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.
Google's latest Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4, released last Friday, makes it far easier to use a voice-broadcasting feature on Pixel phones that lets people speak or stream audio to nearby Bluetooth LE Audio devices, similar to a personal PA system. The capability, previously called Voicecast and buried in Developer Settings, can now be turned on instantly via a Quick Settings tile, provided Bluetooth is enabled, and supports password protection to block unwanted listeners.
JBL has unveiled the Pulse 6, a portable Bluetooth speaker priced at $330 that is now available for preorder ahead of a September 6 shipping date. The speaker features a lantern-like design with 360-degree LED lighting, offering 16 preset themes split between ambient and party modes, and can sync with other JBL products via Auracast.