Latest news with #Bang&Olufsen
NBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- NBC News
Caviar and privacy: Airlines' business-class wars are here
DALLAS — Armed with dollops of caviar and handfuls of Bang & Olufsen headphones, U.S. airlines are duking it out for international business-class dominance. There are even differences between seats in the same cabin. Next week, American Airlines plans to start flying its upgraded business-class 'suites' that feature today's premium-class must-have — a sliding door — and other features like a 'trinket tray' and a wireless charging pad. Within the cabins on its subset of Boeing Dreamliners, which American is calling the 787-9P (the P stands for premium), there will be eight 'Preferred' suites that the airline says will have 42% more 'living area.' They'll be first come, first serve with no upcharge, at least for now. United Airlines is hoping to outdo its rivals by putting doors on its Polaris long-haul business class seats; creating a new option at the front of the cabin called 'Polaris Studio,' which has an ottoman (for a visitor); and installing 27-inch 4K screens. The studios are 25% larger than regular suites, United says. It hasn't yet said how much more it will charge for the studios over the standard suites. Having an even-higher tier of seats within long-haul top-tier classes has been catching on. Virgin Atlantic has the 'Retreat Suite' at the front of Upper Class on its Airbus A330s and Lufthansa is offering a two-person suite in its new Allegris first class that can be converted into a double bed. Etihad has a three-room option called 'The Residence' on Airbus A380s, which can cost $20,000 or more for a one-way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, though the airline varies how it uses those jets. 'The experience here is a way to give not only our existing customers a wider range of products to pick from,' Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told reporters earlier this month. 'We just didn't have something better, and now we do.' American and United took a page from Delta Air Lines, the most profitable U.S. carrier, which already offers suites with sliding doors in its Delta One cabin. The Atlanta-based carrier, in turn, last year opened a dedicated lounge for the highest-tier customers, a move American and United had already made. Betting on business Business-class tickets are costly for many consumers. A ticket aboard American's new suite, leaving Aug. 8 and returning a week later, is going for $5,747 from Philadelphia to London, compared with $867 in standard coach. Getting more customers to pay up for pricier seats is key for an industry with high costs and thin margins. Delta had a 7.6% pretax margin last year, United had 7.3%, while American's was 2.1%, and the broader S&P 500 ′s was 12.8%, according to FactSet data. Airline executives are banking more than ever that consumers will continue to splurge on better travel experiences despite weaker-than-expected demand for lower-priced tickets like domestic coach this year. 'I think it's growing this much because the experience in economy is so bad,' said Robert Mann, who worked at several airlines and is president of aviation consulting firm R.W. Mann & Co. Airlines have been updating their cabins for years and they have become so elaborate that they have slowed down some aircraft deliveries because of supply chain snarls and bottlenecks in regulators' certification. American is using the new suites in a combined, larger business-class for international travel, and getting rid of its first class, for the most part. By many measures, though, including space and amenities, the service is higher end than many 'first class' cabins of the past. 'Really, business [class] is starting to become so similar it was hard to really differentiate, and we want to make sure we offer as many business-class seats as we can,' said Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer. The name matters. 'A lot of corporations will not permit the purchase of first class, but they will permit business class,' said Mann. Airline executives have been confident about their push to invest billions in the more luxurious cabins, brushing off signs of a possible economic downturn. 'We're at a really uncertain economic time right now and premium demand has remained solid,' Garboden said. Wealthier people 'tend to do OK even in a recession,' Mann noted. The number of premium seats is rising along with the experience. American said by the end of the decade it will increase its lie-flat seats and premium economy seating by 50%. The airline also recently said it will offer free satellite Wi-Fi to its loyalty program members, following Delta and United. United is also growing its cabin with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners outfitted with eight 'Polaris Studios,' in a 1-2-1 configuration and 56 Polaris business class suites. Currently, the planes only have 48 Polaris seats. It expects to have 30 Dreamliners with the new interior by 2027 but a first flight, between United's San Francisco hub and Singapore, is set for early 2026, the airline said earlier this month. Softer touches The carriers are also trying to raise the bar on the so-called 'soft product' like plush bedding and comforts like noise-cancelling headphones. American announced last month that it won't collect its Bang & Olufsen headphones from Flagship travelers before landing so they can keep watching movies and other entertainment longer. 'Polaris food and beverage offerings are being upgraded at the same time with enhanced meal choices on all new dishware, glassware and fresh white linens,' United's Nocella said. 'We've even added red pepper flakes in addition to salt and pepper so passengers can spice up their meals.' While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don't have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines. United is planning an amuse bouche of Ossetra caviar for Polaris. Meanwhile, in first class in Emirates , which has larger aircraft with the Airbus A380, travelers have access to showers on board and 'unlimited' caviar service. For some, good service is simpler. 'I could be sitting up front or I can be sitting in the back but if the plane's late, the plane's late,' Mann said.
CNBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Caviar and privacy: Airlines' business-class wars are here
DALLAS — Armed with dollops of caviar and handfuls of Bang & Olufsen headphones, U.S. airlines are duking it out for international business-class dominance. There are even differences between seats in the same cabin. Next week, American Airlines plans to start flying its upgraded business-class "suites" that feature today's premium-class must-have — a sliding door — and other features like a "trinket tray" and a wireless charging pad. Within the cabins on its subset of Boeing Dreamliners, which American is calling the 787-9P (the P stands for premium), there will be eight "Preferred" suites that the airline says will have 42% more "living area." They'll be first come, first serve with no upcharge, at least for now. United Airlines is hoping to outdo its rivals by putting doors on its Polaris long-haul business class seats; creating a new option at the front of the cabin called "Polaris Studio," which has an ottoman (for a visitor); and installing 27-inch 4K screens. The studios are 25% larger than regular suites, United says. It hasn't yet said how much more it will charge for the studios over the standard suites. Having an even-higher tier of seats within long-haul top-tier classes has been catching on. Virgin Atlantic has the "Retreat Suite" at the front of Upper Class on its Airbus A330s and Lufthansa is offering a two-person suite in its new Allegris first class that can be converted into a double bed. Etihad has a three-room option called "The Residence" on Airbus A380s, which can cost $20,000 or more for a one-way ticket between New York and Abu Dhabi, though the airline varies how it uses those jets. "The experience here is a way to give not only our existing customers a wider range of products to pick from," Andrew Nocella, United's chief commercial officer, told reporters earlier this month. "We just didn't have something better, and now we do." American and United took a page from Delta Air Lines, the most profitable U.S. carrier, which already offers suites with sliding doors in its Delta One cabin. The Atlanta-based carrier, in turn, last year opened a dedicated lounge for the highest-tier customers, a move American and United had already made. Business-class tickets are costly for many consumers. A ticket aboard American's new suite, leaving Aug. 8 and returning a week later, is going for $5,747 from Philadelphia to London, compared with $867 in standard coach. Getting more customers to pay up for pricier seats is key for an industry with high costs and thin margins. Delta had a 7.6% pretax margin last year, United had 7.3%, while American's was 2.1%, and the broader S&P 500's was 12.8%, according to FactSet data. Airline executives are banking more than ever that consumers will continue to splurge on better travel experiences despite weaker-than-expected demand for lower-priced tickets like domestic coach this year. "I think it's growing this much because the experience in economy is so bad," said Robert Mann, who worked at several airlines and is president of aviation consulting firm R.W. Mann & Co. Airlines have been updating their cabins for years and they have become so elaborate that they have slowed down some aircraft deliveries because of supply chain snarls and bottlenecks in regulators' certification. American is using the new suites in a combined, larger business-class for international travel, and getting rid of its first class, for the most part. By many measures, though, including space and amenities, the service is higher end than many "first class" cabins of the past. "Really, business [class] is starting to become so similar it was hard to really differentiate, and we want to make sure we offer as many business-class seats as we can," said Heather Garboden, American's chief customer officer. The name matters. "A lot of corporations will not permit the purchase of first class, but they will permit business class," said Mann. Airline executives have been confident about their push to invest billions in the more luxurious cabins, brushing off signs of a possible economic downturn. "We're at a really uncertain economic time right now and premium demand has remained solid," Garboden said. Wealthier people "tend to do OK even in a recession," Mann noted. The number of premium seats is rising along with the experience. American said by the end of the decade it will increase its lie-flat seats and premium economy seating by 50%. The airline also recently said it will offer free satellite Wi-Fi to its loyalty program members, following Delta and United. United is also growing its cabin with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners outfitted with eight "Polaris Studios," in a 1-2-1 configuration and 56 Polaris business class suites. Currently, the planes only have 48 Polaris seats. It expects to have 30 Dreamliners with the new interior by 2027 but a first flight, between United's San Francisco hub and Singapore, is set for early 2026, the airline said earlier this month. The carriers are also trying to raise the bar on the so-called "soft product" like plush bedding and comforts like noise-cancelling headphones. American announced last month that it won't collect its Bang & Olufsen headphones from Flagship travelers before landing so they can keep watching movies and other entertainment longer. "Polaris food and beverage offerings are being upgraded at the same time with enhanced meal choices on all new dishware, glassware and fresh white linens," United's Nocella said. "We've even added red pepper flakes in addition to salt and pepper so passengers can spice up their meals." While the top-tier business class is offering higher tech and more high-touch service, the carriers don't have the over-the-top amenities of international airlines. United is planning an amuse bouche of Ossetra caviar for Polaris. Meanwhile, in first class in Emirates , which has larger aircraft with the Airbus A380, travelers have access to showers on board and "unlimited" caviar service. For some, good service is simpler. "I could be sitting up front or I can be sitting in the back but if the plane's late, the plane's late," Mann said.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
TCL launches QM8K Mini-LED TV with 144Hz refresh rate, Atmos FlexConnect and powerful B&O sound system
TCL has finally announced its flagship Mini-LED TV for 2025 in the QM8K, which takes up a slew of incredible features that make it stand out against the rest. Confusing as it might sound, the QM8K isn't an 8K model, but a 4K LCD TV with a 144Hz refresh rate. It replaces last year's QM851G, sporting a whole new panel, "ZeroBorder" design, and an enhanced audio system made by Bang & Olufsen. You can already scoop one up today in both a 65-inch and 85-inch sizes at participating retailers, starting at $2,499. TCL has gifted the new and improved QM8K Mini-LED TV a fresh new VA panel that purportedly improves upon the dreaded off-axis viewing issues on many such TVs. Even some of the best TVs with Mini-LED backlighting have poor angled viewing, but thanks to its WHVA (Wide Horizontal Viewing Angle) panel that leverages sophisticated subpixels, the QM8K amends these complaints. TCL has also gifted the QM8K a new 'Precise Dimming" Mini-LED system that makes HDR content look superb. The technology essentially enhances contrast and also targets minimal lag between Mini-LED zones, specifically in Game mode. We'll have to get the TCL QM8K in for testing before we can nominate it among the best gaming TVs, but all signs are looking positive. Kitted with a 144Hz refresh rate that can even ramp up to 288Hz in 1080p resolution, it's got some serious spunk that's made all the better with its incredibly thin border. Of all the features you can praise the QM8K for, its bear-bezel-less design is an immediate standout. The screen looks as if it's floating in front of you with a 3-4mm "ZeroBorder" framing that will look fantastic when wall-mounted. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you thought the design and base specs of this new Mini-LED TV were enough, there's more to love. TCL has partnered with Bang & Olufsen to design a punchy sound system that fills the room using up-firing speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Speaking of Dolby Atmos, the TCL QM8K is the first TV to come equipped with a new FlexConnect feature that aims to rid the entertainment setup of pesky wires. You'll be able to seamlessly combine FlexConnect-supported speakers throughout the living room to expert surround sound directly with your TV. You can already buy the TCL QM8K Mini-LED TV today at Best Buy in both the 65-inch and 85-inch models. TCL says the 75-inch and 98-inch models are bound for official debut in June. At $2,499 for its 65-inch set, the TCL QM8K does have a steep asking price, especially in the face of Hisense's rather budget U8QG that's just $1,397 on Amazon at the time of writing.
Phone Arena
15-05-2025
- Business
- Phone Arena
The Beosound Explore just became your new adventure companion with this 34% discount
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore in Green: Save $86! $86 off (34%) The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore in Green is now available on Amazon with a fantastic $86 discount, dropping the price to just under $164. Built for adventure, this tough speaker boasts an IP67 rating for durability and delivers immersive 360-degree audio. Don't wait—grab one for less now! Buy at Amazon Receive the latest mobile news Subscribe By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy If you're on the hunt for a portable speaker that's built to keep up with your adventures, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is the one you should go for. Unlike many of its high-end counterparts, this one isn't made to complement your home's stylish interior—it's designed to be your go-to travel companion, whether you're hiking, camping, or just enjoying the great of the best things about the Beosound Explore is its price. Bang & Olufsen is known for premium audio gear that usually comes with hefty price tags, but this rugged little powerhouse is much more affordable, especially right an MSRP of just under $250, it's already one of the more budget-friendly options from the brand. And at the moment, you can snag one at a massive 34% discount. This lets you pick one up for under $164, saving you around $86. That being said, this offer is exclusive to the green option, though other colors are also on sale at lower what does the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore get you? Well, for starters, it delivers the rich, high-quality sound the brand is known for. Its 360-degree audio ensures a balanced listening experience, and you can even tweak the audio using the EQ in the companion app to get it just right for your personal its design doesn't scream luxury, its IP67 rating screams durability, as the speaker is fully dustproof and can handle being submerged in up to three feet of water for half an hour. Plus, it boasts an impressive 27-hour battery life, meaning you won't have to worry about recharging while you're out and nice touch is its handy carabiner clip, which you can use to easily attach the speaker to your backpack and take it wherever you in all, this is an incredible deal on a speaker that's durable, portable, and offers high-quality sound. So, don't hesitate—save on one now!
Press and Journal
13-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen's Holburn HiFi hitting the right notes despite retail challenges
For the past 52 years Holburn HiFi in Aberdeen has been helping music fans stay connected. The popular audio visual supplier has faced some tough times with retail challenges in the city. Despite this owner Jonathan Turner has continued to adapt the business and is seeing a growing demand for its installation service. Holburn HiFi not only works in homes but also commercial projects. The shop sells audio equipment and home cinema products from brands such as Bang & Olufsen, Sony, Sonos and Technics. Jonathan took over the running of the Holburn Street shop when he was just 21. He was able to buy the business with the help of an uncle who financed the deal along with other family members. Jonathan said: 'Retail in Aberdeen is generally tough. 'I think in times like these, people are a bit more careful about what they buy, they want things that are well built and are going to last a long time. 'We're selling higher-end kit, so it's people that are making an investment in maybe a turntable or a whole system that will last them a long time. 'Turntables are still a big thing and you'd be amazed how many we sell.' One thing that always proves popular with customers is the annual Record Store Day which saw customers start queuing at 11pm the night before. Its installation business, named Holburn Co, has continued to grow with Jonathan now employing five member of staff. He said: 'It's a growing part of the business, that needed a dedicated team. 'Although we do home automation, we also do commercial work as well. 'There's all sorts of jobs in weird and wonderful places. 'One project is on Papa Stour, which involves taking a ferry to Shetland, driving across Shetland, then getting another ferry again just to reach the site. 'We've also worked at the coffee shop in Balmoral Castle.' Jonathan also owns Glasgow Audio which provides the same services as Holburn Co. Looking to the future Jonathan is planning to expand the Glasgow team and hasn't ruled out expanding into other areas in the future.
