bluetooth

At CES, Panasonic leads with Viera smart TVs

LAS VEGAS--It was short and sweet, and if you blinked, you might have missed it. We're talking about Panasonic's press conference at CES today.

The star of the show, unsurprisingly, was Panasonic's 2013 line of Viera TVs. But the consumer electronics giant also showed off a range of other new products, from midrange LCD TVs, to new Blu-ray players, to Bluetooth speakers, to a range of micro home stereos, and finally a set of bone-conducting headphones.

It may not have been the shortest press conference of the day (Lexus called it quits at 13 minutes), but before … Read more

Panasonic's Bluetooth speaker plays nice with tablets, does faux surround

LAS VEGAS--Samsung and LG aren't the only major manufacturers getting in on the Bluetooth speaker market.

Panasonic introduced the SC-NP10 Bluetooth speaker at CES 2013, designed with tablets in mind. The 3.5-pound speaker is designed to prop up tablets for movie-watching, although it doesn't necessarily need to be used with a tablet.

The SC-NP10 also has a feature called "Near Field Stereo Sound," which is supposed to make audio sound better even though you're close to the speaker. There's virtual surround processing as well, to help widen the soundstage from the small speaker. … Read more

Six new Panasonic micro home stereos sound off at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--Panasonic takes to CES 2013 to announce an array of updates to its line of micro stereo systems, this year with an emphasis on streaming, though several of the products include a Lightning dock for fifth-generation iOS music players.

As users grow more comfortable with wireless audio standards like Bluetooth and Apple AirPlay, Panasonic banks on a new generation of devices that rely on a wireless connection to transmit music.

The company gives a full refresh to its HC home audio systems with the introduction of the SC-HC58, SC-HC38, and SC-HC28. The SC-HC28 relies on a Lightning dock and … Read more

Monster set to ship $699 Katana, a premium Bluetooth speaker

LAS VEGAS--It seems like every audio company is putting out some sort of compact Bluetooth speaker system these days. Monster is, too, but it says its new $699 ClarityHD Katana speaker system, which is due to ship later this month in black and white versions, is a major cut above the rest.

It touts the Katana as a true "breakthrough" in wireless digital music systems. What makes it so groundbreaking? Well, according Monster, thanks to its advanced Bluetooth wireless capability featuring AAC and apt-X, "users experience a new level wireless audio performance, with the option to stream … Read more

Get a Westinghouse Digital Bluetooth speaker for $79.99

Today I'm winging my way to CES, otherwise known as Geek Mecca. Deal posts will be a bit sporadic for the next few days while I check out the tech of tomorrow (and try to avoid getting trampled in the process -- the show is a madhouse, seriously).

One product category I expect to see a lot of: Bluetooth speakers. They're coming in all shapes and sizes these days, and prices are creeping ever lower.

For example: Today only, and while supplies last, 1SaleADay has the Westinghouse Digital Unplug Bluetooth speaker for $79.99, plus $4.99 for … Read more

Polk Audio's Woodbourne is a Bluetooth speaker with high-end refinement

LAS VEGAS--Bluetooth speakers are taking over CES 2013, but the vast majority of them are cheap, small, and seemingly indistinguishable.

Polk Audio's new Woodbourne is on the other end of the spectrum, with a stylish retro-looking design that's made to be the centerpiece of a room. The Woodbourne's mahogany wood veneer top gives it a furniture-like feel, not to mention its sizable footprint: 24 inches wide, 7 inches tall, 6.88 inches deep, and 17.5 pounds. Most Bluetooth speakers focus on portability, but the Woodbourne is meant to be placed in a room and never moved.… Read more

Ghost Bee moves music between headphones and speakers seamlessly

LAS VEGAS--With its innovative hi-fi docking station, the upcoming Ghost Bee headphones by BeeWi add a new level of versatility to a typically straightforward headphone experience.

According to BeeWi, Ghost Bee headphones can connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device to support stereo music playback or hands-free communication. Along the edge of one of the earcups are buttons that enable you to control your music or calls. These buttons lie flush with the molded plastic, giving the product an overall sleek look.

But the most intriguing thing about Ghost Bee is its unique hi-fi dock, which can be plugged into a home … Read more

Dexim's Music Talking Stylus marries talk with touch

LAS VEGAS--For years now, people who rely on capacitive styluses to get their work done have had one major complaint: they can't use them to take phone calls.

At least, that's what Dexim says. The Chinese manufacturer hit CES Unveiled today with a funky hybrid device that turns a regular capacitive stylus into a Bluetooth speaker, allowing people to take phone calls through their stylus because ... reasons.

"People don't want to carry around a bunch of different sticks," asserts Lucia Lu, the company's vice president of sales and marketing. Until now, she said, a … Read more

LG's compact speakers support everything: AirPlay, Bluetooth, NFC, DLNA, and dual dock

LAS VEGAS--Portable speakers are one of the simplest ways to amplify your tunes, but there are a surprising number of different standards for a simple product type, among Bluetooth, DLNA, NFC, and AirPlay. There's one easy way around the problem: support them all.

LG is debuting six portable and docking speakers at CES 2013, offering a wide range of compatibility with different wireless audio standards. The high-end ND8630 dock supports nearly everything: AirPlay, DLNA, NFC, Blueooth, dual dock (for Lightning-equipped iOS devices and some Android devices), and a minijack input. The battery-powered NP6630 is nearly as well-equipped, except it … Read more

Samsung's first portable Bluetooth speaker does NFC

Samsung embraced Bluetooth and AirPlay speakers in a big way last year with the gorgeous DA-E750 and its sister products, but surprisingly the company hasn't rolled out a portable Bluetooth speaker -- until today.

The Samsung DA-F60 is the company's first entrant to the booming portable Bluetooth speaker market. It features the apt-X codec, which offers better sound quality if your tablet or smartphone supports it. It also supports NFC (near-field communication), which makes it slightly easier to pair with compatible phones.

The DA-F60 is compatible with Samsung's SoundShare platform, which means it can be used as … Read more