Tag Archives: wireless speakers

Plug-in Bluetooth speaker brings high-quality audio anywhere there’s a power socket

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Bluetooth speakers are convenient for letting almost anything connect to them without cables, but most of them still need at least one wire to connect to a power source. Battery-powered wireless speakers only give a few hours of freedom at most, and then you’re back to plugging it in, anyway. If you have plenty of power outlets within easy reach, then a better option is now available that will change the way you’ve been listening to audio at home or at work. With OC Acoustic’s new speaker, you can enjoy high-quality music, podcasts, and every enjoyable piece of audio content with a stylish speaker that plugs directly into a power socket, offering you even more freedom and flexibility than your typical wireless home speaker.

Designers: Kenji Kawaguchi & Tandem Product Design

Click Here to Buy Now: $67.99 $79.99 (15% off with Coupon Code “YANKO23” ). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Wireless speakers have become quite popular in the past few years, and recent designs have made them stand out as beautiful pieces of home decoration. That’s almost by necessity, though, since these speakers have to take up space on tables, shelves, and countertops, space that could have otherwise been occupied by more essential or even more decorative things. What if, however, you could take out the middle man and cut off all the wires completely without worrying about battery life as well? That’s exactly what this ball-sized speaker brings to the table, or rather literally takes away from the table.

Simply put, the Newport Plug-in Bluetooth speaker is a highly accessible audio device that plugs directly into a power outlet, wherever that outlet may be. You don’t have to worry about any wires to hide because there aren’t any, and the speaker is always ready to reconnect to your device the moment you step within Bluetooth range. It hides in plain sight, but you also have the option to make it playfully stand out. Pick from four color choices to either match your decor or be a vibrant beacon of fun at parties.

Despite its size, the OC Acoustic Newport delivers powerful audio to accompany you while you do your work, get you pumped up during your workouts, or get the party going. Each speaker packs a 52mm full-range driver and a 5W RMS speaker, but if one isn’t enough, you can string as many as 50 of these together to really fill up the house. And you don’t need to feel like you’re losing a power outlet because the speaker has a built-in USB type A port to charge your phone or tablet at the same time.

You might think that you’ll be limiting yourself by having a speaker that needs to be on a power outlet directly, but those outlets don’t have to be on walls anyway. With the OC Acoustic Newport Plug-in Bluetooth Speaker, you actually have more freedom because you place it anywhere without it getting in the way. Whether you’re preparing coffee orders, running on the treadmill, or chopping veggies, you can have your music fix wherever you are, as long as there’s a socket nearby.

Click Here to Buy Now: $67.99 $79.99 (15% off with Coupon Code “YANKO23” ). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

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This beautiful wireless speaker comes in two parts for outdoor and indoor use

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Bluetooth and wireless speakers are all the rage these days, coming in all sorts of designs, sizes, and prices. While there is a great variety among them in terms of aesthetics, it seems that most of them fall into one of two categories. There are gorgeous speakers that improve the ambiance of your house but would probably die when used outside. And then there are those that are born to be used outdoors but don’t exactly mesh well with your interior decor with their rugged and rough aesthetic. There are, of course, a few that straddle the line between these two worlds, like this speaker design concept that is a work of art indoors and a handy portable speaker outdoors.

Designer: Tyrion Ma

There seem to be two separate and almost mutually exclusive sets of requirements for outdoor and indoor wireless speakers. Those that are meant to stay inside are often big, eye-catching, and sometimes even imposing, while portable speakers, by necessity, are smaller and designed to be more durable. Some properties, like omnidirectional speakers, can apply to both types, though blasting audio at 360 degrees might make less sense outdoors where there are no walls to bounce the waves off.

It is difficult for a single speaker to have all these traits, not to mention that it is expensive to implement and manufacture. The AUREOLA wireless speaker concept design sort of sidesteps this problem by actually having two parts, each designed for a different environment. The portable outdoor speaker part is barely bigger than a smartphone and sits on the larger part’s base, which also serves as a wireless charging pad for both the speaker and other devices.

While the portable part of the speaker is almost negligible in size and appearance, the indoor part is undoubtedly the main attraction. A large ring rises from the base, providing the omnidirectional sound source as well as the AUREOLA’s source of character. It is clearly a speaker that was designed to grab people’s attention through its sheer size and artistic form. In different colors, it can easily blend with your room’s design, becoming the visual and aural focus of the space.

While the speaker’s design is elegant and its concept intriguing, the concept still leaves plenty of questions unanswered. The most important is how the two parts can actually be considered a whole when they’re together. It seems as if the two are only related by design and operate independently of each other, making them just members of a set rather than two parts of a whole. Then again, it might not be that hard to think of ways to make it happen, like how the smaller speaker is actually the brains behind the AUREOLA’s functions. It’s definitely an avenue worth pursuing, if only for the sake of seeing such a striking speaker become a reality.

The post This beautiful wireless speaker comes in two parts for outdoor and indoor use first appeared on Yanko Design.

Magnetic Levitating UFO Bluetooth Speaker

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This is for sure one of the coolest speakers we’ve seen. It’s literally floating. Or least the top half is. If you can bet the bottom part to float too, call us, we’ve got a proposal for ya, probably not that illegal. This Levitating Bluetooth Speaker uses the magical and mysterious power of magnets (how do they work?) to make the speaker float in mid-air. Meanwhile it can also spin around like an alien carousel full of little aliens riding cows around in a circle. Why do aliens like cows so much anyway?

So the speaker, yeah, the speaker connects to your phone or whatnot (probably your phone though) via bluetooth and pumps out that bassy bass with 5W audio drivers. Feel the earth move under your feet, because this speaker won’t feel the earth at all since it’s floating. There is a rechargeable battery in there since we’ve yet to develop anything better. Perhaps some actual aliens could help us out a bit on that front? Please? We’ll give you more cows.

This speaker looks pretty sleek, and has a modern look with it’s glowing light. It’s an instant party, just like aliens like to do. Party with cows. You can also just use the UFO top part on it’s own with the base, but what fun would that be?

Magnetic Levitating UFO Bluetooth Speaker

Lodge wireless landscape speakers deliver concert-like sound, live outdoors with ease and are powered by the sun

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Many outdoor speakers today come in a portable form, which can be beneficial when you find yourself on the go. The downside with many of these speakers is that their smaller size results in small-ish sound and you constantly worry that the charge will run out at the most inconvenient moment or just when the action is starting to heat up. Whether it’s for a backyard party, a relaxing picnic, or outdoor activities like boating and camping, what you need is an awesome sounding, weather-proof, always-powered speaker for your music. And that’s exactly what you get with the Lodge wireless landscape speaker.

Designer: Tristan Cannan

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $420 $600 (30% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only!

It’s probably fair to say that many portable speakers are designed to withstand the elements like moisture and dust. Sure, they are meant to be used outdoors, but they don’t last outdoors very long because their charge runs out and often when you least expect it, like in the middle of the party or your favorite song. With Lodge speakers, you never have to worry about such interruptions, because they are being continuously charged by the sun and can deliver 15 hours of your favorite music on a single charge.

Effortless Setup – Simply select any spot, insert the stakes, and mount your speakers in seconds.

Powered by the Sun – Covered in 180 square inches of high-performing, shatterproof solar panels to ensure your sound system is always charged.

As you might have guessed, this remarkable feat is made possible by solar charging panels, about 180 square inches in total, covering the speaker’s top, back, and sides. That means that no matter where you set it up or which direction it’s facing, a Lodge speaker will always be able to soak up some rays to keep its battery topped up all the time. And in case you’re worried about those panels, they’re designed to be shatterproof and chip-proof to survive anything the outdoors throws at them.

Everything Proof – Designed to truly weather any storm, whether it’s splashes, rain, dust, sand, or dirt.

In fact, you could almost say that the Lodge speaker is “Everything Proof.” With a formal dust and water resistance grade of IP66, it can stand in the rain, hold steady at a passing lawnmower, and brave sand and dust, practically almost anything that nature and man can throw at it. And since there’s no need for traditional charging, there are also no wires to make you worry about safety. And when you are ready to move the party somewhere else, you can take the Lodge speaker with you wherever you go, just pick it up from its magnetic stand and bring your music with you, even indoors.

Bluetooth Connectivity – Play your favorite tunes with your favorite apps without worrying about latency or dropped connections.

Besides handling all kinds of weather conditions without a hitch, the true calling for the Lodge speaker is the premium quality sound you will hear coming out of it. And hear it, you will, thanks to its 4-inch passive subwoofer for punchy bass, a 3/4-inch turned dome tweeter for clear and crisp highs, and a 50-watt amplifier to deliver big, spacious sound. You get all of that from just one speaker! Of course, if one Lodge speaker isn’t enough, you can also chain together multiple speakers to create an immersive soundscape. With Bluetooth 5.3, you can easily stream your favorite tunes from as far as 100+ feet away without missing a beat.

Rugged, reliable, and yet also good-looking, the Lodge wireless landscape speaker offers a worry-free listening experience outdoors, whether you’re just staying in your own backyard or living an adventurer’s life just for the weekend. Many wireless speakers are designed to be usable outdoors, but the Lodge speaker was born to be outdoors. When you consider all that it has to offer, from premium sound, to its rugged design, to continuous, worry-free charging from the sun, the Lodge speaker delivers tremendous value for its price.

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $420 $600 (30% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only! Raised over $275,000.

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The Solgaard Solarbank Boombox all-in-one device now features a sustainable design

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Solgaard Solarbank Boombox Shell 1

Hatch Duo has been helping different businesses and brands to have a competitive edge in the market with well-designed products and experiences. The company is a product engineering and industrial design house committed to helping startups reach their full potential by providing brand-focused designs. Concept ideas are usually brought to life by Hatch Duo through practical engineering and excellent industrial design while helping groups realize a more marketable version of a prototype. The goal is always to launch things with distinction and relevance, and Hatch Duo can bring you there. This is what happened to the Solgaard Solarbank Boombox, which is now a better version of the original Boombox model. The two worked together to create an all-in-one device with different functions–from a power bank, a wireless speaker, and a solar-powered unit with a more sustainable design.

Designer: Hatch Duo

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox 3

The Solgaard Solarbank Boombox allows you to enjoy listening to music after harnessing the power of the sun. This new accessory can also be powerful enough to juice up other devices like a smartphone or any other small devices. This portable speaker is made with sustainability in mind as proven by the ocean-bound or upcycled plastic materials used.

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox Specs

Finding a decent Bluetooth speaker may be easier because of the many available choices, but for now, the goal is to make the “greener” choices for the benefit of the future planet. The upcycled plastic design described here refers to the Solgaard Solarbank Boombox’s speaker cloth and outer shell from plastic waste. These are supposedly those about to go the ocean but had been upcycled and used instead. It is part of the brand’s initiative to pull about 5lbs of plastic for every product sold.

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox Color Options

As for the solar charging ability, the Solgaard Solarbank Boombox only needs an hour of basking under the sun for extra two hours of listening to music. It allows powerful wireless charging and fast Bluetooth pairing if you want to connect with another device, resulting in an enhanced surround sound experience whenever. The speaker is also now more ready for rugged use as it can survive accidental drops. Furthermore, the Solarbank Boombox is now sand-proof, water-proof, and drop-proof, and can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes and a meter under water.

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox 5

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox 2

Hatch Duo aims for a more sustainable future and we know there will be more similar projects. There are plenty of opportunities to design “greener” products that don’t compromise quality, like this Solgaard Solarbank Boombox. The latter doesn’t just offer beautiful aesthetics because it can also deliver excellent audio performance, thanks to the active + passive bass radiator and a pair of 7-watt drivers. It takes on the success of the Solgaard volume 1 boombox, but this one delivers 60% more bass and is louder by 40%.

Hatch Duo has already introduced to the market several other product designs that can be life-changing and we remember the Krado Plant Sensor that can help get information about the plants. There is the Rubbish platform and Rubbish Beam that can make cleanup drives more exciting and fun. There’s also the slim and compact Walker Juicer that pays homage to Norman Walker and can fit easily into any kitchen.

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox 4

Solgaard Solarbank Boombox 6

Solarbank Boombox Features

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PAAVA Portable Speaker won’t easily fall or slide off a surface

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PAAVA Speaker Concept Design

How do you address the issue of a portable speaker rolling and falling? Some models don’t even have a proper grip, so they easily slide off a surface. An industrial designer came up with a new design that won’t easily fall off.

Stalin Jr., an architect and industrial designer, designed the PAAVA Portable Speaker with the bowling pin as an inspiration. With the cylindrical design of different sizes, the problem of rolling and falling off is solved. The speaker measures 250mm in height (about 9.8-inches) and 150mm (5.9-inches). The design offers a secure grip so it won’t tumble off.

Designer: Stalin Jr.

Concept PAAVA Speaker Design

Instead of speaker fabric, the designer applied a different technique. The speaker grill area appears to be sliced horizontally, reminding us of a sliced avocado. We are assuming the material of the Bluetooth speaker is plastic, as with most wireless speakers today.

There appears to be a recessed portion on the body and head portion of the PAAVA Speaker. A single USB-C port is found underneath for charging. On top of the bowling pin-shaped speaker or its crown are the usual buttons that appear to be touch-enabled. We see the power on/off, previous/next, and volume up/down buttons.

PAAVA Speaker Design Concept

The PAAVA Portable Speaker will not fall off when you push it like those weighted, inflatable punching bags for kids. It looks nice in different colors, and for this design, Stalin Jr. tried several color options like Tangerine, White, Purple, Navy Blue, Black, and Mint Blue. You can probably line up a few speakers and try hitting them with a ball. They may not fall off, though; just wobble and dance.

PAAVA Portable Speaker Design

Does it look like a bowling pin or an avocado? Others will say it reminds them of a penguin. However you see the PAAVA Speaker, we think this design can be advantageous. It’s a new deviation from the speakers in the usual block, spherical, or cylinder form.

If you like this PAAVA Portable Speaker from the designer, you may also like his previous creation. He was the same guy who introduced the Elle compact dishwasher shaped like an elephant. Stalin has a number of other interesting designs that we find intelligent and functional. This zealous designer’s style is more inclined towards human-centric design. He often turns complex ideas into more straightforward stories, providing solutions and opportunities to problems.

PAAVA Portable Speaker Concept

PAAVA Speaker Details

The PAAVA Portable Speaker aims to offer a more meaningful and convenient listening experience. It’s only a concept design that we hope can be transformed into reality. Of course, we’re hoping audio quality will be just as excellent as it is innovative.

PAAVA Speaker

PAAVA Wireless Speaker

PAAVA Bluetooth Speaker

PAAVA Bluetooth Wireless Speaker System

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Two years in, Sony wants to bring 360 Reality Audio to the masses

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At CES 2019, Sony had a glass room in its massive trade show booth. In the middle of the space was a small table with a single speaker resting on top. At first glance, I could tell the device had multiple drivers, as three were clearly visible from t...

10 Best Bluetooth Portable Speakers of 2016 Under $100

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10-best-bluetooth-portable-speakers-of-2016-under-100

Portable speakers have gained so much popularity. Today you can see people walking around with these tiny speakers in hand. Some time ago, higher audio quality meant paying a premium.

 

The likes of JBL and Bose had speakers that were way too costly initially, but now, even they have speakers that are extremely affordable, yet offer premium sound quality. This is a list of the 10 best portable speakers under $100 that offer the best value for money as well as the best price to performance ratio. The list ranges from a little over $10 all the way up to a $100.

AmazonBasics Nano

AmazonBasics have a host of products in each category and what is most attractive about their products is the price. They have quality products that cost much lesser than their competitors. The Nano Bluetooth speaker from AmazonBasics comes in a round design with a silicon handle. It gives about 6 hours of playback and is also splash resistant. You have to buy it because it costs just a bit under $15.

SoundBot SB571

SoundBot is a relatively new brand from California, but their products are extremely good. The SB571 will remind you of the Jawbone Jambox but costs a lot less. It can even compete with the Jambox with its dual 6W speakers and impressive output. This one retails for about $20, and it is an incredibly alluring deal.

Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3

This is the number one best seller in Bluetooth speakers on Amazon, and it is no surprise that it has over 12,000 customer reviews and a rating of 4.5 stars.  Cambridge SoundWorks has been around for over 35 years, and the OontZ Angle 3 comes in a triangular design which is beautiful. It is IP5X rated and has a whopping battery of 2,200mAh, just like the ones in some of the smartphones.

DOSS Touch

The DOSS Touch comes in matte black, ocean blue and pearl white. It is the best-selling outdoor speaker on Amazon. The most innovative feature of the DOSS Touch is the capacitive touch sensitive controls. Simply touch and rotate your finger clockwise to increase the volume and in the opposite direction to decrease the volume.

AUKEY SoundTank

The AUKEY SoundTank is one of the toughest looking speakers around. It comes in a wedge design in a combination of black and white which is simply gorgeous. It uses the latest Bluetooth 4.1 technology and comes with a mammoth 2,600mAh battery to deliver nearly 30 hours of playback. If endurance is your concern, you should definitely buy the AUKEY SoundTank.

House of Marley EM-JA007-NV Chant Mini

The Chant Mini from House of Marley is made from rustic materials that give it a truly exotic look. It is available in black, navy, blue hemp and green, which is my favorite. This is best suited for listening to music at home as it comes with a single 3W speaker. But mind you, it is fairly loud, and you might be really impressed with this pocket dynamite.

Samsung Level Box

Samsung may not be best known for their speakers. But the Level Box is quite something. It features a premium and minimalistic design. It comes in black and white. The attractive feature about the Level Box is that it features a full metal build along with a metal grille. The edges are chamfered, and the overall looks will make you go for it instantly.

Skullcandy Barricade

Skullcandy Barricade might just be the perfect Bluetooth speaker. It comes with a powerful 10W speaker and dual passive radiators. The large battery promises almost 8 hours of playback time and it is IPX7 rated. So you don’t have to worry if it takes the occasional plunge. The Barricade is also extremely compact considering its features, and you can easily take it around.

BRAVEN BRV-PRO

This is yet another rugged speaker that looks incredibly menacing. The BRAVEN BRV-PRO comes with a very enticing modular design that allows it to be customized. You can easily attach battery packs, solar charging panel, and even GoPro compatible action mounts. The speaker has IPX7 certification and a large 2,200mAh battery that offers nearly 8 hours of playback time.

TRAKK GO

The last one on the list is the most expensive at just under a $100, but also the most powerful. The TRAKK GO features a simple design but don’t let the looks fool you. It is dustproof, waterproof and shockproof. The TRAKK GO also has the largest battery among all the speakers mentioned here at 4,400mAh. It gives a solid 12 hours of playback time and sometimes even more than that. The dual 10W speakers inside the GO creates a deafening 20W output which is also the best among all the speakers mentioned here. So If you’re planning to go for the best portable speakers under a $100, the TRAKK GO is your best option.

Free Your Speakers, Go Wireless

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Looking for the best wireless speakers of 2016? Take a look at our top picks and find out just what’s so impressive about the best speakers on the market.

A quick word on wireless vs. Bluetooth: Throwing terms like wireless and Bluetooth around can prove tricky, because a lot of people wonder, “Aren’t these the same thing?” No, they aren’t. A Bluetooth speaker focuses almost exclusively on Bluetooth connections, or shorter-range pairings with individual devices, like a smartphone or computer. Wireless speakers, on the other hand, are designed to connect to Wi-Fi networks instead of forming an individual link with a device. Both have their pros and cons, but know that you will need a nearby wireless network to use wireless speakers, unless of course they offer both Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, such as Amazon’s Echo.

Sonos Play:5 – $500

Sonos Play:5

The Play:5 is an excellent example of another important difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers. While Bluetooth speakers focus more on size and portability, wireless speakers are free to grow larger and dive down into truly amazing bass as well as crystal clear high ranges. This speaker includes six different synchronized drivers with dedicated amplifiers for some of the best sound you’ve ever heard from an individual unit (there’s also a 3.5mm port for hooking up headphones).

To help the sound even more, there’s software called Trueplay which detects features in both the room and the music being played so that it can adjust the sound to give the best results. Everything is controlled through the Sonos app, which can handle pretty much every music service. Whether you want whisper-perfect fidelity or like to crank it up, this speaker is unparalleled.

Of course, there are some quirks to mention. You will need to use a power cord for this model, which limits placement. Also, $500 is a lot to spend on a single speaker. You get your money’s worth, but it’s still a significant payment to make for the average consumer.

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Amazon Echo – $180

Amazon Echo

Not only is the Echo one of the most affordable units in our best wireless speaker lists, but it’s also one of the most versatile. Alexa, the voice command function of the device, is more useful around the house than you may expect from the average voice assistance. You can ask her to set timers when cooking, tell her to play certain music, or ask her a question about nearing anything. It also works with scores of other smart devices, including smart lights, thermostats, and security devices. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity are both included, so you don’t have to use voice commands if you don’t want to.

Smart features aside, the Echo may not have the best fidelity and range, but it probably functions better than you think with its 360-degree sound output. However, the real draw here is having a voice assistant that essentially lets you talk to your house. It’s for tech fans and those who already use plenty of smart devices. If that doesn’t describe you, then you may not be able to take advantage of the full functionality of the Echo.

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Sonos Play:1 – $200

Sonos Play:1

If our first Sonos model was too pricey for you, here’s a far less expensive model in the same line. It only has two drivers to work with, but many of the other benefits remain in place. That includes Trueplay for automatically adjusting sound on the fly, the Sonos app for controlling music platforms, and even humidity resistance – a.k.a., the ability to use the speaker in your bathroom without worrying about moisture damage. Basically, if you want a smaller version of the Play:5, here’s where to start. Note that you can link these Sonos speakers together if you ever want to build out your collection in the future.

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