Apple looking to settle THX patent suit out of court

By Cody Lee on Jun 5, 2013

Earlier this year, sound engineering company THX filed a lawsuit against Apple alleging patent infringement. The studio, which was founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, claims Apple is using its speaker technology in its iOS and Mac products without a license.

The iPad maker is, of course, no stranger to patent litigation. It just suffered a huge blow yesterday in its ongoing battle with Samsung, and it’s involved in countless other frivolous suits. So it’s no surprise that reports claim it’s trying to settle this complaint out of court… Read More

 

The Braven 600 portable speaker is on point

By Jim Gresham on Apr 11, 2013

Having reviewed different ranges of audio accessories for iOS devices, until now, I had yet to review a portable wireless speaker set. There are plenty around, but none of them ever piqued my interest. Unless my wife started asking about them, I would not have considered owning a wireless speaker considering I have a pretty serious home system and a pair of nice headphones.

After spotting the Braven 600, I figured why not give it a shot. It seemed like a well-built option, considering the price. Braven is a company with which I was not immediately familiar, but when I opened the box, I was quite surprised at the well-packaged speaker. It’s a perky little thing, for the size, and it is a nice addition to my current line up. Follow me past the fold for the full details… Read More

 

Big Jawbone Jambox update improves streaming to iOS devices and more

By Cody Lee on Apr 3, 2013

When it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, the Jambox is by far my favorite. It may not be the best-sounding, or give you the most bang for your buck, but I love its build quality and design, and the fact that Jawbone issues regular updates.

In fact, it just rolled out an update today for its Big Jambox line, bringing its firmware to version 2.0. The update features new AAC support for iOS 6.1, which will provide better audio streaming with less dropout, and improved battery life… Read More

 

Legendary Atari 2600 gaming console finds new life as iPhone speaker dock

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 10, 2013

I’ve always been a huge fan of video games, ever since my earliest days, and the Atari 2600 was my first childhood gaming console (yup, I’m that old). After seeing the other day this 35 years old system finding a new life by becoming a retro-inspired iPhone speaker dock, it immediately brought back fond memories of gaming sessions shared with my friends after school.

A fan tore a broken Atari 2600 apart, making a few clever changes to turn it into an app-enhanced stereo speaker dock. The Atari dock will recharge an iPhone or iPod touch while allowing you to listen to your music or an FM radio. The mod also features six equalizer settings, comes with a remote control of its own and has a 3.5mm jack to connect other audio sources… Read More

 

Sabine wants to enhance your iPad speaker

By Jim Gresham on Mar 9, 2013

We all cup our hands behind the iPad when trying to hear our favorite music or videos. I often found the speaker on iPad to be lacking and I even backed a project on Kickstarter last year trying to remedy this problem. Unlike the product I backed last year, the Sabine is anodized aluminum to match Apple’s design aesthetic. Additionally, aluminum is a more reflective surface and amplifies sound at a much higher rate. Today, I take a look at 7decibels’ Sabine final production prototype… Read More

 

Claimed iPhone 5S/6 speakers leak

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 27, 2013

The next iPhone is very likely just a few short months away so little wonder that slowly but surely first pieces of the puzzle are beginning to surface.

iOS hacker iH8sn0w today tweeted that future-generation iOS gadgets could add a new 128GB model, twice as much as today’s top-of-the-line iPhones, iPads and iPods.

And on Friday, the usually credible iLounge posted a bunch of interesting tidbits pointing to a fifth-gen Pad with iPad mini-like design and a 13-megapixel back camera being the star feature of the iPhone 5S, among other goodies.

That’s all hearsay, but now a leaked part has come our way, purportedly representing a speaker assembly for future-generation iPhones… Read More

 

Petite Square: an elegant, powerful wooden bluetooth speaker

By Cody Lee on Jan 21, 2013

If you’re in the market for a wireless Bluetooth speaker, you won’t have to look far to see some good options. There’s the Jawbone Jambox and the Beats Pill, and countless other offerings from the likes of Logitech, JBL and Bose.

But what if you want something more elegant-looking? Like maybe perhaps with a vintage wooden enclosure? Then your options become a lot more limited. Luckily, we’re adding another one to that list today with the Petite Square… Read More

 

Belkin unveils the Thunderstorm, a handheld home theater for your iPad

By Cody Lee on Jan 6, 2013

CES starts today, meaning you can expect to see several new product and accessory announcements over the next 5 days. Earlier today we told you about the Cookoo smart watch, and now it’s Belkin’s time to shine.

Known for Apple accessories like USB cables and keyboard cases, Belkin doesn’t have much of a track record in the audio space. That changes, though, with the Thunderstorm, a new iPad case with built-in speakers…

Read More

 

iHome to debut new Lightning audio docks at CES

By Cody Lee on Jan 5, 2013

As most of you know, iDB will be at The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week. And though Apple itself won’t be there, there will be tons of iOS-flavored products and peripherals worth reading about. Take these new Lightning-compatible audio docks from iHome, for example… Read More

 

Bose SoundDock with Lightning support coming later this month

By Cody Lee on Dec 9, 2012

Not everyone is a fan of Bose audio products. They are typically more expensive and have fewer features than their counterparts, but still, they manage to sell a ton of them. And the SoundDock is the perfect example of that.

Introduced in 2004, the $200+ Bose SoundDock is one of the most recognizable lines of iPhone/iPod speakers on the market. And this month, Bose is going to release a new version of the Dock with Lightning support… Read More

 

The Boombot Rex is a durable speaker with Siri support

By Cody Lee on Dec 7, 2012

When it comes to iPhone-friendly speakers, there’s no shortage of choices. There’s the Jawbone Jambox, the Beats Pill, and countless other options. But when it comes to durable speakers that you can take with you anywhere, the choices are a lot more limited.

In fact, you might even say there’s a gap in the market for such a product. And the Boombot REX ultraportable speaker is hoping to fill that gap… Read More

 

Philips launches four new eye-candy speaker docks with Lightning I/O

By Christian Zibreg on Dec 5, 2012

Consumer electronics maker Philips unveiled four interesting speaker docks designed for Apple’s latest iOS devices that incorporate Lightning I/O (the iPad mini, fourth-generation iPad with Retina display, fifth-generation iPod touch and the seventh-generation iPod nano). Of course, built-in Lightning I/O means music lovers can dock/charge Lightning enabled iOS devices and play their music at the same time. One portable speaker and three units for indoor use all feature eye-catching modern design and those who had a chance to personally test these boom boxes claim they sound every bit as good as they look… Read More

 

JBL launches two Lightning docking stations

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 15, 2012

JBL today announced a pair of interesting iOS docking stations with built-in support for Apple’s new Lightning I/O. Filed as JBL’s first-ever Lightning-enabled speakers, both the $199 OnBeat Venue LT and $99 OnBeat Micro also feature a built-in USB connector for hooking up non-Lightning music sources. The smaller OnBeat Micro is the perfect traveling companion due to its tiny footprint and support for standard batteries which can provide up to five hours of playback.

Its bigger brother, the Venue LT, can dock via a built-in Lightning port any iOS device with Lightning I/O, which currently entails the iPhone 5, the fifth-gen iPod touch, the new iPod nano, the iPad mini and the fourth-gen iPad… Read More

 

Phil Schiller reportedly confirms the iPad mini has stereo speakers

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 31, 2012

In a classic marketing 101 move, online retailer Amazon last week highlighted the iPad mini’s perceived flaws in a huge Kindle Fire HD ad on its web site. The move came after Amazon uncharacteristically compared the iPad mini to its tablet in an earnings release announcing its first loss in nine years. Advertising against the iPad mini, Amazon listed Apple’s device as having a mono speaker versus dual stereo speakers on its tablet. Some people likely bought this as Apple’s own web page makes no mention of stereo speakers and the Tech Specs page only confirms “built-in speaker”.

Always quick to right the wrongs, Apple’s head honcho of worldwide marketing allegedly confirmed in an email exchange with a fan that the smaller iPad does have built-in stereo speakers. We expect Amazon to update its homepage ad shortly… Read More

 

Can the Big Jambox replace my office stereo system?

By Jeff Benjamin on Sep 17, 2012

In the last month or so, I’ve been on a minimalism tear. For example, I traded in my 27″ iMac for a MacBook Pro with Retina Display. I also decided to get rid of my 2011 MacBook Air.

As it turns out, I rarely used the MacBook Air, because it was just too slow to get any real work done. The iMac was a beast, but it wasn’t portable, which caused many of my files to fragment between multiple devices. I decided it would be best if I just had one powerful, yet portable machine to get all of my work done. It just so happened that the MacBook Pro with Retina Display was the perfect device to meet my needs.

To go along with these changes, I decided it was time to rid myself of my old antiquated component audio system. I have a Pioneer receiver coupled with Pioneer speakers. It’s a 5.1 audio system that’s incredibly heavy, a birds nest of wires, and power hungry to boot.

I needed something smaller, totally devoid of wires, and easier on the power consumption — all without sacrificing too much in the way of sound quality. Obviously, the highly regarded Jawbone Big Jambox was on my short list of devices to choose from, but was it up to the challenge of completely replacing my traditional stereo system? Read More

 

The Phillips Mini Hi-Fi: the ultimate iPhone-run party machine

By Cody Lee on Aug 2, 2012

Every good party needs good music. And nowadays, most people seem to store most of their good music on their iPod or iPhone. So that makes iOS compatibility an important feature when you’re out shopping for a stereo.

There’s no shortage of music players that have a 30-pin dock connector, and there’s several to pick from that can connect to your device through AirPlay. But sometimes a Jambox isn’t enough. Enter the Phillips Mini Hi-Fi… Read More

 

The EDGE.sound pumps music in a stylish way

By Jim Gresham on Jul 21, 2012

Confidently utilizing Kickstarter to fund their project, CUBEDGE announces its upcoming elegant and eco-friendly Bluetooth speaker for enabled devices. Combining sleek aesthetics with sound quality, the goal is to produce the EDGE.sound, a lightweight and portable speaker accessory that also pushes excellent audio.

In addition to listening to favorite tunes, EDGE.sound can also be used to place wireless phone calls and charge in the sun with an optional solar dock… Read More

 

iPhone 5 backplate leaks: enhanced speakers, thinner profile, smaller dock connector

By Christian Zibreg on May 29, 2012

A new report out this morning points us to an allegedly leaked part purported to belong to an upcoming sixth-generation iPhone (not to be confused with a front panel part leaked by another source). It looks like it’s machined from a single piece of an aluminum alloy, similar to Apple’s Unibody manufacturing process for notebook chassis. If authentic, the leaked part casts additional light on the backside and profile of Apple’s upcoming iPhone revision.

It does reinforce the mostly agreed-upon thesis of the next iPhone having a slimmer chassis and a much smaller and rounded dock connector… Read More

 

How about this gorgeous speaker dock for your iPad by Jean Michel Jarre?

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 27, 2012

Jean Michel Jarre, a composer, performer and music producer, may be best-known for his trademark new-age sound and a penchant for lavish concerts that dazzle fans with fireworks and spectacular light equipment rocking the out-of-this-world laser shows (and that was back in 1986).

What you might not have known is that this 63-year-old French also runs Jarre Technologies, a cutting-edge brand for high-end home entertainment products and technological lifestyle.

The AeroPod Two is the latest in prosumer speaker dock technology to come out from Jarre Technologies. There’s a lot to like about this product, especially if you’re fond of elegant designs akin to Apple’s. The beast of a speaker dock is a whopping 34 inches wide, but wait ’till you hear the price… Read More

 

Sony’s magnetic fluid speaker dock makes speakers interesting again

By Oliver Haslam on Apr 24, 2012

There isn’t anything much more boring than iPhone speaker docks. They do what you would expect, and that’s get audio out of an iPhone, iPad or iPod and tries to look good in the process.

Sony has somehow managed to pique our interest though, with two new speaker docks being announced that offer something a little different to the bland, boring speaker docks that have become the norm of late.

Sony’s two new models, the catchily named CMT-V75BTiP and CMT-V50iP, feature a new type of speaker dampening. Rather than the traditional dampening, these new speakers are actually damperless, with magnetic fluid being used to passively damp the movement of the speaker cone… Read More

 
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