Wi-Fi

Qualcomm caused a ripple in the audiophile universe back in 2023 by revealing XPAN, a mobile sound platform that made use of Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth. Now the first wireless earphones rocking XPAN have been announced.

Scientists at the University College London have set a new world record in wireless data transmission speeds, sending a blistering 938 Gigabits per second (Gbps) over the air through a combo of radio and light technology.

Wi-Fi security usually means keeping virtual intruders out, but a new system claims to use Wi-Fi networks to detect physical intruders. Gamgee’s Wi-Fi Home Alarm System can learn to recognize people who belong there and alert you to strangers.

Though most turntables will be cabled to a hi-fi amp, some allow streaming to Bluetooth speakers. Pro-Ject has announced a new addition to its T-series turntables that makes use of Wi-Fi technology for the promise of lossless multiroom playback.

Following much chatter online, Sonos has now officially announced the successor to its One compact speaker, adding Bluetooth but losing Google Assistant, plus the company is also betting on spatial audio with the launch of the six-driver Era 300.

RFID tags wirelessly provide information on products or other items, but they can only be read by dedicated portable devices. That may soon change, however, as a tag-integrated chip and a software update could allow smartphones to do the job.

For the last 4 years, high-end audio brand Devialet has been working to make the kind of impressive sound delivery found in its extraordinary Phantom speakers portable. The fruit of that labor is now available as the room-adapting 360-degree Mania.

Last year, the Raspberry Pi Foundation launched the first product based on silicon that was developed in-house. Now the Pico microcontroller has been upgraded with built-in Wi-Fi for running new Internet-of-Things projects.

Because GPS doesn't work indoors, it can be difficult for robots to determine where they are within a structure. A new system could help, by using a building's existing Wi-Fi access points to guide wheeled or walking robots.

Back in 2015, the Raspberry Pi Foundation launched a $5 project board called the Pi Zero for entry-level tinkerers. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities were added in 2017 for an extra five bucks, and now the Zero W has entered its second generation.

Ikea has teamed up with Sonos to add another product to the Symfonisk range that debuted in 2019 with a table lamp/speaker combo and a standalone streaming speaker. This time the collaboration has merged a picture frame with a Wi-Fi speaker.

Researchers have demonstrated a new approach to harnessing the power of ambient radio waves, developing a novel chip that can convert Wi-Fi signals into power for a small LED, and possibly other small electronics and sensors.