Mobile Audio Hub

Some Google Phone features. (Source: Google)

The Google Dialer is found to be compatible with a greater range of devices

Phone is an app made by Google that may offer more features and settings compared to the average default Android dialer. It is normally only exclusive to Pixel and Android One devices. However, XDA contributors now claim that it c...

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Apr 2020 23:59

The Redmi AirDots feature a built-in microphone. (Image source: B&H)

Redmi AirDots 2 and Redmi SonicBass Wireless Earphones from Xiaomi likely to be announced soon

Recently spotted Bluetooth certificates have indicated an upcoming announcement of two new products from the Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi: the Redmi AirDots 2 and the Redmi SonicBass Wireless Earphones. The first Redmi AirDots have been...

Daniel R Deakin, 11 Apr 2020 13:18

Creative Outlier Gold Hands-On Review: Excellent TWS earbuds for under US$100

The Outlier Gold offers impeccable value for money. While many of their competitors stretch into hundreds of dollars, Creative has kept the Outlier Gold below US$100. The company has not compromised on audio quality though, as we ...

Alex Alderson, 10 Apr 2020 23:55

Smart display ownership may affect personal audio buying choices. (Source: Lenovo)

The Covid-19 pandemic may drive sales of audio equipment: new study

A new study of US households with high-speed internet has found that 44% of them reported having bought speakers, whereas 33% own earphones and 37% own headphones. However, these respondents also reported that smart speakers or sm...

Deirdre O Donnell, 07 Apr 2020 22:23

The paid music-streaming market breakdown for 2019. (Source: Counterpoint Research)

Subscription-based music-streaming increased by 32% in 2019

According to a new Counterpoint Research report, music-streaming service subscriptions have increased in 2019 compared to 2018. Spotify has retained the top spot in this market year-on-year (YoY), also other popular platforms such...

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Apr 2020 21:33

There could be a wireless charger with this branding on the market soon. (Source: OnePlus)

OnePlus may launch a Warp Charge 30 Wireless Charger to go with the 8 Pro

The 8 Pro is rumored to become OnePlus' first flagship phone with wireless charging. Now, a prominent leaker asserts that the OEM will sell a power accessory to support this feature. This brand is also now rumored to have Bullets ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Apr 2020 22:50

Rumor | Samsung has developed a new, kidney bean-shaped Galaxy Bud

Samsung is now rumored to have a completely new type of Galaxy Bud in the works. According to a new leak, they will have a much larger shape that looks somewhat like a pair of beans. Some renders generated based on this idea sugge...

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Apr 2020 21:45

The new Sony WH-CH710N wireless headphones. (Source: Sony)

Sony releases new noise-cancelling wireless headphones

Sony has unveiled the WH-CH710N completely wireless headphones. They are equipped with Automatic Artificial Intelligence Noise Canceling (AINC), which excludes ambient sounds in a way that adapts to the wearer's environment. They ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 02 Apr 2020 20:33

Sony announces new TWS earphones with EXTRA BASS

Sony has released the WF-XB700 earphones: TWS devices designed to incorporate this OEM's EXTRA BASS technology. They also have an IP4 rating against sweat and water-splashes and ergonomics that may help them stay in the user's ear...

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Apr 2020 22:20

The new Samsung AKG N400 TWS earbuds. (Source: Samsung)

Samsung releases new AKG-tuned TWS earbuds with the ANC the Galaxy Buds+ lack

Samsung has launched the AKG N400, a new pair of true-wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. These accessories, unlike the Galaxy Buds+, have active noise cancellation (ANC). They also hold an IP rating and different color options over th...

Deirdre O Donnell, 31 Mar 2020 19:05

An infograph on the US phone-call attitudes study. (Source: HighSpeedInternet.com)

Phone...calls?...what are those?: Most US millennials are found to be more comfortable with texting

A study conducted by a broadband internet research group has found that millennials are more likely to develop anxiety at the thought of a voice-call compared to boomers. 50% of the former group also reported getting their parents...

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Mar 2020 21:45

The new Jabra Evolve2 series. (Source: Jabra)

Jabra launches the Evolve2 enterprise-grade headsets

Jabra has announced new editions to its collaboration- and co-working-focused Evolve series of headsets. They are compatible with the Unified Communications (UC) platforms typically used in offices, and may block a greater degree ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Mar 2020 21:07

Several Sony businesses are to be restructed. (Source: Sony)

Sony will consolidate 3 areas of its business into a new corporation

Sony has announced a plan to take its existing Electronics Products & Solutions (EP&S) divisions, which includes its Mobile Communications business, and combine them into 1 intermediate holding entity. This new corporation is inte...

Deirdre O Donnell, 29 Mar 2020 23:32

Logic Pro X gets a free three-month trial. (Source: Apple)

Apple Logic Pro X and Final Cut Pro X go free to use for 90 days

Apple is giving creative pros and others the opportunity to use the full versions of Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X to users for 90 days. Final Cut Pro X had previously been available for a 1-month trial period while this is the ...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 29 Mar 2020 10:47

Qualcomm debuts new Bluetooth audio chips. (Source: Qualcomm)

Qualcomm launches its latest TWS-friendly Bluetooth chipsets

Qualcomm has introduced the QCC514X and QCC304X, 2 new audio SoCs that are "optimized for" true wireless (TWS) earbuds and other similar accessories. They are equipped with support for its Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) an...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Mar 2020 19:46

The new Reolink Lumus. (Source: Reolink)

The new Reolink Lumus Wi-Fi security camera also has a motion-activated spotlight

Most IP and Wi-Fi-connected home security cameras are designed to simply detect suspicious movement on a property. However, the Lumus may improve on such products from Reolink in that it also has a built-in spotlight. This augment...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Mar 2020 18:00

The possible Pixel Buds 2 charging case. (Source: WPC)

A new leak points to second-generation TWS Google Pixel Buds on the way

Taiwan's NCC regulator has reportedly cleared a new set of TWS devices from Google. This suggests that the Pixel Buds debuted last year will see successors in 2020. However, it is difficult to guess from their new putative leak ho...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2020 19:23

The ZenBuds have won 2020 design accolades. (Source: Huami)

Amazfit's ZenBuds win an iF Design Award in time for World Sleep Day 2020

Amazfit has announced that its iF Design Award for the innovative ZenBuds came in during the week of World Sleep Day this year (March 13, 2020). These TWS earbuds, appropriately enough, have been created in order to support improv...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Mar 2020 17:05

OnePlus Instant Translation is live. (Source: XDA)

OnePlus debuts its Instant Translation feature in the 7 and 7T series' latest betas

OnePlus introduced a new facet of its OxygenOS called Instant Translation during its last product launch. It allows a phone to generate automatic captions during live video chats. This function has finally been added to new Open B...

Deirdre O Donnell, 20 Mar 2020 21:10

The PlayStation 5's Tempest 3D Audio engine will take audio immersion to the next level. (Image Source: Let'sGoDigital)

The PlayStation 5's Tempest 3D audio engine is so revolutionary that Sony may ask you to send a photo of your ears for added realism

Sony is equipping the PlayStation 5 with a revolutionary Tempest 3D audio engine that focuses a lot on positional audio experiences using HRTF methods. The PS5's Tempest Engine actually leverages an entire GPU compute unit for aud...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 19 Mar 2020 01:44

The new Powerbeats earphones. (Source: Apple)

Apple releases new Powerbeats: less expensive than the Pros, but not TWS

Apple has debuted a refreshed pair of Powerbeats for 2020. These new products look much the same as their predecessors, although they have comparably extended battery life and Audio Sharing. They are available from now for ~US$150...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Mar 2020 19:00

The Korg Kaosillator app for iOS and Android is free for a limited time. (Source: Korg)

Korg, Moog make synth apps free in response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus

With the new coronavirus forcing most of us to stay at home, we are all going to be looking for things to do to keep us entertained. Enter Korg and Moog, which have both made a couple of their popular synth apps available to downl...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 18 Mar 2020 09:38

An LG CineBeam AI ThinQ 4K UHD projector. (Source: LG)

LG's 4K UHD CineBeam projectors can now use Amazon Alexa

The CineBeam projectors support 4K UHD content and LG's ThinQ AI. Now, they also support Amazon Alexa thanks to a new software update. This applies to the HU70LA and HU85LA variants of this series.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Mar 2020 17:47

The Montblanc Summit 2+ smartwatch. (Source: Montblanc)

Montblanc launches Summit 2+ smartwatch and its first wireless Smart Headphones

Luxury goods maker Montblanc has launched its latest smartwatch alongside its first pair of premium wireless headphones. The new Summit 2+ builds on the same platform as its predecessor but is now larger while its new luxury Smart...

Sanjiv Sathiah, 11 Mar 2020 11:34

TCL has revealed new product lines for 2020. (Source: TCL)

TCL introduces its new "Quantum Dot Pro" TVs

TCL has launched new TVs for 2020, which are divided into 3 series: V8, C8 and P9, which also have their own additional marketing monikers and specific enhancements or use-cases. They are quantum-dot panels, some of which also hav...

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Mar 2020 17:48

These new products were registered with the WPC in March 2020. (Source: WPC)

New TWS earbuds from Xiaomi may be on the way

A new listing for "Mi True Wireless Earphones 2S" has appeared on the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) website. Based on this name, it seems that Xiaomi has a new TWS product on the way. However, the image that goes with their new ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Mar 2020 17:07

The Dongii Nintendo Switch dock. (Source: Better DiGi)

The Dongii purports to combine 65W GaN charging with a Nintendo Switch dock

The Dongii is a new kind of charger with USB type A and C ports - as well as an HDMI port to connect a Nintendo Switch to the nearest TV. It is described as equipped with up-to-date GaN technology and capable of up to 65 watt (W) ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 03 Mar 2020 21:02

A screenshot that may support impending aptX for the Sony TWS earbuds. (Credit: WalkmanBlog)

Update | A new leak points to an upgrade to aptX HD for the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds

The Sony WF-1000XM3s are widely regarded as some of the best TWS earbuds out there. However, they do have some discrepancies, one of which is the absence of Qualcomm's aptX HD Bluetooth codec. A new leak suggests that this is to b...

Deirdre O Donnell, 03 Mar 2020 20:22

Products such as Xiaomi's Mi Band remained popular in India at the end of 2019. (Source: Banggood)

Xiaomi is found to have led the Indian smart-band market in 2019

IDC India has released its report on the wearables market in this country for the last quarter of 2019 (4Q2019). It reveals that the 'audio' category of these electronics had the highest share for that period, overtaking band-type...

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Mar 2020 22:43

The new SOL REPUBLIC Amps Air +. (Source: SOL REPUBLIC)

SOL REPUBLIC's 3rd-gen TWS earbuds upgrade to ANC and USB type C charging

The Amps Air + are the latest TWS earbuds from SOL REPUBLIC. They are the brand's first such product with active noise cancellation (ANC). These new Amps also now feature a slimmer case with USB type C charging, which can deliver ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 28 Feb 2020 16:22

The ray traced audio processing on the Xbox Series X might require very expensive speakers or headphones. (Image Sources: GamesRadar)

Ray traced audio acceleration is the latest gimmick on Microsoft's Xbox Series X console

Is Microsoft trying to prove that sounds exhibit the same wave-particle duality as light rays? Probably not. This is most likely a clever marketing gimmick that feeds off of the growing popularity of ray traced graphics and mainst...

Bogdan Solca, 27 Feb 2020 16:18

The headphone and earphone market will keep on going strong until 2025. (Source: Skullcandy)

The combined headphones and earphones market may make up to US$45 billion in 5 years

The latest headphone and earphone market research projects that this compound device category will "generate revenues of over US$45 Billion" between now and 2025. This growth is thought to be driven by several factors, which inclu...

Deirdre O Donnell, 26 Feb 2020 22:53

The Honor Magic Earbuds look to take on the Apple AirPords Pro and the Galaxy Buds+. (Image Source: Honor)

Honor Magic Earbuds aim to take on the Apple AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds Plus

Honor announced the Magic Earbuds at its MWC substitute event in Barcelona today. The Magic Earbuds look strikingly similar to the Apple AirPods Pro and feature 10mm drivers, hybrid feed-forward/feedback noise cancelation, and a 3...

Vaidyanathan Subramaniam, 25 Feb 2020 00:27

There may be a new version of the AirPods Pro soon. (Source: Apple)

Apple may launch a new AirPods Pro variant soon

A new report by a Taiwanese media outlet claims that a company from the same country may be engaged to help produce the upcoming AirPods Pro Lite. These putative devices are thought to be a more affordable version of Apple's TWS e...

Deirdre O Donnell, 23 Feb 2020 22:43

The Xbox Series X reportedly features dedicated audio hardware for immersive headphone experiences (Image source: Microsoft)

Xbox Series X will have dedicated audio hardware for spatial sound

Microsoft is reportedly deploying dedicated audio processing hardware in the Xbox Series X to enable immersive, next-generation spatial audio experiences.

Arjun Krishna Lal, 19 Feb 2020 18:51

The Redemption ANCs and their charging case. (Source: House of Marley)

House of Marley launches its first ANC pair of TWS earbuds

House of Marley has released its second-gen TWS earbuds, called the Redemption ANCs. Unlike their predecessors, they resemble Apple AirPods, albeit ones finished in sustainable bamboo. They also have a 4-mic system for voice calls...

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Feb 2020 20:29

As of now, a Galaxy S20 pre-order is the only way to get hold of a Home Mini (Image source: Android Police)

Spooked by Alexa? Samsung says it has no plans to sell the Galaxy Home Mini separately

In a conversation with a prospective Galaxy Home Mini buyer, a Samsung rep stated that the company has no plans to sell the Galaxy Home Mini on a standalone basis. This makes a Galaxy S20 pre-order the only way to get hold of the ...

Arjun Krishna Lal, 18 Feb 2020 08:32

The ViewSonic M1 Mini LED Pocket Projector. (Source: ViewSonic)

ViewSonic wins a 2020 IF Design Award for its latest mini projector

The ViewSonic M1 Mini LED Pocket Projector has won one of the IF Design Awards for 2020. It has been conferred due to its innovative and functional stand, which also doubles as a lens-protector when not in use. It also packs a bat...

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Feb 2020 23:28

The Aria SONG X earbuds. (Source: Indiegogo)

SONG X: possibly the most unique TWS earbuds on Indiegogo

A company called Aria has put its new true-wireless (or TWS) earbuds up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. This isn't hugely unusual these days - however, these SONG X products distinguish themselves with an innovative "Star Ring" cha...

Deirdre O Donnell, 15 Feb 2020 20:22

The Galaxy Buds+ also come in Aura Red. (Source: Instagram)

The red versions of the Samsung Galaxy S20 series are coming to Europe: new leak

The Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra were launched in their new Cloud- or Cosmic-themed colorways on February 11, 2020. However, other reports have revealed that they have drastically different options on the South Korean ma...

Deirdre O Donnell, 13 Feb 2020 22:34

Live Caption is showcased at Galaxy Unpacked 2020. (Source: YouTube)

Google could bring Live Captions to Chrome soon

The recent Samsung Galaxy S20 launch event also served to unveil the addition of the Live Caption feature to Google, in which video-call speech is converted into text in real time. Now, there is evidence that this function is also...

Deirdre O Donnell, 13 Feb 2020 21:50

An up-to-date Galaxy Home Mini render. (Source: TizenHelp)

Samsung reportedly sows confusion over the Galaxy Home Mini and its launch date

Samsung has been linked to an upcoming budget smart speaker since 2018. More recent reports appear to confirm that this device will be called the Galaxy Home Mini and that it would launch on February 12, 2020. An even newer leak a...

Deirdre O Donnell, 05 Feb 2020 19:08

Galaxy Buds+ spec sheet highlights some key features about Samsung's upcoming headphones

Leaked Galaxy Buds+ spec sheet highlights larger battery, an additional microphone and a $149 price tag

Galaxy Buds+ are expected to release alongside the Galaxy S20 series. The headphones will come with upgraded batteries, 2 way dynamic speakers, an extra microphone, and a dedicated iOS app. It will reportedly be priced at $149.

Anil Satyanarayana, 05 Feb 2020 02:50

The TV is still the most popular platform for videos. (Source: Philips)

The TV is still the preferred device for content consumption: new report

Today, the world seems filled with screens of high enough resolutions to consume the content they can show regardless of their size or portability. However, a new report shows that TVs have still managed to retain the greatest sha...

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Jan 2020 19:48

No luck for S20 buyers? (Source: Evan Blass)

Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S20+ or S20 Ultra and get a free pair of Galaxy Buds+

What appears to be official promotional material for the Samsung Galaxy S20 phones has surfaced, confirming the names and designs of the S20+, S20 Ultra, and Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Buds+ TWS earphones. Those will pre-order the ...

Ricci Rox, 25 Jan 2020 09:29

Austere's new 8K HDMI 2.1 Cable. (Source: Austere)

Austere releases an HDMI 2.1 cable for 8K UHD content

8K is the next up-and-coming thing in display-tech standards. However, devices that support it may only be so effective at showing it without compatible, high-quality cables. The company Austere has put just such a product on the ...

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Jan 2020 18:25

Blu-ray is in decline as a medium. (Source: Wikipedia)

Blu-ray disc shipments are now projected to fall by over 150 million units over the next 5 years

Once, long ago, Blu-ray was touted as the gold standard in media playback. Now, however, it has sunk into obscurity among a world's worth of streaming services compatible with high-res displays. The format's market value is now th...

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Jan 2020 20:32