The many, many Bluetooth speakers of CES 2014 (pictures)
There's an endless number of Bluetooth speakers at CES 2014 and they come in all shapes, sizes and colors. We're rounding up the most interesting ones we can find.
There may be more Bluetooth speakers than any other product type at CES 2014 and they come in an endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors. We'll be adding to this list as the show goes on, but here's what we've seen so far.
Pictured above is a handbag-shaped Bluetooth speaker from Acoustic Research's "AR for her" line, scheduled to come out in the spring.
2 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
RCA Toolbox
A Blueooth speaker with a built-in flashlight? Why not. RCA's Toolbox bills itself as a "14-in-1" multifunction job-site radio, for your rough-and-tumble audio needs.
3 of 32 Amanda Kooser/CNET
Massive Audio Dalek
Massive Audio, maker of car audio gear, unleashed a full-size Dalek studded with the company's equipment. Massive Audio is advertising the "Massive Dalek" as the world's loudest and largest Bluetooth speaker.
4 of 32 Sarah Tew/CNET
JBL Flip 2
JBL's new Flip 2 may look almost identical to company's original Flip wireless Bluetooth speaker, but it's got some key upgrades that make it a better speaker. For more information, read CNET's full hands-on from the show floor.
5 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Sony SRS-X5
The smallest of Sony's classy-looking new wireless speakers, the SRS-X5 offers eight hours of playback time and supports both aptX and NFC.
6 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Panasonic SC-NT10
Want to bring tunes to the beach? Panasonic's SC-NT10 is built for rugged outdoor use: it's shock-proof, splash-proof, dust-proof and freeze/heat-proof.
7 of 32 John Falcone/CNET
Soundfreaq Pocket Kick
Soundfreaq's Pocket Kick is just 1.2 inches thick, sporting two 2.5-watt drivers in its compact cabinet. It supports Bluetooth 4.0 with a rechargeable battery that's quoted to last 10 hours. Charging is handled via a micro-USB port, plus there's also a mini-jack input for making an analog connection. The Pocket Kick is set to come out in the spring for $99.
8 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
AR for her Mini Wireless Speaker
Acoustic Research is also showing the Mini Wireless speaker from its "AR for her" line, which comes in a large variety of colors and patterns.
9 of 32 Lynn La/CNET
Cobra AirWave Box
Available in several colors, the Cobra AirWave Box will come in black, white, and orange at launch, with more colors to follow. The AirWave Box will sell for $79.99 in March.
10 of 32 Sarah Tew/CNET
Vizio Portable Smart Audio
What do you get when you cross a Bluetooth speaker with a 7-inch Android tablet? Vizio's Portable Smart Audio speakers, which provide standalone music playback capabilities via apps running on Android, in addition to standard Bluetooth streaming capabilities. For more information, check out CNET's full story from the show floor.
11 of 32 John Falcone/CNET
Soundfreaq Sound Rise
The Soundfreaq Sound Rise alarm clock supports Bluetooth 4.0 and has a mini-jack input. There's no battery, as it's supposed to live on your nightstand, and it has other alarm-centric features like dual alarms and adjustable screen brightness. The Sound Rise is scheduled to be released in April for $69.
12 of 32 Lynn La/CNET
Cobra AirWave Mini
Cobra's AirWave Mini measures about 3 inches tall and can fit inside a small coat pocket. It has a splash-resistant design and a reported music playback time of 10 hours.
13 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Panasonic SC-NJ03
Panasonic bills the SC-NJ03 primarily as a portable battery to recharge your phone, but it also has a small speaker for streaming music via Bluetooth.
14 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Sony SRS-X7
Sony's SRS-X7 might be the sweet spot of Sony's new wireless speakers, offering up refined looks, a portable design (six hours of playback time), and tons of wireless connectivity, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC.
15 of 32 John Falcone/CNET
Soundfreaq Double Spot
The Double Spot is a revised version of last year's Sound Spot, sporting a textured front panel that's more decor-friendly than your typical black plastic Bluetooth speaker. Bluetooth 4.0 is supported, and it's being sold this summer for $119 without a battery or $149 with a battery. You can also add a battery on your own at a later time for $39.
16 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Panasonic SC-NA30
Panasonic's SC-NC30 has a retro, transistor radio look, but it backs modern smarts, like Bluetooth, NFC and 20 hours of playback time.
17 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Sony SRS-X9
Sony's SRS-X9 is its flagship wireless speaker for 2014, capable of playing back high-resolution audio files and supports just about every wireless feature you can imagine, including Bluetooth, aptX, NFC, Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and DLNA.
18 of 32 Matthew Moskovciak/CNET
Panasonic SC-NA10
Panasonic's SC-NA10 comes with a nifty case that doubles as a stand, plus it supports the aptX codec and NFC pairing.