Tag: Speaker

LG And Samsung To Showcase Smartphones With In-display Speakers

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest annual trade shows that is held in the month of January. The show is organised by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) in Las Vegas, United States. During the event, several companies from around the globe showcase the latest innovations and developments. In the past decade, smartphones have taken centre stage at CES and the same is expected from the 2019 event which is scheduled for 8 January-12 January. ETNews, a Korean news agency claims that LG and Samsung will showcase smartphones with an in-display earpiece speaker.

What Is An In-display Speaker?

Conventional speakers on smartphones make use of a diaphragm which is connected to a voice coil. The voice coil, when charged with a magnetic field, causes the diaphragm to vibrate up and down to produce sound. However, smartphones with an in-display earpiece speaker are reported to use a piezo sensor. It is a disc-like component which also produces sound. In comparison to normal speakers, the piezo sensor is very thin and sleek therefore they can easily be mounted behind the surface of a display panel.

Advantages of In-Display Speaker

It is apparent that smartphone manufacturers are trying to pack in as many components as possible in a small form factor smartphone. Hence, the use of an In-Display piezo sensor speaker will allow companies to save up on valuable space inside of a smartphone. This extra space can be utilised for other important components like a larger battery and powerful processor. Furthermore, a smartphone with this technology can significantly reduce the noise that is emitted outside the call. It can be promoted as a feature that is vital for confidential phone calls.

Developments From LG And Samsung

Also Read: Flipkart Mobiles Bonanza Sale: Best Deals On Top Smartphones- Part 1

LG has previously showcased CSO (Crystal Sound OLED) panels for monitors and televisions. As the name suggests, Crystal Sound OLED is a type of display panel that can emit sound waves and this display can be seen on the smartphones at CES 2019. Samsung has also showcased a similar type of SoD technology panel. The Sound on Display (SoD) panel has an under panel sound sensor.

December 27, 2018
Apple HomePod Spotted Ahead Of December Launch

Apple unveiled the HomePod during its annual WWDC event in 2017 and is expected to officially launch it in December. A recent Instagram post by, who seems like a supply chain worker, of the HomePod has shed more light on what the smart speaker will look like when it is launched. The user posted a photo of the speaker on Instagram with the hashtag #HomePod and the location is pinned to Shanghai, China. In the image, what seems like the user’s kitchen, you can see the HomePod, a charger, and its box.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfhudMAzIN/

Later, a Twitter user posted a screenshot showing a HomePod appeared in the control center of his iPhone while driving through Menlo Park in California. The HomePod is labeled ‘Kitchen’ and it seems like an Apple employee is testing the smart speaker in their home. Lately, HomePod has been in the news for more being more than just a smart speaker. After Apple accidentally released the firmware of HomePod, several details about the upcoming iPhone were fished out by experts, ranging from a virtual home button to facial recognition to bezel-less display.

https://twitter.com/BenedictEvans/status/905977272959512576

The two images barely reveal anything about the HomePod and a lot of it was already revealed by the firmware. The launch of the HomePod is set for December, but, before December comes, the September 12 launch event is just around the corner where Apple might announce the all new iPhone. Stay tuned for more details.

September 8, 2017
Top AmazonBasics Wireless Bluetooth Speakers

Amazon may be one of the largest marketplaces in the world, but the company does have a whole host of products up it’s sleeve. AmazonBasics is one such line of products that gives you whole host of quality products with several options to choose from.

Speakers is one such category, and we are today listing the top speakers we found from AmazonBasics for you guys to choose from.

1. AmazonBasics Ultra-Portable Nano Bluetooth Speaker

This compact and lightweight speaker packs a punch, it runs for 6 hours on a full charge, and has an inbuilt mic to handle calls. The rubberized handle doubles up as a clamp to hang the speaker potentially anywhere. The speaker does have a splash proof design.

2. AmazonBasics RED Portable Bluetooth Speaker

This portable speaker is perfect for your desktop or table top with a good looking design. The candy red color is one of the three options available. The speaker has ample bass for it’s size with its 2 internal 2.5-watt speakers and 2 full-range drivers. The speaker also works with auxiliary input in case you want to go analog.

3. AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof Bluetooth Mini Speaker

This compact speaker has a fantastic industrial design and is IP67 rated water resistant. Despite the industrial rating the speaker is long with good levels of mids and highs along with excellent bass from the 3-watt audio driver and passive subwoofer. It does come with a carabiner so you can hang it on a bag or in your shower. The speaker also has a mic for phone calls.

4. AmazonBasics Shockproof and Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

A bigger version of the above mini speaker, with the same industrial design and rubberized outer shell the speaker is IP67 shockproof and waterproof. It produces an impressive sound with a large passive subwoofer and dual audio drivers. Bass enough to vibrate your desk while keeping distortion out. Included is a carabiner for an on the go design. The battery lasts 8 hours on a full charge.

May 23, 2017
iPhone 7 May Have a Second Speaker Instead of a Headphone Jack

There is no end to the rumours being churned out about the iPhone 7 and more and more new updates continue to pour in. Latest in the series of speculations and expectations is that the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 may be replaced by an extra speaker.

Analysts speculate that the 3.5 mm headphone jack will be removed and an extra speaker will be added in its stead to improve the sound quality of the new iPhone. Analysts Blayne Curtis and Christopher Hemmelgarn believe that the speaker would be provided by Cirrus Logic

The analysts also speculate that unlike many other phones in the market, iPhone 7 will not employ dynamic noise cancellation, Apple fans might have to wait for the next iPhone for this feature. The smartphone would instead use a basic digital codec.

There is a huge list of rumours that have been going around for the longest time, and we are unsure as to which ones would materialise and which ones won’t. Hold your breath until we have more to go on with.

Source

February 13, 2016
iPhone 7 To Include Improved Speaker System

Today’s dose of iPhone leaks and rumours brings to us news which will be music to curious ears. After angering audiophiles world over with its alleged decision to do away with the headphone jack, the Cupertino based company is now is looking to atone for its sins by planning to equip the next iPhone with a new and improved speaker system.

Latest set of patents doing rounds on the internet reveal Apple is looking at ways to boost the audio for the iPhone 7. As suggested by the patents, the next iteration of the iPhone could have significantly improved sound output.

Apple is to create a new sound system for the iPhone 7 which will use the entire phone as an audio chamber. The idea is to use the phone’s interiors to improve the amount of air that can pass through the speaker system, thus resulting in better volume output as well as audio quality. This new system adopted by Apple would also see the phone keeping up with the rumoured sleeker form of the phone.

The patent reads,

“As portable electronic devices get smaller and thinner, there are increased difficulties in providing the same or greater functionality in a smaller area.The one or more speakers of the system can produce audio sound that can be directed to one or more audio output openings.”

The interpretation of this patent information also hints at a better system for audio input which would essentially mean an upgrade to the phone’s microphone too! Nice try Apple, but the loss of the 3.5mm jack still hurts.

January 13, 2016
Motorola Brings Out its Deck Bluetooth Speaker in India

Motorola launched its Deck Bluetooth speakers in India which will be sold exclusively via Flipkart at Rs. 8,990. The company launched these speakers in collaboration with SOL Republic in the US last year in September .

The Bluetooth 4.0-enabled Motorola Deck speaker runs on the R2 Sound Engine. The speaker also features LED lights, the color of which change according to the active user controlling the device. The ‘Outdoor Mode’ enhances the audio and is especially made for outdoor usage.

The Motorola Deck is claimed to feature 360-degree full sound and 300-foot wireless range. Deck is said to be the first wireless speaker with Heist Mode that allows up to five people simultaneously paired to the device and control the music. Heist Mode is supported through Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC).

The Motorola Deck Bluetooth Speaker weighs in at 325g and would be available in White, Gun Metal and Blue colors. Motorola, besides unveiling its much-awaited Moto G (Gen 2), Moto X (Gen 2) and Moto 360 smartwatch last month, also took the wraps off two new smartphone accessories – namely Moto Hint (a Bluetooth-enabled earbud) and the Power Pack Micro (a power bank).

Compatible with Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, the Moto Hint wireless earbud lets users hear notifications, make calls, get directions, perform quick search, and send messages without accessing the handset. The Motorola’s Power Pack Micro while acting as a portable battery, also lets users search for their smartphone or keys by using the Motorola Keylink feature.

October 15, 2014
Now, a Finger Will Not Only Unlock Your iPhone But Will Also Work As a Speaker: Disney Research

Disney has developed a device to transmit sound through the human body. The Ishin-Den-Shin technology uses a standard microphone to record audio and then converts it into an inaudible signal transmitted through the body of the person holding the microphone. This is also know as electronic whisper.

Touch someone’s ear while holding the mic, for example. Disney has not said if will build Ishin-Den-Shin into any products, but the technology is simpler than in the electrostatic speakers or headphones.

It records sounds through a device fitted to the microphone that creates a “modulated electrostatic field” around the user’s skin. The Sony’s website shows

When touching another person’s ear, this modulated electrostatic field creates a very small vibration of the earlobe”. As a result, both the finger and the ear together form a speaker, that makes the signal audible for the person touched. The inaudible signal can be transmitted from body to body, using any sort of physical contact.”

For more information, you can watch the video below:

[youtube id=”Iw1FhmY1sIU” width=”100%” height=”300px”]

[toggle title=”Press Release “]Electronic Whisper: Disney Research Technology Transmits Audio Messages Via Finger’s Touch

“Ishin-Den-Shin” Wins Honorable Mention in Prix Ars Electronica 2013 Competition

Disney Research, Pittsburgh, has added a new dimension to interpersonal communication, creating a microphone that enables a person to record an audio message, transmit it silently through his body and reproduce it with the touch of a finger.

Called “Ishin-?Den-?Shin,” a Japanese expression for communicating through an unspoken mutual understanding, the technology turns an audio message into an inaudible signal that is relayed by the body. When the communicator’s finger slightly rubs an everyday object, the physical interaction creates an ad hoc speaker that makes it possible to hear the recorded sounds.

If the finger touches a recipient’s ear, the message can be heard just by the recipient.

“Ishin-?Den-?Shin lends an unequaled level of intimacy to digital communications,” said Ivan Poupyrev, principal research scientist and head of the interaction technology group at Disney Research, Pittsburgh. “It explores the continued blurring of the boundaries between the human body, the messages we generate and the world around us. It’s almost as if a person’s finger can whisper in your ear or playback a message hidden in an everyday physical object.”

The technology also makes it possible for a group of people who are in physical contact to turn their bodies into a transmission medium, with the signal passing silently from one to another until someone touches an object.

Ishin-?Den-?Shin won an honorable mention in the interactive art category in Prix Ars Electronica 2013, the International Competition for CyberArts.

The Ishin-Den-Shin system includes a handheld microphone connected to a computer’s sound card. When someone speaks into the microphone, the computer turns the sound into a looped recording. The recording is then converted into a high-voltage, low-current inaudible signal that flows into a thin wire connected to the exterior of the microphone. This looped, inaudible signal creates a modulated electrostatic field around the body of the person who is holding the microphone and can be transmitted from person to person via any sort of physical contact. The modulated electrostatic field produces a very small vibration of a finger touching an object, which forms a speaker. The Ishin-Den-Shin technology thus can turn everyday artifacts into interactive sound devices without the need to instrument them with any apparatus.

The Disney Research, Pittsburgh, team that created Ishin-Den-Shin includes Olivier Bau, an interaction researcher, and Yuri Suzuki, a design associate, as well as Poupyrev.

More information, including a video, is available on the project website, http://www.disneyresearch.com/project/ishin-den-shin/[/toggle]

September 16, 2013
THX Sues Apple Over Speaker Patent

Apple Inc. has been accused by THX Ltd., a company founded by “Star Wars” producer George Lucas, of stealing speaker technology used in iPhones, iPads and iMac products.

According to the complaint, Apple knowingly infringed and continues to infringe upon THX’s U.S. Patent No. 7,433,483 for “Narrow profile speaker configurations and systems,” a property granted in 2008 describing methods to effectively enhance sound quality in compact speaker arrangements integrated into consumer electronics like computers and televisions.

As noted by Bloomberg, THX claims Apple’s violation caused monetary damages and irreparable harm, and seeks royalties or damages to make up for lost profit.

Given the products Apple allegedly uses the technology in, it is reasonable to assume that monetary damages could be a substantial sum.

THX originated as a way to make sure that the audio in Lucas’s Star Wars movies could be properly produced outside of the theater. The company did this by establishing standards, as well as a certification for sound systems, reports Bloomberg.

This year, San Rafael, California-based THX announced its first mobile application, THX tune-up, available in Apple’s iTunes App Store, according to a Jan. 29 statement from THX. The app allows consumers to use an Apple device with the iOS operating system to adjust the performance of televisions, projectors and speakers, according to the statement.

Neither company would comment outside of THX which simply said that this was a “pending legal matter”.

[Via Bloomberg]

March 16, 2013