Wireless

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.

Verizon to start field-testing 5G wireless within 12 months, commercial deployment in 2017

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 8, 2015

Verizon Wireless, the leading U.S. wireless operator, will be kicking off field trials of a fifth-generation network which promises to bring some rather insane download speeds.

With these trials, the big red carrier should become the world's first carrier to seriously move into 5G.

As reported by CNET, field trials on 5G wireless technology are set to kick off within the next 12 months, with Verizon's chief information and technology architect Roger Gurnani confirming that “some level of commercial deployment” should begin in 2017.

ON Charge magnetic wireless charging solution for iPhone launches on Kickstarter

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 11, 2015

Don't you wish your iPhone had wireless charging like the Apple Watch does? I didn't think wireless charging would be a thing for me until my Apple Watch and its inductive charger landed on my desk. I now want this technology on my iPhone but until Apple delivers a wireless charging solution of its own, we'll have to make do with third-party accessories.

Today, I want to talk about the ON Charger battery and the ON Case for your iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus which recently launched on crowd-funding platform Kickstarter. Both the charging base and the case feature a cool magnet assisted design making them cross-compatible with multiple smartphone brands.

Google unveils ‘Project Fi,’ an MVNO with plans starting at $20 per month

Cody Lee ∙ April 22, 2015

After years of rumors and speculation, Google is officially getting into the wireless business. The tech giant on Wednesday announced "Project Fi," an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) set to shake up the wireless industry with plans starting at $20 per month.

Google has teamed up with Sprint and T-Mobile for the project, and it will piggyback on their networks. The service is designed to allow devices to dynamically switch between the carriers' networks and nearby Wi-Fi networks, depending on which offers better service.

Images of refreshed Apple Wireless Keyboard with backlit keys pulled from Online Apple Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

Images of Apple's Wireless Keyboard with backlit keys and a power button were removed today from the Online Apple Store, suggesting the product has prematurely leaked or isn't ready for prime time yet.

Yesterday, the Online Apple Store in Czech Republic and Hungary got refreshed with new images showing a power button on the $69 keyboard and controls for adjusting the brightness of the backlight.

Ericsson intensifies legal pressure on Apple over patents, seeks iPhone sales ban

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 27, 2015

Following a $533 million loss in a lawsuit a small Texas-based company leveled against it over patent violation, Apple is now facing new legal challenges.

Friday, the Swedish telecommunications giant has unloaded legal barrage against the iPhone maker.

The move follows Apple's refusal to re-sign a global licensing contract with Ericsson in mid-January. Bloomberg noted that Apple had been paying royalties for Ericsson's patents related to mobile technologies, but the global license agreement expired last month and hasn't been renewed since.

Apple patent details advanced wireless car control

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 3, 2015

Apple's patent filings are usually more indicative of the company's aspirations in terms of the technologies they seek to protect rather than possible future products.

With that in mind, The United States Patent & Trademark Office on Tuesday granted Apple an interesting patent on advanced automotive control by linking your iPhone to your vehicle through Bluetooth.

CES 2015: Moshi launches AirPlay speaker with eye-candy cabinet design

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 6, 2015

Moshi, the maker of premium accessories and peripherals for Apple devices, announced today at CES in Las Vegas a gorgeously crafted wireless speaker with built-in support for AirPlay, a media streaming technology from Apple.

Because AirPlay is directly supported by the Spatia speaker hardware, as Moshi is marketing its new product, you can stream music from an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or Mac to the speaker without being connected to a home Wi-Fi router.

CES 2015: a true wireless charging system beams power to gadgets from 20 feet away

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

At CES, Energous presented a true wireless charging system that beams power to devices through the air, from 20 feet away, Engadget reported.

They're calling it WattUp and it uses a proprietary solution that got demoed at CES yesterday.

The technology is ready for seamless integration into a common residential setting, providing the ability to charge a multitude of devices free of any wired connection or charging pad.

Orcas Bluetooth earbuds are designed for an active lifestyle

Jim Gresham ∙ September 21, 2014

You are pumping iron at the gym. You are training for the half marathon. You are cooking in the kitchen. You are commuting on the train. You are listening to Let's Talk iOS on the couch. All of these scenarios, have you tethered to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod with a corded headset. Nothing is more annoying than ripping your iPhone off the treadmill at the gym because you accidentally caught your headphone cable while reaching for a bottle of water.

I am the guy that wraps his iPhone in a sturdy case at the gym because I just cannot seem to stop dropping it. If I had a pair of wireless headphones, all of my problems would be solved. While Bluetooth headphones have been a thing for some time, I have only stumbled across over the ear cans or giant muffs. No one wants to use a giant pair of headphones while doing a physical activity except people who love their Beats. Take a step inside to read about the Orcas Bluetooth earbuds, my new favorite pair of activity minded buds that were sent over by Outdoor Tech.

Apple awarded new patent on wireless charging

Cody Lee ∙ August 7, 2014

We don't know if the upcoming iPhone 6 is going to feature wireless charging technology or not, but we do know that Apple is working on it. The Cupertino company has been awarded multiple patents on wire-free charging tech over the years, and today we're adding a new one to the stack.

The USPTO granted Apple the rights to a new invention this week based on NFMR (or near-field magnetic resonance) technology. NFMR is different from the inductive charging tech used by most manufacturers these days, as it's capable of wirelessly charging devices up to one meter away...

Refurbished previous-generation Time Capsule now just $149

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

I'm a huge fan of Apple's wireless appliances and a longtime Time Capsule user. I have my first Time Capsule model lying around the office somewhere and my wallet still hurts remembering that I paid a whopping $600 for it some five years ago.

If you don't mind jumping on the previous-generation pre-owned hardware, the Refurbished Apple Store has now brought the price of the 2TB/3TB mid-2011 Time Capsule down to $149/$299, respectively...