Docking speakers that are friendly with Cupertino's shiny new Lightning connector are far from being a dime a dozen just yet, which is to be expected given the small amount of time it's been around. Staring today, though, we can add Philips to the small list of companies who are now offering a solution for those of you who would like to turn your iPhone 5 into a modern day alarm clock (among other things, of course). Thankfully, Philips brought plenty to choose from, with the outfit outing the Bedroom DS1155, Room-to-Room DS3205, Portable DS7580 and a high-end Lifestyle Music System DMC2067. These Lightning-equipped iDevice companions will be available this month starting at $90 for the DS1155 and $130 each for both DS3205 and DS7580, while the more powerful DMC2067 is yet to receive a price tag of its own.
Continue reading Philips outs new speaker docks with Lightning connector, prices start from $90
Filed under: Misc, Peripherals
Source: Philips
Welcome to the Engadget holiday gift guide! Picking presents for friends and loved ones is never a simple task, and with thousands of options for each category, buying technology can be an especially frustrating experience. We're here to help. Below you'll find today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. And don't forget to enter our giveaway -- leave a comment for a chance to nab AT&T's Samsung Galaxy Express.
Apple may have killed off the ubiquitous 30-pin connector, but that doesn't mean the dock is dead. Millions of older iPhones and iPads remain in use today -- and will for many years to come -- and Bluetooth and WiFi-equipped speaker rigs let you pipe in tunes regardless of your device's hardware port. Apple's Lightning adapter will also let last year's docks remain relevant, while standard 3.5mm inputs ensure compatibility with nearly any audio source. You should, of course, be aware of each system's connectivity before making a purchase, but don't let that previous-gen plug dissuade you from picking up an otherwise awesome setup. As always, we're happy to assist as you sort through the selection -- here are our top finds for every budget, so queue up some tunes and blast past the break.
Continue reading Engadget's holiday gift guide 2012: speakers and docks
Filed under: Household
Ferrari isn't a stranger to licensing its brand for use on gadgets. As of this week, the automaker's added some new offerings in the US on the audio-front with the help of Logic3. Way back at CES we got our eyes on the duo's full lineup of co-branded headphones and speakers, and now folks in the US can officially get their hands on two such offerings (Tim Stevens-approved racing gloves not required). Its $400 Cavallino T350 headphones come in black or tan, featuring 40mm drivers, active noise cancellation, an in-line remote / mic for your smartphone and a tangle-proof cord. As you'd expect, they're crafted from premium metal and leather for an extra luxurious feel on the ears. Those looking to fill a room with sound should take note of the $500 Scuderia FS1. It's a 2.1 speaker system complete with Bluetooth and the ever-aging 30-pin connector for older iOS devices. Sure, it's been a slow start to market, but here's to hoping the performance matches the prices -- hey, it still beats an actual payment on one of Ferrari's actual whips. Full press released after the break.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Portable Audio/Video, Wearables
Source: Logic 3
One of the most irritating things about Apple moving from its tried-and-true 30-pin connector to the new Lightning connector is that people are being forced to buy new accessories. Accessories that use the tiny new 8-pin connector have been slow to hit the market, but JBL has announced two new audio products that are aimed at the iPhone 5, 5th-gen iPod Touch and other Apple gadgets that use the new Lightning connector.
The OnBeat Micro and the OnBeat Venue LT speaker docks are the first on the market to use the new Lightning connector interface. The Micro is a battery-powered mobile speaker dock that also has a USB port for connecting older Apple devices as well as a 3.5mm audio input. The internal battery is good for up to five hours of playback and charges via an included AC adapter. Its two small full-range drivers are powered by a 2W-per-channel amp.
The Venue LT is a larger dock designed to be used in the home or office that connects to iPhones using Bluetooth and has its own Lightning connector for charging the iPhone 5, and the latest iPod nano and touch as well. It has a 15W x 2 amplifier, and a pair of full-range speakers.
Both devices work with the JBL MusicFlow app for viewing album art, changing tracks, and adjusting volume. The Micro retails for $99(USD) and the Venue LT sells for $199.
That larger JBL speaker dock looks familiar, doesn't it? Near the end of September, Harman gave us a peak at it's latest consumer audio products. Curiously, however, a slew of new iOS-focused speaker docks were shown off, each lacking a Lightning connector. Today that's changed, as JBL has announced a duo of systems that are equipped with Lightning docks. To start, the larger system is dubbed as the OnBeat Venue LTE ($200). This unit is essentially a Lightning-enhanced version of the 30-pin loaded Venue we recently spent time with, featuring the same 30 watts of power and Bluetooth connectivity with Apt-X support. Like it's sibling, the dock can be set flush with the front, and better yet, you'll even be able to dock your iPad Mini into it. Sizing things down a bit is the OnBeat Micro, a $100 bedside system that'll play nice with the iPhone 5 and the new iPod Nano. While it doesn't benefit from Harman's Bluetooth know-how (a pricing consideration, as we're told), it's loaded with a rechargeable battery for quick bouts away from wall power.
Based on a quick listening session, we can report that the Venue LT sounded very full and clear. Even with the optional bass- or vocal-boosts enabled, it didn't seem like the speakers were having trouble pushing out a high level of volume. The Micro on the other hand sounded decidedly tinny, which we're frankly not surprised about given the size. Both systems are compatible with JBL's MusicFlow app as well, giving you some extended options for tweaking the EQ. Both rigs felt fairly sturdy, but we were immediately able to notice some niggles with the Lighting connector. Our iPhone 5 and Harman's iPad Mini and iPod Nano clicked into place easily with the connector, but the hinge it's built on is very loose without any tension. A slight knock could potentially send an iOS device leaning forward, which would have us concerned in a party situation (the problem is more apparent on the Venue). Secondly, the docks won't play nice with common cases like Speck's CandyShell, so you'll need to have your devices naked before docking. JBL noted the quirks, stating that they have little control over the behavior of connector itself, as it's is supplied by Apple.
JBL expects that the OnBeat Venue LT and Micro will be the only Lightning-packing speaker docks for at least the holidays, so check out the press release after the break for more details if you're interested. As for us? We'd say the Venue LT is definitely worth a look, but we'd just as easily pass on the Micro given the myriad options out there for smaller Bluetooth-equipped speakers.
Continue reading JBL intros first Lightning-equipped speaker docks, we go ears-on
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video
JBL intros first Lightning-equipped speaker docks, we go ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsYou might recall late last year when we talked about the gigantically massive Behringer iNuke BOOM that packs 10,000 watts of power and was the biggest speaker dock we’ve ever seen for the iPhone. If you thought that speaker dock was pretty cool, but wanted one small enough to actually fit in your room the company is back with a junior version. The new speaker dock is called the iNuke BOOM Junior.
The Junior is significantly smaller than the original from last year, measuring just 8.7 ” H x 16.5 ” W x 9.8″ D, and weighing about 10.6 pounds. That makes it a 1:23 scale version of its big brother. The little box should still provide impressive sound with a pair of one-inch tweeters, two three-inch midranges, and a single 5.25-inch woofer, though it doesn’t have anywhere near 10,000 watts of amplification.
The device has an iPod dock on top as well as a line in and an auxiliary input with stereo RCA connectors. It also has a video out and supports the iPhone, iPod, and iPad – though not the iPhone 5. The iNuke Boom Junior sells for $179.99(USD) over at Costco.
