LATEST ADDITIONS

CES 2014
Man Overboard! Throw Him a Life Jacket!
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 09, 2014
The Life Jacket iMW575 is a ruggedized, portable Bluetooth speaker. It is the flagship in a line of speakers carrying the Altec Lansing name. The Life Jacket stands out with an impressive 16 hours of battery life. It features a rubberized case that provides an IPX7 rating; that means the speaker is waterproof - it can be submerged in a meter of water for 30 minutes. The design also confers a degree of shock resistance, and the speaker can withstand a degree of dirt, sand, and dust.

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CES 2014
MartinLogan Teases New Motion Tower
Brent Butterworth  |  Jan 09, 2014  |  First Published: Jan 10, 2014
MartinLogan didn't have a lot of information to share about this prototype of this new tower, which is intended as the new flagship of the Motion Series speaker line.
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CES 2014
MartinLogan Makes Some Wireless Noise with Crescendo
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 09, 2014
At CEDIA2013, MartinLogan teased us with a sneak peak at a prototype AirPlay/Bluetooth speaker that was absolutely beautiful and sure to sound fantastic thanks, in large part, to its use of MartinLogan’s amazing Folded Motion tweeters. The new Crescendo wireless stereo speaker has burst out of its prototype cocoon and become an official product that includes AirPlay and Bluetooth connectivity. The remote control, normally an item manufacturers tend to overlook, included with the Crescendo is made from extruded aluminum and is extremely well designed with rubberized button caps that are easy to find and use without looking at the remote. Twin Folded Motion tweeters flank the central 5x7-inch woofer. The tweeters are also positioned to fire away from one another to the sides of the room, a design that helps to dramatically widen the stereo soundstage of the Crescendo, and it includes a subwoofer output. The gorgeous sound machine will be available in “early 2014” for $899. Of all the small speaker systems I’ve heard so far at CES2014, the MartinLogan Crescendo is unquestionably at the top of the tall stack.
CES 2014
HDTV Goes Head-to-Head with HDTV+
Al Griffin  |  Jan 09, 2014
Sharp’s new AQUOS Quattron+ TV line is being pitched as the company’s solution for consumers who want a new set capable of handling Ultra HD content, but don’t want to pay a premium price for it. What Quattron+ brings to the table is added resolution: By dividing up subpixels in the display, Sharp is able to double the vertical pixel count.
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CES 2014
Metra’s Soundbar + Subwoofer + Wall Mount = Awesome
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 09, 2014
Metra Home Theater hates cords and cables more than you do. The company’s new 3.1 Audio Mount Sound Bar combines an active soundbar with a 160-watt class D amp with a wall mount capable of handling 50- to 90-inch TVs. But Metra didn’t stop there. It also incorporates a powered subwoofer into the mount itself, possibly making the 3.1 Audio Mount Sound Bar the world’s easiest-to-install and cleanest-looking AV system ever. The MSRP for the 3.1 Audio Mount Sound Bar will be $899 with the product shipping early this year.
CES 2014
In-wall DIYing Without Frying Yourself from SANUS
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Jan 09, 2014
SANUS gave an X-ray view of its upcoming In-wall Power and Cable System that’s designed to make it easy for homeowners and DIYers to install flat-panel TVs – and soundbars – on the wall and hide the wires without having to hire an installer and/or an electrician. The basic kit includes a single- or double-gang in-wall receptacle, a matching in-wall AC connection box, and an extension cable that plugs in to an existing AC outlet. You can basically think of it as a safe, uncluttered way of running an extension cable in the wall along with all of the necessary AV connecting cables. The wide ELM809 in-wall mounting box is designed to go behind wall-mounted soundbars and provide access to AC as well as AV cables that are hidden in the wall. The basic package will sell for $99 with the soundbar solution being priced at $49. Both products should be available this spring.
CES 2014
Bang & Olufsen Makes Wireless Audio Essential
Al Griffin  |  Jan 09, 2014
Bang & Olufsen’s CES press event was held in a comfortable, stylishly decorated room that drove home the company’s message of merging good sound with good design.
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CES 2014
China Makes its Move
Thomas J. Norton  |  Jan 09, 2014
It's been suggested that the next manufacturers to break into the HDTV market will be Chinese. That's not surprising as many current sets branded by manufacturers from Japan and Korea are often subcontracted, in whole or in part, to Chinese factories.

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CES 2014
The High-Tech Solution to Remote Control Lost and Found
John Sciacca  |  Jan 09, 2014
Admit it: At some point you’ve wandered around your house looking for the remote control. Or maybe it was your car keys. Or your wallet. Whatever. You’ve spent long, panicked minutes hunting through pants' pockets, couch cushions and looking under furniture trying to find some small device before. Now Stick N Find has an affordable 21st Century way to help you find your stuff!

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CES 2014
You Can Rain on iHome's Parade
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 09, 2014
iHome's booth is a must-see on my yearly tour of the floor. They always have lots of cool stuff. This year, the iBN6 caught my eye; it is a waterproof Bluetooth stereo speaker. It also doubles as a speakerphone, and features NFC (Near Field Communications); you can take calls through the unit or your paired phone. It was a winner of the CES 2014 Innovation and Design award, as well as an iLounge Best of Show award.

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