and lets them flag new locations as well as set the audio level of alerts.
The hardware detector picks up all radar and laser guns in a 360-degree radius, and sports its own speaker which escalates volume relative to the distance of the threat. It can function as a standalone detector when not paired with the iPhone app, but can be more easily controlled from the iPhone, including setting which notifications will be audible and at what volume.
The app includes Cobra’s camera and driving hazard database, which can warn drivers of red light camera locations, speed traps and known dangerous intersections. The database is updated daily by Cobra.
The iRadar Detection System retails for $170 and is available now. The iRadar app is free from the App Store.
17
Sep
2010
Electronista: Japan’s Logitec has released what is claiming are the world’s smallest stereo Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR earphones. The LBT-PCHP02 series are designed for PC users, while the LBT-AVHP02 are designed for portable audio players. The batteries in both models allow for four hours of playback, while they weigh just a third of an ounce and are just 1.3 inches long and 0.23 inches thick.
Like most in-ear buds, they come with a range of bud sizes from small, medium to large to suit all wearers. The earphones can support two different Bluetooth sources simultaneously, and so could connect to an audio player and pair with a phone. They have been iOS 4.1 tested and will support Apple’s recent implementation of AVRCP on top of A2DP.
They will be released in Japan in mid-October, but can be shipped to the US. They come in four colors, black, gold, pink and silver, for the US equivalent price of $54.
27
Aug
2010
Audio Junkies: Marantz’s new NA7004 network music player is the latest product in a growing new category of “front-end” components that are able to play back digital formats from a variety of sources while containing no actual storage. The NA7004 is DLNA certified for connection to a home network, and also offers coaxial, optical, and USB digital inputs. A front panel USB input allows for easy connection of a thumb drive or iPod, and Bluetooth streaming is also supported via an optional dock.
The NA7004 can also access thousands of internet radio stations, and supports a full complement of lossy (MP3, MPEG-4, AAC, WMA) and lossless (FLAC, 96/24FLAC, WAV, WMA-L) formats. The price is $799.
28
May
2010
Akihabara News: Back in February Panasonic released a new Slim Stereo, the SC-HC40. It not only offers a clean and sleek design but also the possibility to get full control of your iPod touch or iPhone without cables or any other clutters. Now, several months later Panasonic finally have put its SC-HC40 on the market and we had the chance to secure one of them for a test.
Specs
- iPod Dock / CD Player / AM/FM Radio
- Plays CDs, CD-R/RW, and MP3 CDs
- 40 watts
- 2 – 1/2″ bamboo cone speakers
- Wireless Bluetooth feature means you can connect your iPhone to this dock wirelessly
- Motorized sliding door that conceals CD tray and iPod/iPhone dock
- Additional 1/8″ Mini input
- Charges iPod or iPhone while playing
- 4 EQ presets
- Treble/Bass control
- Programmable timer / sleep button (to use as alarm clock)
- Dimensions (HxWxD) = 7-29/32 x 19-11/16 x 4-1/32
- Weight = 6.6 lbs
Design
Simple, minimalistic, “Bose” or “B&O”-like, the Panasonic SC-HC40 design is just what we have been looking for quite a long time now. Obviously entirely made of plastic, the SC-HC40 does not feel cheap or fragile, and Panasonic ’s subtle “Chrome”-like effect and usage of blue LED give the user a warming sensation of using a High-end product rather than your average “Boom-Box”.
iPod and other DAP functions
Besides its elegant design, the SC-HC40’s main selling point is its incredibly well implemented iPod support. With cleverly integrated docking station accessible thanks to a sliding door, you will easily be able to plug your iPhone or iPod to your SC-HC40. It not only givies you the possibility to charge your iPhone, but also to have full access to your Phone’s basic functions including its audio contents, your alarms but also your phone.
Although I am sure you will easily understand how the SC-HC40 can take full control of your Audio files sorted on your phone, the part that is about having control over your iPhone communication, however needs some explanation.
Thanks to the basic support of Bluetooth 2.1+EDR with A2DP, AVRCP and HFP or Hands-Free Profile, you can, in fact either receive calls or place calls from the comfort of your sofa without the need of touching your iPhone. As you may have seen on the video we published alongside this article, the SC-HC40 will fully use your iPhone’s Hands-Free capacity and let you talk to anyone freely as you do with any other conference call system.
While in fact for us the reproduction quality was impeccable, we could clearly hear the person who was calling us, this very same person, however had a nasty “echo” giving a rather annoying experience whenever you would use your SC-HC40 Hands-Free mode.
Now we are not sure if this was due to our test unit that was, in fact not a final product version but rather a pre-release one, or if this “echo” will affect most people calling an iPhone dock on a SC-HC40.
Not only limited to the iPhone you could potentially use the Bluetooth mode of your SH-HC40 with different DAPs or Phones… Also thanks to its additional 1/8″ Mini input, you can plug any external audio sources to use your SC-HC40 speakers and “unleash” the sound stored on your Zune HD or your PC for example.
So what about the Sound?
Well, this should be in fact the most important aspect of our stereo and to be honest the SC-HC40 performs just fine. Made to be mainly used in a small room rather than a loft, the sound coming of our SC-HC40 2x 1/2″ cone speakers were noticeably clearer thanks to Panasonic’s unique usage of bamboo in speakers.
The addition of Bamboo not only gives a sharper voice reproduction but it also helps Panasonic to get the best sound possible in the slimmest package ever.
Now it is always difficult to evaluate the quality of sound reproduction of one product when you do not compare it to another one but, as I said earlier, the SC-HC40 gave us good, or above average sound quality that will please most of us. And if you feel the need to tweak things a little for your own pleasure, you can always play with the SC-HC40 EQ to get the most of your sound.
Other Goodies
Being above all a Slim Stereo, the SC-HC40 comes with a CD player and an SD, SDHC and SDXC card reader, meaning that you will not only be able to listen to CDs, Rip CDs to a memory card but also be able to listen to music stored on any compatible SD Card, a little plus always welcome if you happen to get a few SD cards lying around.
Conclusion
Well-built, nice design, overall good iPhone integration and above average sound quality the SC-HC40 is a Slim Stereo that we can recommend without hesitation. Unfortunately giving a “weak” audio experience for people calling you directly on the SC-HC40 on our test sample, just make me either wish for a fix or hope that the product available on the market is exempt from this problem. But once again if you are looking for a nice Stereo with clutter-less iPhone integration, the SC-HC40 is what you are looking for!
21
May
2010
Dvice: Now that simple home theater gear like soundbars is popular, is there really any reason to own a home theater receiver anymore? One thing holding back receivers is that manufacturers have been slow to include features that are in sync with how people get their music and movies today — namely, digitally. That’s why we were so glad to hear about Pioneer’s new receivers and their ability to play music via Bluetooth streaming. (more…)
12
May
2010
Cnet: Ideally, GPS devices increase safety by allowing drivers to focus on the road instead of fumbling with a map. And though most will admit that it’s safest to not take phone calls when behind the wheel, it’s best to go hands-free if you absolutely must. Why not hit two birds with one stone by grabbing a GPS device that features a built-in Bluetooth speakerphone? (more…)