Tag Archives: bluetooth-speaker

No single portable Bluetooth speaker is perfect for everyone — your preference will depend upon whether you care more about battery life, portability, bass response or whether there’s a built-in bottle opener. Despite the variety among speakers, some are beloved, like the Sony XB20 Portable Wireless Speaker. The fun pill shape, the bright blue color …

True story: My son received a Boom Brick 2.0 for his birthday, prompting a discreet eye-roll from yours truly. Another Bluetooth speaker? Throw it on the pile. Except, hang on, the box says it requires no Bluetooth. No wires. No connection of any kind. Snort. Yeah, right. So it’s a magic speaker? You just lay your phone in the cradle …

I don’t know if JBL is clearing out inventory or what, but in recent weeks the company has offered some damn good speaker deals. The latest: The JBL Link 500 smart speaker for $149.95 with promo code CNET500. It lists for $449.95, though it was $399.95 when CNET reviewed it. The best deal I’ve seen elsewhere: $249.95. Update: This deal is …

Apple’s rollout of iOS 13.2 doesn’t seem to be going smoothly for HomePod users. In posts on Reddit, Twitter and on forums at websites like MacRumors it HomePod owners are noting how the latest update seems to have bricked their speakers.  As spotted by MacRumors, the issues for some have popped up immediately after installing the new software while others …

Hold onto your wallets: It’s impulse-buy time. Today I bring you a pair of speaker deals that are just plain difficult to pass up, even if you think you already have all the speakers you need. Maybe there’s a gift-giving occasion in your future. Or a shower. Whatever the case, I recommend grabbing these before they’re gone — which may …

You’ve heard this song before: The biggest, fanciest TV in the world is still going to suffer from mediocre sound, because a flat screen leaves little space for decent speakers. That’s why I’m constantly recommending soundbars (see: The best soundbars for 2019). Of course, usually those are big bars intended to go with big screens. What about the smaller TV …

In his recent review of the EarFun Free true-wireless earphones, David Carnoy called out what he considers a “silly” company name. Me, I like it. Way better than the meaningless and/or made-up likes of Tronsmart, HolyHigh and Sony WF-SP700N. I mention that review because, naming conventions aside, Carnoy found a lot to like about the product, a $40 AirPods alternative. …

I’m irrationally excited about this deal. See, I first spotted the i-Star Qi Wireless Charging Smart Table earlier this year, when I wrote about 7 unexpectedly cool things with built-in wireless charging pads. Back then, it was $220, though an on-page coupon brought the price to just below $200. Still a bit on the high side for me. Today, however, …

For most students in the US, school started sometime in the past few weeks. But it’s in the first few days and weeks that those missing must-haves come into focus. To that end, we asked Dhara Singh, a graduate student who interned with CNET over the summer, to choose some key gadgets she’d like to have on hand as she …

We didn’t love the JBL Link Bar sound bar: That model, which we reviewed last month, was $400 and weirdly integrated Android TV alongside Google Assistant. But hey, at least JBL was ahead of the pack: In the days since, Roku and Amazon have announced sound bars that incorporate their respective smart TV services, too.  But what if you’d prefer …