Leslie Shapiro

Sort By: Post Date | Title | Publish Date
CES 2014
Braven Announces New Outdoor Power Bank Speakers, One Specifically Tuned for the Outdoors
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2014
Most companies can ruggedize a speaker, give it some mild water-resistance and slap on a “water-resistant” sticker, and call it an outdoor product. BRAVEN has taken a much more serious approach in the new BRV-X and BRAVEN 855s.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
Microlab FC10 Desktop Speakers Prove Function Trumps Fashion
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2014
It takes a lot to design a killer-looking speaker, but perhaps that money is better spent on sound quality. Ever practical, the designers at China’s Microlab put all their budget into making the FC10 ($77) good quality speakers that look nice in person, but they most certainly veer away from the sleek and swoopy design that Apple designers have deemed essential. They have a clean and simple look, lacking the curved aesthetic that most products embrace these days. The FC10 are wedge-shaped speakers designed to solidly surround any laptop - Apple or otherwise; the pair weighs 4.41 lbs.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
id America Sings a Rainbow with the Colorful TouchTone Wireless Speaker
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2014
While every manufacturer is making speakers in any color you want, as long as it’s black, id America is breaking the mold with their colorful new portable Bluetooth speaker, the TouchTone. This is a compact speaker that won’t break the bank - it’s available now for $80. It comes in a variety of colors, with an even greater palette available soon.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
NYNE Hits the Road with Four Extremely Portable Speakers with NFC
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 08, 2014
NYNE is a relatively new company that made a big showing last year at CES and is back, ready to impress again this year. Although they’ve discontinued their gorgeous home product line, NYNE, a division of BOSS Audio Systems, is jumping into the small-speaker market with both feet. However, unlike other manufacturers to make a single portable speaker to fit a variety of needs, NYNE is here at CES with a variety of speakers, each filling a specific niche.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
Skullcandy’s Air Raid Brings it with Badass Looks and Rugged Appeal
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 07, 2014
Skullcandy has an image as a badass headphone manufacturer. They showed up at CES set on keeping that reputation. The Air Raid (MSRP $150) is a portable Bluetooth speaker that plays loud, and has drop-resistance and weather-resistance to take on all the abuses you can throw at it. I chatted with Sam Noertker, one of the engineers behind the Air Raid for some inside perspective.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
Family Innovations Press Conference - Moms and Kids get Connected
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 07, 2014
While most press conferences here at CES are geared towards big, life-changing electronics, there is a growing segment of conferences and products devoted to kids and families. While most companies target products to women by making them smaller and well, cuter, other companies are recognizing that moms also purchase serious technology to make their lives easier. Another oft-overlooked segment is the educational and children’s technology market.

Continue Reading >
Portable Player ReviewsCES 2014
Soundfreaq Shrinks Portable Sound with the Pocket Kick
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2014
The Pocket Kick is a “honey-I-shrunk-the-kids” version of Soundfreaq’s already popular Sound Kick. However, unlike Soundfreaq’s usual sharp, straight lines and edges, the Pocket Kick has rounded edges. Much more pocket-friendly, don’t you think? The Pocket Kick is just about the same size as an iPhone 5 but slightly thicker to accommodate the speakers. (Dimensions are 5.9” x 2.5” x 1.2”.) The Pocket Kick has a slight stereo sound with two speakers powered by a 5-watt amplifier. It’s a rugged little thing, with steel grills on the front and back. The “kick” is provided by a passive bass radiator on the back of the device.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
The Supertooth Disco4: a Lightweight Bluetooth/NFC Speaker with Heavyweight Sound
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2014
Bluetooth speakers seem to be either miniscule and lightweight, or big and heavy. The Supertooth Disco4 ($50) is extremely light, but it has a big speaker cabinet for a big sound without the weight penalty. It weighs just over a pound with a built-in carrying handle. Even better, the Disco4 has Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP and it features tap-to-pair NFC capability. My phone paired almost instantly to the speaker using this feature.

Continue Reading >
CES 2014
Voxx Previews Iris ID Technology and 360-Degree Video Camera
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jan 06, 2014
Voxx isn’t one of those names that every consumer knows and owns. Standing in line for the press conference today, the guy behind me had to ask me what they make. While not one of the biggest names at CES, they unveiled quite a few new products that might make them one of the most interesting names at CES.

Continue Reading >
Streaming Device ReviewsGrace Notes
Amped Wireless BTSA1 Bluetooth Speaker Adapter Improves Wireless Performance
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 23, 2013
Hitting the market this late in the game, Amped Wireless better have something special with their BTSA1 Bluetooth speaker adapter. Yes, like so many other adapters, it lets you to turn any audio playback system into a Bluetooth-enabled system. But the adapter also delivers a few unexpected, and welcome, surprises.

Continue Reading >

Pages

X