Articles about Bluetooth

will.i.am, The Black Eyed Peas rapper and producer turned entrepreneur, has teamed up with LG to create the audio device you probably didn’t have on your wishlist: a Bluetooth speaker with its own AI DJ.

The new “LG xboom by will.i.am” range comes loaded with FYI.RAiDiO, an interactive service designed to let you chat with a virtual host while your music plays.

Continue reading →

Logitech G, the gaming brand under Logitech, has just unveiled their latest creation for esports enthusiasts -- the Logitech G PRO X 2 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Headset. Crafted in collaboration with top esports athletes, this headset is poised to revolutionize gaming audio and become a must-have accessory for competitive players.

When it comes to esports, sound clarity and effective communication can be the difference between victory and defeat. The PRO-G GRAPHENE Audio Driver boasts a meticulously engineered 50 mm graphene diaphragm with a live edge suspension, delivering immersive soundscapes like never before. The improved sound reproduction accuracy, time to signal accuracy, and distortion reduction allow players to identify audio cues with exceptional precision and swiftly locate objects in relation to their position.

Continue reading →

Christmas is on the horizon -- it is literally next month! In other words, you had better start your shopping soon. If you have a techie in your life you need to get a gift for, you might be thinking of wireless headphones, such as Apple AirPods. While that is a nice gift idea, maybe you should think outside the box instead and go for bone conduction headphones...

If you aren't familiar, bone conduction headphones don't go in or over your ear canals, but instead, they sort of transmit audio through your skull. It sounds crazy, I know, but it is a really cool technology that allows you to hear your surroundings. These types of headphones are ideal for those that exercise, bike, or walk in the street while listening to music.

Continue reading →

Nowadays, our computers often serve as our centralized media centers. We use laptops and desktops to both watch videos and listen to music. Long gone are the days of having big stereo receivers paired with independent media devices such as CD and DVD players. Streaming is superior.

Unfortunately, many consumers rely on the terrible speakers that are integrated into their laptops or the ones that came with their desktop. These people are missing out on what is truly possible from computer audio. By upgrading to higher quality speakers, a whole new world of audio can be experienced.

Continue reading →

Mechanical keyboards are rather wonderful, but they are typically very tall and chunky too. The keys are often quite high, leading to wrist and/or finger fatigue for some users. While I love the feedback and accuracy of some mechanical keyboards, I often appreciate slim offerings such as Apple's Magic Keyboard.

What if a keyboard could offer the best of both worlds, however? Could a keyboard use premium mechanical keyswitches while also being super slim? Apparently, yes. You see, the all-new CORSAIR K100 AIR is a mechanical keyboard that is shockingly thin.

Continue reading →

So, here's the deal, folks -- everybody is physically different, and that's a good thing. Everyone is special in their own way. For instance, there are many different body types -- some people are short, while others are tall. Some people are fat, while others are thin. And of course, there are many body types in-between. Plus, there are different skin colors, hair types, and more. Not to mention, there are the two genders -- male and female. All are beautiful.

So with so many people having different physical characteristics, how can headphone companies expect earbuds to meet the needs of all ear sizes? Even with several earbud tip sizes included in the box, some people will still find they can never truly find the perfect fit. To remedy this issue, some manufacturers offer custom-molded earbuds that are designed for a specific "earprint." Today, the popular maker of audio gear, Ultimate Ears, launches just such a new product called "UE DROPS."

Continue reading →

The summer is officially here! Yes, it is time to go outside and enjoy the nice warm weather. Whether you go to the park, the beach, or just stay in your own backyard, it is a good idea to have some music playing. After all, some funky tunes can make everything better.

While you can play music from your smartphone's built in speakers, that is hardly a great experience -- especially if you are having a party with friends and/or family. To truly have a great music experience, a Bluetooth speaker is an absolute must-have accessory -- it can really get your booty bouncing. Today, Sony launches three new water-resistant wireless speakers under its X-Series branding -- SRS-XG300 (up to 25 hours playing time), SRS-XE300 (up to 24 hours), and SRS-XE200 (up to 16 hours).

Continue reading →

If you have a Chromebook or other Chrome OS device, and you want to use an external keyboard and/or mouse with it, pretty much any of them will work. Whether the keyboard and/or mouse connect via USB or Bluetooth, they should be compatible with Chrome OS -- even if support is not listed by the manufacturer.

With all of that said, why are some accessories officially certified as "Works with Chromebooks?" The simple answer is, marketing -- especially when it comes to mice. For keyboards, however, there can be value in having a layout designed for Chrome OS rather than Windows or Mac. Such keyboards can be hard to find.

Continue reading →

From mice and keyboards to phones and speakers, there is a virtually endless list of Bluetooth devices that you can connect to your computer. With this in mind, Microsoft is taking steps to make life a little easier for Windows 11 users, introducing a new list of Bluetooth devices in the Quick Settings menu.

The addition comes as part of the latest build of Windows 11, released earlier this week. In Windows 11 build 22563 the Quick Settings menu has been updated to give greater control over attached Bluetooth devices.

Continue reading →

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, when you wanted to play your music publicly, you had to lug around a huge boombox powered by C or D batteries. It was a costly and tiring ordeal, but it was well worth the effort; it allowed friends to simultaneously enjoy music on the street, at the beach, or in the park. The boombox became a big part of Hip-Hop culture too and was immortalized by fictional character Radio Raheem in the classic Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing.

These days though, kids don't really need a big boombox anymore. Smartphone speakers can get pretty loud, and if you need some extra volume, a small Bluetooth speaker can often get the job done. But what if you really want to blast your music? Like, maybe you want to play some Hip-Hop music at a basketball court or crank some rock and roll loudly at a party. Well, the all-new "Blaster 3.0" Bluetooth boombox from Monster should hit the mark.

Continue reading →

If your stereo receiver or speaker system lacks Bluetooth connectivity, what should you do? Throw your existing stereo gear in the trash and buy something new with the wireless standard? I mean, I suppose you could, but that would be idiotic. Instead, you can simply add Bluetooth with a dongle.

Yes, such adapters exist, allowing you to add Bluetooth connectivity to wired speakers and stereos. Best of all, they are typically very simple to use. Today, StarTech.com launches a new such dongle, and it looks to be rather premium. Called "Bluetooth 5.0 Audio Receiver with NFC," not only does it offer analog connectivity, but optical output too. It even features 48KHz/24 bit sample rate support.

Continue reading →

Number pads are pointless. Don't get me wrong, I am sure some older folks use them out of habit, but I -- and many other consumers -- never do. Quite frankly, since you can buy a dedicated number keypad if you truly need it, why burden everyone with them just to please a small group of people? As a result, many keyboards are longer than they need to be. While that doesn't sound so bad, it is an annoyance since it takes up valuable desk space -- especially with more and more people working from home these days.

Today, Logitech unveils a slim wireless keyboard without a number pad. Called "MX Keys Mini," it is notable for more than just being compact. The backlit keyboard can fast-charge using USB-C, and Logitech promises up to 5-months of battery life with backlighting off. With the lights on, you can expect up to 10 days of usage.

Continue reading →

Earlier today, Microsoft held its big Surface Event, and there were many new devices announced. As my colleague Wayne Williams shared, the company unveiled the Surface Pro 8, Surface Duo 2, and the Surface Laptop Studio just to name a few.

All of the new Surface computers are exciting, but believe it or not, I was mostly intrigued by a simple wireless mouse. Specifically, the "Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse," as it is called, really inspired me. Why? Well, the Bluetooth mouse is partly made of literal garbage. And yes, folks, that is a good thing. You see, as the name implies, the Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse is manufactured using plastic recovered from the ocean -- things like non-reusable water bottles.

Continue reading →

The Nintendo Switch was released in 2017, and since then, the video game console has been a runaway success. Its ability to serve as both a portable and home game machine has contributed to its popularity, but also, the COVID-19 pandemic likely increased sales too. You see, as people were stuck in quarantine, many of them turned to the Nintendo Switch and popular games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

As great as the Nintendo Switch is, the system is definitely not perfect. For instance, it is underpowered compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Not to mention, many consumers consider the controllers to be defective, as the thumb-sticks often develop "drift" and lose accuracy. One of the oddest deficiencies, however, is the lack of Bluetooth audio. This was a very curious thing, as the Switch supported the wireless standard, just not for sound.

Continue reading →

When you are a hardcore gamer, having quality gear can really matter. Players need to carefully select high-end mice, keyboards, headsets, and more if they are going to compete -- especially on a professional level. Many elite gamers choose Logitech G for their hardware needs, and it is not hard to see why; Logitech's gaming brand has consistently released high-quality gear for several years.

Today, Logitech announces the G435 LIGHTSPEED Wireless Gaming Headset. As the name suggests, this wireless headset utilizes Logitech's excellent LIGHTSPEED technology -- the company's proprietary low-latency wireless solution that minimizes many of the issues gamers have with Bluetooth. If you do need Bluetooth connectivity, however, don't worry -- G435 offers that too. What's notable about G435 is Logitech's focus on sustainability -- the headset and its packaging are partially comprised of recycled materials. This is a big win for the environment.

Continue reading →