Azeca Lightweight Bluetooth Wireless Speaker

The Azeca lightweight Bluetooth wireless speaker is another wireless speaker that can pair quite easily with your iOS, Android or MP3 player to play music. There is of the standard 3.5mm cable option should you not wish to use the wireless option. (Images credit: Azeca)

According to the company -

The Azeca Lightweight Bluetooth Speaker is also a speakerphone with easy to reach front control buttons. Answer calls with the touch of a button and talk hands-free with the built-in microphone. Hang up, and your music automatically resumes. Includes both redial and mute functions.

The Azeca lightweight Bluetooth wireless speaker puts out music at 9 watts max power and provides a really good quality sound.

Features of this wireless speaker that make it stand out include -

9 Watts total power!
Answer smartphone calls, redial, or mute
Built-in mic for hands-free communication
Easy-to-reach controls for volume, next/previous track, and pause
Automatically pairs with last Bluetooth device
Line-in jack for use with standard devices
Bluetooth profiles (V2.1): A2DP, AVCRP, HSP, HFP
Requires 6 AA batteries (sold separately) or AC power
30 foot range
Weight with batteries: 14.1 oz.
Product dimensions: 8.5” L X 2” D X 3” H
Includes: Speaker, AC adapter, 3.5mm male/male cable, manual (English/Spanish)

The Azeca lightweight Bluetooth wireless speaker does use about 6 AA batteries should you wish to use battery power. It is currently available on Amazon under $80 which is a pretty good deal.

Do you have a wireless speaker on your Christmas wish list if so what is it?

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Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013

According to various sources a Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013. Microsoft apparently has plans to introduce a low-cost alternative to its Xbox console, designed to provide access to core entertainment services.

The set top box will be provided in addition to a full next generation Xbox console, in an attempt to further consolidate its presence in peoples living rooms as an entertainment device of choice. (Image credit: Flickr)

According to Tom Warren from the Verge reporting on the Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013 -

The device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games typically found on a dedicated console. Although hardware specifications aren't fully locked down, we understand Microsoft will use a chipset to enable an "always on" device that boots quickly and resumes to provide near-instant access to TV and entertainment services.

MICROSOFT'S XBOX PLATFORM FOR ALL TYPES OF DEVICES

Microsoft's Xbox set-top box work is said to be part of a broader effort to ensure its core architecture for the next-generation Xbox is scalable enough to be put together to run on a number of devices. We understand that the company could opt to combine its core system for the next Xbox with a phone stack to deliver a phone capable of running a full version of Microsoft's Xbox Live services. It has also investigated providing this functionality to TV OEMs, who could include the core services as part of a licensed Xbox television set.

We reached out to Microsoft for comment on its Xbox set-top box plans and the company issued the following statement:

"Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend the console lifecycle by introducing controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention."

The Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013 seems like a logical product extension for those who aren't so much into gaming but wanting to use more of the entertainment offerings. But will the Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013 bring us closer to cutting the cord? That remains to be seen with the content availability in the coming year. Let us know if the Xbox set top box for home theaters due in 2013 will make a difference to your home theater.

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Will cord cutting in the UK be more successful than in the US?

Will cord cutting in the UK be more successful than in the US is the question being asked given the current state of play. While many like the idea of cord cutting it has so far been neat impossible without losing access to many programs and premium content. (Image credit: Wikipedia)

According to Aaron Souppouris -

Over in the UK, however, things are starting to look a little brighter. The past five years has seen virtually all of the major players embrace digital content in some way, while American giants like Amazon and Netflix have invested heavily to capture the attention of the world’s second-largest (native) English-speaking population.

THE STATE OF PLAY
The UK has around 50 free-to-air, terrestrial channels that can be accessed by anyone with an aerial or a satellite dish. Pay TV is fairly popular, with around 50 percent of households subscribing to cable, satellite, or other premium TV services. For comparison, in the US around 85 percent of households subscribe to some form of pay TV.

So why the question - Will cord cutting in the UK be more successful than in the US? Because in the UK you can get a Sky Go package without the physical cable and still be able to get the full cable package at a slightly reduced rate. It is available to non-satellite customers at a slightly reduced rate: the full Go package with ESPN costs £49 ($78) while a comparable satellite package (which includes access to Go) will set you back roughly £65 ($103). Content can be accessed through iOS, Android devices and the Xbox 360 but you’re limited to a maximum of two registered devices.

Will cord cutting in the UK be more successful than in the US? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

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Mighty Dwarf BlueII Wireless Speaker

The Mighty Dwarf BlueII Wireless Speaker is a sleek device encased in a black glossy casing. Its a great Christmas gift as the unit comes in a solid gift box that uses magnets to keep a 'sneak peek' flap closed. (Image credit: Mighty Dwarf)

The Mighty Dwarf BlueII Wireless Speaker has a 360 degree listening experience. It is a Bluetooth wireless speaker, and it has a speaker and microphone together. In fact when paired with a phone, it can be quite a powerful and mobile conference call speakerphone! The tiny speaker offers 10 watts of power, but it seems like more because of the omnidirectional design.It is easy to pair, and I am surprised with the deep bass tones that it possesses. Check out the videos below.

It has the Lithium rechargeable battery. It does have the capability of being a speaker with the help of a 3.5 mm cable.

The Mighty Dwarf Blue II has a protective arch covering the tweeter. The Might Dwarf Blue II wireless speaker supports Bluetooth 2.1 wireless audio and has a USB rechargeable lithium battery. There are controls for volume, pause, and play, but of course you can also control your music using Bluetooth on your iPhone, iPad or other Bluetooth audio source. Let us know if you would use the Mighty Dwarf BlueII Wireless Speaker for a conference call on the go or as a personal wireless speaker with your mobile device.

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Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers

The Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers are 34 inch high tower with an 8-inch natural fiber woofer and a European-designed 1-inch silk dome tweeter. Eric Alexander creator of the Tekton M-Lore is also known for designing Aperion's original models and work with Sound Tube Entertainment. (Image credit: Tekton Design)

Eric sought to bridge the current gap between pro and home audio devices as he believes that most home HIFI loudspeakers just do not fit the bill in the department of realistic dynamics and transient attack, while pro audio is just not refined enough for the home HIFI market. The result drawn from experience and knowing the marketplace is a unique speaker which is gaining a lot of positive feedback and response.

The Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers can be ordered with just about any finish one could want to cover the thick MDF construction. Cherry veneers and cloth grilles can be ordered as extras. Speaker connectors are solid metal and gold plated instead of the usual plastic connectors that more expensive competitors come with.

According to Mike Zisserson -

The woofer is not countersunk to align phase of the extremely simple crossover in which the woofer runs full range and the tweeter has minimal components in its path. Eric informed me he sources the woofers from Eminence to his specification and tweeters from Vifa/Tymphany. The tweeter sits below the woofer which is rather rare, however it appears it was a simple design decision to attain proper summation of the drivers and good polar response. With Tekton, Alexander is doing exactly what he wants, making terrific affordable speakers in the U.S.. He has a number of patents in speaker design. The M-Lore, like all Tekton speakers is assembled, painted, and tested by Alexander in his factory in Utah.

Andrew Robinson says on the Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers specs that it -

has a reported frequency response of 38Hz to 20kHz with an efficiency of 95dB into a stable eight-Ohm load. To put it another way, the M-Lore is one easy-to-drive, super efficient loudspeaker that is well suited for virtually any system regardless of power or budget. Speaking of power, Tekton recommends anywhere between 100 and 250 Watts of total power in order to power the M-Lore "properly." Truthfully, you don't need anywhere near that much unless of course you're trying to recreate concert-like volume levels, in which case you'll want that much power on tap. However, due to their size and construction, Tekton recommends that the M-Lore loudspeakers be used in small to medium sized rooms. For larger rooms you'll probably want to step up to the Model Lore or perhaps Tekton's new flagship, the Pendragon.

While there are a lot of positives for the Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers the speakers height may not make it the ideal listening height. Chances are you may want to invest in a platform to raise the M-Lores up a bit so that the center of their eight-inch driver rests at approximately ear level. Also if small children or pets are around in the house then care will need to be taken so as not to damage the speakers drivers.

In terms of competition there really isn't any for the $650 price that the Tekton M-Lore is being offered at. The Zu Audio's OMEN loudspeaker and the Aperion Audio Intimus 4T Tower Speaker are priced similarly but do not compare to the Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers in terms of performance and sound for a floor standing, sub-$1,000 a pair loudspeaker.

Let us know what you think of the Tekton M-Lore home theater speakers in the comments below.

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