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Bluetooth speakers are commonly rated for durability using an Ingress Protection (IP) scale, which combines a dust-resistance number (0-6) with a water-resistance number (0-9). Buyers looking for speakers that can survive beach trips, rain, or spills should check this two-digit rating before purchasing, since higher numbers indicate stronger protection against both dust and water exposure.
Beyerdynamic has released the Aventho Y headphones, priced at $150 and available in four colors, boasting up to 90 hours of playback with noise cancellation off and 60 hours with it on. The headphones feature a five-minute quick charge for six hours of use, Bluetooth 6.0 multipoint connectivity, and user-replaceable batteries and ear cushions for easier repairs.
A Home Assistant user rerouted their Withings Body+ smart scale's data by pairing it with an original ESP32 board over Bluetooth Classic instead of relying on Withings' cloud servers. The ESP32 receives weigh-in data from the scale and forwards it to Home Assistant over Wi-Fi using ESPHome, with an AI coding assistant helping reverse-engineer the undocumented Bluetooth protocol from the Withings Android app.
Belkin unveiled three new SoundForm audio products at IFA 2026 in Berlin: the flagship Isolate earbuds with up to 45dB of noise cancellation and 32-hour battery life, the budget-friendly Dot earbuds available in ANC and non-ANC versions, and the Play ANC headphones designed for children with a volume-limiting feature. All three support customizable equalizer settings through Belkin's companion app.
Anker unveiled the Soundcore Sleep Earbuds 4 and 4 Pro, successors to last year's A30 sleepbuds aimed at side-sleepers. Both models shrink the contact area for comfort, add Bluetooth 6.0, longer battery life and stronger noise masking, while the Pro version's SleepHub case includes an OLED display and phone-free controls plus an in-ear PPG sensor for tracking heart rate and sleep stress.
A troubleshooting guide outlines how to diagnose and fix a non-responsive Apple TV remote, starting with checking battery levels and restarting the Apple TV system. If those steps fail, users on tvOS 18 or later can check Bluetooth signal strength through settings, and as a last resort perform a full factory reset or use an iPhone/iPad as a substitute remote via Control Center.
Sony has added three models to its ULT Power Sound lineup: the flagship ULT Tower Max at $1,500, plus the ULT Tower 7 and ULT Tower 5, both priced at $650. The Tower Max weighs 121 pounds and packs three woofers, four tweeters and midrange drivers, while all three units feature redesigned drivers, built-in handles, and XLR, RCA and USB-C ports for DJ or karaoke use.
Sony has unveiled three new ULT Tower party speakers—Max, 7 and 5—that replace older models in its lineup. Each offers XLR, RCA and USB-C connections plus a new Party Chain feature using Bluetooth Auracast technology, letting the speakers link wirelessly for synchronized multi-room sound.
Sonos has introduced the Ace Ultra, a premium successor to its Ace noise-canceling headphones priced at $449. The new model features Sonos-designed 40mm drivers, upgraded adaptive noise cancellation, a 10-microphone array, and Headphone Engine 2, which enables direct one-button linking to a user's Sonos system. Preorders open now, with shipping starting September 29 in black, soft white, agave and sand colorways.
Sony has unveiled three new tower-style speakers—the ULT Tower Max, Tower 7, and Tower 5—as the largest additions to its ULT Power Sound lineup. Each model adds USB-C, RCA, and XLR ports for wired connections, along with up to 100 LEDs for battery and Bluetooth status lights and synced light shows. The flagship Tower Max costs $1,499.99 and weighs 121 pounds, while the Tower 7 runs $649.99 at 50 pounds, and the Tower 5 is the smallest at 29 pounds.
Android phones running version 6.0 or later include a built-in feature called Absolute Bluetooth Volume, which links your phone's volume buttons directly to connected Bluetooth speakers or headphones. When the phone's volume scale doesn't match a Bluetooth device's internal amplification, the sync can glitch, causing unresponsive buttons followed by sudden full-volume blasts. Android includes a native toggle to turn this feature off without installing extra apps.
A how-to guide details a method for turning an iPhone into a substitute gaming controller for PCs using the Remote Gamepad app, which works with Mac, Windows and Linux systems. Rather than pairing via Bluetooth, the setup connects the iPhone to a computer over a shared Wi-Fi network to relay controller inputs into PC games.