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Toshiba has long been acquainted with the visual facets of home theater setups, and now the firm is entering the audio side of the equation with the SBX4250 — the first in a line-up of sound bar speaker systems. Featuring SRS TruSurround HD and accompanied by a wireless subwoofer, the strip packs two tweeters and four speakers in a 3.6-inch tall, 2.2-inch deep and roughly three-foot long form factor. In addition to the included HDMI and optical audio inputs, the box boasts Bluetooth connectivity for streaming audio from PCs, tablets, smartphones and other compatible devices. For those willing to part with $329.99, the 300-watt rig can already be snapped up online and at select brick-and-mortar establishments. Check out the glamour shots and the full press release below.

Continue reading Toshiba tries its hand at home theater audio with the SBX4250 Sound Bar

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Toshiba tries its hand at home theater audio with the SBX4250 Sound Bar originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hidden among the higher-profile items at Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10.1 launch today was a device that at first seemed familiar, but turned out to be far more than your everyday S Pen. That’s right, Samsung’s already capable stylus just got a major boost — meet the BT S Pen. The device, which received no formal introduction during its host device’s launch event, first appeared in the “press kit” bag that attendees received on the way out the door. It’s similar in size and shape to the company’s Galaxy S Pen Holder Kit, which serves as a sleeve for the standard-issue Note S Pen, but Bluetooth functionality, along with a microphone and tiny speaker, enable the lightweight plastic contraption to double as a wireless headset — sure to come in handy with the SIM slot-equipped international Note 10.1 flavor.

We caught our first hint of the pen’s functionality upon discovering a bundled AC adapter — that seemed mighty odd. The box also included an unusually beefy user manual and no fewer than five replacement “nibs” (read: stylus tips). Pairing took but a few seconds, and then we were on our way answering calls with a single tap of the talk button. There’s also a built-in vibration mechanism, which serves to alert you to incoming calls. Sound quality was solid, but speaking into a pen admittedly felt a bit odd — you may not draw as many stares as you would if speaking directly into a 10.1, but the seemingly unusual action may still turn a few heads. Otherwise, the S pen functioned as expected.

The packaging is all we have to go off of at this point — Samsung reps we spoke to didn’t know to expect the device today, so there’s no pricing or availability info to share. We do know that it’s rated for three hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby, it weighs 21 grams, offers Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility and will work with Galaxy Note devices — you could use it as a headset with other gadgets, though there wouldn’t be much appeal. It also includes a micro-USB charging cable, with the port accessible just above the shirt clip. That’s all she wrote for now — apparently this accessory was available exclusively at today’s event, and may not make its way to the US, if it’s released at all. You can see it in action now though, in our hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading Samsung HM5100 Bluetooth S Pen makes a surprise debut in our Note 10.1 ‘press kit,’ we pencil in a chat (hands-on)

Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablet PCs

Samsung HM5100 Bluetooth S Pen makes a surprise debut in our Note 10.1 ‘press kit,’ we pencil in a chat (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bluetooth speakers are pretty convenient, since they allow you to share your tunes wirelessly and you can use many different kinds of devices, like smartphones and tablets, as audio sources. Scosche’s boomSTREAM wireless speaker is yet another option for streaming your music over Bluetooth.

The boomSTREAM speaker has dual 40mm drivers and a passive subwoofer to give your music a little extra low end. The speaker is the kind that goes anywhere, thanks to the 8 hours of continuous playback you get from the built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery. Or you can give your smartphone an extra quick juice-up thanks to the USB charging port.

Scosche is selling this speaker for $99.99(USD). To put that price in perspective, that’s half the cost of the Jawbone JAMBOX. Only time will tell if the sound quality is as good as Jawbone’s offering.

[via GeekAlerts]

The Denon AH-NCW500 Globe Cruiser Bluetooth headphones are designed to provide superior audio and exceptional noise canceling for business travelers. These headphones feature a pair of 40mm dynamic drivers with a built-in amplifier, producing a frequency response of 5 Hz-37,000 Hz with an impedance of 100 ohms. These headphones also have dual microphones for clear phone conversations and a control wheel on earcups for music playback (play/pause), phone control (talk/hang up) and volume control. The Denon AH-NCW500 Globe Cruiser Bluetooth headphones are priced at $499.99. [Product Page]

How many of you out there love living out a lifestyle that is free from demands as well as unnecessary shackles? This is what we are talking about when it comes to a wireless world, and we already have had wireless home phones for the longest time already, with wireless printers and scanners starting to take their place in homes and offices everywhere, not to mention having wireless speakers being strategically placed around the room so that you are able to hear just what the artist wants you to hear – at least, as close as possible. All this without running the risk of a wayward kid zipping around the home and tripping over some cables.

Now here is a candidate for a wireless speaker for you to consider – the Scosche boomSTREAM wireless Bluetooth speaker which is said to come with a wireless range of 33 feet like all good Bluetooth-enabled devices should come with, making it ideal for action regardless of where you are – at home, in your backyard while you hold a BBQ session, at the dorm with the rest of your mates, or even at the office when you want to chill out. Let us take a closer look at what the Scosche boomSTREAM wireless Bluetooth speaker is able to deliver right after the jump.

This particular wireless media speaker will play nice with Bluetooth 2.1 enabled devices which run on either the iOS or Android operating system, respectively. It is not only compact, making it lightweight in the process, hence placing the boomSTREAM in a very strategic location where it is ideal for streaming music throughout the home, regardless of where you are. Obviously, you will need to pay some attention to the range which you are working with, not to mention having to take into consideration the kind of obstacles such as concrete walls that might result in lowering the range by some bit.

Kas Alves, Executive VP Scosche Industries, said, “With the overwhelming success of our boomCAN portable speaker, we knew we had to offer a wireless option. Like its wired little brother, boomSTREAM delivers big sound in a compact package.”

Just what kind of audio action does the Scosche boomsTREAM offer right out of the box? We are looking at dual 40mm drivers and a down-firing passive subwoofer which is said to be able to deliver an enhanced bass response while producing an excellent listening experience. Not only that, to make sure you get to enjoy hours of music – up to 8 on a full charge in fact, there is a 1200 mA lithium polymer rechargeable battery. Heck, you can even use the Scosche boomSTREAM to juice up a smartphone thanks to the USB charging port.

It will not lack in terms of aesthetics either, as the Scosche boomSTREAM will come with a brushed aluminum surface, in addition to an intricate speaker covering that makes it very pleasant to look at regardless of where you place it. The presence of a built-in microphone will be able to transform the boomSTREAM into an enhanced speakerphone right there and then. The asking price for this little wireless speaker that could? $99.99 a pop.

Product Page

[ Scosche boomSTREAM wireless Bluetooth speaker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]