Best Bluetooth accessories right now (roundup)
Do you like wires? Neither do we. And thankfully, you don't really need them anymore when you're using a smartphone.No matter your preference -- iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry -- any decent modern smartphone is equipped with wireless Bluetooth capability. In addition to hands-free calling with headsets and stereo headphones, phones can also be used as wireless music sources for an increasingly large array of Bluetooth speakers -- perfect for listening to MP3s on the phone, or Web-based audio services like Spotify, Pandora, Amazon Cloud Player, iTunes Match, or anything else.As someone who uses Bluetooth gadgets daily, I'd frankly feel lost without my handy assortment of hands-free mobile toys. And I've collected a list of some of CNET's favorites. Headphones and headsetsSarah Tew/CNETBest Bluetooth sports headphones: Denon AH-W150 Exercise FreakThe Denon Exercise Freak headphones are built to back you up with wireless audio during workouts. Not only are they comfortable, they provide a secure fit plus are sweat- and splashproof. Read the full review of the Denon AH-W150 Exercise Freak.Sarah Tew/CNETBest Bluetooth headphones at any price: Parrot ZikNeed the Porsche of Bluetooth stereo headphones? Look no further than the Parrot Zik. It offers a luxurious design, comfortable fit, and plenty of slick features, including wireless audio streaming, noise cancellation, and touch-sensitive controls on the right earpiece. Read the full review of the Parrot Zik.Sarah Tew/CNETBest audiophile Bluetooth headphones under $200: Harman Kardon BT The Harman Kardon BT headphones stand out from the pack not just because they're wireless. This pair of cans possess a distinctive retro design, memory foam around the earpieces, noise-canceling, and excellent audio quality.Read the full review of the Harman Kardon BT.Sarah Tew/CNETBest monaural Bluetooth headset: Plantronics Voyager LegendSettling on a serious workhorse of a Bluetooth headset isn't easy. For a hands-free device to be truly worthy, it should offer superb audio quality and noise cancellation, plus be light and comfortable to wear all day. The Plantronics Voyager Legend handles that with ease and is extremely compact despite its boom mic design.Read the full review of the Plantronics Voyager Legend.SpeakersSarah Tew/CNETBest-sounding Bluetooth speaker: Sony SRS-BTX500Sporting a sleek and sophisticated design, impressive sound for its size, and a rechargeable battery, the Sony SRS-BTX500 is one seriously advanced Bluetooth speaker system. Add to this its superb audio quality plus NFC pairing, and there's no reason it shouldn't be on your short list.Read the full review of the Sony SRS-BTX500.Sarah Tew/CNETBest overall travel Bluetooth speaker:JBL Charge portable Bluetooth speakerNeed a great portable speaker to take around town or on holiday trips? The JBL Charge packs a real audio punch that belies its compact size, comes with a nice travel case, and can charge other devices through its USB port. Read the full review of the JBL Charge portable Bluetooth speaker.Sarah Tew/CNETBest Bluetooth speaker under $100: JBL FlipIf you have only $100 to splurge on a wireless speaker system, we strongly suggest you give the JBL Flip some consideration. Similar to its cousin the JBL Charge, the Flip is compact, sounds great, and ships with its own carry case. Read the full review of the JBL Flip.Sarah Tew/CNETBest Bluetooth speaker under $50: Philips SoundShooter WirelessWith looks bound to stop you in your tracks, the Philips SoundShooter Wireless boasts explosive sound that's much bigger than its pint-size dimensions. The handy gadget also doubles as a speakerphone and lasts for 8 hours on a single charge. Read the full review of the Philips SoundShooter Wireless. Other Bluetooth accessoriesSarah Tew/CNETBest Bluetooth audio accessory: Belkin Bluetooth Music ReceiverDon't toss your powerful home audio system just to get wireless sound in the living room. Belkin's Bluetooth Music Receiver offers a cheap and easy method to give cordless audio capabilities to stereo systems. It even works with a basic set of powered speakers, essentially anything with a 3.5mm headphone jack or RCA inputs. Read the full review of the Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver.Editors' note: This story was originally published on March 20, 2012, and has been updated periodically with new products (most recently, April 30, 2013).
Peel pivots, updates free iPhone app with interactive TV show polling
Peel pivots, updates free iPhone app with interactive TV show polling
Last year Peel set out to redefine the remote-control space with a $99 fruit-shaped device that allowed you use your iPhone as a remote for changing channels and discovering TV shows. The Silicon-Valley based company got a lot of attention but the device didn't exactly set the market on fire. So Peel's shifting gears, adding a new interactive polling feature to its free app that will debut with this week's "American Idol."The idea is pretty simple. As contestants perform, users will be able "cheer" or "boo" during performances by clicking on corresponding virtual buttons on their iPhones. You can also react to judges' comments.The app will tally "results" in real time and provide a leaderboard for the evening's performances. Whether the app will be able to predict who gets voted off the show is anybody's guess, but Peel hopes to have thousands--or even hundreds of thousands--of users "voting" before the show's season finale. For now, anyway, the hardware will stick around but the company is clearly moving away from being defined as just another iPhone remote with a fruity twist. According to Peel's VP of marketing, Scott Ellis, who met with us in New York and gave us a demo of the updated app, American Idol is just a start for a more ambitious plan to add interactive polling to different types of TV shows.Now you can judge the judges (click to enlarge).PeelPeel isn't the first company to do this (Miso, social TV startup, has had voting in its app for a while), but by tying its launch to "American Idol" in a big way, Peel hopes to get a jump on competitors and become a leader in what's known as the second-screen engagement market."The new feature obviously lends itself well to a contest format like 'American Idol'," said Ellis. "But it has plenty of other applications, including sports and political events."While interactive polling is an important new feature, Ellis said discovery and recently added social media features will remain a big part of the Peel equation. How the producers of "American Idol" (and Fox) will respond to this is unclear, but Peel didn't ask anybody's permission and Ellis told us he's confident the company is on firm legal ground.As you can see from the screenshots, the company is also linking to "Idol" performers' songs in iTunes. Peel gets a tiny cut on songs purchased through its app but it currently isn't making a concerted effort to monetize its audience; it's just trying to build it."For the time being we're focused on getting people to use the app and making sure it's a smooth experience for the user," said Ellis. Alas, Peel currently doesn't have an iPad app (it's been promising one for a while) and only has version 1.0 Android app app that's missing the social features, as well as the interactive polling option (the Peel remote was integrated into the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus tablet, which has an IR blaster). The company hasn't given a date for an iPad or updated Android app but it's working on both.
Last year Peel set out to redefine the remote-control space with a $99 fruit-shaped device that allowed you use your iPhone as a remote for changing channels and discovering TV shows. The Silicon-Valley based company got a lot of attention but the device didn't exactly set the market on fire. So Peel's shifting gears, adding a new interactive polling feature to its free app that will debut with this week's "American Idol."The idea is pretty simple. As contestants perform, users will be able "cheer" or "boo" during performances by clicking on corresponding virtual buttons on their iPhones. You can also react to judges' comments.The app will tally "results" in real time and provide a leaderboard for the evening's performances. Whether the app will be able to predict who gets voted off the show is anybody's guess, but Peel hopes to have thousands--or even hundreds of thousands--of users "voting" before the show's season finale. For now, anyway, the hardware will stick around but the company is clearly moving away from being defined as just another iPhone remote with a fruity twist. According to Peel's VP of marketing, Scott Ellis, who met with us in New York and gave us a demo of the updated app, American Idol is just a start for a more ambitious plan to add interactive polling to different types of TV shows.Now you can judge the judges (click to enlarge).PeelPeel isn't the first company to do this (Miso, social TV startup, has had voting in its app for a while), but by tying its launch to "American Idol" in a big way, Peel hopes to get a jump on competitors and become a leader in what's known as the second-screen engagement market."The new feature obviously lends itself well to a contest format like 'American Idol'," said Ellis. "But it has plenty of other applications, including sports and political events."While interactive polling is an important new feature, Ellis said discovery and recently added social media features will remain a big part of the Peel equation. How the producers of "American Idol" (and Fox) will respond to this is unclear, but Peel didn't ask anybody's permission and Ellis told us he's confident the company is on firm legal ground.As you can see from the screenshots, the company is also linking to "Idol" performers' songs in iTunes. Peel gets a tiny cut on songs purchased through its app but it currently isn't making a concerted effort to monetize its audience; it's just trying to build it."For the time being we're focused on getting people to use the app and making sure it's a smooth experience for the user," said Ellis. Alas, Peel currently doesn't have an iPad app (it's been promising one for a while) and only has version 1.0 Android app app that's missing the social features, as well as the interactive polling option (the Peel remote was integrated into the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus tablet, which has an IR blaster). The company hasn't given a date for an iPad or updated Android app but it's working on both.
Netflix adds 'Lost,' other ABC shows to streaming lineup
Netflix adds 'Lost,' other ABC shows to streaming lineup
Several of ABC's top shows will soon be available to watch via Netflix's "Watch Instantly" online streaming service. The first four seasons of "Lost" are already available, and they'll be joined in September by "Desperate Housewives" (seasons four and five), "Grey's Anatomy" (season five), and "Legend of the Seeker" (seasons one and two). The deal builds on an earlier agreement to make Disney Channel content available on Netflix (ABC is a division of Disney.)While most of these programs are already available for viewing online on ABC's Web site, the Netflix deal allows them to be watched on TV screens via a large and growing number of Netflix-compatible home video devices, including many Blu-ray players and home theater systems, some Internet-enabled TVs, the Xbox 360, and the $99 Roku Digital Media Player. The ABC content joins programs from rival networks, including Fox, NBC, and CBS, that have long been available on Netflix. (Disclosure: CNET is a division of CBS Interactive.) The online video streaming--available at no extra charge for Netflix subscribers on the $9 per month or higher rental tier--currently offers approximately 12,000 movies and TV shows.As far as I'm concerned, this seems like another feather in the cap for Netflix.These sort of serialized dramas are perfect fodder for sequential online viewing.(The final season of "Lost" starts early in 2010, and Netflix subscribers who want to catch up--or start from scratch--can do so at no extra charge.) What's interesting to me is that ABC's making this move, which could potentially lower demand for sales of the same episodes on DVD and iTunes. One wonders how Disney board member Steve Jobs feels about it.What do you think: Are you excited to see these ABC shows hitting Netflix, or does it just highlight some favorite shows of yours that still remain unavailable?
Several of ABC's top shows will soon be available to watch via Netflix's "Watch Instantly" online streaming service. The first four seasons of "Lost" are already available, and they'll be joined in September by "Desperate Housewives" (seasons four and five), "Grey's Anatomy" (season five), and "Legend of the Seeker" (seasons one and two). The deal builds on an earlier agreement to make Disney Channel content available on Netflix (ABC is a division of Disney.)While most of these programs are already available for viewing online on ABC's Web site, the Netflix deal allows them to be watched on TV screens via a large and growing number of Netflix-compatible home video devices, including many Blu-ray players and home theater systems, some Internet-enabled TVs, the Xbox 360, and the $99 Roku Digital Media Player. The ABC content joins programs from rival networks, including Fox, NBC, and CBS, that have long been available on Netflix. (Disclosure: CNET is a division of CBS Interactive.) The online video streaming--available at no extra charge for Netflix subscribers on the $9 per month or higher rental tier--currently offers approximately 12,000 movies and TV shows.As far as I'm concerned, this seems like another feather in the cap for Netflix.These sort of serialized dramas are perfect fodder for sequential online viewing.(The final season of "Lost" starts early in 2010, and Netflix subscribers who want to catch up--or start from scratch--can do so at no extra charge.) What's interesting to me is that ABC's making this move, which could potentially lower demand for sales of the same episodes on DVD and iTunes. One wonders how Disney board member Steve Jobs feels about it.What do you think: Are you excited to see these ABC shows hitting Netflix, or does it just highlight some favorite shows of yours that still remain unavailable?
Latest iPhone 5 leak teases more RAM, map tweaks
Latest iPhone 5 leak teases more RAM, map tweaks
While Apple's next iPhone isn't expected to arrive until later this year, details of what the device will look like and how Apple might change some of its key software features continue to trickle out.The latest comes from 9to5Mac, which earlier this week posted purported photos of the front and back of upcoming iPhone models. Today the blog has a follow-up with details of a development version of the hardware, and iOS 6 -- the next major version of iOS Apple is expected to debut at the company's developer conference in a few weeks.Citing an unnamed source behind the specs, 9to5Mac says the prototype unit is running on an "ARM S5L8950X" processor, a model number that's higher than the ones found on Apple's latest iPhone 4S and third-generation iPad. No details were offered about its speed versus existing chips, short of a mention of a new graphics chip. The outlet also claims the phone will sport 1GB of RAM, up from the 512MB that ships on the iPhone 4S. On the software side, 9to5Mac suggests "Apple is far along" with iOS 6. That includes another shot of an updated maps app with imagery not from Google, which looks similar tothe one posted earlier this week by mobile tech blog Boy Genius Report.Apple is once again expected to introduce its next iPhone in the fall instead of the summer. The change last year moved up the public unveiling of iOS 5 in time for the company's annual developers conference, as well as timed the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 for a release closer to the lucrative holiday shopping season. Stay up to date with every iPhone 5 rumor out there with CNET's handy round up.
While Apple's next iPhone isn't expected to arrive until later this year, details of what the device will look like and how Apple might change some of its key software features continue to trickle out.The latest comes from 9to5Mac, which earlier this week posted purported photos of the front and back of upcoming iPhone models. Today the blog has a follow-up with details of a development version of the hardware, and iOS 6 -- the next major version of iOS Apple is expected to debut at the company's developer conference in a few weeks.Citing an unnamed source behind the specs, 9to5Mac says the prototype unit is running on an "ARM S5L8950X" processor, a model number that's higher than the ones found on Apple's latest iPhone 4S and third-generation iPad. No details were offered about its speed versus existing chips, short of a mention of a new graphics chip. The outlet also claims the phone will sport 1GB of RAM, up from the 512MB that ships on the iPhone 4S. On the software side, 9to5Mac suggests "Apple is far along" with iOS 6. That includes another shot of an updated maps app with imagery not from Google, which looks similar tothe one posted earlier this week by mobile tech blog Boy Genius Report.Apple is once again expected to introduce its next iPhone in the fall instead of the summer. The change last year moved up the public unveiling of iOS 5 in time for the company's annual developers conference, as well as timed the iPhone 4S and iOS 5 for a release closer to the lucrative holiday shopping season. Stay up to date with every iPhone 5 rumor out there with CNET's handy round up.
Korea court delays Apple's iPhone, iPad ban
Korea court delays Apple's iPhone, iPad ban
A South Korea judge in Seoul today granted Apple's request to stay an injunction against its iPhone and iPad.According to Bloomberg, which spoke with a spokesman for the court, a judge in the Seoul Central District Court decided to keep the iPhone and iPad on store shelves until Apple's appeal process is concluded. If Apple loses that appeal, it could very likely see its products banned from sale in South Korea.The injunction was imposed on Apple's products back in August when the Seoul court ruled that Apple and Samsung violated each other's patents. In addition to damages amounting to several thousand dollars, the court ordered Apple's iPhone 4 and iPad 2 be banned from sale. Samsung's Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Nexus, as well as the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab 10.1, were also ordered to be banned.Samsung has so far not requested a stay on its sales ban, according to Bloomberg's source.South Korea is just one of many battlegrounds Apple and Samsung have decided to war on. Earlier this year, Apple won a major victory in a San Jose, Calif., court that could pave the way for the company to receive more than $1 billion in damages, and block the sale of several Samsung products in the U.S. when a hearing on Apple's victory is held later this year.Elsewhere around the world, neither Apple nor Samsung has been able to take the high ground. When one company wins a case, the other quickly appeals or wins another. Still, there's no end in sight to the lawsuits. Just last month, Samsung said that it would roll the iPhone 5 into yet another lawsuit.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
A South Korea judge in Seoul today granted Apple's request to stay an injunction against its iPhone and iPad.According to Bloomberg, which spoke with a spokesman for the court, a judge in the Seoul Central District Court decided to keep the iPhone and iPad on store shelves until Apple's appeal process is concluded. If Apple loses that appeal, it could very likely see its products banned from sale in South Korea.The injunction was imposed on Apple's products back in August when the Seoul court ruled that Apple and Samsung violated each other's patents. In addition to damages amounting to several thousand dollars, the court ordered Apple's iPhone 4 and iPad 2 be banned from sale. Samsung's Galaxy S2 and Galaxy Nexus, as well as the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Tab 10.1, were also ordered to be banned.Samsung has so far not requested a stay on its sales ban, according to Bloomberg's source.South Korea is just one of many battlegrounds Apple and Samsung have decided to war on. Earlier this year, Apple won a major victory in a San Jose, Calif., court that could pave the way for the company to receive more than $1 billion in damages, and block the sale of several Samsung products in the U.S. when a hearing on Apple's victory is held later this year.Elsewhere around the world, neither Apple nor Samsung has been able to take the high ground. When one company wins a case, the other quickly appeals or wins another. Still, there's no end in sight to the lawsuits. Just last month, Samsung said that it would roll the iPhone 5 into yet another lawsuit.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Kindle iOS app enhanced for the blind and visually impaired
Kindle iOS app enhanced for the blind and visually impaired
Amazon has enhanced its Kindle iOS app with new features of benefit to anyone but especially to those who are blind or visually impaired.Released Wednesday, the latest version of the app supports Apple's VoiceOver technology, which reads aloud text that you've selected. More than 1.8 million books in the Kindle store are compatible with VoiceOver, according to Amazon. More than 900,000 of them are less than $4.99, while more than 1.5 million are less than $9.99.Related storiesDOJ, schools settle over Kindle's blind accessThe Amazon.com of potAmazon expands Kindle self-publishing worldwideYou can turn on VoiceOver through the Accessibility options in the Settings menu on your iOS device. Once the feature is enabled, taping on a line or swiping down a page with two fingers reads that text aloud. You can listen to the text line-by-line or continuously from the top to the bottom of the page.The Kindle app also supports other iOS accessibility features. The Zoom feature allows you to magnify the screen by double-tapping three fingers. AssistiveTouch lets you create your own gestures to control and navigate your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. The app can also work with connected Braille devices.The new accessbility features will make their way to other Kindle apps in the future, Amazon said. Windows PC users can also take advantage of the new features through the free Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin.
Amazon has enhanced its Kindle iOS app with new features of benefit to anyone but especially to those who are blind or visually impaired.Released Wednesday, the latest version of the app supports Apple's VoiceOver technology, which reads aloud text that you've selected. More than 1.8 million books in the Kindle store are compatible with VoiceOver, according to Amazon. More than 900,000 of them are less than $4.99, while more than 1.5 million are less than $9.99.Related storiesDOJ, schools settle over Kindle's blind accessThe Amazon.com of potAmazon expands Kindle self-publishing worldwideYou can turn on VoiceOver through the Accessibility options in the Settings menu on your iOS device. Once the feature is enabled, taping on a line or swiping down a page with two fingers reads that text aloud. You can listen to the text line-by-line or continuously from the top to the bottom of the page.The Kindle app also supports other iOS accessibility features. The Zoom feature allows you to magnify the screen by double-tapping three fingers. AssistiveTouch lets you create your own gestures to control and navigate your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. The app can also work with connected Braille devices.The new accessbility features will make their way to other Kindle apps in the future, Amazon said. Windows PC users can also take advantage of the new features through the free Kindle for PC with Accessibility Plugin.
Apple patent eyes dual-sided trackpad for MacBook
Your MacBook of the future could offer a dual-sided trackpad panel that features a touch screen on both sides.Awarded to Apple on Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, a patent appropriatedly dubbed "Dual-sided track pad," describes a transparent and foldable trackpad panel with both a top and bottom display. The panel itself would take up the entire bottom of the notebook. Each side of the panel would recognize touch input and react accordingly based on whether the notebook is open or closed.On an open notebook, one side of the trackpad would be accessible. On a closed notebook, the other side would be accessible. And since the panel itself is transparent, you could see the entire screen. As such, you'd be able to run a specific task, such as accessing your e-mail via the touch of your fingers.You would also have the option of disabling the bottom panel display so that it doesn't eat up battery life when it's not needed.(Via PatentlyApple)
Apple patent bid combines solar with touch screen
double-sided solar panel that absorbed light from both the top and a glass-covered backing.In August of 2008, Apple engineers submitted another patent application relating to the electronics circuitry needed to use a solar cell embedded into a small device. That followed a more general patent application from 2006 called "Solar Cells on Portable Devices."Standalone chargers for small electronics, including Apple gear, have been around for years. But embedding a solar cell into a device, with a power management system, is a far more challenging engineering job and it's still not clear that can be done without adding significantly to a gadget's cost.In theory, a solar-powered device could use cells that harvest indoor light, rather than only direct sunlight.
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