Philips’ Fidelio HTL9100 soundbar, the speaker system which can offer both virtual and true 5.1 surround sound thanks to detachable speakers, has finally made it to store shelves. Landing in the UK at £699 ($1,077), the HLT9100 looks at first glance like a regular soundbar, and indeed operates normally in either stereo or virtual-surround modes;
HTC may have its Mini Bluetooth handset, but Sony thinks such implementation works best as a big clip without the numeric pad. Dubbed the SBH52, this splashproof device comes with FM radio, a headphone jack plus a small OLED display to show caller ID and text messages, so in a way it’s similar to its predecessors. What’s new is that you now get NFC as well as an earpiece — the latter lets you use the clip as a mini phone. Expect to see this on the shelves in Q3 this year.
Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless
Phablet just too big to press against your ear? In what may be a little size-shame around the Xperia Z Ultra, Sony has revealed a new Bluetooth “mini handset”, the Sony SBH52 which can be either held as a regular phone might be, or have a set of wired headphones plugged in instead. Up front
The recently introduced Wren V5PF holds the proud distinction of being one of the only two wireless speakers in the market today that will offer Android users a sophisticated channel for Wi-Fi music thanks to DTS Play-Fi technology. By utilizing old-school audio materials as well as classic audio know-how, the Wren V5PF will not only be able to harness the latest in wireless technology so that your ears will be treated to vibrant, room-filling sound, it manages to do so in a beautiful, simple, and convenient way. Of course, when you couple that with an elegant design as well as the proper acoustics in mind, marry that with the speaker’s sophisticated styling, subtle curves, and real wood rich finish, the Wren V5PF ought to be able to find a space in just about any home.
Your ears will definitely be more than happy with the Wren V5 Play-Fi speaker as individual features were specially designed to deliver fearless sound. It has been constructed out of natural bamboo or rosewood veneers that measure more than 0.5” thick MDF board, and the cabinet itself is internally braced to deliver a rigid enclosure that will be free from coloration. The unique internal diamond matrix-grille will offer further protection to the drivers without distorting sound. As for the underside of the Wren V5PF, it has been reinforced with a 4mm low-durometer silicone pad which will help stabilize the chassis and absorb cabinet vibration.
Here is a little primer on what DTS Play-Fi technology does – it transforms just about any Android smartphone or tablet (that runs on Android 2.2 Froyo or higher) into a flexible wireless audio device that has Pandora, vTuner internet radio, and a music player which can stream lossless audio files that has been stashed on the device, a local computer or a hard drive that has a DLNA server. Since it transmits “lossless” audio, you can be sure that the music you hear, based on the original quality, is as good as it gets. The Wren V5PF comes with an asking price of $399 a pop.
Press Release
[ Wren V5PF launched copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Are you someone who loves picking up special editions of different items, whether they are video game consoles or fashion items? If you have answered in the affirmative, then you would do well to check out the £59.99 Bloom FM Bluetooth Wellies, where it will be limited to just 10 pairs. As the name of the Bloom FM Bluetooth Wellies has done a pretty good job by itself in revealing what it does, I am here to do the formalities – it is basically an integrated Bluetooth speaker with a splashproof carry pouch.
Not only that, it comes with a half year Full Bloom subscription, now how about that? Bloom.fm will merge radio and music discovery using their unique ‘borrow, enjoy, return’ subscription system. In addition, Bloom.fm has just rolled out their free mobile app at the beginnign of this year, and have since garnered more than 150,000 active users. Each pair will feature a quality wireless speaker that is attached to one leg, alongside a splash proof pouch on the other, ensuring that regardless of where you walk around, you will be able to walk to the beat of your own boots. Just make sure that you have nothing that goes too fast, otherwise you’d have to break out in a run instead.
[ Bloom FM Bluetooth Wellies copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Irish startup Galvanic has just launched a Kickstarter to crowdsource funding a wireless stress biosensor it’s calling PIP. PIP — which stands for ‘personal input pod’ — is a Bluetooth biosensor that monitors its user’s stress levels by measuring their galvanic skin response (GSR) as they hold the PIP pinched between thumb and forefinger. GSR means skin conductance — so basically how sweaty you’re getting and therefore how nervous you’re feeling.
PIP isn’t just a quantifiable self-tapping biosensor; it’s been designed to work in conjunction with iOS and Android phone and tablet apps to provide a gamification element. The company has created three games designed to be played using the PIP, which utilises Bluetooth as its data transport tech. The user’s stress level is then incorporated into each game as the core gameplay mechanic — with the ultimate aim being to help the player learn what they need to do to relax.
It sounds a bit counterintuitive, since competitive gaming can be synonymous with sweaty palms, which is presumably why Galvanic’s project extends to designing stress-busting games. It’s created three games to be used in conjunction with the PIP — a relaxing racing game, a seasonal mood game where players meditate on a wintery scene to turn it into spring, and a more playful lie-detector multi-player game — but it does also plan to launch an SDK in future to get third party developers expanding the PIP’s gaming ecosystem.
With this initial handful of in-house games the PIP can only be so interesting, but if Galvanic can convince enough people to buy in to the gadget and thus lure enough outside developers to join in, there’s plenty of potential for other cool biosensing software ideas. The price per PIP is $79 for a limited number of early bird Kickstarter backers, or $99 thereafter. Presumably each new PIP-compatible game may also carry a consumer price-tag.
Galvanic is gunning for $100,000 in Kickstarter funding, with the money to be used for finalising manufacturing and readying its own apps. Assuming it hits this rather ambitious funding goal, the company reckons it can gear up for mass production by the end of 2013, and expects to be shipping in Q1 2014. In future it said it plans to expand platform support beyond Android and iOS, to add Windows Phone, Blackberry, Windows, MacOS and also game Consoles and set-top boxes.
The folks over at MuseMini who have come up with their fair share of wireless audio accessories in the past which target an active lifestyle, has come up with a spanking new collection of Near Field Communication (NFC) as well as Bluetooth powered accessories that were specially designed to be tough while they’re on-the-go as well as when involved in outdoor activities. I am referring to the so called trinity of a portable speaker, headphones, and NFC/Bluetooth adaptor.
Of course, leading the charge would be the $129.99 DBoom, which so happens to be a customizable and portable speaker that is capable of streaming superb sound and handsfree phone calls from any Bluetooth or NFC enabled device. What makes the DBoom special from the other devices in its class out there would be the added option to showcase your personality through the customization of your speaker, where this is made possible thanks to a perfectly form fitting skin which you can choose from a library that features most professional sports teams, colleges, entertainment and art brands. With literally thousands of designs to choose from to state your preference, you would be hard pressed to find another DBoom that looks exactly the same as yours. It delivers 6 watts of powerful stereo output from a pair of custom high fidelity audio drivers and passive sub-woofers, running on a re-chargeable, high capacity 2600mAH lithium-ion battery that delivers users up to a dozen hours of playtime on a single charge.
As for the MuseMini Bluetooth and tangle free UberBuds, this pair of eadbuds might not look like much, but when you take its $99.99 price tag into consideration, it delivers rich audio which is unique in such a compact and versatile package. It is perfect for music, phone calls, and games, as UberBuds will be able to stream Bluetooth wirelessly from any APTX/AAC compatible device from a range of up to 30 feet away. It will come with three sizes of ear cushions in order to maximize your comfort and support, while UberBuds offers a lifetime warranty against sweat, thanks to the use of cutting edge science that implements a patented nanotechnology through the treatment of a hydrophobic (waterproof) solution.
Last but not least, the $79.99 UberFly headphones can stream music from any NFC and Bluetooth enabled device from a range of up to 30 feet away, making it a snap to control your music while handling calls thanks to the integrated control panel and concealed microphone. Any takers?
[ MuseMini rolls out a bunch of accessories copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
When Anki Drive was demoed live on stage during Apple’s WWDC, we saw a modern take on classic slot cars using iOS devices and Bluetooth-equipped toy vehicles — basically a racing video game rendered with real world objects. But there’s actually a lot more to it than that. Earlier this week, we talked briefly with Boris Sofman — Anki’s CEO and cofounder — about the product and the startup’s history and ambitions. While playing the game and taking pictures was off limits, we got the opportunity to examine the cars up close. Read on after the break.
Gallery: WWDC 2013: Anki Drive App
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
