Tag Archives: bluetooth

Bluetooth speakers are all well and good, but they have limited range and use audio-compression technology that many audiophiles don’t appreciate. They’re also harder to configure for multiroom setups. Enter Wi-Fi speakers, which hit the scene years ago but never really caught on, for reasons I don’t fully understand. Well, actually, I do: Most of …

Editor’s note: A spokesman for data tracking company Inpixon originally said its technology is in schools. After publication, the company contacted CNET with an updated statement that Inpixon is in “various stages of contract negotiations” and noted that the service wasn’t live in any school. We’ve updated the story accordingly.  Teachers often lament that phones can be a distraction in …

Ultimate Ears Boom speakers come in a few different sizes, but none of them are as big as the all-new Hyberboom. A supersize wireless speaker that tips the scales at a hefty 13 pounds, the Hyperboom makes the Megaboom 3 look unquestionably puny. Available in black only at launch, the Hyperboom hits stores in March for $399 (399 euros, AU$599). It’s …

Huawei’s big news from its streamed press conference Monday is the updated folding Mate XS phone, but it’s not the only thing the company would have brought to MWC had it not been canceled.  First up, there’s its new small tablet, the MatePad Pro, seen above. With a 10.8-inch display, it’s not a small tablet, but it almost feels smaller …

Remember when the only way to take some party music on the go was to carry a boombox or to bring your own guitar? In any event, those days are long gone, thanks mainly to Bluetooth portable speakers. They come in all shapes and sizes, but I have a particular fondness for compact speakers that tuck easily into travel bags …

Photoshop on iPad will probably be great when it grows up, but at least it’s moved on from toddlerhood. Adobe obviously spent a long time laying the groundwork for this generation of its mobile apps, but after its official launch it still had that inevitable minimum viable product feel (a personal pet peeve). With its first major feature update since it …

I challenge you to find a better-looking Alexa speaker. Marshall’s lineup of smart voice speakers all shamelessly borrow from the look of the company’s famed amps, but don’t let the retro design fool you. These speakers pack a ton of modern features, including Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and multiroom music support. They also feature a …

Google’s streaming game service, Stadia, is no longer just for Pixel phones. Official support for 13 Samsung phones, plus a few Asus and Razer gaming phones, is coming in a few days. But you’ll still need to hardwire these phones to the Stadia controller with a USB cable. If you’re interested in playing with Google Stadia, these are the phones …

I love the convenience of Qi (“chee”) charging, which is now an option in most midrange and premium phones. Just lay one on a Qi pad or stand and presto: magic electricity transfer. Of course, that’s one more thing cluttering up your desk, nightstand or whatever. And they’re not the most attractive-looking things, either. Thankfully, wireless charging pads are starting …

A few months back, JBL unleashed a torrent of great speaker deals — most of which sold out quickly. Here’s one that just cropped up again, though I expect a similarly speedy sellout. For a limited time, and while supplies last, the JBL Link 20 portable wireless voice-activated speaker is $59.99. It lists for $229.95, though it appears to be …