Sonos has introduced the Sub, a wireless subwoofer designed to work alongside the company's amplified systems with wireless support. The resin cabinet integrates a pair of acoustic ports and speaker cones, each facing inward in a configuration that is claimed to eliminate buzz or rattle, while dual Class D amplifiers provides the power.
Accessory maker iHome announced a new product in its growing line of home audio accessories. The new iP76 is a LED color changing tower stereo speaker system. Audio sources can be provided by an iOS device, other wireless devices with Bluetooth version 1.2 compatibility, or any device with a line out jack.
The group of developers that had begun and maintained the Perian video-codec project over the last six years is calling it quits, and will release one more version of the popular video translator before shutting down support and posting the code on a public repository for others to (perhaps) take over. The final version "may or may not" work under Mountain Lion, and the code will eventually be posted on Google Code or Github.
A new version of the subscription streaming music service Rdio has launched, bringing with it a native Mac OS X application for the first time. Previous versions were web-based. The new version is available on browsers, and applications Windows, the iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7. All versions allow listening to over 15 million tracks on the Rdio service.
Sony will be releasing two new Walkman docks in Japan on June 9. The CMT-V70B and CMT-V50 will dock with the Sony Walkman range of personal media players, with the V07B variant allowing Bluetooth streaming. Both docks are 5.4 inches thick, have FM/AM radio tuners, and will be available in five different colors. Price is not currently known.
Dolby has declared that e-Onkyo music will be the first online music distribution service to use Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel surround sound. The music service, a subsidiary of Japanese electronics maker Onkyo, will be letting users download 1000 tracks from 100 albums in the audio standard later this year, with two Onkyo receivers supporting the service.
Bang and Olufsen has unveiled the BeoPlay V1, the first television from the high-end audio manufacturer's brand B&O Play. The television uses self-contained speakers set in a Scandinavian-industrial style powder-coated steel cabinet, contrasting with the previous TV releases. The manufacturer also noted an iOS docking station, called the BeoPlay A8, which adds Apple AirPlay support as an update to the original BeoSound 8.
The Official Charts Company of the UK from Monday onwards will start releasing a chart based solely on streamed music tracks. The Official Streaming Chart will be the first chart ranking audio streams from both ad-funded and subscription streaming services in the UK, instead of product sales or radio airplay figures.
Today's deals from DealNN include price breaks on iPod docks, clock radios, and more. Amazon.com has recently lowered the cost of the Dual 240-Watt Mechless AM/FM iPod Dock with Bluetooth, featuring 18 FM station presets, a dot-matrix text display, and a fold-down front-panel with integrated 30-pin cradle with adjustable sides to fit all dockable iPods. Currently featured at DealNN, the Dual audio player is now available for $51.99 and offers savings of up to $128.
Marshall amplification has introduced a new version of its Major-series of headphones with an all-black model it calls the Major Pitch Black. In addition to a namesake all-black color scheme, the new headset picks up a denim headband designed to appeal to the muso crowd. To celebrate the launch, the company is also giving users who post a picture or video of themselves in corpse paint on their Facebook page the oppounity to win a custom-built Pitch Black Marshall amp.
Swivl, maker of the self-titled mount for smartphones with digital cameras that pans to follow a speaker during a voice conference, has introduced a basic version of the gadget, Swivl-it. Unlike the $179 full-blown version, the $129 model doesn't have a digital wireless microphone included and is missing one motor that allows for vertical adjustment. Users can still tilt it by hand, however, but it won't adjust itself as they get up or sit down.
Dolby and Microsoft are partnering to bring Dolby Digital Plus' audio technology to Windows 8 tablets and PCs. The addition of Dolby Digital Plus will allow Windows 8 devices to play Dolby-encoded content. Microsoft has used Dolby encoding since Windows Vista shipped in 2007, but Dolby in 2008 raised the possibility that Windows 8 might not feature Dolby technology.
Electronics manufacturer Bang & Olufson has announced the impending release of the Beoplay A3, a stylish iPad accessory that serves as a speaker system, an iPad case, and an iPad stand. The accessory, which effectively turns an iPad into a television or stereo system, is available for pre-order, though no release date is available.
Yamaha has added a number of new RX-series home theater receivers to its lineup, with the two at the top getting some noteworthy features. The RX-V773WA and RV-V673 both get 7.2-channel support and Apple's AirPlay standard for wireless music streaming from iOS devices. Full control over the receivers is also possible through dedicated apps for the devices.
Fingerlab has launched an update for Rockmate, its music creation app designed specifically for the iPad, that includes new instruments, Retina graphics, and microphone support. In total, version 1.1 includes six new drum kits, eight new keyboards, and three octave keyboards, as well as new options for exporting recordings to Facebook, SoundCloud, and AudioCopy. Additionally, the developers have announced that they will be dropping the price of the software to $1 until May 8 in celebration of the update.
Bose has updated its Wave lineup, introducing the Wave radio III and Wave music system III. The new models are said to integrate improved AM/FM tuners, displaying RDS data for song titles and artists, while international variants add support for DAB, DAB+ and T-DMB digital signals without requiring an add-on module.
Technology companies, including Microsoft and Apple, are being asked by the Australian government to explain why prices of downloadable content in that country are higher than in the US. The parliamentary inquiry is hoped by some parties to lower the prices of digital goods in the region, as regulators have deemed the existing explanations to be insufficient.
BlackBerry owners will soon have a new option for streaming music wirelessly from their handsets to a range of audio devices. RIM has set a release date for the BlackBerry Music Gateway, an accessory that relies on NFC and Bluetooth technology to stream from smartphones and tablets to home and car stereo systems. The device will begin shipping in June for $50.
The UK's High Court decided in favor of ordering The Pirate Bay blockeD on Monday. Internet providers in the country must prevent their users from getting usual access to the site. The measure followed a November call from the music industry's Britsh Phonographic Industry to voluntarily block the site.
Elgato has announced the upcoming launch of a new Thunderbolt cable designed specifically for mobile use. The flexible 50cm cable supports the full data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbit/s on both channels, and at the same time can provide power to devices. The Elgato Thunderbolt Cable will be available on May 3 at a cost of $60. Additionally, Elgato will be including a free cable with every Thunderbolt SSD purchased from the online store before May 6.
Spotify might be gearing up a more formal Internet radio option, a pair of sources claimed Thursday. While it already has basic radio features, the new method outlined to Bloomberg would be more akin to one like at Pandora or Slacker, where explicitly labeling it as radio would get government-regulated lower royalty rates. The method would also purportedly get it access to artists that normally wouldn't sign for the usual on-demand Spotify system.
ColorWare has begun shipping the ColorWare Collection, which are three iridescent-colored Illusion Beats Studio by Dre headphones. The customized Monster phones will only be available for a limited time, though the company isn't saying how long exactly. The chameleon-like effect will shift colors depending on the angle from which they are viewed.
Rogue Amoeba has released a new version of Airfoil Speakers Touch, its iOS audio app. The software normally serves as a companion to Airfoil, a desktop client for Mac and Windows PCs that streams audio to iOS devices via AirPlay. The v3.0 update enables iOS-to-iOS streaming, potentially eliminating the need for Airfoil, though the option can only be turned on through a $3 in-app purchase.
Those who have wanted to spend more on their dock than the iPad itself now have the option thanks to Jarre's AeroPad Two. It is nearly three feet wide and sports four exposed 30W speakers along with one 80W subwoofer. Users can also connect iPhones and iPod touch devices, and get a USB port for playing music when they want to use their iOS device.
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French music streaming service Deezer on Wednesday spread its service Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The service has more than 20 million users worldwide and offers about 15 million tracks from 2,000 music labels, including majors Universal, Warner, Sony, and EMI. It's browser-based, though mobile listening options exist through Android, iOS, and Windows Phone apps.
Koss brought out an entirely new headphone line for itself Wednesday in the Striva series. The lineup, including the in-ear Tap and over-ear Pro, uses Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth for wireless audio. The line is purportedly the first to offer content directly to the headphones instead going through a computer, phone or tablet: it can stream "thousands" of Internet radio stations on its own.
Microsoft's restarted music plans will see them escape the platform and feature limits of the Zune Music Marketplace, according to new leaks. Tipsters for The Verge had the service, codenamed Woodstock, being available not just to Windows, Windows Phone, and Xbox users, but Android and iOS as well. It would also be playable on the web, although without needing a plugin.
Dolby has revealed details on its new Atmos sound technology for movie theaters. It promises to significantly change the movie-watching experience by bringing sound from above the viewer and moving it around in any direction. During a horror movie, for example, footsteps from the floor above are recreated from above the seats to add to the realism.
Nyko has shipped the Speaker Stand for the Sony PlayStation Vita. The combined charging dock and speaker system turns the Vita into a home music system.
PlayStation Vita owners got a major feature update Tuesday with the imminent release of Skype for PS Vita. The app lets the Sony console participate in both voice and video calls using either the front or back cameras. The app not only works both on 3G and Wi-Fi but truly runs in the background, making sure that gamers will catch an incoming call.
Sony has introduced two new compact speaker systems with magnetic fluid speakers and Apple device docking. The CMT-V75BTiP and the CMT-V50iP are both DAB receivers with a dock connector for iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Skype picked an uncommon weekend introduction to post the finished version of its VoIP app for Windows Phone devices (Windows Phone Marketplace). The new version from Microsoft's recent acquisition adds some of the core features that had been missing in a preview version from February, including Skype Out calls to landlines, the ability to add and find contacts, and numerous improvements to performance. It could already make typical Skype-to-Skype calls and chats in an interface tailored to Windows Phone's Metro interface.
Chumby has closed down according to former CEO Derrick Oien. The company had attempted to redevelop its widget platform for smart TVs and had released the NeTV. It had also signed deals with LG and Best Buy, however speaking to The Verge, Oien says that investors finally decided to pull out leaving its staff to be largely absorbed by Technicolor.
Japanese carriers KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have announced that a custom version of the HTC One S will be created for the Japanese market and sold as the HTC J ISW13HT beginning next month. The phone will make use of Android 4.0 (and Sense 4.0) on launch, and will kick off a line of "HTC J" phones for the market. The new version will sport a new body design, and support both WiMAX and Wi-Fi tethering. The campaign will kick off with several contests and promotional offers.
A Microsoft patent application revealed on Thursday could, if granted, bring automatically adjustable three-dimensional audio to Kinect gamers with surround sound systems. In addition to the possible audio benefits, the patent implies that the Kinect may be an even more capable attachment than Microsoft previously let on.
A new speaker dock called iBamboo will soon ship, and it's simply a length of bamboo wood with a hole cut out in the middle that can accommodate an iPhone 4 or 4S. The resonance of the wood amplifies the sound coming out of the iPhone's single speaker and there are no wires or power source needed. As such, there are no traditional technical specifications to speak of.
TuneIn Radio, a music streaming app that allows users to tune into local and global radio stations, has been updated with a new Retina optimized interface for the iPad. Within the software, listeners can pause and rewind any station, add favorite songs, stations and shows to presets, set alarms and sleep timers, and stream music to any AirPlay-compatible receiver. Other features added with the latest update include the ability to swipe to the right to see radio station suggestions, as well as to quickly purchase favorite songs with a new "buy" button. TuenIn Radio is a free download in the App Store.
Ceratec is now shipping its CeraAIR Two, a standalone speaker system that supports Apple's AirPlay standard for wireless playback from iOS devices or computers. The system packs two 64-watt amplifiers to drive four-inch woofers, along with two 32-watt amps driving 1.2-inch tweeters. Ceratec currently sells the CeraAIR Two direct for 599 Euros (~$787 USD).
A group led by Sony on Thursday won its side of a joint bid on EMI assets. The alliance, which includes the Blackstone Group, David Geffen, Mubadala Development, and Raine Group, was cleared by the European Commission to buy EMI's publishing wing for $2.2 billion. The deal is contingent on Sony's group selling off catalog rights for Virgin's European, UK, and US divisions, along with Famous Music UK.
YouTube this week detailed a number of enhancements to its AudioSwap feature that lets users quickly and easily add an audio background to their videos. The company expanded the library to 150,000, with more being added daily. A new option allows users to completely replace their original audio or add a soft background that retains the original sound, or anywhere in between thanks to a slider control.
Spotify on Thursday addressed complaints over its Android app with a new preview version of its remake. The new version is completely remade and designed explicitly to support Android 4.0 phones like the Galaxy Nexus or One X. The UI change brings swipe-based navigation columns, extra-large artist artwork, and a Facebook-style slide-out menu.
Pioneer Electronics disclosed five different on-ear headphones models today. Three of the headsets come from the Steez line, directed at the dance and DJ scenes. The other two are noise-reducing headphones aimed at the audiophile market, one with enhanced passive external sound reduction and the other with active noise cancellation technologies.
Hot on the heels of the day's earlier release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (Developer Preview 3), Apple has released a new beta of the forthcoming Safari 5.2 as well as a preview of programming tool Xcode 4.4, reports AppleInsider. Both updates bring noticeable new features to the programs, but both are only for developers and require an Apple Developer account to access. Safari gains SVG filters and other improvements, while Xcode now supports 3D documents.
Barnes & Noble's rumored expansion into audio products appears to be reality, as an image of an as yet unannounced product has surfaced on the company's home page. The image shows a set of sleek, gray, Nook-branded headphones.
Cellphone accessories maker iHome has just launched a new SmartDesign line with Android smartphone owners in mind. The first products announced on Wednesday include the iC50, iC3, and upcoming iC16. All can accommodate Android phones and other USB-powered devices, though the accompanying apps will only work with Android phones.
Rumors abound regarding Spotify's future plans and workings as the music streaming service continues to grow in popularity. Now, with a major press conference scheduled for later in the day, news emerges that Spotify has inked advertising deals with AT&T, McDonalds, Intel, and Reebok, as well as a worldwide ad deal with Coca-Cola.
Earlier this week, Netflix added about 100 rock concerts and documentaries to their US catalog. The selections lean heavily towards classic concerts featuring acts such as Queen, Deep Purple, and early ZZ Top. While Netflix is no stranger to music-related programming, such a large increase in the library of offerings without a pre-announcement is rare. All of the new additions are available for instant streaming.
Facebook has quietly added a dedicated Listen button to the pages for major musicians. Conveniently placed next to the Like button, the Listen button will bring up the most commonly accessed streaming music service on a user's account. In our case, it was Rdio, but Spotify and others can pop up as well.
Native Instruments has announced that it is permanently lowering the price of its KOMPLETE AUDIO 6 six-channel audio interface to $250. The USB interface features four balanced analog inputs and outputs, as well as a digital S/PDIF stereo I/O, and integrated MIDI interface. Furthermore, the interface also includes a music production software package featuring KOMPLETE ELEMENTS, CUBASE LE 5, and TRAKTOR LE 2, as well as a $30 coupon for KOMPLETE Instruments or Effects in the NI Online Shop.
