BLUE WONDER You couldn't swing a cellphone at CES in January without hitting a car stereo with Bluetooth capability. Being able to connect a mobile phone to a head unit wirelessly isn't just a convenience that commuters crave; in many states, hands-free phone operation behind the wheel is the law, not a choice.
Many people spend a lot of time selecting their gear with barely a thought to how they're going to hook everything up - until it's unpacked in the living room. In a modern A/V system, however, making the right connections can have a big effect on what you see and hear.
IBM is showing off a prototype optical transceiver chipset that's capable of reaching speeds at least eight times faster than other optical components available today. The new tiny gizmo moves information at 160 Gigabits - that's 160 billion bits of information for the techno-term-challenged - per second. Such speediness is accomplished not by using wires, but by using light.
Axiom Audio says its new EP400 powered subwoofer is designed for maximum bass output in smaller rooms. The sub itself is relatively small, measuring 13.75" high and 10.5" wide, but it's supposed to be capable of generating an in-room SPL of 116 dB and a low-end response of 23 Hz. The sub was designed primarily for use in small rooms, such as bedrooms, dens, or home offices. (It's probably not appropriate for bathrooms, where you really don't want to see another bottom end.)