B&O BeoSound 8 Review

Probably the biggest surprise about Bang & Olufsen’s typically design-led entry into the world of iPod docks is that it’s taken so long.

For all the success of B&W’s all-conquering Zeppelin and its self consciously decorative ilk, there’s been an obvious gap in the market for a properly premium, properly effective iPod dock. Well, that gap has now been filled.

Striking design and build
Most B&O products tend to be obviously and immediately desirable on an aesthetic level. The BeoSound 8 is a little more divisive – is the circumference of the speaker enclosures a little too large, or is it that they’ve been placed a bit too close together?

In any event, the BeoSound 8 will dock most of Apple’s current range of iPhones, iPads and iPods, and has additional connectivity via a mini-USB socket and stereo RCA inputs.

The circular remote control feels good in the hand, although it can’t navigate your player’s menus.

There’s also a three-position switch to help compensate for your Beosound’s room position.With one important qualification, it’s a punchy, balanced and large-scale listen. Daft Punk’s Da Funk, for instance, is delivered with gusto, the kick-drum hitting hard and the rhythm handled with straight-edged assurance.

Turn it up if you want to get down
Timing is acceptable, integration throughout the frequency range is smooth, and there’s good dynamic headroom on tap, too.

That qualification, though, is volume. If the BeoSound 8 is to be heard at its best, it demands volume input of the ‘substantial-going-on-party-level’ variety – it could certainly be heard echoing around our testing rooms while it was running in.

At more modest levels, bass response is altogether softer, and balance and integration suffer as a result.

But if you like the looks, can stomach the price and have a large room to fill with sound, the BeoSound 8 is now the best of a not exactly numerous bunch.


Buy BeoSound 8 - White from Amazon store now!

Arkon Universal Tablet Car Mount Review

Arkon's Universal Tablet Car Mount features an innovative holder that adjusts to fit any 7" - 12" tablet and an 18" flexible aluminum pedestal that attaches to your car's seat rail bolt. Brackets are also included for semi-permanent floor mounting if desired.

• New innovative, adjustable tablet holder fits any tablet 7" - 12" with or without a case or skin
• 18" flexible aluminum seat bolt floor mount with optional floor or dash drill in bracket
• Swivel ball connection for 360° rotation with tilt for portrait or landscape viewing
• Lightweight and strong
• Compatible with iPad & iPad 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab 7" / 8.9" / 10", Motorola Xoom, HTC Flyer / EVO View 4G, ASUS EeePad Transformer, Acer Iconia, Toshiba Thrive, Lenovo IdeaPad, Blackberry Playbook, HP TouchPad and more...

Buy less now on Amazon !

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 review: first look

With Samsung revealing its original 7in Galaxy tab in IFA 2010, it’s only fitting that IFA 2011 sees the arrival of the all-new Galaxy Tab 7.7.

LG Optimus Pad Review.

What is the right size for a tablet? 9.7-inches? What about 7-inches, or maybe 8.9-inches? If you’re struggling to answer that question, don’t worry, tablet makers are too, and so we have the latest challenger to Honeycomb tablet market: the LG Optimus Pad. It sports an 8.9-inch widescreen display that means it’s the same width as an iPad 2 when in landscape, but considerably thinner in height.

Design

Open the box and the LG Optimus Pad stares out at you ready to be fondled. The Optimus Pad measures 243 x 149 x 12.5mm and weighs 630g. The front is not only dominated by the glass touchscreen display, but it’s actually the only thing present. There are no buttons on the frame, physical or soft, and it’s strange that it’s so wide. We understand the argument for having to have something to hold on to when you use the “Pad”, but it appears overly large, especially as it doesn’t have a purpose in the same way the frame does on the BlackBerry PlayBook for example.