Hasta La Gadget!

We did say it’d take an Act of Congress to lower the volume on televisual commercials and, shockingly enough, that’s exactly what we’ve got now. The House of Representatives has given its nod of approval to the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act, which, having already cleared the Senate, is now on its way to President Obama’s desk for final validation. Once signed into effect, the new legislation will require that all advertisers modulate their volume down so it’s no higher than that of the program you’re watching, and it’ll be the FCC‘s duty to ensure that they all adhere to the new rule. A year’s leniency will be allowed for all those who struggle with figuring out how to turn it down from 11, but after that we should all be able to watch the dying medium that is live television without dreading the commercial breaks.

CALM Act approved by Congress, should make TV commercials slightly less obnoxious originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 04:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Those operating sans a keen sense of style would probably take half a glance at Cabasse’s L’Océan speakers (shown here on the right) and assume that they’re one in the same with the company’s La Sphére. Sure enough, the former also falls into the outfit’s Artis line of speakers, but there’s a slightly different combination of angles going on beneath the orb. The boutique audio firm has just revealed these three-way coaxial drive units, and they’re purportedly capable of hitting 117dB without a hint of distortion. Of course, they weigh 176 pounds and stand just under four feet high, and considering the 2,250 total watts of digital amplification, we’d say they’re probably built for a TMZ-certified house party. The company’s gearing up to launch these in Q2 2011, but with a €80,000 ($105,900) list price, we’re assuming it’ll take a little more than seven month to save up for a set.

Cabasse’s high-fashion L’Ocean speakers rock the catwalk, your wallet originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s November 15, which means Marshall is finally lifting the cardboard veil away from its debut personal headgear products. The headliner is unsurprisingly titled the Major, which is the collapsible set of cans you see above. It comes with both 3.5mm and 6.3mm (via an adapter) connectability as well as “super soft” cushions to keep your ears cozy. The exterior of the headband’s made up of the same vinyl Marshall uses on its amplifiers, for that extra sense of familiarity, and the price is set at 99, whether you’re talking euros or dollars. Similarly currency-agnostic is the Minor set of in-ear drivers, pictured below, which comes in at 59 eurodollars. For that you’ll get a tangle-resistant fabric cord with an integrated mic, a patented EarClick system for securing the buds in your ear, and the admiration of consumer types everywhere. Or you would if they hadn’t already sold out.

[Thanks, Damjan]

Marshall’s Major headphones and Minor earphones become official, pricing strikes the right note originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can’t say we’ve ever heard of Soundfreaq, but it’s safe to say said company has our attention now. The newly introduced SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system is easily one of the most stunning we’ve seen, and since it accepts BT commands, it’ll play nice with just about any mobile phone and / or PMP in the modern era. As for aural qualifications, you’re looking at Kevlar-reinforced balanced drivers (2.75-inch), an acoustically tuned dual-port chamber and a UQ3 spatial enhancement processor, all of which presumably combine to deliver pure nirvana straight to your ear canal. Doubly so if listening to Cobain. You’ll also find an inbuilt FM radio tuner as well as a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input, but you won’t spot the unit itself anywhere other than Target; it’ll ship there later this month for $199.

Soundfreaq’s SFQ-01 Bluetooth audio system exemplifies gorgeous originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re looking for a way to give your laptop a sound boost but maintain a clean and elegant workspace that’s not cluttered with large wired speakers, the Edifier Soundbar USB may be the perfect audio accessory for you. The brushed aluminum bar is just over 10-inches wide with a glowing blue mute switch and power button on the side. The Soundbar is entirely USB-powered, so the only cable you’ll need with the device is a USB cable, which is included in the package, and as long as it’s connected to your Mac or PC you can use it as external speakers.

The Soundbar USB also has an AUX-in port that allows you to connect other devices like a mobile phone or digital music player, but you still have to have it connected to a USB port on a desktop or laptop for power in order for it to work. Edifier promises the Soundbar has enough juice to sound out entire rooms and comes in a portable package with a carry pouch that can slip into a laptop bag or backpack. The Edifier Soundbar USB is available now from online retailers for $49 list.