Audio

Available in quite a few different colors, the Beats Studio 3 wireless ANC over-ear headphones have a list price of US$349.95. Amazon customers can get four of the seven versions for US$199.95, thanks to the ongoing 43% discount. The remaining color choices are also available for less than US$300.

Majority touts its new Tru Bio product as a particularly sustainable example of wireless earbuds as they (their case included) are made with "eco-biodegradable" materials. They are also rated to deliver quality audio via large drivers (also compostable) and hardware that supports up-to-date Bluetooth connectivity (less so). The Tru Bio buds have an estimated 30 hours of battery life and charge back up with USB type-C.

Philips has introduced the Fidelio L4 and Fidelio T2, over-headphones and earbuds, respectively. Both feature Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, as well as support for the Bluetooth LC3 codec, Bluetooth LE Audio and even Sony LDAC.

JBL is launching the Pulse 5 portable speaker in the US. The gadget, arriving on February 9, provides a 360° colored light show that you can sync to your music. The device has a 30 W sound system, and you can pair two units to create a stereo sound experience for up to 12 hours on a single charge.

Although listed with different prices for each color choice, the Skullcandy Indy Evo TWS earbuds are now down by up to 57% on Amazon. This discount applies to the grey version, which carries a US$29.99 discounted price tag. However, the cheapest color choice is green mint, available for US$29.13.

OnePlus has released the Buds 2 Pro in the UK, US and the Eurozone. Available for free with OnePlus 11 pre-orders in some countries, the Buds 2 Pro costs US$179.99 in the US and offer 48 dB of ANC and 6 hours of battery life with the feature enabled.

The 11R has just been unveiled as the latest OnePlus smartphone exclusive to India. It has been revealed as a way to get at the latest Android flagship look (albeit not all of the specs) at about 70% of the cost of a new 11. It is now joined in its R series by equally market-specific version of the OEM's new flagship TWS earbuds.

Amazon, Best Buy and Sonos are currently offering the Sonos Arc soundbar for US$799 in the US. The 11% off deal is the biggest price cut seen at either retailer in 2023 and since the Black Friday sale event. The speaker can produce a 3D sound experience with Dolby Atmos, and you can control the device with Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands.

EarFun asserts that its latest TWS earbuds are the world's first audio products of their type with a "highly efficient" LE-Audio Bluetooth architecture. An up-to-date Qualcomm chip that confers aptX Adaptive and QuietSmart 2.0 Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation on the Air Pro 3s, which also support one of the latest audio codecs in order to aim for pronounced bass.

The reasonably priced Dolby Atmos soundbar from JBL has hit one of its lowest prices to date as a reputable seller is now offering the Bar 5.0 at a steeply discounted sale price of US$249.

Marshall has released the Middleton, a portable Bluetooth speaker. The gadget can last for over 20 hours on a single charge, with a 20-minute recharge providing another two hours of life. The louder model has a quad-speaker system and features like Dynamic Loudness, True Stereophonic and Stack Mode.

Released in early March 2022, the Asus ROG Fusion II 500 gaming headset features the Hi-Res ESS 9280 Quad DAC that provides an impressive 130 dB SNR value, virtual 7.1 surround, and a noise-canceling AI beamforming microphone. The ongoing 28% discount takes the US$179.99 price down to US$129.99.

New renders of the Nothing Ear (2) have shown up online. The earbuds are, for the most part, identical to the Ear (1), save for a repositioned microphone and some internal parts moved around.

The Ace 2 will launch as the Chinese-market version of OnePlus' latest premium mid-range Android smartphone, to be available elsewhere as the 11R. Its launch event will also introduce a new pair of TWS earbuds of a similar name. The accessories look quite like the brand's existing mid-range audio options - however, they apparently upgrade to noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3.

With a list price of US$99.99, the Lenovo Legion H500 Pro 7.1 is a surround sound wired gaming headset described as "the ultimate tool for pro gamers" that features 50 mm drivers and a passive noise-canceling retractable microphone. It works with PCs, mobile devices, and consoles. The discounted price tag reads US$52.99.

Tronsmart has launched the Halo Series party speakers, with the Halo 100 model now available in European countries, including the UK and Italy. A second model, the Halo 110, comes with a microphone for karaoke and launches in February. The gadgets can last up to 18 hours on a single charge and come with built-in LEDs for lighting effects.

Bluetooth certification and FCC filings suggest that a new IKEA VAPPEBY Bluetooth speaker is in development. The gadget appears to be battery-powered and square-shaped, with a built-in handle and the same Spotify Tap playback feature seen on the VAPPEBY speaker lamp released last year.

Sony has just unleashed its latest Walkman ZX- and A-series audio players on the United States market. They consist of the NW-ZX707 and more affordable NW-A306, both of which are rated for extended battery life, relatively large displays and support for high-res audio. They also both support Android and are "fully" Wi-Fi compatible for potentially audiophile-grade streaming and downloading.

OnePlus has just announced that its fans will see more during its upcoming Cloud11 global launch event than previously expected. The company originally scheduled it in order to unveil the flagship 11 and matching Buds Pro 2, and now intends to debut further products alongside them. They seem to include the 11R that will be exclusive to India, as well as the OEM's first-gen tablet also headed to regions such as North America.

Sony's new Float Run is the OEM's most unique earphone product since the LinkBuds. However, unlike those TWS buds, this new gadget integrates earphones designed to stay just outside the user's ear canal during use. Their maker touts this new form-factor as made for runners, athletes or fitness enthusiasts, as it might eliminate discomfort, not to mention the dreaded risk of fall-out, while exercising.

We put these pricey AI-powered earbuds to the test in both Mandarin and English under a variety of scenarios. They're great for basic day-to-day conversations, but the automatic translations can be unreliable depending on your accent and topic.

ViewSonic has announced that it will unveil a new 5K display as a headline act at its Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) showcase. The massive, business-grade display can be written or drawn on as well as show 105 inches of visual content. It will be joined by even bigger LED displays, some of which have upgraded to flexible displays, and ultra-bright projectors at the conference.

ViewSonic's latest VG56V Series of monitors come with their own pop-up cameras for a new perspective on pro-grade remote conferencing. The OEM asserts that their new front-facing "docking" web-cams improve on user security as well as enhance how they present themselves during online meetings. The new displays also support USB type-C, DisplayPort and giga connectivity.

Apple's surprise launches this week keep coming, with the company having already introduced new MacBook Pro 14, MacBook Pro 16 and Mac mini models this week. The trio are now joined by the HomePod 2, which Apple claims offers 'breakthrough sound'. The HomePod 2 does not necessarily contain upgrades over the original HomePod across the board, though.

Samsung has released new updates for the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro. Not yet available to the Galaxy Watch4 or Galaxy Watch4 Classic, the updates bring previously promised features, plus a new device diagnostics tool for the Galaxy Buds2 Pro and Galaxy Watch5 series.

Allegedly, the launch of a second-generation HomePod is imminent. According to a typically well-informed source, the revived HomePod will be available with hardware upgrades and a cheaper launch price.

Samsung has outlined new features headed to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4, plus the Galaxy Watch4 and Galaxy Watch5 series. The new features should start arriving early next week, with others due in February.

The FiiO M11S is now available to order. Equipped with a Snapdragon 660 chipset and a 5,300 mAh battery, the FiiO M11S supports high-fidelity Bluetooth and wired audio options, plus Apple AirPlay and DLNA technologies, among other features.

According to new reports, Apple has no plans to release a new generation of any AirPods model this year. Instead, the AirPods 4 and AirPods Max 2 will likely debut in late 2024, and could be joined by an all-new AirPods model—the AirPods SE, maybe—seemingly planned to arrive with an MSRP around US$99.

Sony has presented the NW-A306 globally. Equipped with a small display, the NW-A306 will be the cheaper alternative to the NW-ZX707 that the company also announced today. The Sony NW-A306 Walkman will be available later this month in Europe, Japan and the UK.

Sony has presented the NW-ZX707, a premium Walkman that offers up to 25 hours of battery life. The Sony NW-ZX707 will be available first in Japan and ships with Android 12, plus 64 GB of storage and a 720p display.

JLab is an accessory OEM that tends to equip its TWS earbud cases with in-built USB type-A cables for potentially increased convenience. This feature is found in the ANC and Sport ANC variants of the brand's Epic Air line, all of which mark the start of 2023 with discounts via a major retailer to help with those activity- or productivity-focused new year goals.

OnePlus has debuted its second-gen Buds Pro today (January 4, 2023) as TWS earbuds that step up to spatial audio and Dynaudio co-branding for the first time. They also have active noise cancellation (ANC) touted as significantly improved compared to that of their predecessors, not to mention Bluetooth 5.3 and up to 39 hours of battery life. However, it is possible that one might need to pair them with a new 11 flagship smartphone to get the best out of the new TWS earbuds.

IKEA has unveiled the SYMFONISK sound remote, gen 2, to use with the various products designed in partnership with Sonos. Plus, the gadget supports the broader Sonos Home Sound System. The controller features seven buttons, including two customizable pads which you can use to play your favourite playlists.

Apple has unveiled a new limited edition of the second-generation AirPods Pro in China, themed after the transition from the Year of the Tiger (2022) to that of the Rabbit (2023). The TWS earbuds' case come with an appropriately-themed engraving, which is also picked out on their retail box. They are available on the OEM's Store from now.

LG has announced that it will unveil its new 2023 range of TVs during its CES 2023 exhibition. However, it has revealed that it has prepared new soundbars as the "perfect match" for these upcoming big-screen devices. Their combination is touted to result in powerful new features such as a WOW Orchestra soundstage.

The sleek wireless gaming headset, which can also be connected to Sony's PlayStation 4 and 5, the Nintendo Switch as well as Apple iOS devices, has hit its lowest price in 30 days on Amazon, which is where the Razer Barracuda can be now ordered for just US$119.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 FE may be on the way after all. Following reports of a cancellation earlier in the year, word on the grapevine now seems to indicate that the Galaxy S21 FE's successor is on the way, along with the bean-style Galaxy Buds2 Live.

Sony’s flagship Active Noise Canceling (ANC) headphones, the WH-1000XM5, can now be had at a cool 13% discount from Amazon. Out of a total of 3,485 reviews on the site, the headphones have an average rating of 4.5/5 with more than 75% five-star reviews. In other words, the WH-1000XM5 appear to be an excellent choice when it comes to high-end ANC cans.

Meizu has officially confirmed a launch window for its new, 20-series premium Android smartphone. It seems the flagship will not arrive alone, however – it will be joined by a new dedicated audio player. The OEM claims to have developed new in-house DAC technology for the upcoming M3 variant.

Sporting both active noise cancelation and an audio transparency mode like most competing products, the OnePlus Buds Z2 wireless earbuds come with a superior battery life of up to 38 hours (24 hours with ANC turned on). With a list price of US$99.99, the OnePlus Buds Z2 can be acquired now from Amazon for half the price.

The first details about a new Nothing product having surfaced online. To be sold under the sub-brand XO, Particles by XO will be another adventurous pair of TWS earbuds with ANC and high-fidelity audio options.

Bose has revealed that it is now an audio partner for Volvo in-car systems, starting with the new EX90. The new all-electric vehicle thus comes with a branded multi-speaker array optimized for its sports utility vehicle (SUV) design. It is rated to create a surround-sound effect that serves each seat with "accurate" bass and noise-dampening technology.

Skyworth has announced that the Clarus will be the first TV of the type that can be installed outdoors with Google's stock UI on its launch. It is also touted as ideal for its target setting thanks to its bright mini-LED-based display and ingress-resistant metallic housing. The upcoming outdoor TV should become available to pre-order in 2023.

OnePlus has now officially announced a launch date for its next premium smartphone. The OnePlus 11 will make its debut on February 7, and will be joined by a slew of new products as well, one of which will be the OnePlus Buds Pro 2.

Although the deal only applies to the Satin Silver finish and only for US-based customers, the 43% discount that pushes the Beats Solo3 wireless on-ear headphones from US$199.95 to US$114.95 should not be overlooked. Compatible with both Apple and Android devices, these wireless headphones provide up to 40 hours of battery life.

OPPO has announced some new special editions of existing products as well as its latest foldable Android smartphones today (December 15, 2022). They include the Watch 3 Pro Glacier Gray, a new SKU of the OEM's highest-end smartwatch optimized for skiing; the Golden Years Edition of the Enco X2 flagship TWS earbuds and a new artist's rendition of the OPPO Pad.

OPPO has revealed that its line of in-house chipsets has a new member as part of its ongoing Inno Day 2022 event. The MariSilicon Y is also its maker's first ever custom SoC for sound, designed with "industry-first" technology to achieve "ultra-high" transmission rates over Bluetooth. It is also rated to support lossless audio and integrates its own neural processing unit (NPU) for hundreds of billions of calculations per second.

Released as a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro, the US$150 Beats Studio Buds TWS ANC earbuds are now down to less than US$90 thanks to a 40% Amazon discount. Unfortunately for those who would like to get them in black, red, white, or gray, the only discounted color choice is Ocean Blue.