Audio Gear

The Bose Portable Home Speaker includes Alexa and Google Assistant, runs up to 12 hours on a charge. Image: Bose.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / Entertainment / News / Featured Articles

Bose Portable Home Speaker Joins Inside/Outside Smart Speaker Genre

Adding to its repertoire of wireless smart speakers, Bose has released the Portable Home Speaker, a battery-powered mobile speaker made to be used inside or outside. Designed as a companion to the Bose Home Speaker 300 and 500 as well as the Soundbar 500 and 700 multi-room…

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21 September 2019

The Sonos Move speaker resting on its charging base. Image: Sonos.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / News / Featured Articles

Sonos Takes It Outside With Move Speaker

Sonos has announced its first speaker designed for the great outdoors, the Sonos Move. In addition to a durable shell and IP56-rated water and dust protection, the $399 Sonos Move is also the first speaker from the company with rechargeable battery power and onboard Bluetooth…

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6 September 2019

Sonos and IKEA announced the first products in the IKEA Symfonisk line. Image: Sonos and IKEA.

Connected Home / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / Design / News / Featured Articles

No Assembly Required: Sonos and IKEA Smart Speakers Begin Shipping

It’s no secret Sonos and IKEA have been working on integrating Sonos speaker technology into IKEA home furnishing designs. With the latest news from these two companies, it has been confirmed consumers can now purchase the first fruits of the collaboration through the new IKEA…

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4 August 2019

Amazon Echo and Echo Dot. Image: Digitized House.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Product Guide / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / Deals / Gadgets / Featured Articles

Amazon Primes the Smart Home Pump with Early Prime Day Deals

For Amazon Prime subscribers, it's often possible to augment their collection of connected home tech at lower costs when the online retail giant hosts its annual Prime Day event. But this year, you can begin deal-shopping earlier since Amazon has begun quietly releasing some deals…

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13 July 2019

March Madness bliss: Listen to your favorite game on Google Home speakers. Image: Digitized House Media.

Connected Home / Smart Displays / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / Entertainment / How-To

How to Use Google Assistant for March Madness Listening

As March Madness rolls into its final days, the drudgery of work can get in the way. But seriously, what's more important than NCAA hoops this time of the year, particularly when your alma mater is still in the mix? Solve that dilemma by asking…

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29 March 2019

Apple Music, Meet Amazon Echo. Image: Digitized House Media.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Audio Gear / Entertainment

Amazon Brings Apple Music to Echo Smart Devices

On the heels of its deal with Apple to make iPhones and iPads available for sale on Amazon, the online juggernaut has announced it will make the Apple Music service available across the range of Echo audio devices. Beginning on December 17, paid subscribers to…

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1 December 2018

Sonos One smart speaker. Image: Sonos.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant / Product Guide / Audio Gear / How-To

Smart Home Music Streaming Made Simple

Setting up multi-room speaker systems in your house used to be a long, stressful, and expensive undertaking. With all of the cords, bulky or ugly speakers, and endless installation hours, it’s no wonder so many people don’t bother ever setting up a sound system in…

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14 November 2018

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is one of 3 new Bose products with the Amazon Alexa assistant built in. Image: Bose.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant / Product Guide / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / Gadgets

Native Amazon Alexa Controls Debut in Bose Smart Speakers

In a play to make its audio gear more relevant in today’s connected home, Bose has launched new smart speakers and soundbars with the Amazon Alexa voice assistant built in. New products from the company include the Home Speaker 500, Soundbar 500, and Soundbar 700,…

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18 October 2018

From the new line of hardware from Facebook, the Portal+ features smart two-way video capability on a 15-in. screen. Image: Facebook.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Audio Gear / Gadgets / News

Facebook Bets on Smart Video Calling with Portal Displays

Putting a new face on the social network, Facebook has announced its Portal line of countertop video displays and cameras, designed to enable video calling with Facebook friends or Messenger contacts. Clearly ideated to embrace the video-everywhere mantra of the Menlo Park company, the two-way…

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10 October 2018

Getting ready to entertain? The Nativ Vita High-Resolution Music System is a versatile option for easy-to-use music. Image: Nativ.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant / Product Guide / Audio Gear / Entertainment / Gadgets

4 Smart Home Upgrades for Smooth Entertaining

A smart home can be uniquely positioned to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests. Smart home capabilities provide homeowners with the ability to select from a variety of products, all of which can contribute to a fantastic source of entertainment for guests. These products range…

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25 September 2018

Finally, some synergy with Apple HomeKit, Apple TV, and the Home app: With iOS 11.4 and tvOS 11.4, Apple TVs will appear in the Home app and can play AirPlay 2 audio. Image: Digitized House Media.

Connected Home / Apple HomeKit / Review / Audio Gear / How-To

Your Apple TV is now an AirPlay 2 speaker and HomeKit accessory

Since the launch of Apple iOS 10 and the Home app, Apple TV devices have been stealth-like participants in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem as HomeKit hubs, but have never made an appearance in the Apple Home app itself. That all changed with the release this…

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31 May 2018

First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound smoke alarm and speaker. Image: First Alert.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Audio Gear / Smoke + CO Detectors / Secure Home

First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound smoke alarm brings speaker and Amazon Alexa to ceilings

First it was our walls getting smarter with the addition of audio features, such as in the case of the iDevices Instinct wall switch. Now, smoke alarm maker First Alert brings similar audio capability to our ceilings with the Onelink Safe & Sound, a smart…

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13 February 2018

iDevices Instinct smart wall switch. Image: iDevices.

Connected Home / Energy Conservation / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Google Assistant / Smart Lighting / Audio Gear / News

Conversations with your walls: iDevices Instinct smart switches to debut

Aiming to elevate the lowly light switch, connected home accessory company iDevices has announced their Instinct line—smart wall switches with onboard voice activation capabilities. Designed with the Amazon Alexa digital assistant built in, homeowners can issue voice commands by talking directly to an Instinct wall switch…

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29 January 2018

The Apple HomePod voce-activated speaker arrives in February 2018. Image: Apple.

Connected Home / Amazon Alexa / Apple HomeKit / Smart Speakers / Audio Gear / News

Apple HomePod speaker set for February 2018 debut

After creating buzz around the Apple HomePod speaker at their Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June of 2017, the Cupertino company has announced their first play in the voice-activated speaker game will be available for pre-order on January 26 and reach the shelves of Apple…

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25 January 2018