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Best Tile tracker in 2024
Size, range, versatility — no matter what your needs, there's a perfect Tile tracker
Lost a wallet or perhaps a set of keys? We've all been there. A solid Bluetooth tracker can make finding those pesky lost knickknacks much easier. Tile, one of the Bluetooth tracking device OGs, makes some of the best options on the market. Tile's Airtag alternatives are cross-platform, and their popularity means there's a robust mesh network already in place to track the devices when they're out of Bluetooth range.
An 11-year-old bug could render your Android device prone to an attack
A timeline for a patch to fix the Bluetooth bug has not been revealed
If you’re adamant about ensuring all of your devices are as secure as possible, you might assume you’re safe through means, such as two-factor authentication. There are several ways to manage your sensitive information these days, and these precautions can reduce the chances of a breach. However, some of your devices might be flawed through no fault of your own, and it’s these bugs that pose a threat. Now, a bug that has been around since at least 2012 could be rendering your Android device vulnerable.
Ultra-wideband (UWB) is a short-range wireless communication protocol that operates at higher frequencies than other short-range communication protocols like Bluetooth.
How Bluetooth Auracast could change the world
The new standard has the potential to transform how we hear in public
You’ve likely heard of Bluetooth Low Energy Audio (LE Audio), the new and much improved standard for wireless audio transmission that’s slowly showing up in all the best earbuds and your favorite phones. Apart from improved battery life, better audio quality, and enhanced multi-device connectivity, there is also another part to this new spec that has the potential to be an even bigger game changer: Auracast.
How to change the Bluetooth codec on your Android device
High-resolution audio on cheap earbuds is a far reach. But here's a trick to improve the sound quality
Every time you watch a movie, play songs, or open a media file with sound, there's an inaudible language spoken. Think of Bluetooth codecs as the translator. It decodes and encodes audio en route to your audio accessories. If you're an Android user, your phone or tablet uses the SBC codec by default. Though it offers standard audio quality, you can change it for improvement.
Bluetooth hearing aid compatibility: Which phones have it
When you buy hearing aids, make sure you have a compatible phone to get the most out of them
More and more people have some form of hearing impairment in this increasingly loud day and age. Chances are your hearing also isn't the best if you stumbled upon this guide. You may remember hearing aids as bulky devices sitting behind your ears that are barely good enough to make people hear again, but this is far from the truth today. Most hearing aids support some form of audio streaming. Still, for most of them, you must have a compatible phone.
Motorola's satellite-connectivity upgrade for your smartphone has arrived
Motorola Defy Satellite Link lets you connect to text messaging and emergency SOS
If Hollywood is anything to go by, satellite phones are reserved for extreme tasks like contacting ground control from a spaceship, or when you're trapped on an island full of dinosaurs. Still, hikers, sailors, and others who regularly go off-grid can also find themselves outside cellular coverage and in need of help. While everyone from Samsung to Qualcomm is working to bring native satellite support to Android phones, Apple got a head start with the iPhone 14, which supports emergency SOS via satellite. But now the rest of us who venture into uncharted territory can breathe a sigh of relief, as Motorola begins sales of its Defy Satellite Link, bringing satellite two-way messaging to your existing smartphone.
Extend Unlock begins replacing Smart Lock in Android device settings
Changes not quick locked up yet
Earlier this year, we reported on a planned split in Android's Smart Lock scheme which allows host devices such as phones and tablets to be kept unlocked while connected to a recognized Bluetooth device. Now, we're starting to see the follow-through on that charter as users are reporting sight of the newly-termed Extend Unlock in their devices' system settings.
One of the big bummers about using even any of the best wireless headsets is the fact that even without any environmental noise, you know the best you'll sound coming out the other side of your microphone and into your partner's ears is mediocre — it's even worse if you're taking a call while driving. Commercial implementations of Bluetooth have come a long way for listeners, but until recently, we haven't seen much for call quality. But Android could be making way for vehicle-based outbound audio to get better.
Android could be picking up some new tools for approximating Bluetooth device location
A new API should help measure how far away Bluetooth accessories are from your phone
Bluetooth has been an utterly game-changing technology, doing for wireless accessories what USB did for wired, and it often feels like there's no limit to what it can do. But for all its flexibility, Bluetooth still suffers a few critical restrictions, and we're already seeing the arrival of new wireless technologies like UWB that are starting to fill in some of those gaps — particularly when it comes to location data. Now it sounds like Google could be giving Bluetooth an upgrade to make it a little more competitive in this space, as we learn about work on a new Bluetooth Distance Measurement API.
Google gives its Stadia Controller a new lease on life, with Bluetooth support incoming
Even as Stadia itself is on the way out, this excellent controller is just getting started
The final days of Stadia are upon us. Maybe you were convinced from day one that Google's cloud gaming effort was doomed. Maybe you actually gave it a chance, and even started assembling your own little Stadia Pro library. But whether you counted yourself among the faithful or not, the Stadia party is now over, and we're under a week away from Google pulling the plug on its servers. For months now, we've been curious to learn what would become of all our existing Stadia hardware. Thankfully, Google has finally announced that it plans to upgrade Stadia Controllers with Bluetooth support, letting them operate with all your favorite gaming devices.
Some Google Pixels are failing to connect to in-car Bluetooth after installing January's security patch
If you're unable to jam out on your commute, you aren't alone
While plenty of drivers are celebrating the long-delayed launch of Android Auto's latest redesign, some Pixel owners are facing a new set of headaches. After the arrival of January's security patch earlier this week, some users are finding it impossible to connect or stay connected to their car's entertainment system over Bluetooth.
Devialet’s first smart portable speaker makes its stylish debut for 'only' $790
Portable excellence in sound and design has a price
You’ve probably heard of luxury French audio brand Devialet at some point, or at least seen its $2,300 Phantom series speakers somewhere on the internet. If you’re one of the few people who has seen a Phantom speaker in the flesh or bought one, you’ll be excited to know that Devialet now makes a portable speaker called the Mania. It lets you take the same audio experience and conversation-starting design places.
The 13 best Prime Early Access headphone and earbud deals to rock out with
Some of the best over-ear headphones and earbuds deals are running out
There's no shortage of high-quality wireless headphones these days, and in fact, it can be tough to wade through all the great options that do exist. A few brands and models stand out above the rest, though, and you can find some of the most reliable and best-performing earbuds and over-ear cans at great prices right now during Amazon's Prime Early Access Sale.
Fitbit's new Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches are curiously arriving without Wi-Fi support
Wi-Fi hardware is present, but deactivated
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Fitbit announced the Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches last month, and with the wearables just about to ship, customers should be in for a treat with the latest Fitbit OS interface, taking some heavy inspiration from Wear OS 3. But while the software looks good, these new Fitbit devices apparently won't hold a candle to their predecessors on the connectivity front, as we learn that both watches will arrive with their Wi-Fi hardware disabled.
Google's long-in-development Gabeldorsche Bluetooth stack quietly arrives with Android 13
*Gesundheit*
Bluetooth is such a fundamental part of how so many of us use mobile hardware that it's far too easy to take for granted, but a ton of work goes into making sure all these disparate devices are able to seamlessly communicate with each other. At the heart of that is the Bluetooth “stack,” the software running on our phones or computers that implements the standards needed for the Bluetooth protocol. Last week, we saw Android 13 make its formal debut, and while it went unnoticed at the time, it turns out that Google's latest release finally begins to implement a long-in-development new Bluetooth stack.
Bluetooth LE Audio is finally ready to start delivering on the dream of longer-lasting headphones
Plus hearing aid support, multi-device broadcast audio with Auracast, and more
The fight for the headphone jack is long-lost, but Bluetooth continues to add new improvements to its technical standards hoping to make the experience even better with time. One of those improvements is the new Bluetooth LE Audio spec, which was finalized just today. This new technology brings audio streaming to low-energy Bluetooth, improving battery life — one of the banes of Bluetooth existence. On top of that, it adds support for the Auracast broadcast audio standard, so multiple people tune in to the same audio feed, and introduces long-awaited support for Bluetooth hearing aids.
Bluetooth will soon let you stream audio to an unlimited number of speakers and headphones at once
Auracast Broadcast Audio brings multipoint Bluetooth to the next level
Bluetooth has long become the prevailing consumer audio transmission technology thanks to its convenience more than the quality it provides. The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has now announced another new quality-of-life feature that will make it much easier to enjoy content together with friends, families, and bigger audiences. You will soon be able to stream audio to as many receivers as you want thanks to Bluetooth’s upcoming Auracast broadcast audio specification.
FiiO BTR5 2021 review: A powerful Bluetooth pocket amp hamstrung by Android
You may not think you need an amplifier for your phone, but you're wrong
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While we still don’t have any idea when Spotify will be launching its Hi-Fi service, between Tidal, Apple Music, Deezer, Qobuz, and Amazon Music HD, there’s no shortage of streaming services jumping on the Hi-Fi bandwagon. There’s just one issue with that, though; you need an external DAC to get the benefit of any of these Hi-Fi tiers. There’s nothing new about using external DACs and amps to get the most out of your music, but on a phone? The big music streaming services are pushing mobile hi-fi, and you probably don’t have what you need to enjoy it.
Google Pixel Watch Bluetooth certification hints at three possible models
These could be mere regional cellular band variations, though
The past few days have been rife with leaks showing off Google‘s upcoming Pixel Watch. We know exactly how the watch looks thanks to a Redditor sharing photos of the device in all its glory. We have yet to see any official news or teases — including an actual launch date — though a Google I/O announcement seems likely. But as we know, devices have to go through various certifications before they are released. The Pixel Watch seems to have approval from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), pushing it closer to its all-too-inevitable release.