Leslie Shapiro

It’s all well and good to have smart speakers throughout the home, but it makes a lot more sense to have one right next to your bed. The iHome iGV1 is a bedside clock with Google Assistant, ready to wake you up with all the information you need to start your day.

While teased last summer, a new video just released is showcasing Symfonisk, the collaboration between smart-speaker manufacturer Sonos and IKEA, maker of meatballs, build-it-yourself furniture, and all things Swedish and practical. The speakers that will come from this new venture promise to deliver the exceptional sound that Sonos is known for with the functionality and budget-friendliness of IKEA.

I’ll admit it. I’m over it. Or at least I’m just a little tired of the endless parade of portable Bluetooth speakers that claim to be “stereo.” Sure, if you hold your breath and keep your head positioned precisely in front of the 3-inch wide box, you can almost convince yourself there’s a slight impression of stereo imaging. Worse are systems that claim you can easily pair two devices for true stereo but it turns out that pairing is funky and frustrating and never seems to work. When did stereo become so disposable? The iLuv SyrenPro claimed to be different. Let’s just see about that.

If your home is filled with an array of Bluetooth speakers, you know the challenge of introducing “new” technology into your system. Since everything old is new again, Ion Audio has just introduced a vinyl turntable with a Bluetooth output so you can wirelessly break out your old LPs and 45s.