Latest news with #Bluetooth5.0
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any car for just £31 on Amazon
Third party screens are becoming incredibly popular - but they're rarely this cheap | Amazon This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. For just £31, this clever Amazon gadget gives you Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any car, with a full 7-inch screen and wireless phone pairing. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are transforming the way we interact with the infotainment systems in modern cars. Manufacturers are starting to back away from adding their own tech, acknowledging we're just going to bypass it anyway. And that's all fine if your car has a modern screen on the dashboard, but many cars over five years old don't, and most cars over 10 years old don't either. That did leave a lot of us with no way of enjoying this new way to mirror our phone's functions in a safe, simple way. But technology has the answer. If you don't like hard plastics, look away now - but it's all so appropriate in the Duster. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in high-spec models is a welcome touch, though Third party screens like this one, on Amazon, are proving incredibly popular now, because they stick on to your dashboard or windscreen and give you that modern infotainment screen in just about any car. All you're going to need is a 12 power supply, and you're away. Your phone will connect wirelessly as soon as it's powered up and either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay will pop up on the screen. At the moment, if you can catch the deal, you'll be able to buy one for just £31.44 - and that's including free delivery. That price gets you a seven-inch display (there's a 10.26-inch version for £45.04) and it comes with a built-in speaker, a 1080p touch screen, and Bluetooth 5.0. It has a built-in speaker, but it won't sound as good as your car stereo | Amazon You can make calls, receive messages, listen to music and podcasts, or use your phone's navigation apps, all from one display. All handsfree. While the built-in speakers will enable you to use this unit in any car, you will probably want to try to connect it to your stereo. For the best result, you'd need an Aux input, but there's also a way to send a signal through radio waves too. There's even an input for a reversing camera signal, although you'd need to buy the camera separately and install it to your car. But for a quick, simple, and incredibly cheap way to transform your car and bring it into the 21st Century, this is worth every penny of its £31.44 price. Don't miss the deal. Selling your car? Here's the fastest way to get cash – and how it compares to rivals Thinking of selling your car this summer? It all starts with a valuation – and you can get one in under a minute with WeBuyAnyCar. With over 500 branches across the UK and same-day payment available, it's one of the quickest ways to find out what your vehicle is worth and get the cash if you're ready to sell. Used car prices have stayed surprisingly strong, especially for economical hatchbacks and SUVs. Whether you're upgrading for road trips or switching to a hybrid, a fast online quote can give you a solid starting point – even if you're still weighing up your options. To see how WeBuyAnyCar stacks up against other top car-selling platforms like Motorway, Carwow and Auto Trader, read our full article comparing the UK's most popular car sales sites here.
Scotsman
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scotsman
Get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any car for just £31 on Amazon
Third party screens are becoming incredibly popular - but they're rarely this cheap | Amazon This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. For just £31, this clever Amazon gadget gives you Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any car, with a full 7-inch screen and wireless phone pairing. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are transforming the way we interact with the infotainment systems in modern cars. Manufacturers are starting to back away from adding their own tech, acknowledging we're just going to bypass it anyway. And that's all fine if your car has a modern screen on the dashboard, but many cars over five years old don't, and most cars over 10 years old don't either. That did leave a lot of us with no way of enjoying this new way to mirror our phone's functions in a safe, simple way. But technology has the answer. If you don't like hard plastics, look away now - but it's all so appropriate in the Duster. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in high-spec models is a welcome touch, though Third party screens like this one, on Amazon, are proving incredibly popular now, because they stick on to your dashboard or windscreen and give you that modern infotainment screen in just about any car. All you're going to need is a 12 power supply, and you're away. Your phone will connect wirelessly as soon as it's powered up and either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay will pop up on the screen. At the moment, if you can catch the deal, you'll be able to buy one for just £31.44 - and that's including free delivery. That price gets you a seven-inch display (there's a 10.26-inch version for £45.04) and it comes with a built-in speaker, a 1080p touch screen, and Bluetooth 5.0. It has a built-in speaker, but it won't sound as good as your car stereo | Amazon You can make calls, receive messages, listen to music and podcasts, or use your phone's navigation apps, all from one display. All handsfree. While the built-in speakers will enable you to use this unit in any car, you will probably want to try to connect it to your stereo. For the best result, you'd need an Aux input, but there's also a way to send a signal through radio waves too. There's even an input for a reversing camera signal, although you'd need to buy the camera separately and install it to your car. But for a quick, simple, and incredibly cheap way to transform your car and bring it into the 21st Century, this is worth every penny of its £31.44 price. Don't miss the deal. Selling your car? Here's the fastest way to get cash – and how it compares to rivals Thinking of selling your car this summer? It all starts with a valuation – and you can get one in under a minute with WeBuyAnyCar. With over 500 branches across the UK and same-day payment available, it's one of the quickest ways to find out what your vehicle is worth and get the cash if you're ready to sell. Used car prices have stayed surprisingly strong, especially for economical hatchbacks and SUVs. Whether you're upgrading for road trips or switching to a hybrid, a fast online quote can give you a solid starting point – even if you're still weighing up your options.
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Daily Record
Amazon slashes price of 'excellent' Bluetooth speaker with 27k five-star reviews
Bring the tunes wherever you are: at home, the beach, the park, or in the garden A Bluetooth speaker is a summer essential. Whether at home, in the garden, at the beach or the campsite, getting a good portable speaker is a must for enjoying music wherever you are. Finding a good speaker for an affordable price can, however, be difficult. Shoppers want the perfect balance between sound quality, battery life and portability, and there are so many on the market to choose from. For a limited time, the new version of the classic Anker Bluetooth Speaker is now down to £18.99 from £31.99 on Amazon. The black speaker, although small, has advanced audio with full-bodied stereo that delivers a deep bass and powerful volumes with two high-sensitivity drivers. Shoppers no longer have to worry about speakers dying halfway through a social gathering as the Anker option has a 24-hour battery life. As the UK has unpredictable weather, many people consider whether a product is weather-resistant and waterproof before purchasing. The Anker speaker has an IPX5-rated casing, which offers complete protection against liquids. It also has high connectivity, and Bluetooth 5.0 enables instant pairing and connection up to 66 feet away. Whether it's to a park gathering or to the back garden, the small, lightweight speaker can easily be taken anywhere, hassle-free. However, if this speaker isn't quite right for shoppers, there are a number of others to choose from. For a pricier option, shoppers could try the Marshall Kilburn II Portable Wireless Speaker for £227.95 from Debenhams, which can deliver sound for over 20 hours, can be connected either wirelessly via Bluetooth or using a traditional wired connection and is IPX2 water resistant. Another choice could be the JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker in Black for £89 from Currys, which is waterproof, has up to 12 hours of battery life, can be connected to Bluetooth and comes with a two-year guarantee. However, the Anker Bluetooth Speaker did get a 4.6 out of 5-star rating on Amazon. One shopper wrote: 'This is a perfect portable speaker. We used it for our garden parties this summer and everyone was impressed by how loud and clear this system was. Easy to connect, four family members have also purchased this.' Another said: 'Yet another excellent product by Anker. All around fantastic product for the price range. I'm not disappointed.' Not everyone was as impressed with the speaker, however, as one person commented: 'Nice sound. Decent bass. Only gets three stars because of the rubbery coating.' 'Despite its small size, which allows for easy transportation, sound quality and volume are both great,' said another shopper. 'The battery life is also amazing.'
Forbes
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Best Karaoke Machines That'll Keep You Singing Into The Night
One of the best ways to keep the cool vibes going at your next party is to add a karaoke machine. Some of the best karaoke machines offer screens to display lyrics, while others emphasize portability—just tuck it in your bag to take to a gathering. We named the Tonor K20 Wireless Karaoke Machine as the best karaoke machine overall: It has a display for lyrics plus a fun disco ball that adds extra flair. And for the inevitable duet—or rap battle—it comes with two wireless microphones. The best karaoke machines help take your party to the next level and include fun features like disco ... More balls and voice effects. But if $250 is more than you'd like to spend on a music machine, the Bonaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Machine retails for less than $50—and because it's a karaoke machine built into a handheld microphone, it's quite portable. You can even have fun with the whole family—the Move2Play Kidz Bop Karaoke Microphone was designed with kids in mind, so parents can monitor what songs the kids sing. Read on for our list of the best karaoke machines you can add to your party today. Amazon Connectivity: USB port, microSD card slot and 3.5mm audio jack | Included microphones: Two wireless | Recording playback: Yes Pros: Cons: The Tonor K20 Wireless Karaoke Machine features one eight-inch subwoofer and two three-inch tweeters built into a wood enclosure to reduce distortion and enhance the bass. It's Bluetooth 5.0 compatible to connect all your peripherals, and it has plenty of ports, including Micro SD cards, USB and AUX so you can connect your phone, tablet and other devices. Plus, you don't need to keep it plugged in: The 7,000mAh battery can last up to 12 hours so you can keep the party going late into the night, even outdoors or away from outlets. And you can also record your karaoke sessions on this machine. Another fun feature? It has a built-in disco ball and color LED lights that can sync to your music's beats to give your party some extra fun vibes. It also has a remote, and comes with two wireless microphones and mic rests for easy access. Just keep in mind that it's bulky, so you can't tuck it into your bag. It's also pretty pricey compared to others that made our list. Still, its slew of extra features make this well worth the investment. What our editors say: Deputy editor Rose Gordon Sala says, 'The Tonor karaoke system sounds great, and the disco light show adds a fun dimension to it. We appreciate the Bluetooth sync, because it lets us call up the latest songs (and the oldies) for tweens and grandparents alike via Apple Music or Spotify. We simply set our iPhone or iPad up with the lyrics and pass the mics around.' Amazon Connectivity: 3.5mm audio cord, Bluetooth, micro USB | Included microphone: One wireless microphone with built-in speaker | Recording playback: Yes, via phone app Pros: Cons: You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a karaoke machine to have a blast—the Bokaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Machine costs around $25, and for the price, you get a surprising number of features. The microphone has a ton of controls to adjust voice, echo and music volume, and it comes with handy play/pause and forward/rewind buttons. It's also compatible with a 3.5 headphone jack, offers a micro SD card slot for up to 32GB or storage and has a micro-USB port. You can also choose whichever color you want—it comes in all the colors of the rainbow, though you can opt for plain black if that's your style. It lasts up to 10 hours on a charge. There are a few drawbacks. For starters, there's no USB-C port, which is the gold standard for charging and connectivity. You also can't pair two microphones to sing duets, and the sound quality won't be as robust as other options we've found. Still, for less than $50, this is great for those testing out karaoke for the first time or those who don't want to spend a ton on a machine. Amazon Connectivity: 3.5mm audio cord, Bluetooth, micro USB | Included microphone: One wireless microphone with built-in speaker | Recording playback: No Pros: Cons: For the budding artist, the family-friendly Move2Play Kiz Bop Karaoke Microphone can connect to all your favorite music streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music. As a heads up, it only connects via Bluetooth, not micro USB, so plan to connect it to your phone, tablet or computer for creative play. It has four different silly sounds, including a high-pitch, low-pitch, monster voice and echo effect—perfect for kids who want to experiment with their audio. It also comes in three fun colors. Because it's entirely contained in a handheld microphone, you can also easily pack it in your bag to take to a play date, too. The battery life lasts six hours, which is plenty of time for the family, but be aware that parents have complained that it's very loud. Moreover, volume controls are somewhat limited, too. Also, that micro USB port is solely for charging—and more importantly, it's not USB-C. But for around $25, it's an affordable option that can provide hours of creative play for your kids. Amazon Connectivity: HDMI port, 3.5mm audio jack and Bluetooth | Included microphones: Two wireless | Recording playback: No Pros: Cons: You may be on the fence about investing in a karaoke machine if you already have speakers—and if this is the case, the Sound Town SWM15-PROS may be the right karaoke machine for you. We use the term loosely: It's an accompaniment to your home entertainment system that connects to your TV or projector via the HDMI cable or Bluetooth. It's fairly easy to set up, and it supports most soundbars. As with any piece of tech equipment, make sure to double-check that it's compatible with your chosen speaker. Its sleek and understated build means you can tuck it away in your home entertainment console when not in use, too. It supports up to 16 frequencies and has independent volume controls on the device, including echo and tone adjustments. The system allows you to adjust the microphone volumes, too. While it comes with two wireless microphones, you can also add two wired microphones, if you prefer. That said, because it doesn't have a built-in speaker, you'll need to supply your own. There are also a few reports of flawed wireless connections from users. Amazon Connectivity: 3.5mm audio jack and Bluetooth | Included microphones: Two wired | Recording playback: No Pros: Cons: You can take our budget pick, the Bonaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone, with you for karaoke, but you'd be missing out on some of the extras that can take your karaoke sessions to the next level like fun LED lights and a disco ball. The Singstation Star Burst Karaoke Machine adds these elements and keeps everything in a much smaller package than our top pick, the Tonor K20. Comparatively, the Singstation weighs only five pounds. For its size, its audio is fairly powerful. It's not as powerful as the Tonor, but it does the trick just fine. The Singstation offers multiple volume and echo controls, and they're all conveniently placed on the right side for easy access. The wired microphones also make it easy to keep everything together. One thing to note: It runs on eight AA batteries—it's not rechargeable. Our team at Forbes Vetted includes several experts who have tested a broad range of audio products, ranging from the best wireless headphones to the best wireless earbuds. We leveraged our editors' tech expertise and hands-on experience playing with karaoke machines while researching the best karaoke machines and comparing the specs of each. Based on our testing and research, the best karaoke machine is the Tonor K20 Wireless Karaoke Machine. It has a powerful speaker and it comes with fun extras like a disco ball and a display to hold up your tablet so you can see the lyrics. A karaoke machine plays your favorite music. But instead of listening to the artist sing, the machine removes the vocals, placing you on center stage instead. Using your own mobile device or a built-in display, you can sing the songs. If your machine has a second microphone, you can sing a duet with a friend as well. According to Tom Terronez, CEO of Medix Dental IT, 'the ability to connect the karaoke machine to externals speakers around the home or in multiple rooms,' is a must-have so you can enjoy your karaoke from any space. Additionally, you want to decide, 'whether your microphone is wireless or not.' After all, if it's wireless, you'll need to consider the microphone's battery life. Of course, since you're singing karaoke, 'integration of lyrics to external displays or TVs," should also be a factor. Pay attention to whether or not you have to mount your own tablet to the machine or if it comes with a built-in display.
Mint
23-04-2025
- Mint
ALOGIC Echelon wireless keyboard and mouse review: Quiet, capable, and convenient
The ALOGIC Echelon USB-C Rechargeable Wireless Keyboard and Mouse combo arrives with practical ambitions - cutting clutter, lasting longer on a single charge, and easing into a modern multi-device setup without demanding too much from the user. While many peripherals overpromise and underdeliver, this combo focuses on doing the basics right - and for the most part, it succeeds. The keyboard features a full-size layout complete with a number pad - something spreadsheet warriors will appreciate. While the keys are powered by membrane switches, the tactile response is surprisingly decent. They offer a subtle, cushioned feedback that sits somewhere between a scissor switch and a quiet mechanical key - satisfying without being noisy. Shortcut keys for functions like cut, copy, paste, email, and search are neatly arranged, trimming down repetitive actions. You don't get backlighting, which might be a miss for those working late into the night, but the omission is likely a nod to battery life. And it works -ALOGIC claims the built-in lithium-ion cells can last weeks between charges, and that estimate holds up in real-world use. Check out some keyboards below: The keyboard's design is understated. Built from high-quality plastic, it's light enough to move around your desk with one hand, yet feels sturdy enough to survive daily wear. Its fixed incline and gently rounded edges help reduce strain over long sessions, although the lack of adjustable feet or a wrist rest might be noticeable for some. The mouse matches this minimal ethos. With a low-profile body and three buttons, it feels natural under the hand without drawing attention to itself. The scroll wheel is smooth and responsive - perfect for document editing and web browsing. While it doesn't offer DPI adjustment, tracking across surfaces is solid, thanks to a reliable optical sensor. One of the Echelon's biggest strengths is its plug-and-play versatility. You get three wireless options - Bluetooth 3.0, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 2.4GHz connection via a USB-A receiver. Pairing is quick, and switching between devices is straightforward. I tried bouncing between a laptop, a tablet, and a phone with minimal delay, and there wasn't a hiccup during use. ALOGIC's decision to go with USB-C charging pays off here - no fumbling for outdated cables. Plus, you can use the peripherals while charging, which eliminates the usual downtime. Over two weeks of regular use on a single charge suggests most users won't be reaching for the charger often. Check out some mouse options below: This combo doesn't chase gaming specs or demand extra software. And that's a good thing. It's a functional, well-built peripheral set aimed at people who want reliability across devices without the drama. The lack of customisation options might not sit well with power users, but if your needs are straightforward - typing, navigating, and occasional multitasking across devices - the ALOGIC Echelon handles it all quietly and efficiently. At around ₹ 6,990, it's not the cheapest option around, but it delivers value through thoughtful design and real-world performance. It's less about redefining workspaces and more about supporting them without fuss - and sometimes, that's exactly what you need. Disclaimer: Mint has an affiliate marketing partnership, which means we may get some commission on purchases you make through the retailer sites links provided. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, which is free from any bias or marketing pitch. We strive to provide accurate and unbiased information to help you make informed decisions. We recommend verifying details with the retailer before making a purchase.
