Bluetooth

House of Marley Chant Mini review: the little speaker that could

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

House of Marley has built up a solid reputation among consumers and reviewers for delivering products with unique, eco-friendly designs, great-sounding audio and affordable prices. So of course I jumped at the chance to check out their Chant Mini Bluetooth speaker.

I’ve been playing with the Chant Mini for a few weeks now, and I have to say that I've been impressed. The speaker sounds great for its size—at just 4.25"x5.5"x4.35" this thing is incredibly portable—and I have to admit that the unconventional design has kind of grown on me.

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Apple is reportedly building wireless earphones that will fit inside your ear and come with charging case

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 8, 2016

Apple is reportedly building brand new, completely wireless earphones that will fit inside of a user’s ear, along with a charging case, as per 9to5Mac.

The in-house designed hardware is similar in concept to the Motorola Hint headset and Bragi’s new Dash and said to include a noise-cancelling microphone system. The accessory will be “a premium alternative” to a Lightning-enabled version of the EarPods headset that's also in the works (EarPods are the wired in-ear headphones that came with your  iPhone).

Three days ago, Japanese blog Macotakara first reported on Apple's plans to bundle the iPhone 7 with a wireless headset. The following day, Fast Company said Apple is working with a supplier on a new noise-canceling technology to be used both in the iPhone 7 and the new earphones to help remove background noise in music playback and in phone calls.

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Apple allegedly plans to bundle iPhone 7 with wireless EarPods

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 5, 2016

Following a November 2015 claim by the Japanese blog Macotakara which asserted that Apple will ditch the standard 3.5mm headphone port on an 'iPhone 7' to focus exclusively on supporting Lightning-enabled headsets and wireless headphones, a new supply chain rumor published Tuesday by Chinese websites Anzhuo.cn and Feng claims that the Cupertino firm will actually bundle the next iPhone with a wireless version of its EarPods headphones to make up for the missing headphone jack.

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Satechi LED IQ Strip review: a simple app-controlled lighting kit

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

I’ve been playing with a cool smart lighting accessory over the past few weeks called the LED IQ Strip by Satechi. It’s a roughly 5-foot strand of multicolor LED lights that can be remotely controlled by virtually any Bluetooth 4.0 device.

Obviously this isn’t a groundbreaking product. There are several “smart” LED strips available these days—most notably the Philips Hue Lighstrip—I think its low price and ease-of-use make Satechi’s LED IQ Strip worth talking about.

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Apple releases OS X 10.11.2 El Capitan update

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 4, 2018

Following an extensive testing, Apple on Tuesday released OS X 10.11.2 (build number 15C50), the second major update to El Capitan, for public consumption. In addition to improving the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac, OS X 10.11.2 improves iCloud Photo Sharing for Live Photos, as well as the reliability of Wi-Fi networking, Handoff and AirDrop.

Moreover, the software update includes fixes for Bluetooth devices disconnecting on a whim, the Mail app deleting messages in an offline Exchange account and problems with importing photos from an iPhone to a Mac using a USB cable.

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House of Marley unveils inexpensive Rebel on-ear headphones that give Beats a run for its money

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2015

House of Marley, a music electronics brand deeply rooted in Bob Marley’s vision of consciousness, upliftment and change, today launched the Rebel, an inexpensive on-ear wireless headphones. Featuring power-efficient Bluetooth networking and priced at just $69.99, this headset is a viable option for those who can't stand wires and value crisp sound and sustainable craftsmanship.

With up to eight hours of continuous play, courtesy of a built-in rechargeable battery, along with an integrated microphone, A2DP stereo profile and 40mm moving coil drivers, the Rebel is the perfect alternative to the much costlier Apple-owned Beats audio accessories.

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Chrome for iOS gains 3D Touch shortcuts and support for more Bluetooth keyboard shortcuts

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 1, 2015

Google today updated its Chrome browser for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad in the App Store with two new feature additions: 3D Touch shortcuts on the Home screen via the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus and expanded support for shortcuts when the app is used with a Bluetooth keyboard.

Pressing firmly on Chrome's Home screen icon on your iPhone 6s will now bring up a 3D Touch menu with Voice Search, New Incognito Tab and New Tab options.

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Review: the Aukey outdoor Bluetooth speaker is a nice shower companion

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

This might sound weird, but the idea of listening to music and podcasts while in the shower has always appealed to me. It’s one of the reasons that I initially looked forward to the Apple Watch, thinking that I was going to be able to use it to listen to podcasts directly from the Apple Watch itself.

While that outlook has yet to materialize, I do appreciate the ability to easily control my iPhone’s music player via my Apple Watch while in the shower. But the iPhone’s speaker leaves a lot to be desired. I need a proper Bluetooth speaker that can take being exposed to the shower.

I recently acquired said Bluetooth speaker from Aukey, and it has proved to be the answer that I needed. It looks a bit weird, but its IPX4 waterproof rating and rugged design makes it a great option for a precarious environment like the shower.

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Great deal: 47% off JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth headphones

Cody Lee ∙ November 9, 2015

The JayBird BlueBuds X Sports are wireless, Bluetooth headphones that offer great sound and great features at an affordable price. They look sharp, utilize SignalPlus tech for skip-free playback, and can last for up to 8 hours on a single charge. And for a limited time, these headphones are 47% off, meaning you can score a pair for just $89.99.

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