bluetooth

Apple looks to patent earbuds that work wirelessly

Apple has applied for a patent on wireless listening.

Dubbed "Detachable Wireless Listening Device," the patent application, which popped up on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office site today, describes methods by which users of portable media players would be able to listen to tracks through earbuds connected to or disconnected from the device. In the event the earbuds were disconnected from the device, users would still be able to listen by way of a wireless data transmission, such as Bluetooth.… Read more

ePure Bluetooth Station gives iPhones comfy homes

It may sound wacky but a new accessory from Swissvoice, the ePure Bluetooth Station, will transform cell phones into virtual home handsets. The setup is designed to mimic the shape and feel of an old-school desktop ringer but is capable of much more. … Read more

Apple wireless adapter patent could resolve cable woes

A new patent granted to Apple could eliminate issues with incompatible cables and adapters should the technology ever appear in the real world.

The U.S. patent awarded today -- No. 8,280,465 -- describes the ways in which a wireless adapter could interface between a device and an accessory.

Such an adapter could include one wireless interface to talk to the device and a second wireless interface to talk to the accessory. The adapter would be able to handle different wireless protocols, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

"A user may encounter a situation where she has multiple … Read more

CNET Exclusive: Gogroove BlueSync STX Bluetooth Wireless Stereo over 50% off

Liza Maloy isn't a CNET editor, but she has a pretty fun job: She's the CNET Marketplace associate partnership manager, which means she hunts high and low for tech bargains to bring to the CNET audience. Each week, she blogs about deep discounts she brokers. Whenever she can, she gets discounts on products CNET editors love.

This week we have teamed up again with our friends at Accessory Genie to bring the CNET Exclusives members an awesome deal on a great budget Bluetooth speaker system. The Gogroove BlueSync STX Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Speaker System pairs easily with most … Read more

Fund this: Keychain game controller for smartphones and tablets

How many smartphone or tablet games have you abandoned in disgust because your fat fingers couldn't master the onscreen controls or blocked too much of the action?

The solution, of course, is a game controller, one that connects wirelessly and is therefore compatible with most any mobile device. Just one problem: most of the controllers currently in development are on the larger side, meaning they're not practical to tote around in a pocket. So much for gaming on the go.

Black Powder Media's iMpulse is a Bluetooth-powered game controller that's small enough to attach to your … Read more

The iPhone 5 review has landed

Wednesday's CNET Update has a special guest:

CNET's iPhone 5 review is here, and senior editor Scott Stein spent a week secretly living with it to do a thorough review. He was kind enough to stop by the show and let me hold it while I talked about his review. (Yep, I had a geek-out.) During his review, he found a few things surprising: It was noticeably lighter and the 4G ended up being faster than his home Wi-Fi. Also be sure to check out videos about the new panoramic photo feature and Apple's new Maps, available … Read more

How to control your privacy settings on iOS 6

With iOS 6, app developers will have to get permission to access your personal information. Apps will need permission to access your Location, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Photos, and even your Twitter or Facebook account.

The first time an app attempts to access any of your private information, you'll be prompted to grant it access to that information. Should you deny (or approve) the access but later change your mind, you can change it in the Settings app.

Instead of cluttering up the Settings app with option after option, Apple condensed all of the privacy settings and put them in … Read more

iPod Touch vs. iPod Nano: Apple's 2012 iPods compared

Like clockwork, Apple never fails to refresh its iPod lineup every fall. In recent years, though, one can't help but notice that the ritualized iPod unveiling has lost some of its gusto compared with the fanfare surrounding the iPhone and iPad.

Still, Apple remains the top manufacturer of portable media players. Those of us old enough to remember the "iPod wars" that occurred nearly a decade ago can attest to the fact that Apple's tenacity in making the world's most popular MP3 player laid the groundwork for the success of the iPhone (pour one out for the Zune, friends). Apple may have moved on to bigger, better products, but maintaining its dominance in the diminishing world of MP3 players is just good housekeeping.

And so, the 2012 Apple iPod lineup offers a mix of new and old.… Read more

Connect to new Withings scale via smartphone or tablet

Connecting to a wireless scale through your computer is so first-quarter 2012. Now, if you're willing to drop $150 on the new Withings Wireless Scale WS-30, all you need is a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone or tablet to do the trick.

Withings, the French technology company best known for its sleek wireless scales for adults and babies alike, just announced its latest offering at IFA 2012 in Berlin and says the WS-30 will be available in Europe in late September (PDF). Its new (and free) Health Companion app, which helps users track not just weight and BMI (body mass index) but … Read more

Logitech UE rolls out new wave of headphones and wireless speakers

Logitech purchased the Ultimate Ears headphone line way back in 2008. Since then, slowly but surely, the UE logo has been creeping in as the upscale Logitech audio brand -- witness the UE AirPlay speaker from earlier this year.

As of today, the Logitech UE branding officially goes large with the introduction of seven new audio products. Among the new models are two mobile Bluetooth speakers, three new headphones with memory foam cushions, a noise-isolating in-earphone with four-armature speakers in each earpiece, and the next evolution of the Squeezebox Radio powered by Logitech UE's new mobile companion app.… Read more