Technophile: Music receivers without the wires



BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway

Sound bite Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry, may have suffered a few setbacks over the past few months, but it's good to see it doing something right. And in a world dominated by Apple accessories, it's about time BlackBerry smartphone owners had a way to stream their music wirelessly to their home speaker systems.

Sound check The Remote Stereo Gateway might be small, but it is capable of packing a decent punch. It is also easy to use. Simply connect the stereo or RCA auxiliary cable, both of which are provided with the device, to the Gateway, attach it to your stereo and turn it on. The sound quality is good, the price excellent and it works within a range of 30 feet.

Sounding board There's a lot of competition out there when it comes to bluetooth accessories, many of which are seeking a slice of Apple's pie. But what is probably more interesting about the Gateway is that RIM appears to be recognising that all-important cashed-up consumer demographic (and its potential profits) rather than purely focusing on the corporate masses it has spent years cultivating.

Dh75

SoundZone Bluetooth Speaker (SZ1001)

Sound bite So the catchword for bluetooth speakers these days seems to be "on-the-go" capsules. Or at least that's how the maker of this tiny device describes it. This speaker is rechargeable and collapsible, too, which means you can take it almost anywhere.

Sound check Weighing in at just 94 grams, the stylish SoundZone speaker fits in the palm of your hand and can be used in the car, the great outdoors and, obviously, indoors to wirelessly connect with your smartphone. It's also compatible with a range of devices (that have bluetooth capability) and comes with a cable to connect it to PCs and MP3 players. It has an impressive playback time of 12 hours.

Sounding board It's worth remembering that it takes two hours to recharge the speaker's battery, so always ensure there's enough juice in it if you don't want your party to fall flat or your long-distance drive to hit rock bottom because everybody is forced to sing 10 Green Bottles to liven up the journey.

Dh229

Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver

Sound bite For the die-hard Apple fans out there, Belkin's Bluetooth Music Receiver can wirelessly stream music from your iPod Touch or iPhone through your home stereo or stand-alone speakers. Best of all, it can "remember" up to six paired devices, the perfect solution for that overloaded Apple family of today.

Sound check Small and sleek, the music receiver transmits up to 33 feet away and allows you to control music from your iPhone or iPod Touch from the comfort of your sofa. It is easy to connect and comes with the prerequisite 3.5mm cables to wire you for sound.

Sounding board If your home is becoming cluttered with all those speaker docks needed for your Apple devices, this is a good solution to claim back some space. However, forget about music on the go: it doesn't run on batteries, which means you will always need a power connection to use it.

Dh235

If you go

Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.

Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com

A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008

Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900

Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km

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The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5


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