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JBL Link Bar brings Google Assistant, better TV sound for $400

JBL has partnered with Google on a sound bar that offers both voice control and Android TV streaming apps.

Ty Pendlebury Editor
Ty Pendlebury is a journalism graduate of RMIT Melbourne, and has worked at CNET since 2006. He lives in New York City where he writes about streaming and home audio.
Expertise Ty has worked for radio, print, and online publications, and has been writing about home entertainment since 2004. He majored in Cinema Studies when studying at RMIT. He is an avid record collector and streaming music enthusiast. Credentials
  • Ty was nominated for Best New Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism awards, but he has only ever won one thing. As a youth, he was awarded a free session for the photography studio at a local supermarket.
Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Ty Pendlebury
Lori Grunin
2 min read
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JBL

In advance of Google I/O, Google and JBL have announced the JBL Link Bar, a sound bar that builds on previous Google Assistant collaborations such as the Link 300 and adds in media streaming. You can now preorder it for $400  (which directly coverts to about £310 and AU$545), at least from B&H, which expects it to become available in the middle of October.

For the amount of smart functionality onboard, including the number of HDMI ports, we expected it would cost in the region of $700 to $800 (about £550 or AU$1,000). So at almost half that, it looks like it'll be a great value.

The JBL Link Bar is an HDMI sound bar and it can control smart home devices and your TV via voice control. It offers three HDMI ports as well as streaming content via Google's own Android TV.

According to Variety, the companies will make a separate subwoofer that connects via built-in Chromecast, which means you can use it for the sound bar or any other compatible speaker on your network. 

Meanwhile, the Link Bar has at least two competitors on the horizon. The first is the Polk Command Bar, which is due midyear for $299 and incorporates an Echo Dot in the center. The second -- a rumored Sonos sound bar with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant on board -- is expected to be announced in San Francisco in June.

First published May 7, 2018 at 9:49 a.m. PT.
Update Aug. 21 at 6:29 a.m. PT: Added price and availability information.

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