LIGHTSTORY B10 LED Filament Bulb - LED Candelabra, E12 Base, 2700K, Non-dimmable - CNET

LIGHTSTORY B10 LED Filament Bulb - LED Candelabra, E12 Base, 2700K, Non-dimmable

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Bloomsky adds a view, smarts to personal weather video - CNET

The new Bloomsky Sky2 weather station and Storm add-on combine plenty of meteorology tools and an HD camera with smart home controls.

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The Girl on the Train

Picture
Sound
Extras

Rachel (Emily Blunt) is a lost soul who eases the lingering pain of her divorce with ample doses of alcohol, particularly on her daily rail trips to and from Manhattan. Her only diversion is an elaborate fantasy about someone she sees from her moving window, Megan (Haley Bennett), and projecting all of her longing onto this stranger. And then one day Rachel spies Megan doing something she ought not to, threatening the idyllic life the voyeur has imagined for her. She even goes so far as to attempt a confrontation with Megan, but it quickly becomes a boozy blur of violence.

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Hardcore Henry

Picture
Sound
Extras

Henry is part of a radical military experiment that merges cybernetic machinery with biological tissue to create the ultimate super soldier. When Henry wakes up in a high-tech laboratory missing two of his limbs, he is unable to speak. He also has no memory of who he was beforehand. A fetching lab technician attaches his new cybernetic limbs, and very shortly thereafter, the door to the lab explodes open and all hell breaks loose… and pretty much stays on the loose for the next 90 minutes.

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March 2017 Top Picks at a Glance

Thank you March for bringing us spring…and 10 stellar Top Pick recommendations. Among our picks for the month: headphones ranging in price from $200 to $2,300, a pair of Class D amplifiers that will make even the most devout audiophile smile, and possibly the most sophisticated speaker system on the planet.

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Get an Ecobee3 smart thermostat for $199 - CNET

That's $50 off the regular price of this Alexa-compatible, sensor-enhanced HVAC control. And you might be able to score some rebates from your local utilities!

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Logitech Harmony Remotes Get Google Voice

You can add Logitech Harmony hub-based controllers to the rapidly growing list of electronics gear that incorporates voice control.

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Bluetooth Speaker Is the Latest Device to Self-Ignite

The burned speaker as seen in a video taken by its owner.

First it was Samsung’s self-igniting Galaxy Note 7 phones. Then it was an exploding headphone. Yesterday in New Jersey a battery-powered Bluetooth speaker, tentatively identified as a JBL Pulse, began smoking before bursting into flames.

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Bioluz LED Clear Filament Dimmable A19 Soft White (2700K) Light Bulb, UL Listed - CNET

Bioluz LED Clear Filament Dimmable A19 Soft White (2700K) Light Bulb, UL Listed

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SHINE HAI Candelabra LED Bulbs 40W Equivalent 3000K Warm White - CNET

SHINE HAI Candelabra LED Bulbs 40W Equivalent 3000K Warm White

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SHINE HAI GU10 LED Bulbs 50W Equivalent 4000K Soft Daylight White - CNET

SHINE HAI GU10 LED Bulbs 50W Equivalent 4000K Soft Daylight White

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Control a smart lock with your voice: Good idea or bad idea? - CNET

You can now control your August Smart Lock with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. Is it safe?

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Convenience be damned: Is smart lock voice control really secure? video - CNET

August's Smart Lock works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home, but is voice control making home security devices more vulnerable?

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Control a smart lock with your voice: Good idea or bad idea? - CNET

You can now control your August Smart Lock with Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant. Is it safe?

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Convenience be damned: Is smart lock voice control really secure? video - CNET

August's Smart Lock works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home, but is voice control making home security devices more vulnerable?

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https://www.cnet.com/videos/convenience-be-damned-is-smart-lock-voice-control-really-secure/#ftag=CADa08b18a

Schneider Electric: Tips on Protecting Your Home from Surges and Outages

Sony VPL-HW45ES 3D SXRD Projector Review

2D Performance
3D Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

PRICE $2,000

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent color and detail
Bright, punchy picture
That price!
Minus
Middling blacks and shadow detail

THE VERDICT
With all of today’s hullabaloo about 4K and HDR, it’s easy to forget that there’s something special about a theater-like image on a big projection screen—even if it’s plain vanilla, standard dynamic range, and 1080p. One look at the Sony VPL-HW45ES will remind you of that fact.

I've been projector-less for a good two years. It began with a 2015 move across the country from California to Florida. Then came a steady stream of flat-screen TVs as that technology progressed from the 2K era to the age of Ultra HD with 4K resolution, advanced color, and high dynamic range (HDR). Still, it’s not like I’ve been exiled to the proverbial desert island. Those top-of-the-line TVs have been a treat, and there’ll be more to come. I’ve missed having a big screen, however, with the sense of image immersion that only a frontprojection setup can provide.

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Flashback 1997: The First DVD Players Arrive

Twenty years ago this month, the first DVD players were introduced in the U.S. after numerous false starts and delays over copyright concerns raised by Hollywood movie studios. DVD offered better picture quality than VHS tape plus the convenience of a CD-like disc that wasn’t prone to wear.

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Review: Earin M-1 Wireless Earbuds

Apple's AirPods aren't the only wireless earbud game in town. The post Review: Earin M-1 Wireless Earbuds appeared first on WIRED.

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https://www.wired.com/2017/03/review-earin-m-1-wireless-earbuds/

August Smart Lock Supports Three Voice Control Platforms

Sennheiser Headphones Help You Hear Your TV

Best Home Music Systems of 2017

Determining the best home music systems is by no means and easy task. But each year, the judging committee and Electronic House magazine selects from numerous submissions entered by many manufacturers the top products and systems for your home. The judges consider innovation, uniqueness, and practical benefits to end users when choosing the winners of categories including audio, video, home control and automation, home theater, smart lighting, and home security. In this, our first announcement of our 2017 Products of the Year (view the 2016 winners), we present the best home music systems of 2017. We will reveal the winners of the remaining categories in the weeks ahead, so be sure to visit electronichouse.com often.

Audio Components, Amplifiers, Receivers, Tuners, Processors, Audio Streaming Devices

WINNER: Meridian 258 Amplifier

The Meridian 258 is a dedicated rack-mount eight-channel power amplifier designed to replicate and complement the performance of Meridian’s speakers and electronics. Highly versatile, the new Meridian 258 Amplifier is compatible with any audio system and can provide a Hi-Res audio experience for multiroom audio systems.

For this product Meridian has adopted an advanced linear power supply that provides superior isolation from the AC supply. A short signal path within the 258 ensures complete signal purity and separation between channels, and the multi-layer circuit boards provide the very best electromagnetic performance.

Housed in a compact chassis, this small but powerful amplifier takes up minimal space in an equipment rack. Built-in Class D amplifiers are highly efficient, with a low operating temperature that does not require an internal fan or any external cooling, thus negating the need for additional rack space and cooling mechanisms, while also eliminating associated labor costs. Aluminum construction combined with audiophile-grade components improves the lifetime and reliability of the product, making the 258 a genuinely “fit and forget” solution.

Price: $2,000

 

Loudspeakers and Soundbars

WINNER: Polk Audio MagniFi Mini Soundbar

The Polk Audio MagniFi Mini is the company’s first ultra-compact home theater soundbar. The miniature soundbar and included slim wireless subwoofer are ideal for placement anywhere in the home, delivering fully immersive home theater surround sound via 5.1 Dolby Digital and an array of technologies, including Polk’s patented Voice Adjust technology, which improves vocal clarity for crystal clear dialogue.

The soundbar also features Night mode, dropping the low frequency response of the soundbar and sub’s driver array, reducing the amount of sound that carries, so sleeping roommates or family members are less likely to be disturbed.

The MagniFi Mini offers several one-button preset EQ settings, including Movies, Music and Sports, optimizing the soundbar and subwoofer to provide the clearest dialogue, surround sound and bass for the best audio experience.
It is also capable of wireless music streaming directly from a smartphone, tablet, or other compatible device to leverage Google Cast or Bluetooth.

Despite its small stature, measuring 13.4 inches long and 3.1 inches tall, the MagniFi Mini packs four 2.25-inch drivers and two 12mm tweeters. The included wireless subwoofer unloads deep bass, perfectly complementing the sonic spectrum and providing the impact needed to deliver a truly immersive listening experience. It comes with both an HDMI and optical cable for easy connection to TVs.

Price: $299.95

Multiroom Audio Systems

WINNER: Bluesound Gen 2 Multiroom Audio System

Bluesound is the first wireless, digital multi-room music system to fully support high-resolution audio. Its new Gen 2 platform represents a reinvention of virtually every aspect of the product’s design and performance. The new line-up of multiroom wireless, streaming digital music players, along with two entirely new models, features a fresh, compact industrial design, enhanced features, and reengineered performance.
The Bluesound Gen 2 system features BluOS, a proprietary purpose-built operating system that connects, organizes, and controls all the ways to enjoy music, whether it is streamed from the cloud, stored on a smart device or computer, or stored on CDs. Bluesound integrates all these sources into a single music stream, and delivers studio-quality music to every room in the home.

Bluesound was also the first technology to partner with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) to offer studio-quality sound exactly as the artist intended. MQA is a revolutionary end-to-end technology that captures and delivers master quality audio in a file that’s small enough to stream or download. Bluesound worked closely with MQA to implement technology inside every Bluesound Player to ensure the listener will hear MQA encoded music and streams exactly like the source.

The ability to stream music and sound directly from your handheld smart device either via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi is another great new enhancement.

Every room has a different acoustic requirement and Bluesound has a player to fit every situation, from night table alarm to party room disco. Of the latest models, four connect with any new or existing audio system and three are complete plug-and-play music systems.

The models that make up the Bluesound ecosystem are:

NODE 2 Wireless Streaming Music Player, $499
POWERNODE 2 Amplified Wireless Streaming Music Player, $799

VAULT 2 Streaming Music Player, 2TB Storage and CD Ripper, $1199

PULSE 2 Full Size All-In-One Wireless Streaming Music Player, $699

PULSE MINI All-In-One Wireless Streaming Music Player, $499

PULSE FLEX All-In-One Wireless Portable Streaming Music Player, $299
PULSE Soundbar high performance that can serve as core of a streaming multi-room system, $999
PULSE Sub Wireless Subwoofer with flexible mounting options, $599

 

Subwoofers

WINNER: GoldenEar SuperSub X Subwoofer

The GoldenEar SuperSub X is an ultra-high-performance super-compact subwoofer that incorporates many recently developed technologies and components. The goal of GoldenEar was to create a beautifully styled, finely finished, extremely small subwoofer that could generate very low-frequency pressure waves of extremely high amplitude, while delivering accurate and precise low-frequency performance that is both highly impactful and extremely musical. In order to achieve this, the SuperSub X incorporates a newly patented, 360-degree, dual-plane inertially-balanced driver and sub-bass radiator topology, combined with a very advanced electronics package.

The attractive enclosure of the SuperSub X is intricately and effectively braced in order to eliminate the possibility of resonances or the flexing of cabinet panels due to the tremendous internal pressure. There is a unique (patent pending) combination of two fully inertially-balanced 8-inch long-throw active drivers in the horizontal plane and two fully inertially-balanced 10½-inch x 9½-inch planar infrasonic radiators in the vertical plane. This force-cancelling inertial balancing preserves and focuses all the energy produced by the transducers in order to effectively move the air in the room, as well as enabling full recovery of the finest details, rather than allowing loss and blurring due to wasted box movement.

Price: $1,249

The post Best Home Music Systems of 2017 appeared first on Electronic House.

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4K Projector Cornerstone of Custom Home Theater

Am I Losing Sound Quality If My Gear Isn’t Spec’d to 192 kHz?

Got a tech question for Sound & Vision? Email us at AskSandV@gmail.com

Q My Sony Blu-ray player can play DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks with up to 192-kilohertz/24-bit resolution. However, my receiver’s specified bandwidth is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and my Polk 330T speakers only cover a frequency range of 33 Hz to 25 kHz. Am I losing sound quality because the receiver and the speakers aren’t spec’d to handle frequencies up to 192 kHz? — Javier Feliciano / via email

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[4-Pack] Dimmable LED Spot Light Bulb PAR38, 14W = 100W, 500 - CNET

[4-Pack] Dimmable LED Spot Light Bulb PAR38, 14W = 100W, 500

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[4-Pack] T8 LED Light Tube, 4ft, 18W = 40W, [FREE Tombstones - CNET

[4-Pack] T8 LED Light Tube, 4ft, 18W = 40W, [FREE Tombstones

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Where to place home security cameras, according to the data - CNET

Better placement means better protection.

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Onkyo Announces New AVRs and Dolby Vision Update for 2016 Models

Onkyo is adding two more receivers to its 2017 AV receiver lineup in addition to the $349 entry-level model announced on Monday.

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BloomSky Sky2 Weather Camera Station review - CNET

Weather fans, watch out: The BloomSky Sky2 personal system just might seduce you with smarts and science.

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How to connect August Smart Lock to Google Home - CNET

Google Home now has support for August Smart Locks. Here's how you can use your voice to lock the front door.

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Lou Reed: The RCA & Arista Album Collection

Performance
Sound

“Isn’t that amazing? I mean, there it actually is. I can’t believe it. I lived long enough to hear it right.” That’s Lou Reed, lifelong audiophile, commenting to his longtime friend and producer Hal Willner while listening to the in-studio playback of the remastered version of “I Wanna Be Black,” from his landmark 1978 album, Street Hassle.

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Samsung Connect Home Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

The new home mesh Wi-Fi system available later this year will also work as a hub for the internet of things.

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Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug 2-Pack for $51 + free shipping - CNET

Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug 2-Pack for $51 + free shipping

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Aglaia LED Light Bulb 3W - CNET

Aglaia LED Light Bulb 3W

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Retro Apps Resurrect Analog Ancestors in Digital Form

There’s a whole new class of mobile apps that resurrect analog ancestors in digital form. Some real, some imagined.

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Hogwarts Revealed in all its 4K Glory with HDR, DTS:X

The last four of the eight films in the Harry Potter series have arrived on Ultra HD Blu-ray.

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LED Flood Light, 50W = 250W Replacement, 5500 Lumen, 5000K, - CNET

LED Flood Light, 50W = 250W Replacement, 5500 Lumen, 5000K,

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Ring WiFi Video Doorbell Pro for $200 + free shipping - CNET

Ring WiFi Video Doorbell Pro for $200 + free shipping

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Hawking Technology HNC5W HawkVision Wireless Universal Smart Cam Pro Video Camera (Black) - CNET

Hawking Technology HNC5W HawkVision Wireless Universal Smart Cam Pro Video Camera (Black)

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Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug for $30 + free shipping - CNET

Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug for $30 + free shipping

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How to connect Lifx bulbs to Google Home - CNET

Among 12 new smart home integrations with Google Home is Lifx -- but don't go deleting your IFTTT applets just yet.

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Google Home is catching up to the Amazon Echo video - CNET

A dozen new hardware partners including Logitech Harmony, Lifx and August jump on board with Google's smart home system.

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Beyerdynamic iDX 200 iE In-Ear Headphones

Performance
Build Quality
Comfort
Value

PRICE $199

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Designed in Germany
Titanium earpieces
Neutral sound balance
Minus
Wish they were a little cheaper

THE VERDICT
At first listen, the Beyerdynamic iDX 200 iE’s charms may not be immediately obvious, but over time you’ll start to realize how good they are.

When you listen to as many headphones as I do, you start to notice trends. The first and most obvious one is bass, and there’s usually too much of it. Next, headphones look and feel so similar, you start to think most of them, but especially in-ear headphones, are all made in the same factory in China. That may or may not be true, and yes, the Beyerdynamic iDX 200 iE is Chinese made, but it was designed by Beyerdynamic’s engineers in Germany.

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Get Google Home for $99, Amazon Echo Tap for $89.98 - CNET

From Home Deals: Get a Google Home speaker for $99 or a refurbished Amazon Echo Tap for $90 in the best deals for the smart home.

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Yamaha Announces New Entry-Level AV Receivers

Yamaha has added four new models to its entry-level RX-V series of AV receivers at prices ranging from $300 to $650.

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iDevices Wall Outlet review - CNET

Plug anything into the Wi-Fi-enabled iDevices Wall Outlet, then tell Siri or Alexa to turn it on and off. Worth $100?

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Google Home welcomes 11 new partners in big smart home update - CNET

Starting today, Google's smart speaker can control a variety of new devices, including locks and sprinklers.

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Vizio Unveils New Entry-Level Smart TVs

Vizio today introduced a dozen new smart TVs in its entry-level D-Series, ranging in price from $140 for a 24-inch HD model to $900 for a 65-inch Ultra HDTV.

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Yes Looks Back and Forward as its Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Nears

Photo: Glenn Gottlieb. Logo: Roger Dean c.2016.

As the members of Yes prepare for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Class of 2017 next Friday (April 7) at the Barclay's Center in Brooklyn, NY, drummer Alan White looks back on the band's nearly 50-year history and what's still to come for one of the world's most influential, ground-breaking, and respected progressive rock bands.

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Will Your Headphones Explode?

Perhaps you remember the story from two weeks ago. A woman (pictured) wearing headphones on a plane was burned when the headphones exploded and caught fire. The woman was relatively okay, but it's never good when a piece of gear catches fire, especially when it's on a plane and especially if it's near your face. With the rise of battery-powered headphones, are in-ear explosions yet another thing to worry about?

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Leviton Launches Wi-Fi Lighting Products

Leviton Manufacturing, a giant in lighting and electrical products, just launched its first Wi-Fi lighting products, including three in-wall and two plug-in switches/dimmers under the Decora Smart brand. The line is just the beginning of a complete Wi-Fi ecosystem for mass-market home automation, which includes a new DIY-friendly app called My Leviton, as well as a brand new SHaaS (smart home as a service) platform for integration and remote access.

Currently,  the new ecosystem includes just the five lighting products under the “Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology” banner. Leviton’s dimmers and switches don’t require a hub for automation. They communicate to Leviton’s cloud services through an existing home network (plus they have on-board intelligence like clocks that work even when the network is down). For added functionality, though, they can be voice-controlled out-of-the-box via Amazon Alexa and (soon) other smart-home hubs.

“Integration with other smart devices and hubs is “on the roadmap,” says Leviton marketing director Greg Rhoades. “There will be organic expansion and partnership expansions,” he says. “We want to go way beyond lighting control and voice control. … We want to provide options with best-of-breed providers.”

Apple Homekit Lighting Coming Soon

In a month or two, Leviton will launch a separate Apple Homekit version of the Wi-Fi products for integration with the Apple Home app. Hard-core iOS fans will want to stay in the Apple family, says Rhoades, who is “very confident in this [Homekit] solution in the long term.”

He thinks Apple Home has one of the easiest set-up processes for home automation, enabling the user to enroll products by simply taking pictures of them. The app even auto-generates recommended configurations for scenes such as goodnight.

“They’ve done a really good job curating the ecosystem to bring the Apple experience to the home,” Rhoades suggests. “That’s why it’s so important to have a dedicated product that is super-easy for the user.”

He adds that Leviton makes clear on its packaging which Wi-Fi products work only with the My Leviton app and ecosystem, and which work with Homekit.

What’s Special About Leviton’s Solution

These days, Wi-Fi-enabled switches and plug-ins are fairly prevalent from mass marketers like Belkin Wemo and TP-Link ($35 and up), higher-end players like iDevices ($99), and more niche developers like Plum, which incorporates extra intelligence into its powerful LightPad ($99).

Before developing the new products, Leviton took a good hard look at the marketplace, says Leviton marketing director Greg Rhoades: “We asked, ‘What is not being done in this space?’”

Leviton is already a leading provider of Z-Wave light switches, dimmers and accessories. The company also makes ZigBee devices, mostly for commercial controls. Recently Leviton launched Bluetooth (BLE) switches, dimmers and fan controls, as well.

Besides their feature sets – we’ll get to those – here’s what makes Leviton’s new product line stand out from much of the competition.

1. Lighting history. After 110 years in the lighting, infrastructure and controls business, Leviton knows a thing or two about the category.
2. Automation history. In 2012, Leviton acquired Home Automation Inc.(HAI), a smart-home pioneer with more than three decades in the business, so Leviton knows a thing or two about the category. With HAI, Leviton is a leading supplier and innovator in professionally installed security systems, energy management, multiroom audio, access controls and other popular subsystems.

While its existing smart devices such as thermostats don’t employ Wi-Fi, there’s no reason why the company couldn’t develop versions with Decora Smart Wi-Fi (or Homekit). In fact, IP thermostats most likely will be the next product for the new ecosystem.

3. Decora. You know Decora™switches – the design standard for light switches, outlets and faceplates? That’s a Leviton trademark. Besides incorporating the design into its light switches, Leviton uses the Decora look-and-feel in its numerous other product lines including electrical outlets, Ethernet and coax jacks, dumb faceplates, home-automation keypads, audio controls and more.

“We took the de facto standard for lighting [aesthetics] – Decora – and made it smart,” Rhoades explains. “It can harmonize with other Leviton Decora devices in the home, all blending seamlessly.”

Leviton makes Decora products in scores of different colors and finishes.

4. Warranty. Leviton offers a category-leading 5-year warranty on its lighting products, which is about five times more generous than everyone else’s.
5. Worldwide network of installers. Leviton has a very large following of professional installers – both line-voltage electrical contractors and low-voltage integrators – that can provide automation services around the products, which is something you won’t get with DIY offerings from Belkin Wemo and others. While the Wi-Fi products and My Leviton app are meant for the mass market, including DIY, the products no doubt will be embraced by Leviton’s home-automation and electrical-contracting dealers.

“What’s really cool for us,” says Rhoades, “is that it lets individual consumers toe their own way into the automation world, and then provides broader opportunities for pros to build and tailor automation systems for a larger audience.”

 

Decora Smart with Wi-Fi: Features, Advantages

As mentioned above, Leviton’s new Wi-Fi-enabled devices don’t require a home-automation hub, as they simply use the home’s existing network for integration and remote access. This is the case with most Wi-Fi devices.

The Products

The following products in the Decora Smart Wi-Fi product family are now available for sale in all channels, including DIY and pro.

DW1KD Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology 1000W Dimmer

DW6HD Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology 600W Dimmer

DW15S Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology 15 Amp Switch

DW3HL Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology Plug-In Dimmer

DW15A Decora Smart with Wi-Fi Technology Plug-In Outlet

Unlike many smart switches, though, Leviton builds in some extra intelligence, such as a clock for controlling devices on a schedule, even if the network goes down.

Here are some other useful features of the product and the Leviton ecosystem:

1. Low prices. Retail pricing on the new products are high competitive, ranging from $40 for a plug-in switch to $50 for a 1000W in-wall dimmer.
2. No service fees. There is no charge for the My Leviton app, and no recurring fees for remote access. Of course, that could change if Leviton builds out the ecosystem.
3. Support for multiple load types. Decora Smart dimmers and switches support LED, CFL and incandescent bulbs and have also been “engineered for compatibility with sensitive low-wattage LED bulbs.”
4. Advanced settings. In addition to creating and controlling scenes, users can use the app to adjust fade rates, brightness levels, bulb types and the behavior of the LEDs embedded in the switches.
5. Off means off. Most dimmers don’t actually turn bulbs “off” when the off button is pressed and the room goes to dark. They just go imperceptibly dim. In the case of Leviton’s products, “off means off.” Leviton actually kills the connection to the load.
6. Comprehensive lighting line. As Rhoades explains, none of the other providers of Wi-Fi-based lighting controls offers the breadth of products as Leviton. For example, some companies offer switches but not dimmers, or plug-in devices but not switches, and vice versa. Most don’t offer solutions for multi-pole lighting (e.g., three-way switches) or support for multiple load types like Leviton does.

If you consider “multi-way capability, advanced technology for low wattage bulbs, plus multiple color options and wallplates to the offering … this is the most complete and advanced IoT lighting control on the market,” says Richard Westfall, VP and GM of Leviton Energy Management, Controls & Automation.

The post Leviton Launches Wi-Fi Lighting Products appeared first on Electronic House.

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Virtual Reality Headset Helps You Design Your Home Theater

Virtual reality headsets aren’t all fun and games. A new service from Andrew Lucas London and its sister company Andrew Lucas Studios is enabling consumers to “walk through” their new home theater or smart home by donning an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. At the same time, they receive an estimate on how much the project will cost.

 

Demonstrated at a recent home show, the virtual reality technology developed by Andrew Lucas Studios, allows users to move themselves around an entire property in a similar manner to Google Street View. They can swell on the aspects that interest them and interact with the space around them, giving them a clear idea of the proposed home theater or smart home solution. From there, they can make changes to the design.

 

Design and Price Your Theater

For example homeowners can upgrade to a different set of components, choose a larger screen, or add a user interface. Andrew Lucas’ online quotation tool automatically adjusts the price in real time. The quote shows not only the price of the equipment, but also the projected extra costs for labor, cabling, and post-installation service.

“Virtual reality can be an incredibly useful tool for clarifying in the customer’s mind exactly what an architect or smart home specialist is hoping to achieve,” says Hamza Abbas, sales director at Andrew Lucas Studios. “A video flythrough or 3D rendering can offer a certain level of insight, but a VR experience is a much more realistic experience, with the added bonus of letting the prospective homeowner explore their property at a pace that suits them.”

Users will be able to also see how the installation cost could be divided into a monthly payment scheme, allowing them to pay for their home over a period of time instead of purchasing everything up front.

“One of the main frustrations a typical smart home customer has is in understanding the ‘hidden’ costs that occur in a smart home project,” says Krystian Zajac, chairman and founder of Andrew Lucas London. “Our new quotation tool brings complete transparency to the quotation process, letting our customers understand exactly what costs are incurred by certain areas of the smart home and allowing them to tailor their property to suit their needs – and their budget.”

 

Home Design Services

The online quotation tool covers Andrew Lucas’ three main services: home theater, smart home and virtual reality.

Home Theater

An Andrew Lucas home theater is designed to meet any client’s entertainment needs, whether they’re a film aficionado seeking perfect quality or a parent looking for a space to relax and watch the latest Disney films with their kids.

Although the specific products cannot be disclosed, the company’s fully furnished home theater offering includes a professional projection system and screen (including 4K Ultra-HD projection system with HDR support options), acoustic treatment and 5.1, 7.1 or 3D audio speaker systems (including hidden speakers), AV receiver and universal remote as well as climate and lighting control.

“We will offer products from multiple manufacturers to suit the needs of the property owner,” says Zajac​. He says once someone picks a package and gets the pricing, they can go ahead and purchase it.

“They will be able to pay a deposit and secure the order; in due course, we will also allow clients to pay for their smart home, home cinema or VR room with regular monthly payments over an agreed period,” says Zajac. “For home cinema we have three options on a sliding scale, based on price and functionality. All of these can be personalized with optional extras.”

All of the company’s smart homes, home cinemas and VR rooms are designed and installed by the Andrew Lucas team.

Smart Home

For a smart home project, homeowners can input the basic details of their property and select up to three packages: security, comfort and entertainment. These can then be personalized with several technology upgrades, finishes and additional control interfaces, with a price estimate adjusting in real-time to show the price of equipment and projected extra costs such as labor, cabling and aftercare.

“We offer both wired or wireless options for smart home packages, each containing a number of ‘essential’ products,” says Zajac. “These are calculated to match the layout of the home.”

 

The packages include intruder alarms, smoke and leak detection, indoor/outdoor cameras, video doorbells, heating control, smart lighting, motorized shades, voice control integration, unified control, as well as multiroom audio/surround-sound audio, video distribution and streaming outdoor speakers.

Each of the solutions is modular, so the customer can start with a single-feature system (e.g. smart heating control) or choose a whole-house set-up. Meanwhile, the company’s dedicated app allows users to manage their entire property from their phone, from lighting and shades to home entertainment and security systems.

Virtual Reality

The company also offers the service for virtual reality rooms — dedicated spaces for VR entertainment (think a home theater, but specifically for VR). These are fitted and installed by Andrew Lucas London. Meanwhile, Andrew Lucas Studios is the company’s VR and AR design consultancy service, which creates VR visualizations for design professionals and homeowners.

“This is also something we offer to other smart home installers that wish to provide visualizations of this sort to their own clients,” says Zajac.

The company’s VR room offering is described as a ‘wireless, backpack-based experience’ that includes high-end VR platforms and gaming PCs, as well as room-scale tracking technology, acoustic treatment, 3D audio speakers, plus, the virtual reality room can be fitted with extra technology to double up as a panic room.

This includes blast-proof doors, hidden cameras, a reserve power supply, a separate phone line and a biohazard protection system that monitors air quality and filters out hazardous substances via the ventilation system.

The post Virtual Reality Headset Helps You Design Your Home Theater appeared first on Electronic House.

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3D Printing Creates Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

By employing a 3D printing process, Alienology Audio has made its T3TRA speaker all in one piece without any seams or joints. According to Alienology, this eliminates conflicting vibrations and resonances. Because the unibody frame is 3D printed, the material is absolutely uniform in density at all points.  The company says it is  intentionally using 3D printing to ensure that the performance is identical across all T3TRA speakers.

3D Printing Benefits

Seamlessly tied together by the frame are four precision laser cut sides made of high grade, multi-layer birch plywood to produce a warm and natural feel.

Its shape is not only visually appealing but offers true sonic benefits. Tetrahedron, in geometric terms, is one of the most ideal shapes, the simplest 3D form possible that is fully structurally stable and self-supporting. All the sides of the speaker are identical equilateral triangles, in this case with rounded edges. Standing waves are diminished by eliminating parallel sides and edge diffraction is reduced by having rounded corners and fewer sides, according to Alienology Audio.

The speaker driver is a highly rated, magnetically shielded 3-inch full range unit with a concave membrane that is made of aluminum.

There are two styles of T3TRA speakers:

T3TRA ACTIVE speaker has built-in 20W amplifier with Bluetooth. It is ideal if you plan to use your speakers strictly with Bluetooth enabled devices. It is available as a single speaker with both channels joined into a mono configuration or as a stereo pair-two speakers where one speaker has a built-in amplifier and the other is passive and linked to the amp using speaker wire. Essentially, the first speaker is an ACTIVE the second speaker is a CLASSIC speaker.

T3TRA CLASSIC is the same as the ACTIVE just without amplification.
Instead, there are speaker terminals for use with audio amplifier.
Currently on Kickstarter, the T3TRA speakers are available in orange, red, green, or yellow.  The speaker is rated at 30W with 8 ohm nominal impedance. Its dimensions are about 5.5″ (14cm) tall, and each side is about 6″ (15cm).

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Philips Hue and the Health Benefits of Smart Lighting

Smart lighting like the Philips Hue smart bulb is able to make our lives more convenient, no doubt. Being able to tap one button on a smartphone to activate a group of lights as you enter your house is quicker and easier than strolling through the house to tap multiple individual wall switches. It’s also a lot safer. How many times have you tripped over toy in your footpath during your voyage down a dark hallway? Or worse yet, have you ever stumbled down a dark stairway?

Smart Lighting Reduces Accidents

Smart lighting systems can reduce the risk of the serious injuries that when you try to navigate your way through a dark house. There are many other health benefits, too. Daylight Savings time, for example, can really mess with our body’s internal clock—our circadian rhythm that essentially tell us when to go to sleep, when to get up, when to eat/digest, and so on. Light is both our friend and enemy here, since our body syncs up to the sun’s rays for our 24-hour cycle and circadian rhythm balance.

When the sun rises and sets later in the day, our circadian rhythm gets out of whack. The result: You feel sluggish, moody, and tired. The shift in day and night might also impacts your overall health. According to Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D,:

“The vast majority of your hormones, including melatonin and cortisol, cycle during the day. This impacts every system in your body, from your immune system, to how well you digest your food, to how much insulin is released in response to sugar intake–all change based on the time of day.  This is why prioritizing circadian rhythms is so important: it regulates the natural ups and downs that your hormones go through throughout the day and night.  When your circadian rhythms are properly regulated, you sleep well, you have energy in the mornings, your energy is constant throughout the day until it starts to gradually diminish in the evening… and it reduces your risk of chronic disease.”

Smart Light Switches

So how can you put your circadian rhythm back on track? The same smart light switches that respond to a command initiated from a smartphone can be programmed to follow an on/off scheduled that you create. Instead of letting the sun tell you when to sleep and when to wake, the scheduled light switches can dim at the same time each night to signal your body that it’s time to go to bed. In the morning, they can do the opposite, turning on at a bright level as a cue to get of bed. Check out Lutron, Leviton, Insteon, and Legrand for affordable, easy to install smart dimmer switches. These are widely available at home improvement stores like Home Depot and online at amazon.com

Colored Lighting

Studies show that it’s not just the intensity of a home’s artificial lighting that can help maintain a healthy circadian rhythm, but also the color of the light. The objective is to create a bright blue light during the day and dim red light in the evening. Smart, color-changing light bulbs screw into sockets just like regular light bulbs. They can emit a rainbow of different colors, controllable through a smartphone app. You can find them from various manufacturers, Philips, Stack, LIFX, and Sengled at home improvement stores at online.

In addition to helping you get your rhythm back on track, colored lighting is a verified mood booster. Dim, soft, pale-colored lights can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, while crisp, bright, vibrant colored lighting can improve productivity.

Automated Shading

Finally, automated shading, particularly blackout shading, can be one of the greatest biohacks for getting a good night sleep and maintaining you circadian rhythm. Automated shading put on a schedule to lift and lower at the same time every day. It can help block out the sun so that you go to bed when you should, for example. They can work in concert with your smart lighting to create an environment that is good for your health. Battery-powered shading can be installed by a do-it-yourselfer, and is available at home improvement stores and online.

The post Philips Hue and the Health Benefits of Smart Lighting appeared first on Electronic House.

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You Can Hear Me Now, But What About Tomorrow?

Leading-edge DSP research holds hope for the hearing-impaired. Which will eventually be almost all of us.

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How to pair your Amazon Echo with a Bluetooth Speaker - CNET

Thanks to a recent update, you can now pair the original Echo with a Bluetooth speaker for better sound.

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Onkyo Intros Entry-Level AVR with Auto Set-Up

Onkyo today introduced an entry-level 5.2-channel AV receiver with automatic room calibration that sells for $349.

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Onkyo Intros Entry-Level AVR with Auto Set-Up

Onkyo today introduced an entry-level 5.2-channel AV receiver with automatic room calibration that sells for $349.

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http://www.soundandvision.com/content/onkyo-intros-entry-level-avr-auto-set

NAD’s Chromecast-Enabled Class D Amp Now Available

NAD’s C 338 Class D integrated amp, hailed as the first “hi-fi amplifier” to feature built-in Chromcast streaming capability, is now available for $649, the company announced.

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An old tablet slapped onto a light switch -- NuBryte fails to impress video - CNET

Though it's mostly competent, NuBryte doesn't have the depth to stand out as a smart home device.

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Wemo Mini Promotion - CNET

Wemo Mini Promotion

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Wemo Mini Promotion - CNET

Wemo Mini Promotion

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These smart sensors warn of disaster before it happens - CNET

They don't look like much, but the software that powers these smart home sensors is pretty intriguing.

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Lights, camera, Nubryte: This smart switch puts the action on the wall - CNET

The NuBryte Touchpoint aims to do it all for your smart home.

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Make Sense of your home's energy usage video - CNET

The $299 Sense Home Energy Monitor displays energy stats, but there's a catch.

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This smart flood sensor drowns the competition - CNET

The Roost Smart Leak and Freeze Detector is one of the best deals in a flooded market.

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Lucis Nubryte review - CNET

Despite its security camera, lighting features, and touch controls, NuBryte needs a few more updates before it deserves a place on your wall.

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https://www.cnet.com/products/lucis-nubryte/#ftag=CADa08b18a

Sense tracks your home's energy usage for you - CNET

Sense's Home Energy Monitor tracks your usage, but it can take weeks to differentiate among devices.

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Black & Decker WiFi-Enabled Slow Cooker Release Date, Price and Specs - CNET

You use an app on iOS or Android devices to change the settings on the six-quart slow cooker.

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You can order Tesla's solar roof tiles in April - CNET

The electric-car company's solar roof efforts are beginning to take shape.

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Daily Double: A Theater Hides Behind This Music Setup

Photos by Jomar Bragança

Sometimes, you have to go big. And that’s just what one young power couple did when they built their dream home in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, a teeming metropolis that sits about a six-hour drive north of the Rio de Janeiro coast. To be more precise, they went 50,000 square feet big. With that area, the modern two-story residence shown in these photos, if laid flat, would cover the size of an American-style football field (minus a couple of end zones).

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Punch-Drunk Love

Picture
Sound
Extras

I was thrilled with Punch-Drunk Love when it came out: such loopy energy, zigzag surprises, so preposterous but insouciantly so oddly appealing—a mess but a dazzling mess, like most of P.T. Anderson’s movies. A decade-and-a-half later, it’s lost a lot of its punch. I don’t know if I’ve changed, if imitations have sucked out its novelty, or what, but its shortcomings now shine too clearly. Adam Sandler plays a plumbing-parts salesman who’s out on the spectrum (a bit of Benjamin Braddock crossed with Rain Man), who’s never traveled or had a girlfriend, who’s always been tormented by seven playful sisters who don’t know the madness they’re inflicting.

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March Madness App Offers Virtual Courtside Seats

Fans of college basketball will be able to experience March Madness in virtual reality, starting with tonight’s Sweet 16 semifinal games in San Jose.

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Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector review - CNET

This new leak detector gives you high-end features for a mid-range price.

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Sense review - CNET

The Sense Home Energy Monitor promises to track the output of individual devices, but ultimately falls short.

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SHINE HAI BR20 LED Light Bulbs 6W 50W Replacement Non dimmable 3000K Soft White - CNET

SHINE HAI BR20 LED Light Bulbs 6W 50W Replacement Non dimmable 3000K Soft White

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Google Home Speaker w/ Chromecast Accessory for $130 + free shipping - CNET

Google Home Speaker w/ Chromecast Accessory for $130 + free shipping

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7 Smart Home Predictions for the Future

In a recent Forbes article, a few CIOs, CTOs and tech executives from the Forbes Technology Council laid out their own smart home predictions for the next game-changing innovations.

Here’s a hint: they’re not talking about immersive sound and virtual reality. They’re talking about AI for physical health, preemptive repair and interactive GPS technology.

1. AIs Will Watch Health

“Advances in AI will fuel smart home technology. Information will be sent to the cloud and analyzed by neural networks to determine the smartest settings,” says Gideon Kimbrell, InList. “Machine learning will become even better at predicting the desires of the occupant, beyond changing temperature. In the future, things like Life Alert will be obsolete, as the whole home will sense the well-being of its occupants and save their lives, if necessary.”

2. Macro Actions Will Be Called By Voice

“Controlled by a voice-activated assistant, at home or remotely, we will have access to any task we want to achieve through sensors and control devices,” says Steve Wilkes, Striim. “This won’t be limited to out-of-the-box functionality, but will enable you to define your own actions and flows. Say ‘I want to chill’ could dim the lights, close the blinds, pour you a drink, and play your favorite music.”

3. Pictures Frames Can Change Depending on Who’s Near

“Digital photo frames have existed for years, but have barely evolved,” says Jeff Jahn, DynamiX. “I see the next innovation coming in a relatively inexpensive replacement for the traditional frame. Coupled with a phone, nearby frames could update based on who is in the room. Leveraging displays that mimic traditional paper without back lighting would allow for long life without hard wiring.”

4. Appliances Will Predict the Need for Repairs

“I think your home will send reminders to your service personnel about problems within the home, or maintenance issues like your vehicle letting you know if any services need to be done,” says Chalmers Brown, Due. “This could be with air conditioning and heating, or with appliances. This will help homeowners do a better job of staying on top of maintenance that could reduce their repair bills.”

5. Homes That Micro-Generate Electricity

“The most interesting idea I’ve seen that has yet to be widely commercialized is micro-generation of electricity,” says Kurt Dykema, Twisthink. “There’s a 10-15 percent energy loss between the power plant and your home, so if a cost-effective device could be designed that would not only heat your home, but also generate the electricity you need at the same time, it might make financial sense and help save the planet at the same time.”

6. GPS Lets Devices Know When the Owner Nears Home

“I think GPS technology will allow smart home applications to prepare your home for you as you near its location,” says Andrew Kucheriavy, Intechnic. “Imagine the temperature adjusting to your ideal level, and your preferred scents, sounds, and lights greeting you as you arrive. This will save time and money as customers reduce waste such as heat and air conditioning when they are away from their homes.”

7. Not All Devices Will Demand Internet Access

“Consumers are continuing to demand more and better security to ensure their data remains private,” says Neill Feather, SiteLock. “As smart home technology evolves, security protections can and should be incorporated from the start of product design. Designers must also ask whether enabling internet connectivity makes sense to the product’s function, or if more centralized and secure networks will suffice instead.”

 

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10 Outdoor Speakers for Less Than $150

Outdoor speakers can turn a drab back yard into an exciting escape by delivering all of your favorite tunes to the deck, patio, garden, and anywhere else you might roam. There are styles galore in the world of outdoor speakers, so whatever your listening pleasure, you’ll be sure to find something that’ll satisfy. The following 10 outdoor speakers are all priced at less than $150, so even your wallet will feel happy.

10 Outdoor Speakers for Less Than $150

Yamaha NS-AW150WH 2-Way Indoor/Outdoor Speakers

Each Yamaha NS-AW150WH speaker in this pair has built-in feet, perfect for placing on a table or shelf. If you’d rather wall-mount them, the included bracket allows for horizontal or vertical placement. Each speaker employs a 5-inch woofer and a 1/2-inch dome tweeter, so you can experience your music in full, from thumping bass to crystal-clear high notes. The speakers can handle 120 watts, and are built to withstand all that Mother Nature can dish out.

$74.99

 

OSD Audio RS660OM Rock Satellite Speaker

The OSD RS6600M Rock Speaker blend into any rock formation and complements the landscape. Made from non-water-absorbing materials that can withstand all weather conditions, this speaker won’t freeze or crack in the winter. It has a 6.5-inch polypropylene cone woofer, 1-inch dome tweeter, and its 250-watt power handling will send immersive sound whever you need it.

$74.99

 

 

TIC GS-3 Outdoor In-Ground Speaker

Many speakers project sound out from the face of their grille. The TIC GS-3, however, disperses audio in a 360-degree pattern. The shrub green finish of this omni-directional speaker will accent and aesthetically enhance any exterior landscape setting. It boasts a 200-watt full range driver, 8-inch woofer, 2-inch tweeter. Most of the housing can be buried in the ground, lending extra stability and cosmetic unobtrusiveness.

$76.88

 

 

 

Theater Solutions 2R4S Outdoor Rock Speakers

Here’s another rock speaker option, the 2R4S from Theater Solutions. This 2-way weatherproof rock speaker has a rigid acoustically inert enclosure that are silicone sealed and rust resistant steel grilles.  The 4-inch 8 ohm rubber surround woofers with silver-mica cones and half inch ferro-fluid cooled dome tweeters are designed for the outdoor climate. It handles a maximum of 250 watts.

$59.99

 

Russound Acclaim 5 Series OutBack Indoor/Outdoor Speakers (Pair)

The Acclaim 5 Series OutBack speakers from Russound can perform beautifully outdoors as well as inside the house. Sealed enclosures, salt-tested marine grade hardware, and aluminum grilles make them tough. Wall mounts and bookshelf feet are included to make them usable anywhere in your home. They can be mounted horizontally, vertically, in corners, on poles, or standing upright.

 

 

 

Boston Acoustics SOUNDWARE Indoor/Outdoor Speaker

The Boston Acoustics SoundWare indoor/outdoor has a cute shape that makes it not only nice to look at but versatile when it comes to placement. With the included brackets it can be mounted under the eaves or on the deck. Tucked neatly away a corner, or simply stationed on a table. The brackets enable the speaker to be tilted up, down, and sideways, aimed at your current listening spot. This two-way speaker with has a 4 ½-inch woofer and ¾-inch tweeter.

$99.oo

 

Dayton Audio IO525 Indoor/Outdoor Speaker (Pair)

Each of the IO525 speakers from Dayton Audio features a mineral-filled poly cone 5-1/4-inch woofer and metalized Mylar 1-inch dome tweeter, for full-range high fidelity performance. The crossover network was computer optimized by Dayton Audio and then fine-tuned via extensive listening tests. Rugged ABS construction and aluminum grilles make these suitable for outdoor listening. Power handling is 75 watts maximum.

$86.65

 

OSD PS525 Planter Speaker Omni

Sights and sounds come together in a speaker that doubles as a planter, the PS525 from OSD. The speakers offer not only a place to pot plants but an unobtrusive way to get speakers close the patio. Rectangular and round planter speakers are available. This is an omni-directional speaker, which means it disperses sound in a 360-degree pattern. The dispersion plate, which forms the base of the planter, is designed to deliver high frequencies at 12 degrees above horizontal, so If you’re standing in the yard, the high frequencies aren’t being lost at your feet.

$59.95

 

 

Polk Audio Sat30 Speakers

The Sat30 satellite speakers from Polk Audio can be planted in your landscaping, hung the eaves, or installed anywhere you want to mix great sound with the great outdoors. Capable of handling up to 100 Watts of power, the speaker features a 3 1/2-inch long-throw midrange driver with 1-inch voice coil, and a 3/4-inch composite dome neodymium tweeter. These speakers are designed to live outside year-round, with permanent color impregnation and all-weather waterproofing and a 5-year warranty.

$86.13

 

OSD Audio BH525 Hanging Bird House Speaker

 

Now for a little whimsy … disguised as a birdhouse, the OSD BH525 outdoor speaker provides 360 degrees of sound while it hangs from the limb of a tree. The specially designed cabinetry includes bass enhanced SoundPort technology to produce bass response like 6.5-inch speakers. It boasts 100 watts of power handling, 5.25-inch woofer, and 13mm PEI tweeter.

$49.95

 

 

 

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Flexson Charging Stand Adds Light to Sonos Music

The Flexson charging stand does more than juice up a Sonos Play:1 speaker. It also provides soft illumination and incorporates a pair of USB power outlets that homeowners can use to charge their smart devices, wearables, e-readers and other electronics.

The integrated light in the Flexson charging stand is controllable through the product’s integrated touch-sensitive controls, which Flexson says makes it a nice addition to a bedside nightstand and similar locations.

The Flexson charging stand can be used as a nightlight in a bedroom, a mood-setter in a family room, or simply a means of lighting for any dark space in your home, without eating up anymore real estate than your Sonos speaker would.

Plus, it just looks so much nicer than a standard plain-old charging station. The lighting adds a touch of style to your home while making sure your speaker is powered and ready to play your favorite tunes at a moment’s notice. And with a price of $60, you can probably afford to have at least a couple in the house. Put one in living room where you typically listen to music, another one in the home office, and, of course, on your bedroom nightstand. It’s an easy addition that leverages your investment in a Sonos music system.

The charging stand will be available through Flexson’s American distributor American Audio Video in a choice of black or white to match the color of Sonos products. It will be available at the end of March.

 

 

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