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speaker posts

Sony Ericsson's MS410 speaker makes up in portability what it lacks in style

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 13th 2009 @ 12:44AM

When you think of fun, what do you picture? A gentle summer breeze on the porch, a cool libation in your hand. Round after round of hyper-competitive UNO keeping everyone on the edge of their seats; Reverses and Wild Draw Fours are flying left and right like there's no tomorrow. The woman to the right of you -- whose name you can't seem to recall at the moment, unfortunately -- certainly seems to be enjoying herself, owing in no small part to the whippets and the brilliant playlist you've selected for the occasion. You've elected to channel those indescribably rare Wham! bootlegs through your Sony Ericsson W205, conveniently attached to the just-announced MS410 speaker stand; how you came across an MS410 already is anybody's guess, since it's not available until later this quarter -- but any casual, innocent talk of corporate theft faded into oblivion two or three Tequila Sunrises ago. Now, all that matters is how you're going to dig out of that 61-point UNO hole you've found yourself in, how you're going to get another Wild Turkey without getting out of your seat, and how you're going to covertly jog your memory of that girl's name before things get awkward. And if the Wham! runs out before that all happens, God forbid, it's just a damned good thing the MS410 works as an FM antenna, too.

Sony Ericsson's MS500 Bluetooth speaker makes old people cranky

by Darren Murph posted Mar 17th 2009 @ 4:31AM

Annoyed by urban youth and their desire to fill the world with "music" from the tin-can speakers on their cellphones? Yeah? Then prepare yourself old man 'cause your curmudgeon knob is about to get a twist from this new Bluetooth 2.1+EDR speaker from Sony Ericsson. The MS500 2-watt speaker is designed for mobility with a durable splash-proof shell, wrist-strap, and hook allowing it to be tethered to any messenger bag for up to 5-hours (off AA batteries) of optimal annoyance. Although pictured in the wide-open spaces favored by the beautiful, expect to see the MS500 riding the subway seat next to you when it ships on an unspecified date for an undisclosed price. One more product shot after the break.

Continue reading Sony Ericsson's MS500 Bluetooth speaker makes old people cranky

Sony Ericsson's MS-410 speaker comes to light

by Chris Ziegler posted Mar 13th 2009 @ 6:59PM

For whatever reason, Sony Ericsson has a longstanding tradition of making accessory loudspeakers to go with its phones, but the latest isn't the most interesting of the bunch -- not by a long shot. The MS-410, as it'll apparently be known, has been caught doing its thing in the wild paired with a W995, and it looks like there's some sort of stand or mount to keep the whole package steady -- perfect for watching the mobile boob tube. SEMC Blog claims it'll be announced soon -- CTIA, perhaps?

[Via SEMC Blog]

Nokia's XpressMusic 5800 troubled with speaker and NAM radio woes?

by Sean Cooper posted Feb 27th 2009 @ 3:31PM

Seems all's not rosy in North American XpressMusic 5800-land, as tipsters and forums are buzzing with reports that the newly launched touchscreen isn't connecting to 3G. We did a little spelunking on the newly launched set ourselves, and we can confirm that 3G appears to be a complete no-go -- GSM works fine, but apart from a very brief 3.5G blip, we're getting nothing in terms of UMTS or HSDPA. Also on the block in the trouble department is the ongoing speaker failing issue we've heard so much about of late. Apparently the issue stems from a supplier's earpiece units packing it in -- and Mobile-review used science to prove this -- due to humidity. The fix? Grab one made in February, we're told, or if you already have one of the affected Euro-spec units, Nokia has parts in from a new supplier and should be able to sort you out right quick.

Samsung's flower-inspired BSP6000 Bluetooth speaker hits FCC

by Darren Murph posted Feb 15th 2009 @ 5:41PM

Samsung has a history of pumping out Bluetooth speakers with unorthodox designs, so we can't say we were totally taken off guard when this one popped up in the FCC's database. That said, it's hard not to be a little shocked when checking out a speaker that looks more like a pair of black flowers than an audio maker, but that's exactly what's presented in the BSP6000. This mobile companion not only allows for BT music streaming, but it also pairs with your handset in order to initiate / answer / end calls. Predictably, Sammy threw in a standard 3.5 millimeter auxiliary jack for connecting any other music source, and we're told that it'll work with your BT phone so long as it's within a 30 foot radius. Obviously, there's no mention of a price or release date (though that would be nice of you to find out, FCC), but we'll be sure to keep an eye out for more. Shouldn't be too hard to miss.

Verizon's G'zOne Boulder now shipping with front speaker

by Darren Murph posted Dec 16th 2008 @ 3:39PM

Yeah, you read that correctly. Now shipping with a front speaker. If you'll have a look at the original version (after the break) and compare the front to the image you see above, it's easy to spot the difference. With no rhyme, reason or official announcement, Casio has apparently started shipping VZW a refreshed version of the rough and tough G'zOne Boulder. According to the owner of this here mobile, the model number now sits at C711ORXB, though the significance of that is anyone's guess. We know, your "old" Boulder now feels totally inadequate -- shame a simple software update can't bring it up to speed.

[Via phoneArena]

Continue reading Verizon's G'zOne Boulder now shipping with front speaker

Motorola ROKR EQ5 hands-on

by Chris Ziegler posted May 31st 2008 @ 7:20PM

We'll plainly admit, going into this hands-on, we didn't think much of Motorola's ROKR EQ5 -- or the whole concept of a portable A2DP speaker, for that matter. Stereo Bluetooth has a nasty habit of detuning audio quality just enough to make it noticeable for folks that are paying close attention to their music, and portable speakers have a nasty habit of just not sounding very good in general. Not a winning combination.

Happily, our misgivings here were largely unfounded. The prototype unit we tested looked great, felt great in the hand, and slides into just about any pant or bag pocket for safe stowage. It paired like a champ with a Samsung BlackJack II and a Nokia N95 8GB (in fact, we had no manual and still managed to get it working on the first try, so that's quite a testament to the ease of use). The thing was plenty loud and clear for quick 'n dirty use as a pocket boombox -- we could've used lots more bass, but that was to be expected. Basically, sound-wise, the EQ5 seems to do the most it can with its limited dimensions.

It doubles as a serviceable speakerphone, and a 3.5mm line-in jack allows the less Bluetooth-inclined of your audio devices to get in on the action. We didn't test battery life (nor would it be a fair test, since this is a preproduction unit), but the rated 8 hours should give you plenty of time to rock out -- and thankfully, it charges off a standard microUSB cable. Overall, we're really impressed; converted, even. We never would've seen ourselves picking up a device like this, but you've shown us the light, Moto. Now just try that same trick with your phones, would you?

Gallery: Motorola ROKR EQ5 hands-on

iPhone speaker too quiet? Stab it with needles

by Joshua Topolsky posted Jan 18th 2008 @ 11:31AM

If you're like us, you feel more than a little annoyed with iPhone's speaker volume. Yes, whether you're waiting for a call, trying to have a speakerphone conversation, or just listening for sweet DTMF tones -- the thing kind of stinks. Perhaps it's time to take extreme measures, as some owners have resorted to... like sticking a needle through the holes in the speaker enclosure. Yes, according to daring "modders," it's possible to get a 40-percent increase in volume via this simple-yet-destructive trick of perforating the thin plastic which covers the speaker. Apparently, the phone gets so loud post-surgery that the volume is actually startling to some users. Feeling like you're brave enough to really void that warranty? Let us know the results!

[Thanks, Michael]

QKphone 911 sports deafening ringtone speakers

by Darren Murph posted Jul 11th 2007 @ 11:52PM

If you think a 7.1 surround system on the rear of a smartphone is hot stuff, we've found a Taiwanese device that simply puts it to shame. Not much is known about the relatively stylish QKphone 911, but it does appear to sport Bluetooth, a touchscreen QVGA display, some form of "Windows Mobile," a built-in media player, and a piercing array of speakers (count 'em, five) on the rear. Of course, we're sure you're most interested in actually hearing what this bad boy can do, and while YouTube clips don't exactly replicate its power per se, it's certainly better than leaving it to your imagination, right? You know the drill, click on for the videoed demonstrations, but check those volume knobs beforehand!

[Via Technabob]

Continue reading QKphone 911 sports deafening ringtone speakers

Veritronix's VX-818 Bluetooth speaker / handsfree device

by Darren Murph posted May 3rd 2007 @ 11:05AM

Veritronix's latest certainly won't go down as the first of its kind, but it does add a dash of style and compactness to the ever-growing BT speaker market. Coming in at just 13-millimeters thick and resembling the size of a "business card," this speaker / handsfree interface sports Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity, a touch-sensitive control panel, a set of stereo drivers, and a built-in microphone as well. Furthermore, you'll find both 3.5-millimeter line-in and out jacks, USB charging abilities, and a reported playback duration of eight hours. No word just yet concerning pricing or availability, but the challenging part will finding a way to get this sucka into North America once it hits the Hong Kong streets.

[Via Slashphone]

Jabra and Klipsch team up on S5010 cellphone speaker station

by Darren Murph posted Apr 18th 2007 @ 11:35PM

Just as Klipsch is no stranger to the world of musical docking stations, Jabra tends to enjoy slapping its name onto anything it can. Unsurprisingly, the two lovebirds have met in harmony to offer up the S5010 cellphone boombox, which sports an edgy, stylish design, weighs in at a very portable 3.7-pounds, and should handle just about any handset, DAP, or external music source you desire to pair up with it. The system touts a "universal" connectivity panel that consists of 2.5- and 3.5-millimeter inputs as well as a mini-USB connector, 30-watts of power split between the stereo drivers, a Class D amplifier, and "subtle" LED indicators littering the case. Curiously, you won't find any Bluetooth love on this one, which certainly stands out given Jabra's long-standing relationship with the short-range wireless protocol, but if you still find yourself lusting over the fairly average S5010, you can snap it up real soon for $149.

[Via ShinyShiny]

Panasonic claims world's thinnest speaker

by Donald Melanson posted Dec 5th 2006 @ 4:51PM

Panasonic has unveiled what it claims to be the world's thinnest speaker, cutting its previous best effort (an enormous 2.5 millimeters thick) by a full 40%, with this room-shaker sliding in at a far more manageable 1.5 millimeters (or 0.059 inches) . Rest assured, despite being sliced nearly in half, according to Panasonic, the speaker will boast the same great sound quality you've come to expect from a speaker the size of a postage stamp. You'll have to wait a little while to sample the quality yourself though, with full production slated to start in May 2007, and availability dependent on the cellphone makers that decide to pick it up.

[Via Plastic Bamboo]

Smart V888 doubles the fun with two huge speakers

by Chris Ziegler posted Nov 3rd 2006 @ 9:13PM

Stereo speakers aren't terribly uncommon among modern featurephones, but this isn't exactly, uh, what most manufacturers have in mind. The V888 slider from Smart rocks (and we literally mean, "rocks") two bigass speakers on either side of the display with support for some sort of spatial audio enhancement. The buttonless front looks clean, sacrificing some usability in the process by moving those pesky send / end buttons off to the side of the bezel. Besides the speakers, the phone offers a microSD slot upon which to load the music you'll surely be enjoying and a 1.3 megapixel shooter, but not much else -- such is the price we must pay for crappy, unnecessarily loud audio emanating from our handset these days.

[Via Slashphone]

Acoustic Energy and Orange unveil Bluetooth wireless loudspeaker system

by Darren Murph posted Oct 23rd 2006 @ 8:05AM

Acoustic Energy is teaming up with that oh-so-brightly-colored provider to launch the Orange Bluetooth wireless loudspeaker system. Similar to BenQ's IMS-100 and Sony's SRS-BTM30, this Bluetooth speaker system boasts A2DP connectivity to enable "wireless wide bandwidth stereo over distances of up to 10m." Aside from your snazzy Orange mobile, the device plays nice with other "mobile phones, PDAs, PCs or MP3 players with a stereo Bluetooth output," and should provide a bit more output than the competition thanks to its integrated 20-watt amplifier. Another svelte touch is the ability to disconnect the two mini-speakers and place them "up to 2 meters apart" from the central receiver for "improved stereo imaging," and a rear 3.5-millimeter stereo input jack also ensures that even your non-Bluetooth DAPs can get in on the action. Touted as the "must have gift" across the pond, the Bluetooth wireless loudspeaker system will hit Orange stores later this month for £89.99 ($169).

[Via Tech Digest]