JBL has announced four portable Bluetooth speakers at CES 2022 , in a variety of styles and budgets. These new speakers are the JBL Boombox 3, Partybox Encore, Partybox Encore Essential and, finally, the JBL Pulse 5.
The JBL Partybox Encore Essential will be the first of these Bluetooth speakers to launch, releasing in March 2022 for $299.95. The compact party speaker makes use of JBL's signature Lightshow tech to get the party going – while an upgraded JBL Partybox Encore is also on the way, launching in "Summer 2022," so expect to see this version tentatively releasing between the months of June and September this year.
The new Partybox Encore also comes with two wireless microphones and boasts a ten hour battery life over the Essential's paltry six. And at $399.95, it could be a great pick if you and your friends are karaoke lovers. Both speakers also feature an IPX4 splashproof water resistance rating, making them ideal for use in outdoor environments.
Next up is the JBL Boombox 3, also launching in "Summer 2022" for $499.95. A little on the pricier side, but we were big fans of the JBL Boombox 2 with its thumping bass profile, very high water resistance rating and 24-hour battery life.
The Boombox 3 sounds like it could be an improvement over its predecessor, then, boasting a new 3-way speaker system that features a "racetrack-shaped" subwoofer, two mid-range drivers and two tweeters. Not only that, but the Boombox 3 is also set to feature Bluetooth 5.3, the codec's latest and greatest version. If the speaker is anywhere near as good as the Boombox 2, then we could be listening to a ludicrously powerful sound from the Boombox 3 when it launches later in the year.
Finally, the JBL Pulse 5 will be the next entry in the company's long-running party speaker line-up. Launching in "Summer 2022" for $249.95, it's the cheapest option of these four new JBL announcements, but differs in that it will feature 360-degree immersive audio and – like its predecessors – an ambient lightshow that can sync to your favorite tunes.
Previous models like the JBL Pulse 3 and Pulse 4 have been solid, but improvements could be made. The Pulse 5 matches the previous model's 12-hour battery life, which certainly isn't the best we've ever seen, and there's no mention as to whether we'll see the return of the 3.5mm aux cord that made the Pulse 3 such a good purchase. However, we do expect the new speaker to match or surpass the powerful, balanced sound profile we're used to from these portable speakers.
Sigma's new lenses for Fujifilm X-series cameras get likely launch date
If you've been waiting years for Sigma to release its lenses for Fujifilm X-series cameras, your patience should soon be rewarded – fresh speculation suggests its debut X-Mount glass will finally arrive on February 21.
That's according to the reliable Fuji Rumors , which says that "according to information we have received, Sigma will announce its first autofocus X mount lenses on February 21".
Which lenses will it announce? According to the site, it'll be three primes: the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary.
On full-frame cameras, those focal lengths work out as 24mm (good for travel and street snapping), 45mm (close to a 'nifty fifty') and 84mm (a mid-telephoto view that's ideal for portraits). Sigma certainly has more exciting lenses in its lineup, but hopefully these are the ones it's using to test the Fujifilm waters.
What isn't yet clear is whether or not the lenses or their optical formulas have been tweaked for the X-Series. One of the key characteristics of Fujifilm lenses is their aperture rings, which help give its cameras a tactile shooting experience.
None of those Sigma lenses, which are currently available for Sony E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds, have aperture rings, so it remains to be seen if the Japanese lens maker has tailored its primes for Fujifilm fans.
The lack of a scheduled launch event, at least at the time of writing, has also cast a little doubt over whether that February 21 date is accurate. But it's possible that the 'Sigma Stage' presentations are reserved for brand new lenses, rather than adaptations like these new launches.
Sigma has also said on its CP+ 2022 page that it will "introduce a number of new products just announced" at the trade show, which starts on February 21.
Analysis: X-series primes hopefully just the start
For Fuji fans, the most interesting new lens from that rumored trio of Sigma primes is probably the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary. Fujifilm currently offers the older XF56mm f/1.2 R and compact XF50mm f/2, but Sigma's lens should slot nicely between the two in terms of price and size.
All three of those rumored lenses are pretty affordable options, collectively costing around $1,000 / £1,000 on other mounts. But it's a shame Sigma doesn't appear to be launching its new Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN for the X-Mount, at least in this first wave of adapted lenses.
That lens is arrived for Sony E-Mount and the L-Mount (supported by Panasonic and Leica cameras) in October and is the smallest and lightest zoom of its type. This would make it a great companion to Fujifilm's cameras, which are mostly pretty compact compared to their full-frame rivals.
It seems we'll have to wait even longer for more premium, niche lenses, like Sigma's Art collection, to arrive on Fujifilm cameras. But if these first rumored primes sell well, perhaps that'll give Sigma the impetus to flesh out its range for the X-Mount.
With the recent arrival of the OM System OM-1 , and upcoming Panasonic GH6 , photography fans who prefer more compact mirrorless cameras are finally getting some improved alternatives to full-frame bodies, and Fujifilm is expected to add to that list of options in May with the launch of the Fujifilm X-H2 at its X Summit in May.
Should I buy the Amazon Smart Thermostat?
Amazon is the latest brand to enter the smart heating market with the Amazon Smart Thermostat. First unveiled at the Amazon event 2021, the imaginatively named Amazon Smart Thermostat lets you switch your heating system on or off even when you’re not close-by
At just $60 it significantly undercuts rival models from Nest, Ecobee and even Wyze, which is best known for its cut-price smart home products. Available only in the US for now, the Amazon Smart Thermostat works exclusively with the Alexa smart home platform.
While it doesn’t have Amazon's voice assistant built-in, if you have an Amazon Echo smart speaker or smart display in your home, Alexa can control the heating and cooling of your home. There is also a degree of intelligence here, where the thermostat will automatically adjust depending on what it thinks is going on in your home. If it believes the home is empty, it will lower the heating or air conditioning in a bid to save energy – and the more Amazon Echo smart speakers you have, the more accurate this predictive behavior will be.
But how does Amazon's model stack up against the best smart thermostats you can buy right now, and crucially should you be buying one?
Best smart thermostat deals
Read on to find out whether you should buy the Amazon Smart Thermostat, or if you already know which model you want to control your heating and cooling system, check out the best prices right now.
Price
A key feature here is the price. At $59.99, the Amazon Smart Thermostat is significantly cheaper than the $249 Nest Learning Thermostat and almost half the price of the simpler, less intelligent Nest Thermostat ($130, although currently reduced to $100). It really is a big deal that Amazon has got the price so low, especially given the promise of genuinely intelligent decision-making, and the thermostat’s attractive design.
Amazon also sells a version of the Smart Thermostat with a C-wire adapter. This is often required if fitting the device to an older home, and increases the price to a still-impressive $75. Amazon has a compatibility guide here for checking if the thermostat will work in your home.
Price is a key consideration when buying a smart thermostat. Because, while you might be tempted into spending $250 on a Nest, it’s important to calculate how long it will take for the smart thermostat to earn this money back by lowering your energy bills. A cheaper thermostat that promises to be just as intelligent, like that from Amazon, will see you saving money far more quickly.
Design
The Amazon Smart Thermostat has a simple and unobtrusive design, but one with a more premium aesthetic that might be expected for the price. It has a white plastic front and sides, with a simple LED panel for showing the current temperature. Only the lower half of the front is touch-sensitive, with more LEDs that illuminate to show you where to press to adjust the temperature and cycle through the menu system. A green tree icon, not dissimilar to the green leaf on Nest thermostats, appears when the Amazon device is running your HVAC system at its most optimum.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted from within the Alexa smartphone app, and you can set it to switch off entirely, which could be useful at night if the thermostat is located in a bedroom.
Amazon thoughtfully includes a screwdriver and a faceplate in the box, which frames the thermostat when on the wall, hiding any evidence of whatever was there previously. Despite being more expensive, the Nest Thermostat doesn’t come with a faceplate; instead, Nest charges $15 for a trim kit, but at least offers them in multiple colours to match your decor.
Amazon advertises the Smart Thermostat as being DIY-friendly, but we urge readers to only attempt installation with the C-wire adapter if they are comfortable working with their home electrics.
Features
The Amazon Smart Thermostat can be controlled by speaking to the Alexa voice assistant. But as we’ve already mentioned, because the thermostat doesn’t have a microphone or speaker of its own, this can only be done by issuing your commands to an Echo speaker or display elsewhere in the home, or by chatting to the Alexa smartphone app.
There are several ways to have the Amazon Smart Thermostat control your HVAC system. You can adjust the temperature manually either by touching the thermostat itself or via the Alexa app. Or, you can set up a schedule that turns the heating and cooling on and off at set times for each day of the week, much like a regular, non-smart thermostat.
Things get more interesting when you delve into Alexa Hunches, which uses your interactions with Alexa to work out whether you are home or not, and how you might like the temperature adjusted. The more Echo devices you have in your home – plus other devices like smart door locks, lights and sensors – the more accurate these hunches are supposed to become. Sharing locational data from your smartphone (and the phones of others in the household) will also improve Alexa’s intelligence, with the heating turning off when it has a hunch the home is empty.
Alexa will attempt to work out when you wake up each day, then begin to automate the heating accordingly. These actions can be overridden and corrected if Alexa gets it wrong, which in turn should further help the system learn.
Amazon’s low price is even more impressive when you bear in mind how a lot of connected thermostats, aside from select models by Nest and Ecobee, are truly smart. Many can connect to a smart home system, follow a schedule and be prompted by the actions of other devices (like a temperature sensor telling them to turn the heating on). But few can really think for themselves. That Amazon has included such technology in a $60 thermostat is all the more impressive.
Should I buy the Amazon Smart Thermostat?
There are many compelling reasons to buy this thermostat. Price is key here, as it seriously undercuts similarly smart options from Nest and Ecobee. But it is also genuinely intelligent, too. The Amazon Smart Thermostat could well save you money on your energy bills, while also heating and cooling your house in a more convenient way.
If you already have an Alexa smart home system, this smart thermostat should be something of a no-brainer. Thermostats from other systems can be used, but there’s a lot to be said for buying one that comes from Amazon itself, with tight Alexa integration – and not to mention, one that can earn back its expense more quickly than rivals.
This smart thermostat only works with the Alexa smart home platform. Therefore, if you use Google Assistant, Nest, Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit or any other system it is to be avoided. Adoption of the new Matter smart home protocol could change this, but Amazon hasn’t yet said whether the thermostat will be updated to work with Matter.