Get a Fluance Fi30 Bluetooth speaker for $99.96

The Fluance Fi30 is a shiny, stylish Bluetooth speaker available in white or black.

(Credit:Fluance)

First up, thanks for the incredible response to yesterday's post about Microsoft Office. Lots of good discussion, lots of very fair points on all sides. (Note that CNET's commenting system is down for the moment, so you can't add your two cents just now. Same goes for this post. Sorry about that! Hopefully it'll be sorted out soon.)

Second up, most of the Bluetooth speakers you see nowadays are of the compact, portable variety. Those can be great if you want something that can go where you go, even if it's just to different rooms of the house. But there's also much to be said for a bigger, louder speaker that takes up permanent residence in a living room, bedroom, den, or the like.

The folks at Fluance just introduced a new model with that kind of positioning in mind, and for a limited time, you can score one on the cheap. It's the Fluance Fi30 Bluetooth speaker for $99.96 shipped when you apply coupon code FI30CNET at checkout. Available in your choice of black or white, it normally sells for $149.99.

If it looks at all familiar, that's because the Fi30 is a slightly smaller version of the Fluance FiSDK500 speaker dock I've featured here before. It's constructed of the same medium-density fiberboard (MDF), which promises a warmer sound and more accurate response than a typical plastic enclosure. I can say from experience that the FiSDK500, a longtime resident in my kitchen, sounded terrific.

With the Fi30, though, there's no dock, nor even a set of volume or transport controls. The speaker was designed expressly to pair with your smartphone or tablet, though it does have a 3.5mm input in case you want to connect a non-Bluetooth player (like an older iPod). There's also a 2.1-amp USB port for charging your mobile device, a handy extra.

My favorite feature by far: The Fi30 remembers up to eight paired devices. That means if Mrs. Cheapskate wants to listen to music from her iPhone or Cheapskate Jr. wants to listen from his iPod Touch, no problem -- I don't have to un-pair my Android phone first, then re-pair it again later.

I haven't had any ears-on time with the Fi30, but David Carnoy reviewed the speaker just a week ago. Verdict: "The best sound for your Bluetooth buck." And that was based on a $149.99 price tag.

For $99.96 out the door, this is a great option for anyone seeking high-quality sound from a speaker that can sit on a bookshelf and look really good doing it. The coupon code is good through March 27.

Bonus deal: Happy birthday, Amazon Appstore! To celebrate, you can get a big pile of apps absolutely free. Grab Polaris Office (normally $12.99), Runtastic Pro (normally $4.99), mSecure Password Manager ($9.99), and a bunch of games, each for the enticing price of $0.

Bonus deal No. 2: Need a good read for the weekend? One of my all-time favorite books is on sale, today only, for Kindle: "City of Thieves" by David Benioff. Why does that name ring a bell? Oh, he's just the co-creator of a little TV show called "Game of Thrones." This novel came first, and it's a steal at $2.99. While you're at it, why not grab the Humble eBook Bundle 3, which lets you name your own price for an eclectic mix -- with bonuses for beating the average (currently $10.76).

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

Want to know more about The Cheapskate blog and how it works? Read our FAQ.

Find more deals and bargains on CNET Marketplace.

Topics: Electronics Tags: Bluetooth speakers, music, audio, home audio, speakers

View the Original article

Samsung SM-T805 (possibly a new Galaxy Tab Pro) receives its Bluetooth certification

 Samsung SM-T805 is an unannounced tablet that was first mentioned last week. This model number is already confirmed by Samsung, and its UA profile seems to further confirm that the device runs Android 4.4 KitKat and sports a display with 1600 x 2560 pixels.

We discovered that the Bluetooth SIG approved the SM-T805 earlier today, which means that Samsung may be getting ready to officially announce it in the near future.

Unfortunately, that’s about all we know regarding the SM-T805. However, its model number and the fact that it has a high-res display suggest that it may be a new Galaxy Tab Pro model. We could also assume that the SM-T805 might be a new tablet with an AMOLED screen, since Samsung is seemingly prepared to mass-produce AMOLED panels for tablets. Whatever this turns out to be, we’ll let you know.
source: Bluetooth SIG Share: Discuss8 Tweet

View the Original article

The 404 1,445: Where we beat up on Bluetooth (podcast)

Steve Guttenberg's back on the show! Today he'll tell us about his disturbing dreams about Bluetooth headphones, the results of poll on the worst audio format, why you shouldn't give any money to Neil Young's Pono music player, and more!

View the Original article

Bluetooth Headset Vigo Knows When You Are Tired Before You Do

Next StoryTim Cook Celebrates China Mobile’s iPhone Launch

When I was a student, sometimes I’d stab myself in the leg with the tip of my mechanical pencil to keep from dozing off during lectures. That usually didn’t work. Now sleepy students–and other people who need to stay alert for long periods of time–can benefit from Vigo, a Bluetooth headset that measures blinks and body movements to warn users if they are getting too drowsy.

Vigo can be potentially life-saving for drivers and people in other situations where losing alertness can be dangerous, especially since your brain can get fatigued before your body starts to feel tired. The device is currently on Kickstarter and has already reached more than $38,000 of its $50,000 goal, and with 15 days left to go, it has a decent chance of getting funded. The device’s early bird price is a very reasonable $59.

TechCrunch first wrote about Vigo in November while it participating in HAXLR8R, a hardware accelerator program based in Shenzhen, China. Vigo uses an infrared sensor, accelerometer, and its own algorithm to track patterns in your blinks and body movements to gauge your alertness in real-time, and sends you a warning if your energy levels start to drop.

View the Original article

Cobra announces CES lineup of mobile Bluetooth speakers and portable chargers

Cobra Electronics will debut its new series of AirWave Bluetooth speakers and solar powered mobile chargers, as well as the JumPack powerpack.

View the Original article