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Ikarao Gives Sing-Alongs A Hi-Tech Facelift With Its Range Of Karaoke Portable Speakers

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2 weeks ago

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The world is divided into two types of people: introverts and extroverts. The worst nightmare for an introvert like me is to be invited to an evening of karaoke. However, for many extroverts, the thought of a mass singalong with a redition of ‘You’re The One That I Want” in a voice that has all the finesse of fingernails scraping down a chalkboard, is their idea of a wonderful night out. So, if you’re one of those extroverts, these speakers from Ikaroa might be just what you are looking for.

Ikarao was founded in 2021 with a mission to create high-quality home entertainment devices that bring people together through music. It’s a laudable aim and the company spent an entire year researching market trends and collecting feedback before it developed a range of portable speakers that deliver a seamless karaoke experience.

Speaker With Tablet And Microphones

Unlike traditional Bluetooth speakers and karaoke machines, the Ikarao Break X2 and Shell S1 and S2 models combine a speaker, tablet and wirelesss microphones in a compact and portable entertainment device. The speakers are designed for singing, public speaking, cultural events, fundraising activities or backyard barbecues. These mini-PA systems have storage and charging cradles for two wireless microphones so you never have to remember where you put them and they are always ready for action.

All the speakers have YouTube and karaoke apps pre-installed and the Ikarao Break X2 speaker can play music and show videos on its built-in screen that is large enough for everyone to see and follow lyrics without having to huddle around the small screen of a smartphone.

The Ikarao Break X2 includes an HDMI output — as do the other two models — so it can be connected to a large TV for an even larger and clearer display for showing the lyrics. All Ikarao models include two rechargeable and wireless microphones, which have their own charging bays so they are ready to use as soon as the speaker is turned on.

The brand’s best-selling product is the Break X2, a speaker designed for use at larger gatherings. With up to 300W of peak power output, the Break 2 has enough muscle to fill a room with sound while its 10.1-inch rotatable screen has an 180-degree adjustable viewing angle. Suitable for parties of up to 15 people, the Break X2 is a high-end Bluetooth speaker that’s been tuned with plenty of bass and a clear treble thanks to a couple of 4-inch woofers and a pair of 1.2-inch tweeters.

Support For Up To Four Mics

At the rear of the Break X2 are inputs and outputs which can support up to four microphones, which can be used simultaneously for all those budding boy bands. This model included built-in dynamic LED lighting effects that add to the party atmosphere. The speaker has a long-lasting battery and is relatively compact so the Break X2 is light enough to take to the beach or out to the pool.

The next Ikarao product in the range is the Shell S1. Designed as an all-in-one party speaker for home use, the amplifier is rated at 280W peak power output. The Shell S1 has the same 10.1-inch HD screen as the Break X2 but is slightly smaller and lighter than the flagship Break X2.

Ikarao claims the Shell S1 is best suited for gatherings of up to 10 people, such as backyard barbecues, camping trips or casual parties. The speaker includes multiple built-in sound effects for use with various music styles.

Ikarao Shell 2

The final model featured here is the Ikarao Shell S2. Deescribed by the company as “a lightweight and portable powerhouse” this compact speaker has an ultra-light design but has a sound similar to Shell S1, but in a more portable form factor. Designed for small gatherings of up to 5 people, the Shell S2 is suitable for travel, camping and portable karaoke around the campfire. A built-in carrying handle and low weight make it easy to carry around or go on a hike with.

That’s the hardware dealt with, but what about the singing? What turns these speakers into karaoke machines? Each of the three models featured is pre-installed with Karafun, described as “the most popular karaoke app in North America.” Ikarao has developed an official partnership with Karafun and when you buy an Ikarao speaker, you get six months of free premium Karafun membership worth $60.

As well as Karafun, all Ikarao’s speakers come pre-installed with YouTube, which means access to an almostunlimited song library which can be viewed on the built-in tablet. With YouTube, you can search for almost any song title by adding the word “karaoke,” and you should be able to find a singalong instantly.

Spotify And Apple Music Integration

Other software features include Spotify integration, so users can log in to their account and sync with playlists and see streaming history. iPhone users will appreciate the support for Apple Music, which is also pre-installed. Subscribers to Apple’s music streaming service can download additional tracks based on their musical preferences.

While the primary function of these speakers is for playing music and karaoke, the Ikarao speakers are designed with more than just karaoke in mind. Beyond singing on YouTube and Karafun, users can use them to watch tutorials such as yoga classes, cooking lessons and crafts. They can also be used to stream favorite movies and music videos, useful if you’re camping and use your smartphone’s hotspot to stream some video entertainment.

Pricing and Availability:

The Ikarao Break X2 is available now from the Ikarao website and is priced at $499.99. The Ikarao Shell S1 is also available from the company’s website and is priced at $349.99. Finally, the compact Shell S2 is ready to ship and costs $249.99.

Tech Specs:

Ikarao Break X2

  • Interfaces: HDMI, USB, TF card, microphone/guitar inputs, Aux in, Aux out.
  • Peak power: 300W.
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz (±1.5dB).
  • Drivers: 2 x 4-inch woofers, 2 x 1.2-inch tweeters.
  • Playing time: 10 hours.
  • Charging time: 4 hours.
  • Lighting effects: 5.
  • Display: 10.1 inch.
  • Storage: 32GB.
  • Bluetooth: 5.3.
  • Wi-Fi: 2.4 and 5GHz.
  • Microphones: x 2
    Mic charging time: 5 hours.
  • Battery life: 20 hours.
  • Sound effects: Original, Kraoke, Super, Popular, Professional, Cartoon, Monster, Custom.

Ikarao Shell S1

  • Interfaces: HDMI, USB, microphone, Aux in, Aux out, OTG.
  • Peak power: 280W.
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz (±1.5dB).
  • Drivers: 2 x 3.5-inch woofers, 2 x 1-inch tweeters.
  • Playing time: 8 hours.
  • Charging time: 4 hours.
  • Display: 10.1 inch.
  • Storage: 32GB.
  • Bluetooth: 5.3.
  • Wi-Fi: 2.4 and 5GHz.
  • Microphones: x 2
    Mic charging time: 5 hours.
  • Battery life: 20 hours.
  • Sound effects: Original, Kraoke, Super, Popular, Professional, Cartoon, Monster, Custom.

Ikarao Shell S2

  • Interfaces: HDMI, USB, microphone, Aux in, Aux out, OTG.
  • Peak power: 140W.
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20KHz (±1.5dB).
  • Drivers: 2 x 2.75-inch full-range.
  • Playing time: 8 hours.
  • Charging time: 3 hours.
  • Display: 8-inch.
  • Storage: 32GB.
  • Bluetooth: 5.3.
  • Wi-Fi: 2.4 and 5GHz.
  • Microphones: 2.
    Mic charging time: 5 hours.
  • Battery life: 20 hours.
  • Sound effects: Original, Kraoke, Super, Popular, Professional, Cartoon, Monster, Custom.



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15 New Apple iPhone 17 And iPhone 17 Pro Cases To Protect Your Phone

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32 minutes ago

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October 26, 2025

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Now that the latest iPhones are out, you may want a case to go with it. After all, although the price increases predicted didn’t properly materialize, the iPhone is a valuable piece of kit.

Before you ask, last year’s cases don’t fit, and anyway, do you really want a year-old case on your brand-new phone?

Here are a dozen of the newest releases, and they come in varying styles, from wraparound wallets to high-protection sleeves. Choose from leather, Apple’s new TechWoven or a transparent case to show off the colorful phone within. Unless otherwise stated, all cases here are available for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Look out for whether the case has an open section where the Camera Control sits, or a cover that still allows the pressure-sensitive and capacitive control to work.

The deals highlighted in this post were independently selected by the Contributor and do not contain affiliate links.

Smooth Leather Case

Nomad Modern Leather Case with Horween Leather

$75 from nomadgoods.com

Camera Control: Cover

California-based Nomad makes a wide range of products, including iPhone cases and a just-released Apple Watch Band. Horween leather is one of the options for the back cover of the Modern Leather case, though other leather options are also available, and are $20 cheaper.

Horween leather, especially, gains a unique patina the more it is used. The case is strong enough to survive an eight-foot drop, the company says. The bumpers are 2.2mm thick and they rise above the display at the corners for further protection. The edges have a concave finish, designed for extra grip.

Slim Protection

Pitaka Aramid ProGuard Case

$59.99 from ipitaka.com

Camera Control: Cover

Protection on the Pitaka cases partly comes from cushioning on the rear corners and partly from what’s described as aerospace-grade aramid fiber. The back is textured, to add extra grip.

Unlike some cases which have dealt with the complex needs of the Camera Control capacitive button, Pitaka has developed a cover that’s slim but responsive when you press or slide your finger on it.

Fashion-Forward Protection

Beats Rugged MagSafe Case

$79 from beatsbydre.com

Camera Control: Cover

Beats, the other brand that Apple owns, has a case that doesn’t look rugged. Rugged usually means bulky but the choice of colors, such as Sierra orange makes this case more style-focused. If orange is too much for you, Everest black and rocky blue will suit quieter tastes.

There’s a big lip over the edge of the display designed to keep it safe. The bottom half of the case, including the back and edges, is rougher to make it stay in your hand, while the top half is completely smooth.

Transparent Protection

Mous Clarity MagSafe

$69.99 from mous.co



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Is The Mystery iPhone Update Nearly Here?

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44 minutes ago

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October 26, 2025

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More than a week ago, the news was clear: the next iPhone update (the content of which remains a mystery) would be iOS 26.0.2 and would land in the week beginning Oct. 20. But it’s nowhere to be seen. What’s happening, you might ask.

It’s not that there were no Apple software updates last week. Anyone who bought the new iPad Pro, which went on sale on Wednesday, Oct. 22 alongside the latest MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro, had to update to a new version of iPadOS. But that was iPadOS 26.0.1 and was a new build for the latest model only.

ForbesApple iPhone 16 Pro Prices Slashed Further In New SaleBy David Phelan

The iOS 26.0.2 update (and presumably iPadOS 26.0.2 if needed) could have arrived on Thursday, Oct. 23 or Friday, Oct. 24 — several reports thought that was likely.

Since it didn’t, we’re now in different territory. The next big update, until the rumor of iOS 26.0.2 had reared its head, was thought to be iOS 26.1. That’s so far into beta that it’s thought the release candidate will be available on Monday, Oct. 27 or Tuesday, Oct 28, with the general release expected the week after.

There are two options, it seems. Either Apple will kill off iOS 26.0.2 before it sees the light of day and instead go straight to iOS 26.1 on or around Monday, Nov. 3, or iOS 26.0.2 will appear first.

Which really only leaves Monday, Oct. 27 or Tuesday, Oct. 28 as likely days for release.

It’s not known exactly what will be in iOS 26.0.2, though it’s thought to address bugs and flaws, not launch new features which will be part of iOS 26.1.

So the fate of iOS 26.0.2 may rest on how urgent those fixes are and which handsets they affect.

My guess is that we will almost certainly see iOS 26.0.2 on Tuesday, Oct. 28, a day after the release candidate for iOS 26.1. I’d further guess that the fixes will mostly affect the iPhone 17 series or iPhone Air rather than all models.

If there’s no sign of it then, it looks like iOS 26.1 will be the next update, likely on Monday, Nov. 3. Look at it this way, there will probably be a new iPhone update in the next eight days at most.

I’ll update this post as soon as there’s more news, so please check back.

ForbesApple iPhone 18 Could See Major Change To Free Satellite Features, Report SaysBy David Phelan



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X Issues November 10 ‘Account Will Be Locked’ Twitter Security Warning

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4 hours ago

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October 26, 2025

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Given the continuing popularity of Elon Musk’s X social network, and the swathing staffing cuts made when the world’s richest man bought what used to be (and still is in my mind) Twitter, it doesn’t make the cybersecurity headlines as much as you might have thought. With PayPal users currently warned of ongoing attacks, ditto WordPress website owners, and even LastPass password manager customers, all being in the threat actor crosshairs, this is a good thing. However, X users have now been warned that unless they make a change to a legacy Twitter security setting, they will be locked out of their accounts from November 10. Here’s what you need to know.

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The X Safety Team Issues Clarification After Warning Of Twitter Account Lockouts

Whatever you call it, X or Twitter, the social network isn’t immune to security threats. This year alone, I have reported on outages caused by a claimed DDoS attack and a warning for 650 million X users not to change their passwords. Sometimes, though, the perceived security threat comes from inside the building. Such was the case after the X safety team tweeted on October 24: “After November 10, if you haven’t re-enrolled a security key, your account will be locked until you: re-enroll; choose a different 2FA method; or elect not to use 2FA.”

This, rather unsurprisingly if you ask me, created a wave of concern amongst both ordinary users and security experts on the social media platform. One asked whether not using 2FA meant their account would remain active; another asked whether there had been a security breach; and another asked whether this only impacted passkey users?

ForbesGmail Account Lockout Warning — Users Must Check This 1 Setting NowBy Davey Winder

The confusion sat with X warning that “all accounts that use a security key as their two-factor authentication method to re-enroll their key to continue accessing X,” and adding that users could “re-enroll your existing security key, or enroll a new one.” A typical example of someone who knows what they are talking about but not how to communicate that in such a way to people who do not. Translating tech-speak into ordinary language is an essential skill and one that the X safety team appears to have misplaced on this occasion.

What X should have said, and ended up being forced into actually saying a day later, was: “To clarify: this change is not related to any security concern, and only impacts Yubikeys and passkeys – not other 2FA methods (such as authenticator apps). Security keys enrolled as a 2FA method are currently tied to the twitter.com domain. Re-enrolling your security key will associate them with x.com, allowing us to retire the Twitter domain. If this relates to you, you’ll be prompted automatically to re-enroll.”

ForbesOrganizations Can’t Deploy Passwordless, Declare Victory And Walk AwayBy Davey Winder





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