bose

In this edition of CNET's Roadside Assistance, Brian Cooley and Wayne Cunningham are out, but Antuan Goodwin is in to answers questions about the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta, Bose audio, and something about a Kia and an Oldsmobile sharing the same design cues.

In the headphone realm, Bose is probably best known for its noise-canceling (NC) line of QuietComfort models. But it's long made some non-NC models, including an around-the-ear design as well as an on-ear design. Bose has shortened those names to AE and OE, respectively, and now the AE model reviewed here is up to version 2.

Formerly known as the TriPort, the AE2 still uses the same basic design, but Bose has implemented some significant design improvements. For starters, these headphones, like the noise-canceling models, now fold flat. Also, Bose has moved from a double- (running to each earcup) … Read more

The Bose AE (Around Ear) headphones shown here are an older model that's no longer produced. (They were also known as the "Bose TriPorts" at one time.) They've been replaced by the Bose AE2.

Read the Bose AE2 review

After recently rolling out a new version of its In-Ear headphones, Bose is now trotting out its first single-ear Bluetooth headset: the Bose Bluetooth headset.

The headset features the same StayHear tips found in its latest In-Ear headphones and, according to the company, has a unique design and interface that makes call control "easier than ever before." As we've come to expect from Bose announcements, the press release touts the engineering that went into the product.

"The Bose Bluetooth headset is engineered with a microphone built into specially designed housing," the company says. "This … Read more

For all of you who don't like the messy wiring and setup of surround-sound speakers--or even to see them out in the open--Bose has the ideal solution: the VideoWave, a new home-theater product that has a special surround-system integrated into a 46-inch LCD TV. It comes with a minimalist RF "click pad" universal remote that's easy to program and use, as well as an iPod dock. The VideoWave ships October 14 and costs $5,349.

We got a demo of the VideoWave and were generally very impressed with the product, though it is rather expensive (its price does include "white-glove" delivery and installation). Ten years in the making, the VideoWave sounds really good for a virtual surround speaker. Since all the audio parts are integrated into the back of the TV, upon first seeing and hearing the VideoWave many people will be surprised to learn that the sound is coming from the TV, and not from speakers placed around the room.

In keeping with the minimalist theme, Bose has designed an AV box that essentially acts as a hub for the unit. It connects to the TV with a single proprietary cable (a 3-meter cord comes with the system, but longer cords can be purchased depending on your specific installation). You get three HDMI inputs on the back of the hub and one on the front for camcorders and other video devices you might attach. There's also a component-video connection on the back along with other basic AV inputs. … Read more

OK, we're on to week two of our special weekly giveaway running here at Crave. It's the Lexus-Crave Retweet sweepstakes, which is sponsored by--you guessed it--Lexus. And this week we're giving away a pair of Bose QuietComfort 15 headphones to one lucky winner. In our full review, we write that the QC 15's "currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones." Need we say more?

Important: Unlike like our typical Crave giveaways, which you enter by posting a comment, the rules here are different. So please follow the … Read more

We weren't fans of Bose's first in-ear headphones, but maybe Bose will make a better impression with its new line of in-ear headphones, which include the IE2 audio headphones and the MIE2 and MIE2i mobile headsets, which are designed "specifically for music-enabled mobile phones." The company says each is engineered with proprietary Bose technologies for improved audio quality and feature new StayHear tips for "greater stability and a comfortable fit."

None of these models are noise-canceling or noise-isolating. While the IE2 headphones don't feature an in-line microphone for receiving cell-phone calls, both the … Read more

Amar Bose started Bose in 1964 when he was a professor of electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He went on to build a very successful company that is one of the top selling hi-fi, headphone, and car audio brands in the United States.

Bose's popularity isn't based on selling budget-priced gear; the company aims higher and has earned its success with a more quality-oriented approach. CNET's Matthew Moskovciak recently blogged about Bose's new Lifestyle home theater systems, that cost from $2,000 for the T20; $2,500 for the V25; and $3,300 … Read more

Home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems are designed to take some of the hassle out of putting together a home theater, but Bose's new line of Lifestyle home theater systems argues they don't go far enough.

The new Lifestyle systems are built around Bose's Unify technology, which uses a variety of methods, such as clearly labeled packaging, guided setup, and straightforward commands, to make the systems easier to use. The video demonstrations on Bose's site look promising, with simple onscreen menus guiding setup and smooth integration with a Harmony-like universal remote.

Bose announced three new Lifestyle systems Monday, the T20 ($2,000), the V25 ($2,500), and the V35 ($3,300), which are all available immediately.

The feature breakdown on these systems is actually pretty simple.… Read more