Showing posts with label wireless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wireless. Show all posts
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Sony SRS X88 wireless speaker with Bluetooth and NFC
The Sony company has shown a whole new range of audio devices at CES consumer electronics held in the city of Las Vegas. An ideal place to unveil its new wireless speakers that allow bring music to wherever event. Especially the Sony SRS-X88 model, which seeks to be something cheaper sound reducing its power to its big brother (the SRS-X99), but including the new processing technology and scaling of music to play in Hi-Res or high resolution.
It is a prism-shaped speaker with a total of seven speakers. Specifically features a woofer for bass, two passive radiators, two tweeters and two doubles Super Magnetic Fluid speakers. This provides a sound power of 90 watts, Sony leveraging other technologies such as DSEE, able to rescale sounds from any source, adding the information to be reproduced in high resolution, but comes from a compressed MP3 file.
What is striking about this is that Sony SRS-X88 has Google Cast and Spotify Connect, two really useful possibilities considering it is a wireless speaker to be controlled via smartphone. So using the SongPal application for Android or iOS you can choose any music device or services such as Spotify, Google Play Music, Pandora and other applications using the Google Cast system to send information to such players. But not all have to be done with mobile. The SRS-X88 also includes a subtle touch pad on top of its stylish casing and a remote control to manage playback and volume.
The connection between the mobile device and the Sony SRS-X88 is done thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity. It also has NFC technology, which allows linking mobile speaker with only two devices closer. Nor should we forget its connection via WiFi, allowing you to play streaming to devices that support DLNA and Air Play. As stream music mobile or tablet this speaker is simple and straightforward.
The Sony SRS-X88 also comes ready to operate in different rooms if you have more than one. Managing all volumes and playback tracks through mobile, without throwing any cable through walls .
Issues with its manufacture and its software (DSEE and Clear Audio +) can reproduce sound quality up to 24 bit/ 192kHz (AFTA, FLAC, AIFF and DSD4). It also has two USB ports with the ability to charge mobile terminal, an Ethernet input for connecting the speaker to the Internet and an audio input to use a DVD if preferred. All this in a body of 430 x 133 x 125 mm and a weight of 4.6 kilograms.
So far Sony has just introduced Sony SRS-X88 speaker with a sound bar and a similar model with more sound power, the SRS-X99, so no starting price is known. It is known that your marketing will begin next spring.
Sony SRS-X88 - wireless speaker with Bluetooth and NFC
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Creative T30 Wireless Review Good Mid range Response Marred by High Price
Singapore-based Creative is popularly known for making competent audio products. Some of its recent desktop speakers have eschewed the separate subwoofer in favour of a 2.0 setup with each speaker sporting two drivers. Creative also makes Bluetooth speakers for portable devices. In an effort to merge the best of both worlds, Creative has tweaked the design of the popular Gigaworks T20 series II speakers and come up with the T30 Wireless. The T30 Wireless doesnt have the Gigaworks branding but it promises support for NFC and Bluetooth. This unique blend should make things interesting.
Design and Features
The Creative T30 Wireless looks almost identical to the Gigaworks T20 series II. There are two trapezoidal speakers made of plastic, which both measure 230x87x175mm. The mostly black colour of the speakers is offset by the yellow woven glass fibre cone drivers. Oddly, the silk dome tweeters sit below the woofers, which might affect the quality of sound. Well come to that later.
Despite the Wireless suffix in the T30s name, the tangle of wires required to set up the speakers is daunting. There are three cables; one to connect to an analog audio source, one for between the left and speakers, and one for power. The length of all these wires is a potential tangle threat. All the physical connections and controls for the set are on the right speaker. Below the tweeter on the front are the volume, bass and treble knobs. Theres also a 3.5mm headphones jack, flanked by the power and Bluetooth buttons. Creative bundles a 3.5mm to RCA adapter for those who want to connect stereo equipment.
The USP of the T30 Wireless is that, while it is a wired speaker at heart, it can also connect wirelessly using the older Bluetooth 3.0 standard. Creative has also included NFC for easy pairing with NFC-capable devices. To make up for the lack of a dedicated sub-woofer, Creative trumpets its BasXPort technology, which can apparently create a bass-heavy effect. Well confirm this in our testing. Surprisingly, we couldnt find technical details such as the sensitivity, impedance, frequency response range and power handling anywhere; not even in the manuals provided in the box. All we found was the companys marketing spiel.
Sound Quality
We waded through the mess of wires and plugged the T30 into a desktop PC. Our immediate first impression upon firing up our test playlist was underwhelming. To check the bass capabilities of the speakers we played Jai Pauls underrated gem Jasmine. The bass was muddy and had absolutely no texture. Tweaking the bass control to below 40 per cent made it slightly better but achieving the sweet spot is going to be difficult. On the other hand, the song revealed that sound separation on the Creative T30 wireless is really good.
We then fired up George Ezras Budapest and the vocals had a great texture to them. However, the enhanced mids actually undermine rest of the frequencies. The bass guitar riffs in the Artic Monkeys Do I Wanna Know are hidden behind the enhanced mids. True to Creatives marketing spiel, the woven glass fibre cone driver is great for mid frequencies but the tweeters are slightly underpowered, thus affecting the highs. Moreover, the lack of a dedicated subwoofer works against the T30 Wireless.
Connecting a Bluetooth device was a cinch, but despite being louder, there is a perceptible reduction in the clarity of songs. The Creative T30 Wireless is great for movies laden with dialogue but is not a whole lot of fun when the action kicks in.
Overall
Priced a shade below Rs. 14,000, the Creative T30 Wireless is an expensive proposition. A Creative Gigaworks set and the Airwave HD can be purchased for less than that. It makes more sense to pick up two specialised devices considering that apart from the T30 Wirelesss robust mid-range response, the sound quality is not that great. Unfortunately, the Creative T30 Wireless loses the value proposition battle.
Price: Rs. 13,999
Pros
- Bluetooth and NFC Connectivity
- Great mid-range response
Cons
- Bass is muddy
- Too many wires
Ratings (Out of 5)
- Design: 4
- Performance: 3.5
- Value For money: 3
- Overall: 3
Monday, March 30, 2015
Microsoft Launches Lumia Screen Sharing and Wireless Charging Accessories
Apart from launching the Lumia 730 Dual SIM, Lumia 735, and Lumia 830, Microsoft also launched a range of wireless accessories for the new Lumia smartphones.
Announced at the sidelines of IFA in Berlin, the accessories include a wireless display adapter, wireless charging plates, and wireless charging shells.
The Microsoft Screen Sharing for Lumia Phones (HD-10) wireless display adapter has been launched at $79 (roughly Rs. 4,700) and will be available in Black and White colours by the end of this month. The device can be connected to a large screen television via the HDMI cable and is powered by a Micro-USB. The Microsoft Screen Sharing device comes with NFC disc, which is removable, through which it connects with the smartphone. The device is compatible with Lumia smartphones that support screen projection support.
On the other hand, the Nokia Wireless Charging Plate DT-903 and DT-601 have been launched at $59 (roughly Rs. 3,500) and $39 (roughly Rs. 2,350), respectively. The DT-903 will be available in White, Bright Orange and Bright Green colours starting next month, while the DT-601 will be available in Black, White, Yellow, Cyan, Red and Orange this month.
The second generation Nokia Wireless Charging Plate DT-903 is compatible with the Qi wireless charging standard, and the Bluetooth (LE) supported device and comes with blinking light for notifications for the missed call, SMS or email on the connected Lumia smartphone.
The Nokia Wireless Charging Plate DT-601 is being promoted by the company as the "smallest wireless charger to date."
Microsoft also announced a Wireless Charging Shell for the Lumia 735. Notably, the handset does not support wireless charging; although the new accessory can make the Lumia 735 wireless charging-enabled with Qi compatible. It is priced at EUR 14.90 (roughly Rs. 1,200) and will be available in Dark Grey, Bright Green and Bright Orange colour options.
Lastly, the Wireless Charging Flip Shell for Lumia 830, priced at EUR 24.90 (roughly Rs. 2,000), will be available next month.
At IFA 2014, Microsoft launched the Lumia 830 at a price of EUR 330 (roughly Rs. 26,200) before taxes and subsidies, while the prices for the Lumia 730 Dual and Lumia 735 have not been exactly revealed; with the company only announcing the estimated 3G and 4G variant pricing.
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Apple Watch May Give a Boost to Wireless Charging
Apple Incs embrace of wireless charging for its new Watch may be a defining moment for a technology thats languished for years amid competing standards and consumer confusion.
Supporters of wireless charging see a future where people no longer worry about topping up their gadgets; are free from tangled power cords and low-battery warnings and where terms like "outlet" and "plugged in" will be as anachronistic as "dialling" a phone.
(Also see: Apple Watch Unveiled as Comprehensive Health and Fitness Companion)
Users seem to like the idea too: in a recent survey by technology consultancy IHS, 83 percent were interested in wireless charging; in China, the figure was 91 percent.
But, while the technology is largely there to do this, competition to set a global standard is getting in the way of delivery. Its reminiscent of the Betamax vs VHS videotape wars of three or four decades ago, or the more recent battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD for supremacy in high definition optical disc format.
For now, there are three alliances, but not much to show. Last year, fewer than 20 million phones were shipped with wireless charging built in, according to IHS - less than 2 percent of the billion smartphones shipped around the world.
"There are a lot of bees around the hive," said Omri Lachman, CEO of Humavox, an Israeli start-up with its own wireless charging technology. "Up to now weve not seen a mass aggregation of wireless charging in devices. Theres a good reason for that: three standards for the same form of technology."
While users clearly see wireless charging - where mobiles, tablets and other devices are charged by laying them on a mat or other surface - as a natural next step, some industry leaders have cautioned that having to still plug in the charging device may prove fiddly for some. "Having to create another device you have to plug into the wall is actually, for most situations, more complicated," Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said just two years ago.
(Also see: Everything You Need to Know About the Apple Watch)
Beam me up
Maybe, but others say the wireless vision remains compelling. "Look at Star Trek," says Geoff Gordon of the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), one of the three competing alliances. "They never talk about their batteries dying on any of their devices. If you look far enough into the future were looking at a world where you dont even think about power."
But to catch on, wireless charging has to work seamlessly. That means a user can easily find a wireless charging zone and not have to worry whether their device is compatible, or properly connected or even secure from theft.
Intel Corp, a member of A4WP along with the likes of Samsung Electronics andQualcomm Inc, says wireless charging is a lot like wireless computing. Just as the world has largely ditched network cables for wireless hotspots, so we will leave chargers and cables at home as well never be far from a charging pad.
But getting there, the chipmaker argues, will require someone with its clout to set the global standard for wireless technology. "History will tell you its what it takes to get mainstream lift-off," said Intels Leighton Phillips.
Among the competing standards, A4WP uses something called magnetic resonance, while the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) - which includes tech names such as Nokia and Philips - champions its Qi standard using inductive charging, a method which is also used by the Power Matters Alliance (PMA).
They are all variations of the same technology: a coil inside the device picks up an electrical charge from a transmitter coil in the charging surface. Apple, which sits outside the alliances, appears to have used a version of induction charging in its Watch, further muddying the waters.
$8.5 billion market
Sparring in a battle for leadership in a market that IHS reckons will be worth $8.5 billion by 2018 - as the technology is incorporated into devices, furniture, cars, restaurants - the alliances fling accusations at one another.
The WPC accuses its rivals of trying "to benefit from intellectual property they think they own," in the words of WPC vice president for market development John Perzow, instead of "what benefits the consumer."
The WPCs Qi brand is the only one to have made any real headway on the market, doubling its annual shipments to 20 million devices last year. The PMA has a couple of products out, while the first devices carrying the A4WPs Rezence brand are expected to be shipped this year.
A4WP supporters say the WPC has had its chance and blown it. "Very quickly the momentum behind A4WP will dwarf anything that Qi has accomplished," says Alex Gruzen, CEO of U.S.-based WiTricity.
The PMA, meanwhile, has focused less on the hardware and more on the application programming interface that would allow others to connect to it. Its main backers are companies like Procter & Gamble and Starbucks Corp , which promises to roll out charging surfaces in its U.S. outlets by the end of next year.
The groups all agree on one thing: squabbling over standards has kept smartphone manufacturers, furniture designers and car makers from building wireless charging technology into their products as much as they might if the technologys future were clearer.
The Jeep Cherokee , for example, includes a wireless charging pad, and Cadillac has announced plans to add wireless charging in 2015 models - but drivers will only be able to use the feature if they have compatible phones.
There are signs of progress: the A4WP and the PMA in February agreed to ensure their two standards work well together.
But for wireless charging to take off, Intel says, it not only needs compatible devices and charging mats in homes and offices, but also a broader public infrastructure - coffee shops, hotels, malls.
"The vision we have and that Starbucks has is that it becomes part of the slipstream of your life," says Powermat president Daniel Schreiber. "How do we make power come to you rather than have you think about power?"
"Nothings happening"
There are other issues. One is that the technology still needs to be easier to use. In some cases, a device cant just be dropped anyhow onto a charging pad - it needs to be aligned or it either wont charge, or will charge more slowly.
Also, fitting charging coils into devices isnt as simple as it may sound. "Coils have a physical limitation that wont change with size," said Humavoxs Lachman. "A lot of people have been trying to fit that into the device."
"All the companies are working around the clock to figure out how to pull in that technology and make sure it works," says Pavan Pudipeddi, CEO of PowerSquare, which in July launched a charging pad using Qi which allows users to recharge multiple devices. Pudipeddi welcomed the launch of Apples Watch with wireless charging. "Others will feed off that and its good for the technology in general," he said.
Meanwhile, the dithering over an industry standard is opening up opportunities for others.
Some companies like uBeam, for example, use ultrasound, converting electricity to sound and sending that over the air as ultrasound. Others, like Humavox, use radio frequencies, where the coils are replaced by antennae.
"Our decision to build this technology from the ground up is proving the right choice," said Lachman. "Wireless charging has been out there for five years and nothings happening."
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