Picture-in-picture reportedly headed to Apple TV in tvOS 13
When tvOS 13 is released to a general audience this fall, it could be sporting a previously undisclosed feature: Picture-in-picture mode. The minimized video windows were spotted in an early developer release of the software and it reportedly only works within Apple's TV App.
WarnerMedia just bought a $500 million weapon to fight Netflix: J.J. Abrams
By signing a $500 million deal with Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams and his production company, Bad Robot, WarnerMedia has proved that it'll do everything that it can -- and spend as much as possible -- to compete with Netflix, Hulu, and Disney Plus for a share of your streaming budget.
Comcast lets people with physical disabilities control a TV with just a glance
It's hard enough when you have a physical disability, but watching TV shouldn't be one of those difficult activities. Comcast is now making it a little easier, by giving people a way to connect their existing assistive devices like eye-glance systems with their Comcast cable boxes.
At 292 inches, Samsung’s The Wall Luxury TV turns any surface into an 8K cinema
What was only a demo at CES 2019 a few short months ago is now a consumer device, but on a much bigger scale: Samsung's The Wall Luxury is a MicroLED display that can scale from a relatively small 73 inches at 2K to a stunning 292 inches in 8K. It goes on sale in July.
Spotify’s Your Daily Drive playlist could crush terrestrial and satellite radio
It had to happen sooner or later: Spotify is debuting Your Daily Drive, a playlist that combines short-form news podcasts from major media outlets with a personalized selection of music to create a custom radio station that is different for each listener. The playlist is currently for U.S. listeners.
Powerful but pricey, Roon is what Apple’s iTunes should have been
Roon is a music organization and playback app that will have you wondering why you waited for Apple to kill iTunes. With its unique music-discovery features and the ability to stream audio to any speaker in your home, the only question is whether the app can justify its price.
Cambridge Audio’s earbuds have nearly twice AirPods’ juice for $40 less
Acclaimed British audio brand Cambridge Audio announced its first pair of true wireless headphones. Called the Melomania 1, the tiny in-ears feature 9 hours of battery life, and up to 45 hours if you count the four additional charges available inside the included charging case.
Move over, PowerBeats Pro. JLab’s $149 Epic Air Sport have 70 hours of playtime
In the world of truly wireless earbuds, battery life keeps improving. But we weren't prepared for JLab's Epic Air Sport's claimed 70 hours of playtime, especially given their relatively low price of $149. If they've got sound quality to match, they'll be a real contender against the Beats PowerBeats Pros.
Apple gives Beats Solo3 a fresh paint job, but no new features
If you were anticipating that Apple would refresh its aging Beats Solo3 wireless headphones with the same tech it installed in the new AirPods and PowerBeats Pro, prepare to be disappointed. Instead of new features, the on-ear headphones simply received four new color options.
Shazam on Android no longer needs to hear songs to identify them
Normally, Shazam users need to crank up the volume on their internal speaker in order to get the app to ID a song from another app, but a new feature lets Android users give Shazam the ability to listen in on other apps, no microphone required. Called Pop-up Shazam, it's an Android exclusive for now.
With U.S. launch of Stations app, Spotify aims to beat Apple to Pandora’s crown
Spotify might be the dominant music streaming service globally, but in the U.S., it still faces an uphill battle. To add another weapon to its American arsenal, it has launched its stand-alone Stations app. With a stripped-down interface and quick access to music, it's a way for Spotify to highlight one of its best features.
Got $34,000? LG is taking pre-orders for its astonishing 88-inch Z9 8K OLED
LG revealed the price and a rough release window for its 88-inch 8K OLED model, a massive -- and massively beautiful TV -- that will cost consumers over $40,000 when it hits stores this fall. If you're after the biggest, most-expensive TV of the year, this may well be it.
Klipsch Bar 40 and Bar 48 home theater soundbars bring the boom to any TV
In a world that's quickly filling up with budget soundbar options, it's great to see a premium brand like Klipsch throw its hat in the ring with two new products: The Bar 40 and Bar 48. Starting at $299, both are equipped with wireless subwoofers. The Bar 48 can even be expanded into a true 5.1 system.
Ikea creates a physical remote control for Symfonisk and Sonos speakers
With the official retail launch of Ikea's Sonos-powered Symfonisk wireless speakers only weeks away, we now know that Ikea will be selling a small, physical remote control for these speakers. Designed to work with the company's Tradfri smart home system, it will let users play/pause, skip tracks, and adjust volume.
Spotify’s latest experiment is designed to boost podcast discovery
Podcasting has become a rich medium, with hundreds of shows to choose from in dozens of languages. This means that finding new shows to listen to can be a challenge. Spotify is looking into how it can fix that, and a new set of human-curated podcast playlists might be the answer.
Ultimate Ears’ Wonderboom 2 Bluetooth speaker is a super summer sequel
Summer is historically the time for blockbuster movie sequels, so it's appropriate that Ultimate Ears has chosen June for the launch of its Wonderboom 2, the company's follow-up to its tiny but mighty Wonderboom -- a rugged and portable Bluetooth speaker. It's got better sound and battery life for the same price.
Own an Apple TV? You can try tvOS 13 right now — sort of
Itching to give tvOS 13 and all the new features that come bundled with it a try? You're in luck: The first beta of tvOS 13 is available to download right now — so long as you have access to an Apple ID enrolled in the firm's Developer Program. Anyone else will need to wait until the end of the month.
Spotify’s secret Social Listening feature could create global listening parties
In what appears to be a secret feature available only to internal employees, Spotify is experimenting with Social Listening, letting friends invite one another to collaborate on music queues in real time both in person or from anywhere in the world. Could this lead to synchronized music parties on a global scale?
Tell Amazon Fire TV Recast which show to record and it does the rest
Amazon's Fire TV Recast, its over-the-air HD receiver and DVR, has been given some new skills: Expanded recording capacity via external hard drives and the option to record your shows on multiple networks, instead of just one -- a handy feature when some channels have clearer reception than others.
Bose’s new noise-canceling headphones make it easier for Alexa to hear you
The long-awaited follow-up to Bose's QC35 II headphones is here: The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. The new model puts an emphasis on being heard as much as on listening. With the ability for your voice to be heard even in loud environments, it should help assistants like Alexa understand what you're saying.
FuboTV set to stream every game of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in 4K
If you're eagerly anticipating this year's 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, with the return of the triumphant U.S women's team, you should check out FuboTV. The sports-centric live TV streaming service will be the only non-cable way to watch the games in 4K. Each match of the series from June 7 to July 7 will be available.
Boasting only a faster processor, Apple hopes new iPod Touch will lure AR gamers
It's been a very long time since Apple updated its iPod Touch, which means that expectations for a new version -- if it were to come at all -- were very high. Instead, Apple's seventh iteration of its popular portable media player gets a new brain, and more storage, but is otherwise completely unchanged.
Apple might add dual Bluetooth audio connections to the iPhone
Dual audio connections are a feature of Bluetooth 5.0, and it's already available on a slew of Android smartphones and tablets. But so far, Apple has not added it to the iPhone. That may change soon if a new rumor is accurate. If true, Apple could let two sets of wireless headphones share the same music.
Walmart Memorial Day sale: 4K TVs, Dell laptops, and Nintendo Switch deals
Walmart is likely the largest pool of Memorial Day deals. With some pretty nice savings on Apple iPads, Apple Watches Samsung and Vizio 4K TVs, laptops, and Google Home devices, now is a great time to snag some electronics for cheap. Plus, if you're looking for a Nintendo Switch, there are a few offers.
LG’s 2019 TVs slide Alexa next to Google Assistant, with Siri on the way
LG has announced that Alexa will be the next voice assistant on its 2019 lineup of ThinQ A.I. TVs, joining Google Assistant. Users will be able to control their TVs and thousands of smart home devices with just their remote, no external speaker required. AirPlay 2 and Siri support is still expected later this year.
Dell drops $100 off this 49-inch LG 4K smart TV with a Memorial Day deal
We'd all love a massive TV, but sometimes circumstances beyond our control prevent us from having the 65-inch 4K TV we've been dreaming of. But just because you can't have a big screen doesn't mean you have to settle for less. In fact, quite the opposite. Take this 49-inch LG 4K TV on sale as an example.
This 60-inch Vizio 4K Smart TV gets a huge $250 price cut at Walmart
Time is of the essence here, so we aren't going to beat about the bush: Walmart has kicked off an unmissable deal on one of Vizio's best 60-inch 4K TVs, reducing it from $700 to a healthier $450 for those who want an awesome new viewing companion at a low low price.
FCC filing leaks smaller Samsung Galaxy Home before the first one even launches
Samsung's promised entry into the A.I.-powered smart speaker race, the Galaxy Home, is still nowhere to be seen. But that isn't stopping the company from planning a follow-up device, which will be smaller, and likely cheaper. A new FCC filing gives us a glimpse at what it will look like.
Walmart cuts prices on this Bose wireless speaker and Samsung Soundbar
Don't settle for a cheap soundbar or wireless speaker. Walmart has great sales on the Samsung HW-N550 Soundbar System and Bose SoundTouch 20 Series III wireless speaker this week. Both are great options if you're looking to upgrade the sound in your home.
This 43-inch Vizio 4K HDR TV is just $240 during Walmart’s Memorial Day sale
A 4K TV is an investment, albeit one that won't appreciate over time. For that reason, it's important to choose a television that will last, like the 43-inch Vizio D43-F1, which is on sale right now through Walmart for $240 —down $130 from the usual $370.
Oh, hey, Google! Bose brings Google Assistant to smart speakers and soundbars
Bose announced a new partnership with Google Assistant that will see the digital helper being added to all of its current smart speakers and soundbars, bringing listeners a ton of added functionality at no extra cost, and giving smart home lovers another reason to consider its various products.
Vizio’s new TVs and soundbars go on sale today. Here’s where and for how much
Vizio announced pricing and specs for all of its latest TV and soundbar models, offering a wide range of awesome choices for your home theater upgrade, especially with upcoming support for Apple Airplay 2 and HomeKit coming to its SmartCast 3.0 smart TV platform.
Dell slices prices on Bose SoundSport wireless headphones
Dell has a fantastic offer on the table for anyone in the market for a set of Bose SoundSport or Bose SoundSport Wireless headphones. The SoundSport have been reduced in price by half, from $100 to a healthier $50, and the wireless version from $150 to a more wallet-friendly $130.
Why you can’t buy Car Thing, Spotify’s first hardware device
After several months of rumors, it's true: Spotify has created a voice-activated, in-car device that lets you listen to music and podcasts. Unfortunately, the Car Thing, as it is known, is not for sale. Instead, the company plans to give it to a limited set of users and use the resulting data to improve its services.