5 sonic stocking stuffers to improve your loved ones’ listening life
Looking for some simple and affordable gifts to get the music nerd in your family? Here are five great gift ideas that will improve their listening life -- and won't cost you an arm and a leg to give them. From extra dongles to affordable earbuds, there's something for everyone on our holiday gift list.
Radiohead, The Cure, and more to join Rock Hall of Fame. Listen to their hits
Radiohead, The Cure, Janet Jackson, and Stevie Nicks, and more have been selected to join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. Here are our favorite songs from the four artists' hit-filled careers, from iconic classic rock anthems to iconic experimental rock masterpieces.
From soundbars to headphones, here are the best last-minute audio deals
Whether you're looking for a great new pair of headphones or a fantastic new soundbar to bolster the sound of your brand-new television, these are the best audio deals to be found this holiday season. We've scoured the internet to find you the best discounts on the highest-quality gear.
Riva Concert review
The Riva Concert series speaker is a fantastic small-profile smart speaker with Alexa integration, truly excellent sound, and great looks, making it the perfect addition to your kitchen, living room, or bedroom. With even more features than the Sonos One.
AKG N700NC review
With gorgeous looks, impressive noise reduction, and great sound, AKG’s N700NC are a formidable entry into the wireless noise-canceling headphone race. We pit them up against the best on the market from Bose and Sony to figure out if they can take the top spot.
From Paul McCartney to Mariah Carey, this is the best holiday music
Whether you're a fan of classic jazz standards or modern R&B masterpieces, there's something for everyone on our playlist of the best holiday music. So pour some eggnog and curl up by the fire, this one is sure to get you in the holiday spirit, with countless classics and some modern hits to boot.
Spotify Wrapped reveals rad facts about your musical tastes and habits
The website may be a bit tough to find at first, but Spotify's new Spotify Wrapped tells you awesome facts about your year in listening. From how many minutes you spent jamming out to your top artists, and beyond, there's a lot to dig into on the company's annual year-in-review website.
Comcast subscribers can finally stream Amazon Prime Video on Xfinity X1
Comcast subscribers who own one of the company's X1 set-top boxes can now use them to stream Amazon Prime Video, bringing some of the best shows available to stream to their TVs like never before, and giving them less of a reason to consider an outboard streaming box like a Roku or Amazon streaming stick.
Google, Amazon take aim at AirPods with their own upcoming true wireless options
Well-regarded Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that supply chain information points to Google and Amazon developing their own true wireless headphones, with both tech giants looking to take on Apple's hyper-popular AirPods by the end of 2019. Will they be able to close the gap with the industry leader?
Block out the sun and drown out the haters with Bose’s new AR sunglasses
Bose has announced its quirkiest listening device yet, a pair of headphone-integrated sunglasses that allow you to meander the brightest places with your favorite tunes in tow. Called the Frames, the headphones support what the company claims is the first audio augmented reality platform
Here’s how Apple’s HomePod can hear you across that noisy room
Apple has published a report about the hearing technology inside its HomePod speaker, illuminating in great detail all the hardware and software that lets it hear you say, "Hey Siri" across a noisy room. From voice recognition to echo suppression, there is a lot of cool stuff going on inside.
Anyone with a library card can now stream some of the best modern indie movies
Anyone with a library card now has access to 72 of the best indie films from the recent past, thanks to a new deal between A24 and up-and-coming streaming service Kanopy. With the addition, those who are missing cult streaming service FilmStruck, which will soon shutter, have a new hope.
Astell & Kern, Beyerdynamic partner on gorgeous over-ear headphones
Astell & Kern and Beyerdynamic -- two of the undisputed kings of portable, super high-fidelity audio -- have partnered to create an astoundingly beautiful pair of over-ear headphones for audiophiles on the go. That, plus Astell & Kern have a new set of in-ears made in partnership with Jerry Harvey Audio.
Students can now snag YouTube Premium and YouTube Music for cheap
YouTube is now offering budget-conscious students steep discounts on its popular paid tier of ad-free music and video. Those currently in school can get access to YouTube Premium and YouTube Music for half their usual price, providing an extra incentive for young subscribers to sign up for the services.
Get a top-tier Vizio P Series TV for a song this Black Friday
Vizio has announced a slew of Black Friday deals for those interested in new home theater offerings, but none are more enticing than the deals the company is running on its top-tier P-Series and P-Series Quantum TVs. Both models can be had for hundreds of dollars off of list price this shopping holiday.
Stream on, pilgrims: Google Play movie rentals are $1 for Thanksgiving
Need some post-dinner plans? Google has made every film in its Google Play rental catalog just 99 cents for Thanksgiving, providing viewers with access to many of the most popular recent films -- including Crazy Rich Asians, Deadpool 2, and Incredibles 2 -- on the cheap.
Soon, any wireless headphone maker can put Alexa in your ears
Amazon's popular Alexa voice assistant will be coming to many more Bluetooth headphones as the Internet retailer has opened up its Alexa Mobile Accessory Tool Kit to all headphone developers. This means that changing songs, picking playlists, and other listening tasks will be easier than ever.
Mobvoi Ticpods Free review
With silicone eartips, water resistance, and a more palatable price tag, Mobvoi’s Ticpods Free are impressive AirPod doppelgangers. But for all the great things they have going for them, there’s one thing that’s still holding them back from shaking the AirPods’ stronghold on the market.
BassFit wireless in-ear headphones bring low-end fuel to your workout
V-Moda's latest headphone offering is a set of banded Bluetooth in-ears called the BassFit. A sweat-proof, ultra-secure pair of headphones that mark the first time the company has purpose-built a headphone for its most active customers, the BassFit are designed to bring low-end power to your next workout.
Looking for a podcast? Pandora’s Podcast Genome Project is just the ticket
Pandora has created a brand new service for avid podcast listeners. Powered by what the company calls the Podcast Genome Project, the new podcast offering uses an advanced combination of algorithms and human curation to deliver the perfect podcasts for you, in much the same way it does for music discovery.
It’s about damn time: Spotify is now on Apple Watch
Spotify subscribers will are now able to jam out to their favorite tunes on their favorite workout accessory, as the Swedish streaming service has offically released the first version of its official Apple Watch app. Users can play and pause music, and use popular Spotify Connect features.
Comcast wants you to take control of your smart home through your TV
Cable and broadband internet provider Comcast is looking to take on Google and Amazon as the new central hub of your smart home. The company is reportedly testing a program that would allow broadband-only customers to turn their TVs into smart home hubs, allowing them to control everything from bulbs to cameras.
No subscription, no problem. Free Spotify users can soon use Spotify Connect
Spotify Connect, which allows users to stream their favorite tunes to any Connect-enabled speaker, has long been one of the best premium-only features on the Swedish streaming service. Soon, free users will get it too, providing yet another reason to embrace Spotify before other services.
Rain or shine, take your tunes outside with Focal’s new speaker line
French speaker manufacturer Focal is bringing its fantastic high-fidelity pedigree to your backyard with two new models. The 100 OD6 and 100 OD8 speakers will allow you to listen to your favorite tunes with audiophile-level fidelity, rain or shine, providing outdoor enthusiasts a great new option.
Rapper Mac Miller died of accidental overdose, autopsy report finds
According to an autopsy report, rapper Mac Miller died September 7 of an accidental drug overdose involving the combination of cocaine and fentanyl -- the super-strength opiate that previously claimed the lives of Prince, Tom Petty, and others. Miller was slated to begin a tour in support of the album in October.
Paradigm Persona B hands-on review
Paradigm’s astonishingly transparent Persona B bookshelf speakers offer incredible sound to bring you inside the studio, onto the stage, and closer to the souls of your favorite musicians than ever. With the ability to virtually disappear behind the instruments, they offer one of the most satisfying listening experiences you’ll find.
Spotify compatibility has finally returned to Roku devices
Spotify functionality has finally returned to the popular Roku streaming devices, thanks to a new software update. Other cool features coming to Roku include Pandora premium support and Google Assistant, which will slowly roll out to applicable Roku devices throughout the next several months.
Sony UBP-X800 review
With gorgeous 4K HDR picture and high-end audio decoding that includes support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Sony’s UBP-X800 is the best Ultra HD Blu-ray player on the market right now -- and it’s more affordable than you might think. If you’re looking to take your home theater to the next level, look no further.
The Apple AirPods 2 needed to come out today. Here are four reasons why
Apple announced numerous new products at its October 30 event, a lineup that included a new iPad Pro, a Macbook Air, as well as a new Mac Mini. Here’s four reasons we wish a new set of AirPods were on that list, and what Apple needs to do to stay at the top of the true wireless universe.
Anker’s new smart devices will have you dimming the lights and jamming out
Anker announced a new smart speaker line and a brand new smart micro projector, further pushing the popular home audio brand into the world of connected home devices. Both feature Google Assistant connectivity and allow viewers and listeners to stream their favorite content with ease.
Phiaton Bolt BT 700 review
With a simple design, five hours of battery life, and a charging case that offers a built-in Bluetooth speaker, the Phiaton Bolt BT 700 are a great pair of true wireless earbuds at an extremely palatable price. If you’re in the market for a swiss army knife of sound, they may be just the ticket.
Guillermo del Toro to pull the strings behind Netflix’s stop-motion ‘Pinocchio’
Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro will pull the strings as director of a stop-motion musical version of classic Disney film Pinocchio, which will be produced by Netflix. It will mark the first animated feature ever directed by del Toro, who previously produced Megamind and Puss in Boots.