Best gifts for a first-time smart home setup

Don't get bogged down thinking about what to get someone who's just starting a smart home. Here are the gifts for first-time smart home setup.

J. Velasco     April 25, 2023

Ampere’s Shower Power Speaker is completely powered by the flow of water

The new Shower Power speaker by Ampere is made out of 100% recycled ocean plastic and is powered entirely by your shower itself.

P. Hearn     April 25, 2023

Acer’s Halo Smart Speaker with Google Assistant dazzles with its light-up base

The Halo Smart Speaker from Acer is a Google Assistant-powered device that uses DTS Sound to fill space with music, while RGB lights on the base bring style.

P. Hearn     April 25, 2023

The Roku Streambar is perfect for dorm-dwelling students

The Streambar is not Roku's first 2-in-1 player/speaker, but it's the most compelling one for college students wanting to make the most of dorm room spaces.

Jaron Schneider     April 25, 2023

Zvox’s new soundbar is like a magnifying glass for TV and movie dialog

Plenty of soundbars promise better dialog, but the Zvox AV157 takes speech clarity to new heights with 12 levels of dialog enhancement in a compact speaker.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

Yamaha adds to its roster with two new budget soundbars, the SR-B20A and SR-C20A

Yamaha's SR-B20A and SR-B20A budget soundbars are designed to subtly add strong sound to your 4K television to help enjoy your content more

Nick Woodard     April 25, 2023

Sonos Arc vs. Sonos Playbar

From big theatrical sound to impressive codec support, the Sonos Arc and Playbar are two mighty soundbars. But which is the best? Here, we compare the two.

Michael Bizzaco     April 25, 2023

The fault in our bars: Making the case for old-school home theater speakers

In the right situation, soundbars can be a welcome addition to an A/V setup. But when compared to a traditional, wired home theater setup, soundbars falter.

Nick Woodard     April 25, 2023

Smart speaker or smart display: Which should you buy?

Smart displays are incredibly functional, but it may not be worth the cost if you don't frequently use the added features.

Patrick Hearn     April 25, 2023

Polk Audio’s new MagniFi 2 soundbar features immersive sound tech

The MagniFi 2 soundbar from Polk Audio will use several technological features to help its six-driver setup and wireless subwoofer create the ideal sound stage.

Nick Woodard     April 25, 2023

Klipsch’s ‘The Fives’ are stunning TV speakers that challenge soundbar trends

Almost scoffing at the sound quality of typical single-soundbar home theaters, Klipsch promises incredible audio quality from its bookshelf-style TV speakers.

Jaron Schneider     April 25, 2023

LG adds five Dolby Atmos soundbars to its 2020 lineup

LG announced pricing and availability for its 2020 lineup of soundbars, which includes seven different models — five of which with Dolby Atmos support.

Nick Woodard     April 25, 2023

Polk Audio’s Signa S3 soundbar bundles Chromecast on a budget

Polk Audio's newest addition to it's Signa Series is the Signa S3 soundbar, a system that includes a wireless subwoofer and built-in Chromecast Audio support.

Nick Woodard     April 25, 2023

Sonos debuts the $799 Arc, its first Dolby Atmos wireless soundbar

Today Sonos has replaced both its Playbar and Playbase speakers with the Arc, a big, bold Dolby Atmos-capable soundbar with AirPlay 2 and smart speaker options.

Caleb Denison     April 25, 2023

Free on Apple TV: Pearl Jam’s new album is now a Dolby Vision/Atmos experience

Pearl Jam has a treat for fans who are stuck at home: The band's Gigaton album will be presented as a free visual experience on Apple devices with Dolby tech.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

Amazon Echo Studio vs. Apple HomePod

Trying to choose between Amazon's Echo Studio and Apple's HomePod? We spill the beans on which device sounds best and which will fit your digital music life.

Michael Bizzaco     April 25, 2023

Alexa is listening to your chat more than you think, study suggests

A new study has shown that unintended activations of smart speakers could occur as many as 19 times a day, with the longest activations lasting up to 43 seconds.

T. Mogg     April 25, 2023

Use your smart speaker to make Valentine’s Day a little sweeter

This year, there's no better wingman for your Valentine's Day than Alexa or Google Assistant. Here's how to use your smart speakers to light a spark this February 14.

A. Bradford     April 25, 2023

Klipsch’s new speakers are the no-soundbar soundbar we need

Klipsch's new powered bookshelves have a slick trick up their sleeves: HDMI ARC connection. That means, as long as your TV has HDMI ARC, you can now use a single remote for your powered speakers, letting music lovers rock out in full force while enjoying all the convenience of soundbar control.

Ryan Waniata     April 25, 2023

Royole’s smart speaker has a cool wraparound display, but is it worth the price?

We've seen a lot of cool stuff at CES 2020 so far, but the new smart speaker by Royole is pretty special. The Mirage Smart Speaker works with Alexa, just like an Amazon Echo, but instead of being wrapped in fabric, it has a touchscreen display. It also has a 5MP camera and a passive bass radiator.

A. Bradford     April 25, 2023

CES 2020: TCL Alto 9+ is one of the first Roku TV Ready soundbars in existence

The TCL Alto 9+ isn't new -- TCL showed it off at IFA 2019 in September -- but that didn't stop it from making an appearance at CES 2020. Its reason for being there? To showcase Roku TV Ready in action, a new initiative that allows people to control their soundbar using their Roku TV Remote

Josh Levenson     April 25, 2023

JBL went big at CES with a Dolby Atmos soundbar and affordable earbuds

JBL is showing off some impressive new audio gear for CES 2020, including two new pairs of true wireless earbuds at affordable price points, a feature-packed new pair of over-ears with graphene drivers and noise cancellation, and JBL's first Dolby Atmos soundbar with detachable speakers.

Ryan Waniata     April 25, 2023

The best soundbars of CES 2020: Vizio, TCL, LG, and more

CES 2020 is loaded with cool audio gear, including some of the best and most feature-packed soundbars you'll see this year. We've collected the best the show has to offer all in one place so you can get a jumpstart on the new decade. These are the best soundbars of CES 2020.

Ryan Waniata     April 25, 2023

Vizio reinvents its soundbar line, including an Atmos bar with rotating speakers

Think soundbars are pretty much all alike? Take a look at Vizio's new lineup, which includes its new flagship Elevate that rotates its speakers upward automatically for Dolby Atmos sound. With three fully redesigned soundbar series, Vizio's CES 2020 audio showcase is a whole new bag.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

LG’s new Dolby Atmos soundbars use A.I. for automatic room calibration

LG's 2020 collection of soundbars made its official debut at CES 2020 in Las Vegas. The new models feature Dolby Atmos and DTS:X as well as a new feature, supported by A.I., that lets them automatically adjust their settings based on the acoustics of the room.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

Amazon teases its Echo Studio ahead of release at a swanky space in NYC

The Amazon Echo Studio is being previewed ahead of its official release in the Big Apple. New Yorkers can experience the incredible audio fidelity of the speaker before everyone else at the Echo Studio installation at Dolby SoHo, located on 477 Broadway.

John Velasco     April 25, 2023

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) with Clock review: The time is now

The Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) with Clock shares many outstanding features with past iterations, but now it gains the convenience of displaying the actual time.

John Velasco     April 25, 2023

Anker Nebula Soundbar Fire TV Edition packs 4K, HDR, and Alexa in a $230 speaker

The first soundbar to include the Amazon Fire TV platform is the $230 Anker Nebula Soundbar -- Fire TV Edition, and it's now available for pre-order with deliveries starting on November 19. The 2.1 channel 100-watt speaker features 4K and Dolby Vision HDR and has Alexa built in for smart home control.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

Google brings out the new Nest Mini, an upgrade of the Google Home Mini, for $49

Google unveiled its newest smart speaker, the Nest Mini, at its Made by Google 2019 event. The new version of the Google Home Mini looks very similar to its predecessor, but it's got some impressive new features to go along with its new name, as well as an attractive price.

Patrick Hearn     April 25, 2023

TCL starts taking pre-orders for its 4K HDR QLED 8-Series Roku TVs

TCL's top-of-the-line 8-Series 4K HDR QLED Roku TVs are finally available for pre-order, as a BestBuy exclusive. The new TVs come in 65- and 75-inch sizes starting at $1,999. In addition to Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the 8-Series uses a 25,000 mini-LED backlight for much-improved video performance.

Simon Cohen     April 25, 2023

TCL shows off an incredible new Dolby Atmos soundbar at IFA 2019

There's a new soundbar in town that vows to breathe cinema-like sound into your home entertainment setup. It's called the TCL TS9030, it was showcased at IFA 2019, and it comes with all the features you could ever need from a soundbar, including Bluetooth, Dolby Atmos, and HDMI ARC.

Josh Levenson     April 25, 2023

Klipsch Bar 40 soundbar review

Klipsch’s Bar 40 does its namesake proud when it comes to both style and sound, with a great look and impressively clear performance. But those seeking loads of features may want to look elsewhere. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know so you can make the best decision for your budget.

Ryan Waniata     April 25, 2023

Google Nest gives 100,000 Home Minis to people living with paralysis

Google Nest is giving away 100,000 free Home Minis to people who are living with paralysis. The company announced a partnership with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Friday to provide the devices to paralyzed individuals to help them gain some additional independence.

E. Price     April 25, 2023

Kenzie wants to hide smart assistants inside its cute, crocheted animals

Kenzie is a company that just launched on Kickstarter with the intention of hiding smart speakers beneath adorable, crocheted stuffed animals. Their intention is to disrupt the tech industry with cuteness. Buyers can pick from six different hand-crafted designs, but more are on the way.

P. Hearn     April 25, 2023