Ken C. Pohlmann

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Signals
Alexa and the Bird Brain
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 26, 2017  |  4 comments
Well, it's come to this. Apparently, a parrot used Alexa to order some stuff off the internet.

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Signals
Alexa, What is a Beemer?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  May 08, 2018  |  7 comments
My 1961 BMW R50/2 motorcycle is a Beemer. On the other hand, the 4-wheeled vehicle you drive with a blue-and-white roundel on the hood is a Bimmer. Now that she's in bed with BMW, Alexa needs to brush up on her nomenclature.

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CES 2015
Altec Lansing Boomjacket Plays for 40 Hours
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 09, 2015  |  0 comments
There is no shortage of all-weather Bluetooth speakers but the Boomjacket takes longevity to a new level with 40 hours of playback time on a single charge. (Moreover, Altec Lansing claims that you don't have to lower the volume to achieve that.) The Boomjacket is the sequel to the Life Jacket; like its predecessor, the Boomjacket features rain/dirt/shock-proof construction; in addition to its improved playing time, it has improved sound quality and more mounting capabilities.

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Signals
Amazon Echo Dot: When Sound Quality Just Doesn't Matter
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Aug 08, 2017  |  10 comments
I crossed my fingers. I carried a rabbit's foot. I went out in the backyard and found a four-leaf clover. I started eating Lucky Charms for breakfast. I rearranged the furniture in my home theater according to feng shui (good for luck, not so good for sound). I did everything I could. But now I see that I have failed. People like the Amazon Echo Dot. They like it a lot.

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Signals
Amazon's Echo: It Can Hear You Now
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Oct 13, 2015  |  1 comments
You might recall a recent Signals column about a Google patent application that described an anthropomorphic entertainment controller. The microphones/ears and cameras/eyes of the proposed Chucky-like device really creeped me out. Then a reader alerted me to an Amazon product that has similar functionality. It's not a document in the Patent Office; it's a real thing keeping tabs on people in their homes.

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Signals
An Apocalyptic Day for Physical Media
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jun 14, 2016  |  1 comments
Do you hate the silvery sound of CDs? Then you can rejoice because a bunch of them just got crushed. Do you think LPs are just scratchy pieces of plastic? Then be happy because a load of them just got crushed too. In fact, a misunderstanding between two bands with automotive-inspired names recently resulted in an apocalyptic day for physical media.

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Signals
An Exuberance of Loudspeakers
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Sep 20, 2021  |  0 comments
Sound System Designer: “How many speakers would you like in this car?”
BMW: “Yes.”

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Other Tech
An MP3 Player that Tells You Where to Go
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Jan 08, 2006  |  0 comments

The Garmin nuvi 350 is an MP3 player and GPS navigation system all rolled into one.

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Signals
Analog Tape Time Machine: A Momentous Recording
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Dec 16, 2019  |  3 comments
The year is 1962. You are working at Decca Records and your job is to listen to audition tapes and pass along your evaluation. The next demo tape on your endlessly replenishing stack is from some unsigned band calling themselves The Beatles. You mount the tape on your machine and listen for a few minutes. Then you rewind it and put it back in its box. Pass.

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Signals
Analog Video Is Dead, Analog Audio Lives On. Why?
Ken C. Pohlmann  |  Nov 29, 2016  |  5 comments
It’s official. Analog video is dead. On the other hand, analog audio is still alive and well, thank you very much. Why is that? Why was analog video so unloved, while analog audio is beloved?
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