bluetooth

Note to all you slightly obsessed folks out there who are into tracking your quantified self: isn't it about time you started keeping track of not just all the calories you inhale, but the air pollution as well?

The prototype for just such a device, dubbed Conscious Clothing, and the trio of designers who created it, were awarded $100,000 this week as part of an innovation challenge sponsored by (deep breath) the National Institutes of Health, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The system is described as a "wearable breathing analysis tool" made up of sensors and strips of material wrapped around the chest to measure breathing volume. It calculates the particulate matter inhaled and transmits real-time data via Bluetooth, making it a perfect addition to any self data-tracking regime. … Read more

There's a new portable Bluetooth speaker in town -- and it's got the Jawbone Jambox and its wireless brethren squarely in its sights.

Bose today introduced the SoundLink Mini, a $200 wireless speaker that's considerably smaller and less expensive than the company's earlier Bluetooth offering, the SoundLink Bluetooth Mobile Speaker II. That model retails for $300 to $350, depending on whether you opt for a nylon or leather cover flap.

The svelte speaker is 2x7.1x2.3 inches, and it's a looker. The frame is a unibody aluminum enclosure that surrounds tiny stereo drivers at … Read more

Bose is scheduled to hold an event in New York today to show off some new products. I won't be there because I'm out of town, but I was in the Venice airport today (on my way back to New York) and spotted a couple of new Bose products in the Bose store and decided to snap a few photos.

The first is the $249 Bose AE2w, which is the company's first Bluetooth headphone. It was announced back in May and is now available online in the U.S. It's based on the AE2 design but … Read more

The $129 Jabra Motion is a premium Bluetooth headset through and through. If you spend most of your day on the phone making deals or just plain chatting, this smartphone companion should be high up on your short list. Not only does the Motion have excellent hands-free audio quality, the gadget is very comfortable to wear and is tricked out with all the latest mobile bells and whistles. The Motion boasts NFC technology for fast pairing, plus Jabra provides the most sophisticated smartphone app I've seen complementing a headset yet for this device. The accessory isn't perfect, however, … Read more

When an audiophile-centric company like Cambridge Audio makes a go at the wireless-speaker market, it can be tough to tell whether it's just hoping to make a quick buck or has a worthwhile new take on the category. The Minx Air 100 ($450) falls into the latter category, with a tasteful, reserved design that immediately distinguishes it from the more eccentric speakers on the market. It supports both Bluetooth and AirPlay, plus it can stream Internet radio directly, making it possible to stream tunes even when you don't have a mobile device on you.

What's disappointing is … Read more

The Gogroove BlueGate performs one very simple function that can be split into two parts. It receives a digital Bluetooth audio signal from a smartphone (or other Bluetooth capable device) and outputs an analog audio signal that can be listened to through headphones, a car stereo, or home audio system. It basically takes a wireless signal and makes a wired one.

The wireless portion of the BlueGate's functionality was performed almost flawlessly. It's the wired half of the equation that frustrated me.

The trouble with wires The BlueGate device itself is remarkably compact and unobtrusive. The tiny matte-black … Read more

How many times have you stood outside your front door, fumbling with your key until you found the right one, or with arms so full of groceries you wish your door would magically open itself? For those people (admit it, that's you,) key-and-lock-maker Kwikset is introducing Kevo, a not-quite-keyless one-touch entry lock for your front door.

With the smart device within about 4 feet of the door, you simply lock or unlock it by tapping your finger (or elbow or nose) on the lock face. An LED ring lights up green when the door unlocks, yellow when it locks, … Read more

LAS VEGAS -- Cobra Electronics announced on Tuesday that it has launched AirWave, a wireless music receiver that uses Bluetooth technology and costs $39.95.

Though it's not entirely wireless (it still requires either an auxiliary cord or a 3.5mm-to-RCA cable), the device lets you effortlessly connect any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone to car stereos, stereo docks, or home audio receivers.

Design Weighing in at a little over an ounce, the device is extremely lightweight and portable. Its square black body runs just 2.2 by 2.2 inches, and it would have no trouble finding space in your car.… Read more

One of the many announcements flooding out of Google I/O that may have gotten lost in the shuffle is Android's expected support for Bluetooth Smart technology.

This may seem like an odd development, especially if you know that many Android devices already feature Bluetooth 4.0, the version in which Bluetooth Smart (that is, Bluetooth Low Energy) first appeared. What's new here, though, is that the fresh flavor of Android, expected to hit in the next few months, will natively integrate all of Bluetooth 4.0's fancy tricks, including BLE, or BT Smart. Previous Android iterations … Read more