Hasta La Gadget!

When it comes to docking stations for the iOS-powered range of devices, these are dime a dozen. In fact, dime a dozen does not really describe it best, it would be a gazillion iDocks hanging around on store shelves, looking pitifully at the masses who walk by each day, hoping that someone would rescue them from such a mediocre existence so that they can really show off to the listener just what kind of audio performance they are capable of. Well, the $25.99 Boom Dock iSpeaker does not need to rest on a store shelf, as you can always make an online purchase and have it delivered right to your doorstep. Apart from that, it also comes in a shape of a boom box, meaning you can relive those old school moments of your youth as you blast current tunes via a retro looking device.

As for old faithful, you might as well send it into retirement and perform an upgrade by picking up the (relatively lightweight) Boom Dock iSpeaker. It allows you to tote the boombox around without having to struggle much, and you also need not sacrifice your sense of musical style. Be mindful though, the Boom Dock iSpeaker will rely on power from your connected iDevice, meaning it has no batteries built in, but your iDevice will be sucked dry faster than normal. It will play nice with the iPod mini, classic and 3rd to 5th generations, iPod nano 1st to 5th generations, iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

[ Boom Dock iSpeaker copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

I’ll admit that I wasn’t sold on the idea of portable Bluetooth speakers until someone actually gave me one and I tried it out for a couple of days. Since then, I use it almost everyday. Soundmatters is adding another portable speaker to their range, the DASH7, as part of their CES 2013 lineup.

The Soundmatters foxL DASH7 is pocket-friendly, so when you don’t use it, you can just stash it in your coat.  It only weighs 200g, stands about 18mm high, and comes with a compact stand for adjusting its angle. It’s also short enough when laid flat to fit in front of a tablet in a stand without blocking the screen.

It’s supposed to provide omni-directional sound when aimed upwards, but directional sound when placed on its stand. It can also connect to the Soundmatters foxLo subwoofer, if you want a little extra low-end thump. It’ll even work as a speakerphone when paired with a compatible smartphone, and has a built in microphone.

The DASH7 will be available in red, white, black and silver between late January and late February 2013. It will retail for $249(USD) but you can pre-order it for $219, and also save $13 on shipping.

While Belkin has long been at the forefront of Apple accessories, offering everything from keyboard cases to baby monitors, it somehow left the audio arena unexplored. That ends today with the introduction of the Belkin Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater. Behind that mouthful of a product name is essentially a portable speaker dock for the iPad housed inside a protective case, which seems a lot more reasonable than Bang & Olufsen’s pricey speaker “wedge.” The Thunderstorm’s front-facing speaker system boasts full-range drivers and integrated air channels for “immersive sound” and “deeper bass.” All the internals are powered by Audifi, a mobile audio engineering outfit that Belkin specifically hired for the project. As for the cover, Belkin took a cue from Apple’s own magnetic offering, but went a step further with the addition of multifold creases for different viewing angles.

We spent a few days with the Thunderstorm and so far we’re impressed with the volume and depth from such slim speakers. Though we didn’t have a chance to test it, Belkin is also offering a free iOS app to accompany the product — it essentially lets you fine-tune the audio with presets for music, movies and games. However the Thunderstorm is not without a few annoyances: the case adds an unsettling amount of bulk to the iPad and it’s currently only available with the now-ancient 30-pin connector (we’re told a Lightning-equipped version is due in Q2 2013). If you’re happy with the ole universal dock though, you can pick this up in the coming weeks from Belkin’s online store, Amazon.com or the Apple Store for $200 a pop. In the mean time, you can get a closer look at it with the galleries after the break.

Continue reading Belkin introduces Thunderstorm Handheld Home Theater for iPad, we go hands-on

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Source: Belkin

SuperTooth has announced a pair of new Bluetooth speakers. The models include the Disco Twin and the HD-Voice with the former being a pair of speakers offering left/right stereo and the latter being an in-car hands-free model. Both models are set to debut during CES 2013, however we have yet to see a firm release date for either model.

That being said, lets kick things off with the Disco Twin. This speaker, or more accurately, this set of speakers is designed to offer true right / left stereo. The speakers each have 16 watts of RMS audio power and feature double speakers in the front along with a bass reflex system in the back. Given each speaker is 16 watts, the total combined will be 32 watts. The Disco Twin speakers should be able to offer up to 3 to 4 hours of non-stop music playback or up to 10 hours of “moderately played tunes.”

NOTE: Final photos of the devices will be coming soon, and we’ll certainly be bringing you some awesome hands-on presentations during CES next week as well!

In terms of the HD-Voice, this one is designed for in-car use and will bring features to include the ability to announce callers in 12 languages as well as announce the battery level, connection status and GPS instructions. The HD-Voice will have a pair of speakers and a pair of microphones which sound help with the sound quality both coming and going.

The Disco Twin speakers will sell (in pairs) for $199 and the HD-Voice will be selling for $89. And in addition to SuperTooth showing off the Disco Twin and HD-Voice speakers during CES, the company will also have their other products including the recently announced Melody headphones and the Disco 2 and Disco hands-free car kits.

Have a peek at the timeline below to check our exciting history with the SuperTooth family and get an idea of what’s to come!

SuperTooth Disco Twin and HD-Voice Bluetooth speakers go big for CES 2013 is written by Robert Nelson & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

We’re just a few days away from the start of CES 2013, and we can barely contain or excitement. That’s because this nifty little speaker will be making an appearance on the show floor next week. It’s called the Dash7 from Soundmatters, and it’s a small, portable Bluetooth speaker about the size of a typical smartphone.

The speaker boasts pristine omnidirectional sound and is also bundled with an angled stand for direct on-axis listening. It weighs just over 7 ounces, and it stands about 0.75-inches tall. Essentially, it’s designed to be nestled below your smartphone or tablet without restricting the view.

Plus, the Dash7 is incredibly slim for a speaker, making it easy to slip inside of a pocket or a laptop bag. Like the Jawbone Jambox, the Dash7 uses some clever tricks to boost its sound, mostly a tweeter/woofer combo and a moving battery for improved bass. It certainly can’t compete with a dedicated home stereo, but it’s designed to improve the sound coming from your smartphone or tablet anyway.

The Dash7 will be rolling out in late January and early February in a handful of colors, including red, white, black, and silver, and if you think this is the right Bluetooth speaker for you, you better come prepared with a fat wallet, since pre-ordering one now will set you back $219, and it comes with a $249 MSRP.

Soundmatters Dash7 portable Bluetooth speaker to debut at CES 2013 is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.