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The ideal centrepiece for any party

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Whether you’re planning a party of one or a larger gathering with friends and family, Bluetooth speakers are a great device to have on hand. They’re far more accessible than larger speaker systems, not to mention more affordable, and while there are some great options to choose from, there are plenty of duds that you’ll want to avoid. Thankfully, with the advice of our expert team, you can discover the best Bluetooth speakers to buy.

While there’s no denying that if you want the true audiophile experience then the best surround sound systems are the way to go, but for most people who just want a simple way of playing their favourite tracks and playlists, Bluetooth speakers are the go-to pick, especially as there are now so many options to choose from, each with unique features.

For instance, speakers from Bang & Olufsen are perfect for high quality sound while Ultimate Ears has durability on lock. You can pick and choose based on the features that you prioritise above all, but to make sure that a speaker is truly as good as the box says it is, you can lean on the expertise of our team.

At this point, we’ve lost track of the number of Bluetooth speakers we’ve reviewed, but it means we know right away if a company is on to something special. With each speaker that gets sent to our offices, it is used for both indoor and outdoor playback to analyse the acoustics, all whilst playing a variety of genres to see how versatile the speaker is in providing a detailed soundscape.

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All of this information is then funnelled into our reviews so that you know exactly what each speaker is like to use, before you ever get your hands on them. While Bluetooth speakers are easily the better option for gatherings, when it comes to personal playback you’ll be well suited with checking out the best headphones or the best wireless earbuds.

Best Bluetooth speakers at a glance

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How we test

How we test wireless speakers

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We play a lot of music, and we play it loud. We play it everywhere – in the house, in the garden, and even in the bath if a speaker is waterproof.

We don’t just listen to the speakers; if there are special features then we make sure we fiddle with them until we’re satisfied. Recently, some Bluetooth speakers have begun to get smart functionality with the integration of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and as a result we’ve started speaking to our speakers as well.

Of course, it always comes back to the music. Speakers are tested by reviewers who have a love of music, a knowledge of sound quality, as well as a context of the market. We’ll listen to Bluetooth speakers alongside similarly priced rivals, so when we recommend a particular model, it’s among the best you can buy for the money.

Obviously, we know not everyone has the same taste in music, so we won’t only test with the same perfectly mastered album, but with a variety of genres and file qualities, from MP3 to Hi-Res FLAC.

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  • Impressive sound for its size

  • Waterproof and very portable design

  • Long battery life

  • Great sense of style

  • The most expensive entry in the Beosound A1 series

  • Bass caught out with more demanding tracks

Long time readers of Trusted Reviews will know that the Beosound A1 2nd Gen was our go-to pick as the best Bluetooth speaker for quite a while due to its outstanding sound quality and undeniable sense of style. It only makes sense then that the one speaker that has truly surpassed it is its direct successor. For something truly amazing, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen should be your first pick above all.

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There are quite a few juicy upgrades in this successor but the one that arguably means the most is the upgraded bass ability. For context, the previous A1 was no slouch in this department but you can hear the weight involved the moment you turn on the newer model, with the type of room filling richness that can really elevate a party to the next level.

Depending on how long you want the part to go on for, it’s far more likely that you’ll run out of energy before the A1 3rd Gen ever does. You can now get a whopping 24 hours of use between charges which is so much more than what you’ll find from most Bluetooth speakers that it almost doesn’t seem fair, but it is why the A1 carries a more premium price.

Another nice touch that we would love to see adopted by more companies in this sector is that the A1 is Cradle to Cradle certified, ensuring that it’s been developed to the highest possible level of sustainability and as such, it can be repaired and recycled with ease at the end of its lifecycle. Given just how much e-waste is discarded each year, these are the design choices we love to see from big brands.

Although Alexa compatibility has been removed this time around, you do get a far superior Bluetooth 5.1 connection to help maintain a stronger connection with your phone when in use. There’s also multipoint pairing so if it’s more convenient to change your music source to a laptop or tablet then you can do so quickly without any hassle.

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  • Excellent sound

  • Portable

  • Alexa support

  • Great style

  • Waterproof design

Although it’s since been supplanted by a newer model, the Beosound A1 2nd Gen is still a great Bluetooth speaker that can now be found at a discount.

At the time of launch, it was the world’s first Bluetooth-only speaker to support Alexa, relying on the Bluetooth connection between it and a smartphone to access the Amazon digital assistant. We found it worked pretty well in a local park, Alexa responding quickly to queries unless the smartphone was busy doing another task. We’d suggest not doing too much multitasking with a phone if she proves to be less responsive than usual.

As you’d expect from a Bang & Olufsen product, it ladles on the style with its aluminium top surface and waterproof leather base. Its IP67 rating protects it from water and dust and the 18-hour battery life exceeds the likes of Sonos Roam and Wonderboom 3, so you can listen to music on this speaker for longer.

What impressed us the most during testing was its audio. For a speaker of its size and shape, it produced a detailed, clear sound, and ample amounts of bass. Compared to the portable speakers that feature on this list, it’s the best-sounding effort, and four years after its release, it still rates as one of our favourite Bluetooth speakers.

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  • Balanced, clear sound over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

  • Tough, rugged design

  • Can be used to charge other devices

  • Solid battery life

  • More expensive than before

  • No PartyBoost feature

  • No fast charging

The Charge 5 sits between the Flip series and Xtreme models as a big portable speaker for those who want a loud, dynamic outdoors performance.

It comes in an array of colours and also looks like an American football, though this isn’t a speaker we’d want to throw at someone. Its big and heavy at nearly 1kg and doesn’t come with a handle or strap for carry. The fabric covering is one we found to be quite grippy in the hand though you’ll want to stow it in away in a bag when not in use. Its tough IP67 rating ensures protection against water and dust like the Wonderboom 3 and Beosound A1 2nd Gen that feature on this list.

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Battery is quoted around 20 hours, which should suffice for a few days use and the speaker can be used as a powerbank to charge mobile devices. There is app support in the form of the JBL Portable app, which we found simple to use. There aren’t many features inside, with just the ability to change the speaker’s EQ, update the firmware (which we did found takes a while) and enable the PartyBoost feature. This allows the Charge 5 to be stereo paired to another speaker or connected to as many JBL compatible speakers as you like.

The sound from the Charge 5 is one our reviewer found to be big, loud and powerful. It can generate satisfying amounts of punchy bass but it doesn’t do so at the expense of overall balance or clarity. The midrange is clear and there’s good separation and definition of voices and instruments to make the listener can hear what’s going on in the track. Raise the volume up and while there’s not as much bass as there is at lower volumes, there’s notable distortion with the Charge 5 sounding louder than the bigger Sony SRS-XG300 when playing The Beatles’ Hey Jude.

The JBL is a fun, energetic-sounding speaker with a sound that’s more balanced than you may expect. It’s available at a reasonably tidy price too, around the same price bracket as the Marshall Emberton II and Sonos Roam. There is an upgrade in the Charge 5 Wi-Fi that adds Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, and Alexa Multi-Room audio support.

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  • Improved sound over original

  • Boosted battery life

  • Can charge other devices

  • Affordable price

  • Dust and waterproof design

  • May lack a sense of fun for some

The original Stormbox Micro was a very good portable speaker at an affordable price, and the Stormbox Micro 2 sees Tribit repeating the trick again with an even better performance.

The audio is a step up in virtually all regards. We found that the Micro 2 is louder than the original, the size of the sound was also bigger and projected further away from the speaker’s body and it presented music with much more clarity than the original, too.

Out reviewer felt it achieved a better balance in its sound quality, with bass bigger and better described; treble frequencies sharper and clearer, while more detail is retrieved in the midrange, helping to define instruments with more sharpness and detail.

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The design has been altered, the buttons coloured white to contrast better against the fabric covering; the speaker is also bigger and can now serve as a powerbank to change any mobile devices you have on your person via USB-C charging. It keeps the useful tear-resistant strap that allows it to be attached to bicycle handlebars or rucksacks to accompany users on their journeys. It also retains its IP67 rating, so it’s insulated against dust and water for those who want to take their speaker on more adventurous outdoor activities.

Battery life has been improved from 8-hours to 12, which puts it among the likes of the Sonos Roam (11) and Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 (14). There’s also support for an app that allows for the speaker’s EQ to be adjusted along with enabling updates, which should allow the speaker to last for longer.

The Stormbox Micro 2 is everything a sequel should be, improving on the weaker aspects and making the good parts even better. It does come at a slight increase to £59.99, which puts in the ballpark of speakers such as the Tronsmart T7. The T7 sounds better when dealing with treble and bass, but the convenience and versality of the Tribit gets our vote over the Tronsmart.

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  • Rich, likable sound

  • Solid portability

  • Long battery life

  • Fun audio effects/customisations

  • Not the most detailed presentation

  • A little heavy to carry

Fancy having a party outside? There are plenty of Bluetooth speakers to choose, but our current favourite is Sony’s SRS-XG300.

It comes with retractable handle for carrying the speaker about, which found useful considering this speaker weighs around 3kg. With its IP67 rating it’s good against resisting liquids and particles such as sand and dust when used outside.

It’s not the sharpest or necessarily the clearest-sounding speaker with its warm and rich tone placing an emphasis on bass. However, that does make it a good option for outdoor parties if you like your bass assertively described, and music given plenty of drive and energy then the XG300.

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B&O’s Beolit 20 can summon even stronger levels of bass but it does also cost twice as much as the Sony does, and there’s also the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus to consider, though it is currently more expensive than the Sony.

Around the edges of the speaker is a Light feature – Sony calls it Ambient Illumination – that emits a halo of light at either end of the speaker that pulses in sync with the beat, although at its default setting we found it wasn’t particularly noticeable, especially during daylight hours.

Other party features include support for Fiestable app, which offers control over DJ effects, light effects and Motion Control, where playback and volume can be controlled by moving a smartphone, although this is a feature that can be hit and miss in terms of accuracy.

In terms of physical connections, the Sony comes with a USB-C for charging another device, and a stereo mini-jack (cable also included) for plugging in an external source (such as a portable music player). Battery life is 25 hours; Google Fast Pair is provided for instant connection to an Android device and there’s LDAC Bluetooth for those that want to play music from a music streaming service that supports higher quality bitrates.

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  • Powerful, engaging sound

  • Versatile feature-set

  • Affordable asking price

  • Could benefit from more definition, dynamic agility

  • Stands add a fair bit to overall cost

In the Q Acoustics M20 HD, you have a Bluetooth speaker that is more fitting for desktop stereo use or even connected to a TV via its other connections.

The M20 HD is an active speaker system, which means there is no need for external amplification/boxes, so you can plug it into the power port and get going with your music. AptX-HD Bluetooth ensures that the system can play files up to 24-bit/48kHz resolution, so you can get some high-fidelity performance from Bluetooth playback.

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The Bluetooth support matches Edifier’s S2000MKIII, but at 10.6kg the Q Acoustics are a much lighter and smaller proposition, which makes carrying them around and positioning them on speaker stands less of a hassle. The range of connections is also better than the Edifier, so if you’re not listening to them over Bluetooth, there’s scope to connect the M20 HD to a TV or connect a USB stick to play audio files at resolutions of up to 24-bit/192kHz.

And in terms of their sound, we found the system boasted a fun and engaging performance, with a warm and rich mid-range performance, powerful bass and defined top end of the frequency range. They’re great with music, films and games and their price makes them better value than the similarly specified but more expensive Klipsch The Fives.

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  • Immersive surround sound

  • Easy to use

  • Long battery life

  • Smart design

  • Battery life depletes in standby mode

  • Sounds strained at high volumes

  • Less convincing with music

  • No Wi-Fi

The HT-AX7 should be considered as a personal Bluetooth sound system that elevates the audio performance from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

It connects via Bluetooth with no Wi-Fi support, so you can only connect to devices over Bluetooth. It’s made up of three elements: two detachable speakers to place around you and the main speaker unit that sits in front.

It features Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping technology creates a soundstage around your listening position with both physical speakers and virtual ones. We found the performance with movies and TV shows to be quite impressive. There’s a wider, bigger soundstage to enjoy than if you were listening through a pair of headphones or the mobile device.

Synching between what’s on the screen and the speakers is excellent, the rears fill in the space behind you in a way that keeps up the levels of immersion. Sony claims the speaker can produce overhead sounds, but through testing we found those claims to be wide of the mark.

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We wouldn’t necessarily recommend using the speaker with music. At higher volume levels it can sound thin, and you won’t get much bass either.

Battery is caimed to be around 30+ hours, although like the Bose SoundLink Max, the AX7 consumes energy in its standby mode so that’s something to keep a close eye out for if you don’t use the speaker for a week (or two).

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  • Clear audio with lots of impact

  • Well-built and reasonably sized

  • Oodles of connectivity options

  • Uninspiring looks

  • Rear dials can be hard to access

The Majority D80 is a pair of desktop speakers for very reasonable price. The speakers don’t have the most exciting design but they’re well-built, offer clear audio and have a wide range of connectivity options.

The speakers have an understated design, their size and 3.48kg weight puts means they’re more accommodating than bigger music systems that require more space such as the Q Acoustics M20 HD.

There’s a vast range of connectivity options to choose from, including HDMI ARC, optical, line-in, Bluetooth and a USB drive. You can switch modes on the remote control, with the remote also handy for skipping through local files on a USB drive.

The remote itself is big and chunky with reasonably tactile buttons, though you can also use the right speaker to adjust the volume, bass and treble.

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When it comes to sound quality, we found that the audio remained consistent across wired and wireless connections and via a mix of streamed music and local high-quality MP3/FLAC files.

The speakers present a prominent low end and a great soundstage, as well as generally clear audio. There’s also little to no distortion at higher volumes and the speakers have no trouble filling a small office or bedroom.

If you’re looking for a pair of desktop speakers with an understated design, a clear and impactful audio performance and a varied array of connectivity options, the Majority D80 are a great value pick.

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  • Solid build quality

  • Good battery life

  • Generally decent audio

  • Not as detailed as slightly more expensive rivals

  • Design may be a little bland to some

For when you’ve got a weekend camping trip in the diary and you need a tough, portable speaker that can keep up with you for the entire journey, the Tribit Stormbox Lava is by far one of your best options. With a battery life of up to 24-hours, it’s very unlikely that you’ll be left with a dead cell in the middle of one of your favourite camping playlists.

In fact, not only does that battery life mean that you can keep the party going for a lot longer than most of the competition provides, but it also allows the Stormbox Lava to act as a powerbank, with a USB-A port available so you can quickly connect to your smartphone. If you are going to be away from civilisation for a bit but you don’t want to be carrying too much, then this is exactly the type of device that you’ll be glad to have on hand.

The battery life isn’t the only feature that makes the Stormbox Lava suited for a weekend away – there’s also some outstanding durability at play. Just to look at this Bluetooth speaker is to get an understanding of its rough and ready chassis, and that’s backed up by IP67 water resistance so if it does get accidentally dropped into a pool of water, you can fish it out without anticipating the worst.

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In spite of its portability however, the Stormbox Lava still manages to get incredibly loud when you want it to, so you won’t have any issues with trying to hear your go-to tracks against any background noise. Vocals in particular sound wonderfully crisp on this speaker – perfect for singing along by the campfire.

As a final point, the controls are excellent. It might seem a bit basic but trust us, having large, easy to recognise physical controls is a huge boon, and it just makes the process of using the Stormbox Lava feel so much more intuitive. It means you’re less likely to fiddle with your phone when you can easily tweak the volume and playback right on the device.

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  • Thoughtful ergonomic design

  • Waterproof IP67 rating

  • Speakerphone smarts

  • Sound feels flat

  • Battery life is mid

  • No EQ presets

Take a quick glance at the Sony ULT Field 1 and you can tell pretty much right away that this is a Bluetooth speaker made for the great outdoors. It’s rugged, with IP67 dust and water resistance and there’s a rubberised control panel that can take a knock or two without any issue. If you’ve got a camping trip coming up, then this is exactly the speaker that you’ll want to have with you.

Despite there being smaller Bluetooth speakers on this list, the ULT Field 1 is wonderfully portable, as the multi-way strap not only allows you to carry it on your person, but also hang it up wherever it’s needed. If you want to hang it off a coat hook to give the audio a bit more height and range, then you can do just that.

Still, the ULT Field 1 doesn’t need much in the way of assistance because it’s able to crank up the volume to quite a high level and still retain audio fidelity. Vocals come through clearly, just as the mids are given enough space to make themselves known, and while the bassline has a great weight to it, you can switch on the bass boost for when you really want to get the party going.

The bass boost mode is great for when you’re outdoors and the lows of a song can sometimes be missed against the ambient noise of your surroundings. If you do need to take a quick call, then the Echo Cancelling feature is able to minimise any background noise so that the person on the other end of the line can hear your voice clearly. For when you’re trying to entertain a larger group, you can bring a second ULT Field 1 into the mix for a surround sound experience.

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If you are taking the speaker away with you for a weekend then you won’t have to worry about longevity as you can get up to 12 hours of use on a single charge, which is more than enough to get through an afternoon/night of partying.


  • Clearer, more balanced sound

  • Extended battery life

  • Strong water resistance

  • Not the same bass impact

  • Carry strap not included as standard

Marshall has put out no shortage of Bluetooth speakers since the prolific brand hopped into this arena, but the Marshall Emberton III is arguably the company’s best one yet. Even though the Emberton III looks quite similar to its predecessor at first glance, there are actually quite a few meaningful changes that make the speaker much more fun to use on a regular basis.

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There’s a new silicone texture to the chassis that makes it far more comfortable to hold, and there’s also a loop for a wrist strap to be added, giving you the freedom to attach the Emberton III to a bag or item of clothing. There’s even a separate power button this time around so you can get straight into your favourite tunes more quickly. All of this sits on top of previous durability stats including an official IP67 rating.

The design isn’t the only thing that’s been changed here as Marshall has also seen fit to give the sound profile a tweak. Admittedly, the bass is slightly less prolific than it was on the Emberton II but what you get instead is a fuller soundscape that not only gives greater room to the mid-range, it also boosts the clarity of the vocals. For classic rock tracks (the ones you’d typically hear blasting out of a Marshall amp) you’re getting a great experience. 

What’s sure to be the most impressive upgrade to those who value longevity above all, the Emberton III now carries a battery life of over 32 hours, depending on your usage. That’s an absurd amount of playback and far more than what you’ll find with most of the speakers on this list, but it is such a joy to not have yet another device that regularly needs topping up on a somewhat daily basis.

Because of the inclusion of Auracast, you can wirelessly connect the Emberton III to other Bluetooth speakers that also support the software, giving you the chance to build a stereo set up in no time at all. Marshall has gone above and beyond with the Emberton III, and aside from being outdone by the B&O Beosound A1 3rd Gen where the bass is concerned, it’s an absolute winner across the board.

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  • Solid build quality

  • Good battery life

  • Clean and fun audio, especially with app EQ settings

  • Soundstage isn’t the widest

  • Design may be a little bland to some

Although there’s no shortage of high-end Bluetooth speakers on this list, the kind that are likely to come with a triple-digit price tag, the Tribit PocketGo is exactly the type of device that proves you don’t have to invest a small fortune to get a great-sounding experience in return. Forget just being a great budget option, this is a solid Bluetooth speaker that actually beats the competition in some areas.

Right off the bat, with a cost of only £29.99/$34.99, the Tribit PocketGo is the ideal pick for students on a budget or parents who want to buy a low-cost speaker for their kids. In fact, because the speaker is very compact with larger buttons that are easy to use and very tactile, the PocketGo is great for smaller hands. The built-in loop even makes it simple to attach the speaker to a bag or hook.

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The lower price tag doesn’t mean that you’re settling for a lesser experience in durability – far from it. Because of its official IP68 rating, the Tribit PocketGo is more than capable of withstanding dust and water, to the point where if it accidentally gets knocked into a swimming pool, you won’t have to worry about it being lost forever – just fish it out and get back to enjoying some tunes.

In terms of sound quality, there’s a surprising amount of bass for such a small speaker, but if you are someone who prefers to sing along with pitch perfect vocals then you can shake things up via the EQ settings in the Tribit app. We actually encourage you to dive into the equaliser as the PocketGo’s sound profile really comes alive once you start changing things away from the default setting.

You’re getting Bluetooth 6.0 on the Tribit PocketGo which is even more advanced than what you’ll find with some pricier options like the Beosound A1 3rd Gen, and it paves the way for a stronger connection to your streaming device. As a final flourish, even though the speaker is compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it still boasts a solid 20-hours of battery life so you’ll have more than enough juice to keep a party going through the night.

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  • Mega powerful

  • Relatively compact

  • Bassy sound with great vocals

  • Can sync with other Sony speakers

  • Bluetooth Fast Pair and Multipoint

  • Lighting is underwhelming

  • App layout is confusing

  • It’s quite heavy

Although Sony produces some proper hefty speakers that are designed to sit by the side of a stage and not move until they’re taken away at the end of the night, those room-filling devices aren’t exactly ideal when you just have a rucksack to hand in terms of transport. Thankfully, the Sony ULT Field 5 is the perfect middle ground, providing that big sound promise but in a form factor that can actually be carried around with ease.

While the Field 5 could be flung into a reasonably sized bag, there is a helpful shoulder strap included so you can carry it around from one party to another without issue. You’ll be glad to have it with you as well because the moment you pop it down, boot it up and get the tunes going, you’ll sense the party change from something fun to into something epic.

The first thing you’ll notice is just how loud this speaker can be. We were impressed by the Field 5’s scale when the volume was only at 50%, so be prepared to cover your ears if you dare to send it all the way to the max. There are also three presets that are easily accessible in a pinch. ULT 1 really amps up the bass for rap and hip hop, but ULT 2 injects a tangible sense of energy that feels well suited for tracks filled with various instruments.

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If you prefer having things set to a very specific sound then you can customise the EQ settings to your liking, but in every mode that we tried there was one consistent element: the Field 5 is a lot of fun to listen to. The built-in LED lighting is also a nice touch, particularly in low light settings, although don’t expect it to illuminate an entire party on its lonesome.

As you might expect from a speaker of this size, it is designed to withstand the elements thanks to an official IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. The massive battery onboard is also able to run for up to 25-hours at a time, although you can use the Field 5 to act as a power bank and charge up your other devices like your phone or headphones, so it has additional use when there isn’t a party to attend.

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  • USB-C, finally

  • Rough and ready design

  • Long-lasting battery life

  • No price increase

  • The upgrades are minimal at best

  • Fewer colourways than the Boom 3

There’s a case to be made that even though it makes some of the best speakers on the market that Ultimate Ears has a just few too many options available to consumers. Well, if you’re a little unsure over which one to go for then the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 represents the best middle ground of what the brand has to offer with a striking design, big sound and a competitive price tag to boot.

Just like every other UE speaker, the Boom 4 is immediately recognisable from its large plus and minus buttons which aren’t just for show, they’re a great way of quickly changing the volume without having to fish around, which can be the case with some smaller buttons on other speakers. Speaking of volume, the Boom 4 is capable of filling an entire room so you can easily enjoy a reasonably sized gathering with just this in tow.

If you are looking to have a ton of people over then you can easily sync up the Boom 4 with other UE speakers via the brand’s PartyUp system. This can be done via the UE app in just a minute, and it means you can have songs follow you from one room to the next without ever missing a beat.

What’s impressive though is that because the Boom 4 isn’t as large as the Megaboom 4, it arguably works better for personal playback at lower volumes than its more expensive sibling, so you can sit at a desk and enjoy a podcast or playlist with good detail at a respectable volume. Crank the volume up though and you’ll hear plenty of bass and energy in pretty much any genre.

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As you may have already guessed just from looking at it, the Boom 4 has a rough and ready design with an official IP67 rating. If the speaker accidentally takes a dip in the pool then you can just scoop it up and keep the party going without worry. On the battery front you’re looking at up to 15-hours of playback which doesn’t lead the pack compared to some options on this list but it’s still more than enough juice for most situations.

Test Data

  Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen Bose SoundLink Plus Bose SoundLink Max Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi Tribit StormBox Micro 2 Sony SRS-XG300 Q Acoustics M20 HD Sony HT-AX7 Majority D80 Tribit Stormbox Lava Sony ULT Field 1 Marshall Emberton III Tribit PocketGo Sony ULT Field 5 Ultimate Ears Boom 4
Power consumption 5 W 51 W

Full Specs

  Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen Review Bose SoundLink Plus Review Bose SoundLink Max Review Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen Review JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi Review Tribit StormBox Micro 2 Review Sony SRS-XG300 Review Q Acoustics M20 HD Review Sony HT-AX7 Review Majority D80 Review Tribit Stormbox Lava Review Sony ULT Field 1 Review Marshall Emberton III Review Tribit PocketGo Review Sony ULT Field 5 Review Ultimate Ears Boom 4 Review
UK RRP £299 £249 £399 £200 £229.99 £46.99 £219 £399 £449 £99.95 £127.99 £99.99 £159 £29.99 £199 £129.99
USA RRP $399 $269 $250 $59.99 $349.99 $599 $499 $126.99 $129.00 $179 $34.99 $147.99
EU RRP €349 €279 €250 €59.99 €299 €499 €549 €99 €169
CA RRP CA$349 CA$350 CA$75.99 CA$449 Unavailable CA$149
AUD RRP AU$429 AU$76.49 AU$398 Unavailable AU$169
Manufacturer Bang & Olufsen Bose Bose Bang & Olufsen JBL Tribit Sony Q Acoustics Sony Majority Tribit Sony Marshall Tribit Sony Ultimate Ears
IP rating IP67 IP67 IP67 IP67 IP67 IP67 IP67 No IP67 IP67 IP67 IP68 IP67 IP67
Battery Hours 24 20 20 18 20 12 25 24 00 12 32 20 00 25 15
Fast Charging Yes Yes Yes
Size (Dimensions) 133 x 133 x 46 MM 231 x 86 x 99 MM 265 x 105 x 120 MM 133 x 133 x 46 MM 223 x 94 x 97 MM 99.8 x 99.8 x 42.9 MM 318 x 136 x 138 MM 170 x 296 x 279 MM 306 x 123 x 97 MM 155 x 155 x 230 MM 147 x 310 x 152 MM 206 x 76 x 77 MM 160 x 76.9 x 68 MM 108 x 81 x 42 MM 320 x 125 x 144 MM 73 x 73 x 184 MM
Weight 576 G 1.45 KG 2.13 KG 558 G 1 KG 315 G 3 KG 10.6 KG 2 KG 3.48 KG 2.3 KG 650 G 670 G 220 G 3.3 KG 620 G
ASIN B0F3P3BN88 B0F7HZ81YD B0D1CQGFDR B085R7TSN6 B0C3VYT6Q6 B09Q59321N B0B1JCXRLX B0983MW7YN B0CC6J8J64 B0CD85VQVN B0DN5F9BC2 B0CX1WXP8M B0DDCJMDJC B0DY9X655Q B0D3WLCJSJ
Release Date 2025 2025 2024 2020 2023 2022 2022 2021 2023 2023 2024 2024 2024 2025 2025 2021
First Reviewed Date 26/08/2020 03/01/2024 16/04/2025 14/01/2026 09/09/2025
Model Number 1734002 JBLCHARGE5PROBLK QA7610 HTAX7.CEL
Audio Resolution AAC, aptX Adaptive SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive Up to 24-bit/96kHz SBC, AAC, LDAC 24bit/192kHz SBC, AAC SBC, AAC SBC, AAC, LE Audio SBC, AAC, LDAC
Driver (s) 3 1/4-inch woofer, 0.6-inch tweeter 53mm x 93mm woofer, 20mm tweeter two 20mm tweeters, two 61 x 68mm woofers 22mm tweeter, 125mm mid/bass driver Two X-balanced, two passive radiators Silk dome tweeter dual 30W Neodymium Magnet Woofers and dual 10W Silk Dome Tweeters 16 mm tweeter, 83×42 mm woofer 2-inch full range, 2 passive radiators Single 45mm full-range driver, passive bass radiator 46mm tweeter, 79 x 107mm woofer 2x 40mm active drivers
Surround Sound Systems 122 x 39 x 122mm
Ports USB-C USB-C USB-C, aux USB-C USB-C, USB-A USB-C, USB-A, stereo mini line USB, digital optical, 3.5mm, stereo RCA USB-A, Optical, Line-In, HDMI ARC USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm USB-C USB-C USB-C, TF card slot USB-C, stereo mini-jack USB-C
Audio (Power output) 60 W 40 W 10 W 130 W 80 W 80 W 7 W
Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1, Made for iPhone (MFI), Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.1 Wi-Fi (Spotify Connect, Chromecast, Alexa Multi-Room Audio, AirPlay), Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.2 Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth 5.2 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 6.0 Bluetooth 5.3
Colours Natural Aluminium, Honey Tone, Eucalyptus Green, Warm Granite Blue, Citrus Yellow, Black Blue, Black Black Anthracite, Grey Mist, Pink, Green Black Black Black, Gray matte black, matte white, walnut veneer Grey Black Black, Off White, Orange, Forest Gray Black & Brass, Cream, Sage, Midnight Blue Grey Black, Off White Active Black, Cobalt Blue, Raspberry Red, Enchanting Lilac
Frequency Range 54 20000 – Hz – Hz – Hz 55 20000 – Hz – Hz 70 20000 – Hz 20 20000 – Hz 55 22000 – Hz – Hz – Hz 43 19998 – Hz 20 20000 – Hz 65 20000 – Hz 80 20000 – Hz 20 20000 – Hz – Hz
Audio Formats AAC, aptX Adaptive SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX-HD MP3, WMA, FLAC, MAV, APE AAC, SBC
Power Consumption 5 W 51 W
Speaker Type Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Active Speaker Portable Speaker Active Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker Portable Speaker
Impedance -2 ohms
Inputs USB-C

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What’s the best Bluetooth speaker on a budget?

We’d point to the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Its design allows for it to be used in many different ways, the sound is much improved over the original and it comes with app support as well as the ability to charge other devices.

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NYC transit workers hit by Qilin ransomware – thousands of members possibly affected

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  • Qilin ransomware group claims breach of TWU Local 100 in New York
  • Data allegedly leaked to dark web; union represents 41,000 workers and 26,000 retirees
  • Stolen PII could fuel phishing and fraud; members urged to stay vigilant

The dreaded Qilin ransomware operators has added the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 100 chapter to its data leak site, saying it broke into the organization and has already leaked everything it stole onto the dark web.

The Local 100 chapter of the TWU is the local union which represents tens of thousands of transportation workers in and around New York City, including people who operate and maintain the subways, buses, and other transit services, as well as workers at some private bus and ferry companies.

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3 Garage Essentials You Should Think Twice About Buying From Costco

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We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Costco is a popular membership-based club that offers warehouse-style shopping with discounted prices on bulk-packaged products. Costco offers two annual membership levels, Gold Star for $65 and Executive for $130. 

Whichever membership level you choose you’ll have access to Costco gas stations, which could actually save you money if you buy enough fuel, discounted name-brand items, and the private-label Kirkland Signature store brand. Inside Costco and online, you’ll find a variety of household needs like food and drinks, personal items like clothes and shoes, and automotive essentials including car tires and batteries.

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With a selection like that it’s no surprise that Costco offers a number of handy finds to upgrade your garage. However, as with most shopping experiences, not every Costco aimed at fulfilling a need in the garage is perfect for everyone. Some items fail to meet the expectations of Costco’s invested buyers, or there are simply better options available at other retailers where you don’t have to buy a membership to buy their products.

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Iris 45-quart clear storage bins

Among the garage essentials with the lowest Costco customer ratings is the Iris 45-quart clear storage bin six-pack (item 1410576). With 2,066 reviews to date, the set of bins holds a 3.6-star rating. The storage bins, member-priced at $44.99, are not available inside your local Costco. Instead, you’ll have to order them online and they’ll ship to your door via free standard shipping or express, which promises arrival a few days earlier for an additional $38.94.

While having the bulky storage bins shipped straight to your door seems like an advantage, many of the negative reviews left by Costco members report the bins suffered damage during shipping. To make matters worse, as an online-only item, the bins cannot be returned to a local Costco according to reviews, they must be re-packaged and returned to the online warehouse.

As an alternative, HDX storage containers from Home Depot have better ratings, the clear 12-gallon flip-top version for example has a 4.2-star rating. While they are more expensive than the Iris bins at $13.98 each, they’re available inside your local Home Depot or shipped to your door for free, and you don’t need to buy a membership to get them.

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Saferacks storage bin rack

Whichever storage bins, containers, or totes you decide to use to organize items in your garage, you’ll want a way to store and access them that doesn’t require unstacking and restacking them all just to access the one near the bottom. Costco’s Saferacks storage bin rack is one solution, but you should carefully consider some of its features before making the purchase.

The Saferacks storage bin rack is priced at $79.99, features tool-free assembly, and has a 250-pound weight capacity with 50 pounds on each shelf. Per the product page on Costco’s website, the rack is “designed specifically for Greenmade 27 gallon bins,” comes in either black or silver, and measures 23 inches wide, 31 inches deep, and 68 inches to the top shelf.

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While Costco’s Saferack storage bin rack holds a 4.6-star rating on its site, negative reviews point to missing welds, assembly difficulties, missing hardware, and its incompatibility with storage bins other than the Greenmade 27-gallon containers. In a video review by the Mother Daughter Projects DIY YouTube channel, the pair points out some of the storage rack’s flaws. One thing they didn’t appreciate was the awkward access to removing and replacing bins. The bins sit on side rails under the outside edge of the tote, requiring lifting and pulling from the end until it’s out far enough to lift it. While the design appears to allow access to bin contents without removing them, it didn’t work that way for the mother and daughter team.

As an alternative, Harbor Freight has accessories to help you organize your garage. Consider the Yukon 5-tier shelf priced at $59.99. Each shelf is rated to hold 150 pounds, and Harbor Freight customers give it a 4.6-star rating.

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Proslat PVC slatwall kit

Slatwalls are among the budget-friendly ways to organize your garage items. They have a similar function to pegboard while offering a cleaner look and come in a variety of materials, including wood, metal, and PVC.

Costco’s Proslat PVC slatwall kit includes a set of 10 black hooks for $159.99. The kit holds a 4.0-star rating with just 15 reviews. While reviewers generally report acceptable quality of the components, what kills its overall rating are broken or missing pieces and lost shipments. 

The Proslat kit from Costco provides materials to cover wall surfaces 48 inches high by 80 inches wide, an area of 26.67 square feet. In addition to the 10-piece set of hooks, the kit contains all the slats, trim, and hardware to complete the installation. While it’s only available for purchase online, shipping and handling are included in the price, and it’s estimated to arrive in seven days from the time it’s ordered. However, keep in mind that you need a Costco membership to buy this product, which is effectively an added cost. If you’re not a member, buying the cheapest subscription along with this slatwall pushes the price to $224.99, or $8.44 per square-foot.

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If you don’t already have a Costco membership, the Proslat PVC 8-feet by 4-feet slatwall kit from Home Depot is a better value, even at $199.99. While you’ll have to buy the hooks separately, Home Depot sells a variety-pack of 25 slatwall hooks for $29.82. Home Depot’s slatwall kit covers 32 square feet, has a 4.3-star rating with 458 reviews, and ships to a local store or your door for no additional charge in as little as five days. For $229.81, the Home Depot combo delivers a bigger slatwall and more hooks, averaging $7.18 per square-foot.

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Why we’re thinking twice about these garage essentials from Costco

We picked these specific examples due to poor ratings or reviews found at Costco and YouTube, or ones we felt represented a poor value for the money. However, these items are just a few examples of garage essentials we should think twice about before we buy them from Costco, especially if it’s the only reason you’re buying a membership.

We’re not saying that Costco membership isn’t a good choice for anyone, although it’s certainly not the best option for everyone. If you find yourself frequently traveling near a Costco location that offers fuel for your vehicle, a Costco membership could pay for itself with fuel savings alone. Just be aware that Costco’s gas pumps are usually very busy at certain times of the day.



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Intel's mysterious "Unified Core" team hints at a major CPU rethink

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Intel is looking for a new Senior CPU Verification Engineer, a highly skilled position that could introduce some massive changes in the company’s upcoming CPUs. The new hire is expected to work together with the “Unified Core” team, a group that has not officially been introduced. Regardless, Intel is working…
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Texas Is About To Overtake California In Battery Storage

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U.S. battery storage installations hit a record 57.6 GWh in 2025, and Texas is now poised to surpass California as the nationâ(TM)s largest storage market in 2026. Electrek reports: According to the US Energy Storage Market Outlook Q1 2026 from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, installations are now four times higher than totals from just three years ago. The US had a total of 137 GWh of utility-scale storage installed as of 2025, plus 19 GWh of commercial and industrial systems and 9 GWh of residential storage. Analysts expect the growth streak to continue. More than 600 GWh of energy storage is projected to be deployed nationwide by 2030, even as the Trump administration targets clean energy industries.

Two-thirds of utility-scale storage installed in 2025 was built in red states, including nine of the top 15 states for new installations. Texas is projected to surpass California as the countryâ(TM)s largest battery storage market in 2026. Standalone battery projects accounted for nearly 30 GWh of new capacity in 2025, while solar-plus-storage installations made up about 20 GWh. Residential storage deployments reached 3.1 GWh last year, a 51% increase year-over-year. Analysts say virtual power plant programs in states such as Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, and Illinois are helping drive adoption by reducing costs and easing strain during peak demand periods.

The supply chain is shifting to support the boom. In 2025, some battery cell manufacturers pivoted production from EV batteries to dedicated stationary storage cells, converting existing lines and adjusting future plans. Lithium-ion cell manufacturing for stationary storage reached more than 21 GWh in 2025, enough to power Houston overnight, according to SEIAâ(TM)s Solar and Storage Supply Chain Dashboard. Meanwhile, US factories now have the capacity to manufacture 69.4 GWh of battery energy storage systems annually.

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Firefox 148 Now Available With The New AI Controls, AI Kill Switches

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Firefox 148 introduces granular AI controls and a global “AI kill switch” that allows users to disable or selectively manage the browser’s AI features. Phoronix reports: Among the AI features that can be toggled individually are around translations, image alt text in the Firefox PDF viewer, tab group suggestions, key points in link previews, and AI chatbot providers in the sidebar. Firefox 148 also brings Firefox for Android, support for the Trusted Types API, CSS shape() function support, Sanitizer API support, WebGPU enhancements, and a variety of other changes. Developer chances can be found at developer.mozilla.org. Binaries are available from ftp.mozilla.org.

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How To Check Who Shared Your Instagram Post & Reels?

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Instagram is one of the most used social media apps today. People share photos, videos, and Reels every day. If you noticed your post getting more attention, you might be curious to know who shared it. While there is no direct list of usernames available, Instagram does offer some helpful information.

Can You See Who Shared Your Instagram Post?

No, Instagram does not allow you to see who shared your post. It keeps this information private. However, if you change to a professional account, you will be able to see how many times your post has been shared.

Switch to a Professional Account

Closeup of a phone with Instagram switching to a professional account

To see how many times your post was shared, you need a professional account. Personal accounts do not show shared insights. You can switch to either a Creator or Business account in your settings. Once you switch, you will get access to Instagram Insights. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to your profile.
  2. Tap the menu icon (the three lines) in the top corner.
  3. Open Settings and Privacy.
  4. Tap Account type and tools.
  5. Select Switch to professional account.
  6. Select Creator or Business.

Check Shares Using Insights

Insights will show you how your posts are performing. To check the share count:

  1. Open your Instagram profile.
  2. Choose the post you want to check.
  3. Tap View Insights below the post.

This section displays likes, comments, saves, and the share count indicated by a paper airplane icon. Instagram keeps the names private, but it shows the total number of shares.

Furthermore, if you are using a personal account, you cannot see post insights. Instagram does not show share numbers for personal profiles. If you want to track shares and other data, you will need to switch to a professional account.

What About Story Shares?

If someone shares your post to their Story and tags you, you will receive a notification. You can then tap it and view their Story. But if they don’t tag you, Instagram won’t notify you. Also, you can only see the Story for 24 hours.

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Moreover, the same rules apply to Reels as regular posts. If you’re using a professional account, you can check Reel shares through the Insights section. Just open the Reel and tap View Insights to view the share count. Instagram keeps the names private and only shows the total number.

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Stripe, PayPal Ventures bet on India’s Xflow to fix cross-border B2B payments

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Xflow, an Indian fintech startup, has secured backing from both Stripe and PayPal Ventures in a $16.6 million funding round. The investment comes as the company works to carve out a position in cross-border B2B payments, a market still dominated by banks and manual processes.

The Series A round was led by General Catalyst, with participation from existing investors Square Peg, Stripe, Lightspeed, and Moore Capital, while PayPal Ventures joined as a new backer. The all-equity round values the Bengaluru-based startup at $85 million post-investment and brings its total funding to more than $32 million to date.

Despite rapid digitization in domestic payments, cross-border B2B transfers for Indian exporters remain heavily reliant on banks, often with limited visibility into fees, settlement timelines, and the final amount received in rupees. The friction is particularly acute for larger exporters moving millions of dollars into India to fund salaries and local operations, creating an opening for fintech infrastructure players such as Xflow that promise greater transparency and speed in international money movement.

Founded in 2021, Xflow provides cross-border payment infrastructure for businesses ranging from exporters and SaaS firms to platforms and freelancers, enabling them to collect international payments, manage foreign exchange, and settle funds in India.

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“Cross-border B2B payments were stuck in a different age compared to UPI,” co-founder Anand Balaji (pictured above, center) said in an interview, referring to India’s widely used instant domestic payments network, the Unified Payments Interface.

Balaji, who previously helped build out Stripe’s India business, founded Xflow with former Stripe colleagues Ashwin Bhatnagar (pictured above, right) and Abhijit Chandrasekaran (pictured above, left).

Last year, Xflow said it enabled Indian businesses to collect payments from more than 100 countries in over 25 currencies. It processed close to $1 billion in annualized cross-border payment volume last year, marking roughly 10-fold growth from the same period in 2024, Balaji told TechCrunch.

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June 9, 2026

According to the company, its customer base has expanded to about 15,000 businesses spanning SaaS firms, global capability centers (which are offshore units that multinationals operate in India), IT services exporters, freelancers, and fintech platforms.

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Transaction sizes vary widely by segment, with global capability centers averaging about $1 million to $2 million per transaction, goods exporters around $30,000 to $40,000, and freelancers roughly $3,000, according to Balaji.

Xflow is positioning itself as a payments infrastructure provider rather than a direct payments application, offering APIs that allow platforms and exporters to embed cross-border money movement into their own products.

“We didn’t want to build the next Wise — we want to power the next thousand Wises,” Balaji said.

The startup has also introduced an AI-based foreign exchange tool to help finance teams optimize the timing of currency conversions. Xflow says the feature has generated incremental gains for some customers through data-driven foreign exchange decisions.

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The tool allows businesses to set target conversion rates rather than accepting prevailing bank quotes. Balaji likened the feature to limit orders in trading — instructions to buy or sell only at a specified price.

“What we’ve added is the prediction layer and the ability to actually set a limit order,” he said. The model currently provides a three-day forecast with about 92% confidence, Balaji said, though TechCrunch could not independently verify that figure.

Xflow faces competition from banks that still dominate large cross-border B2B transfers, as well as fintech players such as Wise, Payoneer, and Skydo at the lower end of the market. But Balaji said the startup’s focus on high-value transactions and API-led infrastructure differentiates it from many rivals.

The startup plans to deploy the new capital toward building additional products on top of its core payments infrastructure and securing regulatory licenses in new markets, Balaji said. Xflow is preparing to roll out import capabilities in the coming months and is pursuing licenses in markets including Singapore, while already holding a payments license in Canada, even as it remains focused on India as its primary market.

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Xflow said it has also received final authorization from the Reserve Bank of India for a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB) license covering both exports and imports. The startup has signed platform partnerships with Easebuzz and Drip Capital to embed its cross-border capabilities into their offerings.

Backing from Stripe and PayPal Ventures, Balaji said, has helped strengthen the startup’s credibility with banking and regulatory partners, even as it continues to work with multiple payment providers commercially.

The startup currently has about 65 employees as it scales its cross-border infrastructure business.

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Salsa Wanderosa Electric Bike Review: Full-Suspension Drop-Bar Gravel Ride

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Finally, it has my two favorite things: drop-bar handlebars and a dropper seat post. I guess I should disclose here that my everyday analog ride is also a gravel bike, and that personally, I like to tool around on a long, relaxed frame with my hands sloppily splayed this way and that on comfortable padded drop bars. I’m on dirt and gravel a lot, but I’m just not a fan of super technical riding.

Also, everyone should have a dropper seat post. I took the bike out for multiple 15- to 20-mile rides over a few weeks. OK, it’s not that hard, physically, to ride for an hour with electric assist while listening to podcasts, but I appreciate being able to move my seat around quickly at stop lights when my butt and quads decide to stop working that well.

Even with these additions and the full MTB front and rear suspension, the bike weighs a surprisingly little 40 pounds for the large frame. From riding a lot of electric bikes, I’d estimate a bike with these specs to weigh around 60 or 65 pounds. (I estimated my XS frame to be around 35 pounds, but that’s just by feel.)

Everywhere at Once

Image may contain Bicycle Transportation Vehicle Tire Machine and Wheel

Photograph: Adrienne So

There are a couple of mixed-surface routes I ride regularly that I’m somewhat reluctant to reveal because I worry some of you might see me there. One is a loop that travels around the northernmost point of Portland, Oregon, and goes through a couple sloughs; I also like Leif Erikson Trail, a 20-mile gravel trail in Forest Park, Mount Tabor, and the loop around Pier Park, which was one of the first places where anyone ever raced cyclocross and which is primarily now used by elementary schoolers on teeny mountain bikes.

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As someone who regularly rides a gravel bike, it is cool and freaky to ride a bike that is, to all appearances, a gravel bike, but then feels like a very cushy, premium electric mountain bike once you’re on it. It’s like nibbling what looks like a bit of bitter dark chocolate, and finding it full of puffy, sweet marshmallow. Here I am, braced to roll over some rocks, but … these tires are huge! This suspension is soft! What is this strange sensation? Is it comfort?

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ShinyHunters extortion gang claims Odido breach affecting millions

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Odido

The ShinyHunters extortion gang has claimed responsibility for breaching Dutch telecommunications provider Odido and stealing millions of user records from its compromised systems.

Odido is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the Netherlands and offers mobile, broadband, and television services to millions of customers nationwide.

The company disclosed the breach on February 12, revealing that attackers downloaded the personal data of many of its users after gaining access to its customer contact system on February 7. However, Odido added that no Mijn Odido passwords, call details, location, data, billing data, or scans of identity documents were exposed during the incident.

Wiz

According to the telecom firm, the exposed information varies per customer and may include a combination of full name, address and city of residence, mobile number, customer number, email address, IBAN (bank account number), date of birth, and some identification details (passport or driver’s license number and validity).

It also told local media at the time that the data breach affected 6.2 million customers and that the threat actors reached out to say they had stolen millions of user records.

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After discovering the incident, Odido has reported the breach to the Dutch Data Protection Authority, blocked the attackers’ access to its systems, and hired external cybersecurity experts to assist with incident response and mitigation.

An Odido spokesperson didn’t provide further information on the incident when asked about which threat group was behind the attack and whether they demanded a ransom “due to the ongoing investigations.”

While Odido has yet to attribute the attack, the ShinyHunters extortion gang has now added the company to its dark web leak site, claiming they’ve stolen nearly 21 million records containing data the company already revealed as exposed in the breach.

Odido entry on ShinyHunters leak site
Odido on ShinyHunters leak site (BleepingComputer)

ShinyHunters also told BleepingComputer on Monday that the stolen data also contains internal corporate data and plaintext passwords.

“This is a final warning to come back to our chat and finish what we set out to do before we leak along with several annoying (digital) problems that’ll come your way,” the extortion gang says on the leak site. “Make the right decision, don’t be the next headline. You know where to find us.”

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However, an Odido spokesperson denied their claims in a statement to BleepingComputer, reiterating that “no passwords, call details, social security numbers, or billing data are involved.”

In recent weeks, ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for a wave of other security breaches, including Panera Bread, Betterment, SoundCloud, Canada Goose, PornHub, and online dating giant Match Group (which owns the Tinder, Hinge, Meetic, Match.com, and OkCupid dating platforms).

Some of their victims had their systems compromised in voice phishing (vishing) attacks targeting single sign-on (SSO) accounts at Google, Microsoft, and Okta, where the threat actors call employees while impersonating IT support staff and trick them into entering credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) codes on phishing sites that mimic their companies’ login portals.

As BleepingComputer first reported, the ShinyHunters group has also recently adopted device code vishing, abusing the OAuth 2.0 device authorization grant flow to obtain Microsoft Entra authentication tokens.

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After stealing their targets’ credentials and auth codes, the threat actors hijack the victims’ SSO accounts to breach connected enterprise services like Salesforce, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SAP, Slack, Adobe, Atlassian, Zendesk, Dropbox, and many others.

Modern IT infrastructure moves faster than manual workflows can handle.

In this new Tines guide, learn how your team can reduce hidden manual delays, improve reliability through automated response, and build and scale intelligent workflows on top of tools you already use.

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Amazon Games is winding down King of Meat

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King of Meat‘s reign is ending. The game will end service on April 9, less than a year after its October 2025 debut. The Amazon Games-published title will be playable until that date, but will then be taken entirely offline.

“Despite the creativity and innovation Glowmade brought to King of Meat, the game has unfortunately not found the audience we hoped for,” the announcement read.

Developer Glowmade had high hopes for King of Meat, its debut game, but it fell starkly short of expectations. The developer wanted a concurrent player count of at least 100,000, but peaked at 320, according to Insider Gaming. The game had a multi-million dollar marketing budget that included a video on MrBeast’s YouTube channel and custom-wrapped London buses. The company even made a pilot for an animated TV show. Here at Engadget, we were so-so on a preview version of the game.

December brought voluntary redundancies to Glowmade after previous assurances to staff. Anyone who has purchased King of Meat will be able to get a refund through their purchase platform and, in most cases, these refunds should process automatically by April 9.

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While it seems that King of Meat struggled to reach its audience, Amazon has a history of pulling games that are popular. Last fall, Amazon Games announced it would wind down support for New World: Aeternum, which first debuted in 2021. The news came as the division faced layoffs, but just that week the game had reached almost 50,000 concurrent players on Steam.

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