Current speaker design technologies have run their course. The best of today’s box, panel and horn speakers are awfully good, but all fall short of reproducing the sound of a rock band, jazz trio or symphony orchestra as we hear them in real life. But what will it take to get them there? My guess: …
Read More »Tag Archives: vizio
TCL cancels one of the year’s best TVs in 50 and 65 inches
I just don’t get it, TCL. When I reviewed the 55-inch TCL P series Roku TV in June, I really, really liked it. It delivered the TV trifecta: excellent image quality, an affordable price ($650) and superb ease of use. Good streaming features too, thanks to its integrated Roku. And I’m not the only one. Accolades included The Wirecutter (“our …
Read More »Google Play movies and shows find new home on cheap Vizio TVs
Streaming just got a little more comprehensive, at least for owners of the cheapest Vizio Smart TVs. It’s now possible to watch movies and TV shows from the Google Play library directly through Vizio’s Internet Apps Plus platform on its entry-level D series smart TVs, the TV maker announced Wednesday. The app joins Netflix, Amazon video and YouTube and a host …
Read More »Vizio SmartCast TVs can now stream Amazon, join modern world
Vizio is the second-best selling TV brand in the US after Samsung, and Amazon Video is the second most popular TV and movie streaming service after Netflix. But it took until today for Amazon to be available on Vizio’s best TVs. The TV maker has rolled out a software upgrade for its 2017 SmartCast TVs that allows direct access to …
Read More »Who needs more than one speaker?
The “How many speakers do I need” question comes up all the time, but there’s no easy answer. For music a single speaker placed just about anywhere in the room might get the job done for background listening, even for some of my more astute audiophile pals. When music isn’t the prime focus, like while showering, working, exercising, etc., one …
Read More »77
OLED TVs boast the best picture quality we’ve ever tested, but if you want a truly big one, it’ll cost as much as a Ford Fiesta. Pricing has been announced for the biggest 2017 versions of LG and Sony’s organic light-emitting diode TVs. They measure 77 inches diagonal and start at $15 grand. That’s three or four times as expensive …
Read More »LeEco cuts 70 percent of US staff in massive retreat
It was a chilly January night in Las Vegas as Danny Bowman and I hopped on our LeEco smart bikes in a dim parking lot of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. The chief revenue officer of LeEco — an enigmatic Chinese company positioned as one part Samsung, one part Netflix and many parts unbridled ambition — had spent the …
Read More »Vizio unveils 2017 sound bars with Chromecast and Bluetooth
Now playing: Watch this: Vizio’s 2017 speakers get Chromecast support 1:13 Update April 27 4:13 pm ET: Vizio has advised that the previously-announced $180 SB3630-E6 and $150 SB3621n-E8M will not be released Vizio has unveiled its 2017 range of sound bars, with the top-of-the-line models featuring Google‘s Chromecast built in. The company has four new sound bars for 2017, priced …
Read More »Roku TVs now track what you watch to suggest streams, target ads
Roku TVs are CNET’s favorite entry-level televisions, with the best built-in streaming platform on the planet and good-enough picture quality for the price. I also love how they keep getting updated with new features and functionality, such as a recent add-on that lets antenna users pause live TV, no DVR required (seriously, it’s pretty cool) and listen to TV audio …
Read More »LeEco deal to buy Vizio for $2 billion falls through
Chinese tech company LeEco won’t go through with a deal announced in July to buy US TV manufacturer Vizio for $2 billion. Citing “regulatory headwinds,” the companies said in a joint statement that they’d still be looking for ways to partner with each other. “We continue to believe that there is great synergy between the two companies,” the statement said. …
Read More »