Spotify hits repeat on its Premium special offer: $1 a month for 3 months
Back by popular demand it seems, or perhaps to bolster demand, Spotify is relaunching its $1 for three months of its Premium tier of service for anyone who has not previously signed up for a subscription. The offer begins on May 15 and ends on June 30.
Spotify is quietly turning itself into a storytelling platform for artists
To provide more ways for artists and creators to engage with audiences, Spotify is testing out its own version of the popular Stories format, with a new feature called Storyline. It has also launched a new online tool that vastly simplifies the creation of podcasts. Here's what you need to know.
Sonos is now compatible with Google Assistant, but Apple Music must wait
Sonos is now rolling out a free update to its software that will make its full range of Wi-Fi speakers and components compatible with Google Assistant. The update also gives owners of Sonos One and Beam smart speakers the option to use Google Assistant or Alexa as their voice interface of choice.
Looking for podcasts? Google lets you find and play them in its web search
Not content to simply have its own dedicated podcasts app, Google is now letting people find podcasts from within its web search, and play the most recent episodes inside a dedicated web-player. The move comes after the BBC recently decided to pull all of its podcasts from Google's platforms.
The top 9 Powerbeats Pro tips and tricks for optimizing your wireless earbuds
Apple's new Powerbeats Pro truly wireless earbuds are here, and you've picked yourself up a pair. But to get the most out of them, you need to learn all of the ways they can be tweaked and controlled. Here are nine tips and tricks that will help you maximize your experience.
FuboTV CEO says company will launch ad-supported free TV streaming soon
FuboTV will be launching a free, ad-supported live streaming TV channel, according to the company's CEO. Few details are available, but the move appears to be a way for the company to attract viewers to its paid subscription platform while earning money from advertising revenue.
Finally! Sonos says it’ll launch Google Assistant for select speakers next week
It's been a very long road for Sonos customers who have been patiently waiting for the company to make good on its promise to integrate Google Assistant into its platform. On Thursday the company revealed it’s finally able to deliver, and will roll out the feature to two of its speakers next week.
Google is making it easier to add streaming video services to Android TV
With competition heating up between smart TV platforms from Amazon, Roku, and Apple, Google has a few tweaks planned to help its Android TV users get more from the platform. The company announced that it's going to reduce the number of steps involved in adding new streaming video services.
Master and Dynamic finally jumps on the noise-canceling headphones bandwagon
Master and Dynamic has launched its first noise-canceling headphones, the $499 MW65. Borrowing both design and materials from its previous models, the MW65 uses hybrid active noise cancellation, and feature Google Assistant built-in. With an impressive 24-hour battery life, it's a worthy addition to the M&D lineup.
Marshall’s new portable speakers bring a vintage vertical vibe to your tunes
If you like your portable Bluetooth speakers with a retro flare, and superb sound quality, Marshall now has three models to choose from: The big and bold Tufton, the highly portable Stockwell II, and the midrange Kilburn II. Starting at $249, they're a solid choice for portable sound.
DirecTV Now vs. Sling TV: Which live TV streaming service is better?
With an increasing number of live TV streaming services competing for cord cutters' dollars, it's getting harder to decide which one you should use. We take some of that guesswork away by comparing two of the biggest companies, AT&T's DirecTV Now and Dish's Sling TV, to see which one comes out on top.
YouTube will let everyone watch Cobra Kai, other Originals, for free
In a slight change to a previously announced plan, YouTube will be making some of its Originals, including popular Karate Kid sequel Cobra Kai, free for everyone to watch with ads this year. Previously, only paying subscribers of YouTube Premium and YouTube TV could access the content.
Spotify tests voice-enabled ads for those who prefer talking to tapping
What do you do when you hear an ad on the radio, or perhaps Spotify? Odds are, not much at all. But that may soon change: Spotify is now testing audio ads that you can respond to with your voice. The first ads only take you to other Spotify content, but it's clear: We'll soon be able to holler back at our ads.
Vizio’s 5.1 home theater soundbar system drops down to $200 on Amazon
Vizio soundbars are well known for providing outstanding sound for the price, and right now you can get one of the company's most popular 5.1 soundbar systems for $50 off the already low regular price of $250. We haven't seen a price this low for this soundbar since Black Friday.
Huawei reportedly working on a 5G-powered 8K TV: What does that mean?
If a report by Nikkei Asian Review is accurate, Chinese telecom giant Huawei is planning to launch its first TV: A 5G-connected 8K set that may arrive as soon as this year. 5G connections are seen as one of the best solutions to the massive bandwidth needed to supply TVs with 8K content.
Hulu subscribers jump to 28 million after price drop; new Marvel series coming
The first quarter of 2019 has been a good one for Hulu. The streaming service's subscriber numbers are at an all-time high of 28 million, largely thanks to a price cut the company did to its cheapest ad-supported plan earlier in the year. It also announced two new Marvel shows for 2020.
Samsung’s The Sero is a vertical TV for mobile video addicts
If you're addicted to vertically oriented video, like the kind that social media tends to generate thanks to ubiquitous mobile phones, Samsung has the TV for you. Its new The Sero, is a 43-inch TV that can do double-duty: Intended to be viewed vertically, it can rotate to be used as a traditional, horizontal screen.
Apple AirPods and Jabra Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds get price cuts
Are you looking for a pair of truly wireless earbuds? You won't find a better model for workouts and wet conditions than Jabra's Elite Active 65t. And right now, you won't find a better price on them than Amazon's. Apple's original AirPods are also being discounted on Amazon.
First-generation Sonos One smart speaker prices drop to just $150
We found a pretty great deal: The original Sonos One smart speaker is now $150, which is the lowest price we've seen since it launched. Though no longer the newest version, the first-gen model sounds identical to the second-gen, and will still get Google Assistant support when it launches later this year.
Spotify is first music service to hit 100 million paying subscribers
Though it's still in second place in the U.S., globally Spotify is on a tear. The company revealed in its Q1 2019 report that it had hit 100 million paying subscribers worldwide, making it the first streaming music company to achieve the milestone. It has also stayed profitable, though challenges remain.
Plex amps up its music offerings with tighter integration with Tidal
Plex may not be the first platform you think of for music streaming, but that may be about to change. The popular media server has added more Tidal integrations to its growing list of features, letting Plex users integrate their personal music collection with Tidal's for a unified experience.
Amazon will reportedly launch a hi-fi version of Amazon Music Unlimited
A new report suggests that Amazon is in the final months of preparation for the launch of a new hi-res tier for its music subscription service. If true, it might launch later this year, for around $15 per month, making it the first of the big streaming giants to take this step.
Bowers & Wilkins’ Formation Suite is a stylish, high-end Sonos competitor
With high-end audio specs, and gorgeous designs, B&W's Formation Suite is the company's first foray into wireless home audio. With prices starting at $700, these wireless speakers are intended to compete directly with Sonos by offering high-resolution audio and "perfect" synchronization between components.
YouTube Music lands on Google Home speakers
Hot on the heels of Amazon's announcement that it's adding a free version of its Amazon Music service to Alexa-powered speakers, Google is making a similar move, adding a free, ad-supported version of its YouTube Music service to all Google Assistant-powered smart speakers.
Amazon and Google agree to more support for each other’s streaming services
Though still not fast friends, Amazon and Google have taken a significant step toward thawing their frosty relationship, by announcing that YouTube will be officially supported on all Fire TV devices, and that Prime Video will now play nicely with all Chromecast and Android TV devices in the coming months.
Logitech’s Harmony Express remote: a steep price for simplicity
For those who find Logitech's series of Harmony universal remotes too intimidating, the company's latest product, the Harmony Express, might be the answer. Virtually every function can now be done by voice thanks to the remote's built-in Alexa support. But at $250, is it worth it?
Ikea’s budget-minded Symfonisk Wi-Fi speakers hide Sonos audio in plain sight
After months of hints and speculation, Ikea and Sonos have finally launched their Symfonisk wireless speaker collaboration. With two models that challenge what a Wi-Fi speaker looks like and costs, and starting at $110, they put Sonos audio technology within reach of a much larger customer base.
Netflix’s price hikes will take effect shortly for most subscribers
We've known for a while that Netflix intends to hike its prices across all three levels of its subscription streaming service, but now we know when that will happen for most customers: May 2019. With increases that range from $1 to $2 per month, it's the first time Netflix has raised all of its prices simultaneously.
Tivo software update will bring automatic ad-skipping later this year
Tivo users already enjoy SkipMode, a feature that lets them jump entire commercial breaks on recorded programs with just a press of a button. But soon, you literally won't have to lift a finger -- the company will be updating its DVRs with software this spring that includes an option to automatically skip ads.
House of Marley’s Exodus earth-friendly headphones are available for $200
After debuting them at CES 2019, House of Marley has released its Exodus over-the-ear wireless Bluetooth headphones, which sport a 30-hour battery life and rapid charging. At $200, the headphones feature more environmentally conscious materials and voice assistant compatibility.
Truly wireless earbud innovator Bragi calls it quits, sells hardware unit
After a four-year run producing some of the most innovative truly wireless earbud products on the market, German startup Bragi is exiting the hardware space, having sold its earbud products unit to an unnamed buyer. The company will remain in the software and research space, and intends to license its IP.
Newly discovered code hints at future Apple Music Chromecast support
A few new lines of code found in the latest release of Apple Music for Android has some speculating that Chromecast (and Google Home) compatibility may be in the not-so-distant future for Apple's streaming music service. It's a move that would be consistent with many of its other recent announcements.
Get a free Apple TV 4K when you commit to four months of DirecTV Now
DirecTV Now had a bad fourth quarter in 2018, losing 250,000 subscribers, but the company is back in the fight with a new offer: It will give you a free Apple TV 4K if you sign up and pay for a minimum of four months of service.
Amazon will reportedly launch its own free live news app on Fire TV devices
Not to be outdone by Roku's free Roku Channel, Amazon is reportedly working on its own free news offering for Fire TV, according to a report by The Information. Little is known about the plan, other than a launch window for later this year.