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This new wireless standard could be the fix for your congested network
Light-based wireless connectivity could be the future of your smart home and phone
Let’s face it: you’ve probably run into some issues with both your Wi-Fi and 5G connection before. That may be that dumb corner of your house with spotty connection or your neighbor’s fancy new router that drowns out the signal from your own. And if you’re using 5G fixed access as your cable replacement, you may not get the speeds you were promised. pureLiFi, a brand championing the Li-Fi standard that was introduced last year, promises a fix for all that and then some at MWC 2024.
This light-based Wi-Fi alternative wants to supercharge your next phone's connection
The Li-Fi standard uses infrared light to speed up your internet connection while making your Wi-Fi less congested
Wi-Fi networks are great at keeping all your devices connected to high-speed internet, but they have their downsides. The more great smart home devices you add and the more neighbors you have with similar setups, the more congested radio frequencies inevitably get. Despite encryption, Wi-Fi also isn't entirely private, allowing prying eyes to see which devices are connected and active. So, how do we get around all of these issues? Perhaps by seeing the light.
This amazing deal brings JBL Live 300 Premium True Wireless Earbuds down to $38 for a limited time
Great sound for a great price
Have you been waiting to get wireless earbuds either because you still consider wires the reliable way to go or because you think Bluetooth gear is too expensive? Time to reconsider. Earbud models sometimes stay on the market long after release, so getting an excellent pair for a great price is sometimes just a waiting game. Woot has a deal on JBL's Live 300TWS Premium earbuds that should fit that bill, down from an original price of $150 to just $38.
Chrome OS has a nice new addition coming for console gamers
Just in time before official Steam support for Chromebooks hits the masses
It's no secret that Chrome OS has become way more capable over the years, maturing far beyond a simple browser-platform. It shows Google is serious about making Chromebooks an appealing choice for everyone, supporting Android apps and even powerful Linux tools to sweeten the platform's appeal. With official support for Steam around the corner, Chrome OS is even closer to becoming a viable choice for hardcore gamers — and an upcoming addition levels-up the gaming experience even further.
Stadia is rolling out support for its Wi-Fi controller on the web
You won't be needing the extra long cables anymore
While Stadia's launch last year arguably packed fewer features than we initially anticipated, Google is hard at work to add long-promised capabilities. This Tuesday, the company announced that it would roll out wireless Stadia controller support for laptops and desktops, and it looks like the capability is now already widely available. Just like always could on Chromecast, you can finally enjoy Stadia wirelessly on your computer using its first-party hardware.
Anker has been doing well for itself in the wireless earbud market, and Rita was impressed with its most recent products' quality and affordability. While she didn't review this particular model, thousands of others did, and the praise is almost unanimous, which makes this deal all the sweeter. The Soundcore Life P2 is on sale on Newegg for just $43 dollars this week, $17 off the standard price.
Apple popularized fully cordless audio with its AirPods, but other manufacturers also offer cheaper or better alternatives. A good illustration is Aukey's in-ear buds, which are much more discreet than their counterpart — meaning they don't look like toothbrush heads — and cost $100 less. The below coupons make them $20 cheaper and therefore one of the most affordable products in their category, at just $39.59.I'm a big fan of true wireless in-ear earbuds because they fit perfectly and their tight grip offers passive noise cancelation. The absence of any cable means you're free to move your head around without having to worry about obstructions, which is particularly useful when working out. You will have to be cautious with Aukey's buds, though, as they don't offer water or sweat resistance, but I'm not sure you can expect more given their price.
It may not be perfect quite yet, but Samsung's DeX implementation for using your phone as a desktop computer actually works better than expected. In response to user requests, it seems the development team behind DeX is now working towards making DeX connections even more accessible by removing the need for a cable.
Verizon's done it. The carrier has launched its commercial 5G network, becoming a world leader in the next generation of wireless technology. Or so it says. The wireless operator (America's largest, by subscriber count) announced today that it is launching a 5G broadband internet service called "5G Home" in parts of Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and Sacramento — but its service is still quite limited, and it's not based on the formal global 5G standards.
At the start of the year, Harman announced a slew of new audio products from sub-brands JBL, AKG, and Harman Kardon. To us, the most interesting of those are the three that integrate the Google Assistant, and they're now available to pre-order on the JBL site.
It's a sad state of affairs, but smartphones nowadays are skipping the 3.5mm headset plug for valid, and sometimes not-so-valid, reasons. If your Android phone is following that trend, you have two solutions to listen to music: Bluetooth and USB-C. Today's deals on Libratone might help you save on both of these options.Libratone is discounting its Q Adapt in-ear USB-C earphone by $30 on the Google Store and Amazon, making it $119 instead of $149. Now you may be thinking this is a little too much for a pair of in-ear earbuds, but this one has a USB-C plug, a very comfortable design and fit, excellent build and materials, and 4 levels of Active Noise Cancellation to boot. Richard really liked it when he reviewed it a few months ago, and the discount makes its price a little more palatable.
Release after release, the Libratone name is becoming more familiar to me. While I raised my eyebrow the first time I heard Jeff mention it, I was quickly won over by its colorful and beautifully minimalist speakers. Over the past year, Libratone made more headway with us, Android fans, by releasing two products along with the Pixel 2: the Q Adapt USB-C in ear earphones (which Richard reviewed) and the Q Adapt Wireless on ear headphones. Then at CES 2018, Libratone followed up by announcing the TRACK+, a set of wireless in-ear noise cancelling earbuds. For 9, they had to stand up to the challenge of not only being good, but being near awesome to justify the price. And my past two weeks with them have left me very happy yet just a little bit frustrated because of a few small details that would have made them perfect.
Bluetooth audio products take many forms at several price points, offering us the consumers multiple options to meet our respective needs. While some can go for the top-dollar, high-end items from Bose, others may need something under $100 or even $50. Affordable audio is potentially lucrative, especially when a customer can go find them at his or her nearest Walmart. Growing up, the only name of true note I knew in this particular market was Skullcandy, an edgy company set on providing decent-ish headphones and earphones that looked nice/cool, but didn't cost a whole ton.Now we have come to another brand trying to grab the same type of consumer. Wicked Audio has an expanding product line of wired and wireless audio, all of which target different price and use case demographics. Today, I have the Endo, a pair of on-ear Bluetooth headphones under $50 ($44.99, to be precise). Unfortunately, the low cost and design are the only true redeeming qualities — even for something of this price point, I am disappointed. Poor build quality, a hollow, boring sound profile, and consistent-yet-unimpressive battery life all leave me with a sense of disatisfaction.I urge you, dear reader, to look elsewhere for affordable wireless headphones. There are plenty of good options out there.
Anker only recently moved into the competitive Bluetooth headphone space. Last year the company created a very successful Kickstarter for its Liberty+ headphones, and now those of us unlucky enough to miss out on that early bird pricing can get in on the action, too. Both the Liberty+ and Liberty are now discounted on Amazon via coupon codes, for a mere $79 and $119, respectively.
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- Here it is, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's response, and it's not a surprise:
Billions of devices, from phones and tablets to self-driving cars and connected dishwashers, are thirstily awaiting the rise of 5G wireless connectivity, and the big wireless carriers are scrambling to bring these powerful new networks to market. According to documents obtained by Axios, however, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile might be nudged out of the race to 5G—not by an industry competitor, but by the U.S. government.
As someone who recently switched to using wireless headphones, I have mostly positive things to say about the experience. The pair I use on a daily basis makes my commute a bit more stress-free, and I like that I can also take them to the gym because they're sweat-resistant. I got them at what I thought was a pretty sweet entry price – until I saw this deal for the AUKEY Latitude EP-B40 wireless earbuds, which can be had for a little more than $20.The EP-B40 earbuds, support aptX, are IPX4-certified water-resistant, offer three EQ presets, and can apparently last for 8 hours of playtime on a single charge. The backs of each earbud are magnetic, which makes it easy to rest these around your neck without any hassle. In the box you'll get a microUSB cable, three pairs of ear tips, three pairs of in-ear hooks, and a carrying pouch.If you're interested in picking up a pair of these, go to Amazon and use the promo code AUSALE02 at checkout to knock $9.90 off the regular price. This deal ends tomorrow (Monday, December 11), so act quickly.
Now that headphone jacks are being killed off, there's no choice but to look at Bluetooth alternatives. There are tons of form factors out there, but the most fashionable right now is the truly wireless earbud, which is difficult to get right and usually quite expensive. The Jabra Elite Sport is a decent option, and it's currently going for $100 less than its original MSRP.At $249 there are potentially other options out there that make more sense, but for just $149 the Elite Sport is well worth your time. The compact earbuds are designed for active use. They're light, IP67 rated, and come with a variety of wings and tips to ensure a secure fit. You can get up to 4.5 hours from a single charge, plus an additional 9 with the included charging case.You also get access to the Jabra Sport Life app, with which you can monitor your heart rate and get workout guidance. I've just started using the Elite Sport myself, and I've been pretty impressed with them so far. Several retailers are offering them for the discounted price of $149, including:
Noise cancelling headphones rank high on my list of essential items to bring on a flight. By dampening the sounds of crying kids, chatty passengers, and the dull throbbing roar of the jet engines, NC headphones can transform a miserable travel experience into a tolerable one.The headphones pictured above are the JBL Everest Elite 750NC, and I'm pretty impressed with them. With an MSRP of $299 and a current street price of $229 they aren't cheap, but they deliver in the critical areas of noise cancellation, comfort, and sound quality, which helps to justify their lofty price. I've got a couple of small issues with the headphones, but you can decide for yourself if they are significant enough concerns to keep you from considering a pair.