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Set up your yard with some solar-powered speakers from Monster

The Monster Solara is a solar-powered indoor/outdoor Bluetooth speaker.  When used outdoors, the solar panel will keep your speaker charged.  When used (or stored) indoors, the speaker charges with AC power.  The Solara is IPX weather resistance-rated to resist light water exposure, like an occasional splash from the pool.

360° LED panels light up the area or serve as mood lighting, with several colors to choose from.  You can set the light’s timer to turn it off automatically to preserve your charge.  The Solara connects via Bluetooth to your music source to produce omni-directional sound.  Using Monster’s EZ-Play Technology, you can sync the Solara with up to seven other compatible Monster speakers to fill your area with music.  Connections are stable with speakers up to 100 feet apart.  There’s a Monster Zone Control mobile app (Android and iOS) to change the speaker’s settings from your phone.

Monster’s Solara solar-powered speaker is $199.00 at Amazon.

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Set up your yard with some solar-powered speakers from Monster originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 22, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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The Altec Lansing Sonic Boom Bluetooth Speaker will blow you away


I am always intrigued by the various shapes, and sizes, and specifications of the Bluetooth speakers that are available on the market today. I have listened to Sony, JBL, Pioneer, and a bunch of others, and generally they all sound at least acceptable. For many years, I was a big fan of Altec Lansing computer speakers, so much so that I owned several at one time. Today I decided to see what they offer in the Bluetooth speaker market, so I did my research and I came across the Altec Lansing Sonic Boom Bluetooth Speaker.

This Bluetooth speaker looks like the typical Altec Lansing speaker with its clean lines and generally nice rugged design. It features IP67 water and dust resistance, and the rugged frame is shock resistant, and buoyant. Internally, it has two subwoofers, a midrange driver, and a tweeter. It has an impressive 100 foot Bluetooth range, and with its app, it allows you to connect to as many as 50 additional “House Party Mode-enabled speakers all playing the same music for even bigger sound”. It has a built-in microphone that provides audible voice caller ID, and it allows you to respond to the calls. There are three USB ports, and two 3-prong AC outlets built in, so that you can power and charge other devices from it. When fully charged, its internal battery provides up to 50 hours of use.

If you would like to purchase the Altec Lansing Sonic Boom Bluetooth Speaker, you can pick one up at Amazon or B&H Photo Video for $149.99

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The Altec Lansing Sonic Boom Bluetooth Speaker will blow you away originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 18, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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JBL Clip2 Bluetooth speaker review

Earlier this year I was hiking with the Boy Scouts, where we came across another group of hikers. One of them had music playing on one of those clip-on bluetooth speakers attached to a backpack, which was a little annoying since we were out in nature. I won’t become a noise polluter, but I was curious about this JBL Clip2 Bluetooth speaker, which as the name implies, comes with a clip and is also waterproof.

What is it?

The JBL Clip2 Bluetooth Speaker is a lightweight “dunkable” device with surprisingly loud sound from such a tiny package.

Hardware specs

Up to 8 hours (varies by volume level and audio content)
Battery charge time 2.5 hour @ 5V, 0.5A
Signal-to-noise ratio >80dB
Battery type Lithium-ion polymer (3.7V/730mAh)
Frequency response 120Hz – 20kHz (-6dB)
Output power 1 x 3W
Transducer 1 x 40mm
Dimensions (H x W x D) 141 x 94 x 42 (mm)
Weight 184g
IPX7 water resistance (can survive immersion in 1 meter/3.3 feet for up to 30 minutes.)

What’s in the box?

In the box, you’ll find some documentation and a color-matched USB charging cable.

Design and features

The outside of the speaker is covered in a grippy, rubber-like finish.  On one side is the volume and phone control. On the other is the Bluetooth pairing button and power button. Note the sealed USB charging connector. The Clip2 has a secondary, non-wireless playback method. Simply uncurl the attached headphone-style cable and plug into your 1/8″ inch headphone output. I’d be careful with this one. It appears to be the weakest link on the Clip2. I almost missed the tiny LED indicator at the base of the carabiner clip.  Here it is lit up in blue to indicate pairing status.

Did I mention it’s pretty small?  Here’s the Clip2 alongside a set of keys.

Setup

There’s not a lot of setup beyond the initial pairing.  I had to try the Clip2’s party trick: the carabiner.

The carabiner clipped easily to most things, such as the hook of an open car hood.

Performance

As with any speaker this small, the Clip2 is not going to blow your socks off. However, the output is impressive for something so tiny. It got plenty loud! The IPX7 rating meant that it had no problem surviving a dunk or splash of water.

What I like

The waterproofing and small size means you can really take this anywhere. The carabiner clip is really quite handy.

What needs to be improved

A magnetic mounting option would be really handy!

Final thoughts

I cannot imagine blasting music during a hike in the woods. No way I would personally clip this on a backpack on an outing! But for everything else, the JBL Clip2’s water resistant build and carabiner clip makes this a no-brainer for your outdoor adventures.

Price: $59.95 MSRP
Where to buy: JBL, Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by JBL.

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JBL Clip2 Bluetooth speaker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 29, 2018 at 12:02 pm.

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Here’s a tiny Bluetooth speaker that you can wear

Sometimes you want to enjoy your music while you’re on the go without uncomfortable earbuds crammed in your ears. You can lug a bulky Bluetooth speaker with you, but that’s not the most convenient solution. Another option is the Boom Bit Bluetooth speaker from Polk Audio. Polk Audio has been around for decades, so they know their stuff when it comes to speakers.

The Boom Bit is so small that you can clip it to your shirt or bag using the steel spring clip and it is available in 5 different colors. It features a cap that you can remove to reveal a full-sized USB connector that you can use to charge the speaker from a port on your computer. A full charge will provide the small speaker with up to 3 hours of playback time.

The Polk Audio Boom Bit Bluetooth speaker can be used to listen to your favorite tunes and for hands-free calls. It is priced at $29.99 and you can buy one now from Amazon.

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Here’s a tiny Bluetooth speaker that you can wear originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2018 at 12:00 pm.

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IKEA introduces their Eneby Bluetooth speakers

IKEA is known for assemble-it-yourself furniture and home furnishings.  Although they do have some tables and lamps with built-in wireless charging pads, they aren’t really known for electronics.  However, they just expanded their electronics offerings by issuing two Bluetooth speakers called Eneby.

The larger Eneby, which is 12″ x 12″ and 4″ thick, can be set on a table or hung on the wall.  It’s also the perfect size to fit in one of the partitions of their Kallax shelving units.  The knob on the front is used to power the speaker on/off and to “intuitively adjust the bass, treble or volume.”

The smaller Eneby, which is 8″ x 8″ and 3″ thick, can also be set on a table or hung on the wall.  It also has a carry handle and can be used as a portable speaker with the addition of an optional battery pack.

There’s a stand that can be added to either size of the Eneby.  The stand lifts and angles the speaker to direct the sound toward the listener.

The Eneby speakers are available in black or white.  The 12″ x 12″ size is $89.00, the 8″ x 8″ size is $49.00, the optional battery is $20.00, and the optional stand is $10.00.  The Eneby Bluetooth speakers and accessories are available at IKEA.

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IKEA introduces their Eneby Bluetooth speakers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 13, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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