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It seems that guitar amp companies making Bluetooth speakers could be the new thing. UK-based Orange Amps has just launched a duo of Bluetooth speakers called the Box and Box-L. The first is a battery-powered portable model, while the latter is a wired option thats more of a homebody. Both echo the design of this iconic brands guitar amplifier and speaker series, using the same colors, logo and control panel style. The specs hint at decent stereo sound in the $300-$350 price range with Bluetooth 5.0, aptX support, a Class D amp for the subwoofer and Class AB analog amplifiers to help the full-range drivers produce a warmer sound. There are some deviations from what you'd expect, however, like the absence of USB charging, a front-facing only design and pending answers about its IP rating, if any.The Orange Box is the slightly smaller of the two models at 11 x 6.9 x 6.7-inches and 6.6 pounds with a vegan-leather carrying strap. You can choose between the classic orange exterior or a black version and it's priced at $299 (275). Theres a 4-inch subwoofer powered by a 30W Class D amp and a pair of 2-inch full-range drivers powered by dual 10W Class AB analog amplifiers for a warmer sound.The Orange Box portable Bluetooth speaker.Orange AmpsThe specs for the battery-powered Box list a charging time of three hours until full and a runtime of 15 or more hours. It also lists a 2,600mAh li-ion battery, so were interested in a real world test. Theres no USB port, so youre stuck with the DC19.5V charging cable that comes in the box.The wired model is called the Box-L and its slightly larger at 13.8 x 7.9 x 7.9-inches and 9.6 pounds. Its also available in orange or black and priced at $345 (315). As mentioned, theres no onboard battery, so its more of a sedentary beast. You can expect a slightly beefier sound, however, with a larger 5-inch subwoofer powered by the Class D amp and two 2-inch full-range drivers powered by dual 10W analog Class AB versions.The Orange Amps Box-L wired Bluetooth speaker.Orange AmpsBoth models have a 50W RMS output and a frequency range of 35Hz - 20kHz, so we expect theyll probably have a decent amount of bass. They also support Qualcomm aptX for high resolution audio, alongside AAC and SBC.The general physical design is the same for both the Box and Box-L. At the top you get a control panel with knobs and switches, much like those found on the brands line of guitar amps. Theres a power toggle, battery indicator light, knobs for bass, treble and volume adjustment, as well as a 3.5mm aux input. In addition, theres a Bluetooth pairing button that does double duty as a play/pause control and a small audio limiter light to let you know if you're driving the system too hard. The company claims to support the right to repair and will offer replacement parts in case you just cant help yourself from pushing the speaker too hard and break something.Both models are available today in the USA, UK and the rest of the world at the Orange Amps website as well as Amazon. Although, in Australia you may have to stick with ordering through either Amazon or the companys regional distributor Australis Music Group. The portable Orange Box is priced at $299 (275) and the wired Orange Box-L is $345 (315).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/orange-amps-offers-analog-warmth-with-its-first-line-of-bluetooth-speakers-110058439.html?src=rss
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Fiat already has its own cute EV in the 500 series, but it has now gone even tinier in its latest urban mobility push. The company unveiled the Topolino, essentially a rebadged version of the Citroen Ami with a redesigned front end, brown cloth retractable roof, open sides and cream leather seats. The Topolino shares Ami's drivetrain (both Citroen and Fiat are under the Stellantis umbrella) and looks nigh-on identical, apart from the aforementioned tweaks. It has a 5.5kWh battery that delivers a 47 mile range, and it'll hit a top speed of 28MPH. Fiat didn't share any interior images, but the only tech inside an Ami is a charging port and phone holder. Like the Ami, the Topolino is technically a "quadricycle" and not a car, meaning it can be driven in cities without the need for a driver's license. Fiat said it wants to "make young people fall in love with cars again," while promoting sustainability along with "joy, optimism and fun." Fiat's wording in the press release suggests that the car will be used to promote its sustainability and mobility aims (the words "sustainable" and "mobility" are used no less than 20 times). "The new Fiat Topolino will play a socially active role in promoting electric mobility in cities and a special role in creating a personal mobility solution for the entire family," Fiat wrote, adding it fits in with "Fiats democratic mission of providing urban sustainable mobility solutions which are accessible to everyone." Stellantis has set a goal for 100 percent of passenger car sales to be BEVs by 2030, and that date is coming down the pike pretty quickly. Like other automakers, it hasn't showed much in terms of urban mobility options apart from a few tiny EVs. There's no word on pricing, but the Ami can be leased for 25 euros per month with a 3,850 euro down payment. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fiats-topolino-ev-is-an-italian-twist-on-the-citroen-ami-101849140.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Apple is expected to launch a collection of new products at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in a few days, and two of them might be new Mac desktop computers. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the tech giant has been testing a couple of high-end Macs powered by its new M2 Max processor and the M2 Ultra chip that the company has yet to announce.If you'll recall, Apple debuted the M2 Max on its 14- and 16 MacBook Pro laptops, as well as its Mac mini computer earlier this year. The desktop PC with the chip will reportedly have 8 high-performance cores, 4 efficiency cores and 30 graphics cores. It will also have 96 GB of RAM and will run macOS 13.4, the company's latest software for computers, out of the box. Meanwhile, the unannounced M2 Ultra chip is supposed to be the more powerful option between the two, with twice as many processing cores. Specifically, the chip is expected to have 16 high-performance, 8 efficiency and 60 graphics cores, though Bloomberg says the company will offer a more powerful version with 76 graphics cores. Apple is even reportedly testing the computer with M2 Ultra in configurations with 64GB, 128GB and 192GB of memory. Gurman also says that the M2 Ultra was originally designed for future versions of the Mac Pro, which still uses Intel processors. But the Mac Pros are testing at the momentare codenamed Mac 14,8, while the new high-end desktops with the M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips are codenamed Mac 14,13 and Mac 14,14. Presumably, that means they're a different desktop PCs altogether, perhaps new models of the Mac Studio that's currently powered by the M1 Max or the M1 Ultra. In addition to high-end desktop computers, Apple might also launch new laptops at WWDC. Some possibilities include a 15-inch MacBook Air that could be powered by a processor "on par" with the tech giant's current-gen M2 chip, as well as a more affordable version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-reportedly-testing-high-end-mac-pcs-powered-by-its-new-m2-chips-094545719.html?src=rss
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Roger Federer is not only one of the greatest tennis players of all time, but also certified polyglot (he's also on a Swiss coin, was voted most stylish man of the decade and was the best paid athlete in 2020, in case you were feeling good about yourself). Thanks to those skills, he's the first celebrity voice on Waze to give directions in no less than three languages (French, German and English), Google announced. Federer joins a host of personalities including Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Kevin Hart and others who've loaned their voices to Waze. On top of supplying turn-by-turn directions, Federer helps get you pumped up for your commute. "It's drive time I can feel the adrenaline kick in already," he says in one recording. "Time to ride! Trust your ability. I'm ready to coach you along the way," he declares in another. He even has some words of encouragement if you screw up: "Make a U-Turn. Hey, even champions can mess up." While Google continues to add well-known voices to Waze, Amazon is doing the opposite. Earlier this week, the company announced that it was ditching Alexa's celebrity voices and would issue refunds upon request. The feature, which originally cost $1 before being boosted to $5, offered voices including Shaquille ONeal, Melissa McCarthy and Samuel L. Jackson. In any case, judging by the responses to Waze's tweet, Federer fans are more than excited to be guided by that famous, lightly accented voice perfect for a European road trip. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roger-federer-can-now-guide-you-on-waze-in-three-languages-084508577.html?src=rss
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Faraday Future has officially launched its long delayedFF 91 electric vehicles, including a limited edition called the Futurist Alliance that carries a pretty hefty price tag of $309,000. As Autoblog notes, that's even more expensive than the $249,000 Lucid Air Sapphire, a "ultra-high-performance" EV with similar specs. The company's FF 91 2.0 Futurist model will sell for the same price as the Air Sapphire at $249,000, while the base FF 91 2.0, which is expected to be the most affordable of the three, doesn't have pricing yet. Both the FF91 2.0 Futurist Alliance and Futurist models are powered by three electric motors and can go from 0 to 60mph in 2.27 seconds. The 1050 horsepower vehicles can go as fast as 155 mph, and their 142kWh battery can sustain a range of approximately 381 miles shorter than the range of a Tesla Model S but longer than a Model Y's. They both have the same "zero gravity" seats that have a large recline angle for comfort, as well as 27-inch rear passenger displays. However, the automaker will only produce 300 Futurist Alliance EVs, which will feature an exclusive wheel design and will be available in bright silver, matte silver and matte black. Futurist Alliance owners will also receive exclusive professional track-time training and an Apple Watch loaded with the automaker's vehicle control features. Plus, the first 91 owners will get a high-speed internet satellite communications suite included with their purchase. In addition to announcing the two models' prices, Faraday Future has also launched the FF aiHypercar+, a "mobility ecosystem product" with a rather vague description at the moment. According to Autoblog, the subscription service will give customers access to some kind of AI assistant personalization and vehicle maintenance. It will cost the first 2,000 users in US and China an eye-watering $14,900 a year, so everyone else will have to be prepared to pay more than that. Preorders for the FF91 2.0 Futurist Alliance and Futurist models are now open to interested buyers in the US and China for a deposit of $5,000 and $1,500, respectively. They don't have a delivery date yet, but Faraday Future says its three-phase delivery plan started on May 31st. The company will hold an event for a group of customers it's calling "Industry Expert FPO(s)" on June 6th, after which they'll get the chance to pay for and get the first delivery units. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/faraday-futures-ff-91-electric-vehicles-will-cost-as-much-as-309000-053144006.html?src=rss
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