Tag archive: bluetooth

Pioneer's CES press conference was a bit tamer than last year, but its goals are the same. Once again the company has used its conference time at the Consumer Electronics Show to highlight its recent and upcoming efforts in the car stereo industry. At the forefront of its efforts is its AppRadio platform, which launched last year for the iPhone. The platform will soon get an update. AppRadio 2 will be available in a couple months and… Read More

As casual gaming grows, so to do the options on how to play those games. For as technically sophisticated as the games are becoming both in terms of gameplay and graphics (see Infinity Blade II), there is still the limitation of having to use the touchscreen for inputting commands. That may work on games like Angry Birds, which are designed for that type of interface, but for most games it makes it difficult to port existing title to… Read More

A new smartphone from Sony Ericsson has been revealed through its Bluetooth certification entry, and rather than being another for the European networks, it's listed as a North American model only. The LT28at will be coming to AT&T and will connect to their LTE high-speed network. While it's not the first phone to be leaked via Bluetooth's site, the blurb features an unusually high level of detail. Described as a… Read More

Some of us are quite attached to our mobile devices, much to the chagrin of anything and anyone that isn't a smartphone screen. Apple and Google are reportedly looking to change that. They want to integrate our smartphones into daily life better by developing wearable mobile devices that act more like a window to the real world, rather than a screen. According to the New York Times Bits blog, Apple has been secretly working on a wearable… Read More

Cameras are getting smaller and smaller, but the most pocket-friendly point-and-shoot can’t compete with a new concept from Yeon Su Kim. The designer has created a mechanism appropriately called the Air Clicker for using nothing more than your hands to capture images. Two small ring-like devices wrap about a user’s pointer finger and thumb. Then making certain hand gestures and connecting to your smartphone via Bluetooth, you send photos to your… Read More

The Swiss engineers at Geneva Audio, known for its high-quality Hi-Fi offerings, are now giving customers a reason to take quality sound wherever they go with the Model XS travel sound system ($250). The new portable sound system was inspired by the folding design of classic travel clocks, but this model is all high-tech with a Hi-Fi system complete with speakers, amplifiers, a radio, and an alarm clock, all in one sleek design.  The sound… Read More

With several States enacting hands-free driving laws, it's become more important for busy people to have a Bluetooth headset when in the car.  Fortunately, almost all major phone manufacturers have integrated Bluetooth into their products. Apple is no different and the iPhone comes standard with integrated Bluetooth. We'll help you set it up in four easy steps: 1. Go to your iPhone's “Homescreen” and hit the… Read More

Hacker Gagandeep Singh has developed a do-it-yourself project for designing a grid of LED lights on the rear window of a vehicle without obstructing the view from the rear-view mirror. Singh is interested in providing feedback to drivers that don't pay attention to the rules of the road. Using his Volkswagon Polo as the guinea pig for the project, Singh created plans for a 40 x 16 LED matrix display with LED lights that allowed two… Read More

Announced yesterday, Ford is rolling out a software update to Ford's SYNC software that will allow text messages to be read aloud while driving the vehicle. While the system requires a compatible smartphone, users will likely hear the messages through the speakers in the car. The smartphone communicates with the software through a Bluetooth connection. This upgrade to version 3.2.2 of the software will be able to be applied to all SYNC… Read More

Audio company Bose has finally made its Series 2 Bluetooth Headset ($150) available for purchase. The new headset uses dual microphones to enhance noise canceling and is made in specific right and left ear designs for comfort. The company claims that the noise-rejecting microphone will allow users to have a clearer connection even in noisy environments. Supposedly this noise-rejecting mic is a beast at sending your voice to the other end of the… Read More

Announced by the NFC Forum this week, near field communication technology got an upgrade in the form of device to device communication. Before this upgrade, the existing form of NFC utilizes an active device and a passive device, ideal for transactions like checking out in line at the grocery store. For instance, credit card information is stored on a smartphone and offered up to a store's checkout terminal when asked. The upgrade to the… Read More

Noel Lee was on hand for Monster Cable's CEDIA Expo announcements this morning and, in typical “Head Monster” fashion, led the unveiling of some of the new products that the company has in store for this year.  After some initial chatter about some interesting new cloud-based software for Monster's power control centers, the chat turned toward Monster's relatively new ClarityHD Model 1 powered multi-media speakers.… Read More

Designed to work with the iPad 2, Logitech announced the Fold-Up Keyboard for iPad. Powered by Bluetooth, the keyboard attaches to the bottom of the iPad and is designed to travel with the Apple tablet.  When in use, two sides of the keyboard rotate out and lock into place to form a full-sized keyboard. When the keyboard is unfolded and locked into place, it automatically powers up for use with the iPad 2. It also turns off automatically when… Read More

The entertainment industry might have its panties in a bunch over 3D technology, but so far consumers still seem wary, with sales of 3D-capable HDTVs and 3D content perhaps generously described as lukewarm. Part of the hurdle for consumers might be the hassles of those big, bulky, clunky, awkward 3D glasses: 3D shutter glasses from a Sony 3D television don't work with a system from Panasonic, and neither of those systems work with (say)… Read More

When Microsoft sent out an alert yesterday that there was a security hole in the Bluetooth stack, my reaction was simple: “Not worried, don’t use it.” Twitter follower Paula Thornton (who I now also follow) responded with a different insight: “I’m always amazed and dismayed by all the perfectly great but useless technology we pay for.” Thinking back, there is a ton of stuff we pay for in a PC that we don’t actually use or care for. Let’s go… Read More