Audio

Enabot touts its latest EBO X as the "first true family bot", and, as such, capable of helping protect, entertain and inform your loved ones while moving independently around the home. Its launch via Kickstarter involves a hefty discount off its planned US$999 retail price, while may have helped it attract backing to the tune of over 1900% of its original goal to the project in short order thus far.

With steeply discounted prices of US$159 and US$239, these two affordable soundbars are a decent choice for budget-conscious TV owners who don't want to miss out on the immersion of Dolby Atmos.

Apple has unveiled a Classical dimension of its Music service that, as the name suggests, is dedicated to streaming tracks from composers such as Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Chopin. It will be free from the App Store, albeit to current Music subscribers. Its announcement might be the Cupertino giant's way of responding to Spotify's preview of its upcoming TikTok-eqsue mobile UI overhaul.

According to new rumours, Apple will replace the current second-generation HomePod as early as 2024. Purportedly, Apple has designed a third-generation edition to integrate more closely within its ecosystem, with a touchscreen serving as a way to control HomeKit devices.

The flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar from the German audio specialist usually costs a whopping US$2,500, but thanks to an ongoing deal, the Sennheiser Ambeo Max can now be ordered for US$800 off its original MSRP.

A new pair of Sony earbuds with ANC are coming to market. The earbuds in question are reputed to be the WF-C700N, a successor to the WF-C500 that lacked active noise cancellation and a much cheaper alternative to the WF-1000XM4.

Analytics firm Canalys has now released its report on the state of the TWS earbuds market for Q4 2022. While the market saw a significant decline overall, Apple continues to dominate, in no small part due to the massive success of its US$249 AirPods Pro 2.

Sonos has announced a new partnership with Apple to deliver Spatial Audio support to some of its smart speakers. Not restricted to new models, Spatial Audio will also be headed to the Arc and the Beam (Gen 2).

Sonos has introduced the Era 100 and Era 300, a pair of new smart speakers. Sonos has pitched the Era 100 and Era 300 at vastly different price points, with the Era 100 serving as a Sonos One successor.

OnePlus has released a cheaper version of its current flagship earbuds. The Buds Pro 2 Light Edition should provide the same sound quality as the more expensive Buds Pro 2 but misses out on two features to keep costs down.

Two new soundbars are now available from LG, the SC9S and the SE6S, in the US, the UK and the EU. The devices feature Triple Sound technology and a triple up-firing speaker. The higher-end SC9S has 3.1.3 channel audio and comes with a subwoofer, while the cheaper SE6S delivers 3.0 channel sound.

Nothing has revealed launch details about the Ear (2), its next pair of TWS earbuds. The Ear (2) will build on the Ear (1) and Ear Stick, albeit with a design that looks the spitting image of the Ear (1).

Oukitel backs itself to surpass others such as AGM and Ulefone to become the brand with the rugged smartphone of the loudest (and largest) loudspeaker system. The WP22 may also outdo its rivals with a 10,000mAh battery - not to mention Android 13 out of the box. It will debut with a MediaTek Helio-series SoC and 8GB of RAM later this month.

Released in 2020, the Bose Frames Tempo sport audio sunglasses feature interchangeable polarized lenses, support for the Bose Music app with personalized settings and new features, a playtime of up to 8 hours per charge, as well IPX4-level water resistance. The US$249 list price is now down to US$124.50.

A new leak has revealed that Nothing is working on an in-house speaker. The first of its kind by the company, the so-called Nothing Speaker (1) has an unusual design with what appears to be a transparent carrying handle.

Alienware has announced new gaming headsets — the wired AW520H and the dual-mode wireless AW720H. Both headsets come with 40 mm Hi-Res certified drivers, noise cancelling retractable boom mics, support for Dolby Atmos, memory foam, and AlienFX lighting.

Samsung has unveiled the Sound Tower MX-ST45B, which is now available in Brazil. The portable speaker is designed for outdoor use, with waterproof components and dual-sided output for an increased audio range. The device lasts up to twelve hours on a single charge and has built-in LED lights.

The Dolby Atmos-capable soundbar with a standalone 3.1-channel setup has once again received a noteworthy discount, which means that the Sony HT-A3000 has dropped back below the US$500 price mark and matched its lowest price thus far on Amazon.

Sony has released V2.0.0 to the WF-1000XM4, which brings a substantial improvement to the high-end earbuds. The update brings the long-awaited promise of Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity to the WF-1000XM4, which Sony first mentioned over four months ago.

It appears that Bose is preparing to release a new pair of flagship ANC headphones. Dubbed the QuietComfort Ultra, the headphones feature design changes from the QuietComfort 45 and the Headphones 700, which are reached their second and fourth birthdays, respectively.

The new Samsung Q995GC soundbar has been revealed in Germany. The "top end" gadget is the first soundbar from the brand to come with a built-in SmartThings hub, allowing you to control smart home devices with Amazon Alexa voice commands. The 11.1.4 channel speaker has various features, including Q-Symphony for enhanced TV audio and Game Mode Pro 2.0. Update: Corrected speaker channel system numbering.

Sony has finally brought the WH-CH520 to market after numerous leaks. The Sony WH-CH520 comes in three colours with up to 50 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, among other features.

The WH-CH720N has arrived, Sony's lightest pair of over-ear headphones released to date. The headphones also feature the same Integrated Processor V1 that handles active noise cancellation, as well as up to 35 hours of battery life with ANC enabled or 50 hours with ANC disabled.

With a list price of US$249.99, the Klipsch T5 II Sport PGA Edition TWS ANC earbuds come inside a rugged waterproof and dustproof case that features a built-in moisture removal system. The ongoing 60% discount brings them down to the lowest price in 30 days on Amazon, so those interested can get them for just US$99.

Ulefone has announced that it has a new 10.1-inch FHD+ tablet for sale. The Tab A8 aims for a high-end appearance with support for 4G/LTE as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a slim metallic unibody and an unavoidably Xiaomi 13-esque camera hump - however, its internal specs knocks it down to a more affordable tier of the mobile device market. Then again, it has a headphone jack - just not normally where you'd expect to find one.

LG's mid-range soundbar comes with a wireless subwoofer and two rear speakers, which makes the Dolby Atmos-capable S75QR a decent 5.1.2 package considering its steeply discounted sale price of US$350 at Best Buy.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved OnePlus' latest TWS earbuds for sale in markets such as the US. The group may also have dispelled any remaining mystery surrounding the accessories and what they can offer on their launch. These specs are likely to include an upgrade to noise cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 when compared to their predecessors

The Pixel Buds Pro will soon receive head tracking support, courtesy of a new firmware update. In the meantime, Google has readied the Pixel Buds app for the new functionality, which will work in tandem with Spatial Audio.

The Xiaomi Buds 4 arrived a few months ago in China. According to a renowned leaker, the Xiaomi Buds 4 could be on the verge of a global release. European pricing has leaked, as have colour options outside China.

The Sony WH-CH520 has leaked again, with a retailer showcasing product renders, specifications and pricing. While the WH-CH520 will be available for less than €100, the headphones will offer 50 hours of battery life, Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity and DSEE upscaling, among other features.

Sony is preparing to launch the WH-CH720N, a successor to last year's WH-CH710N. While the WH-CH720N retains its predecessor's 35 hours of battery life, Sony has made the newer model lighter with more padding to improve comfort. The Sony WH-CH720N offers Bluetooth 5.2 and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, among other features.

The Motorola Moto X40 is the world's only smartphone with a 156Hz display driven by the new flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor. However, it is only officially available in China - for now. It is thought to take on different names for both the US and European markets, both of which have surfaced in the same potential pre-launch leak.

Since the HW-S800B and HW-Q600B audio systems from Samsung's 2022 lineup are slowly but surely approaching the end of their market cycle, both Dolby Atmos soundbars can now be purchased at significant discounts of up to 70% off their original MSRP.

A pair of forthcoming headphones have leaked online. Not only have official images of both leaked, but so have a few specifications and alleged European pricing.

Soon Apple will be forced to sell the AirPods Pro with a USB Type-C port like the iPhone 15 series, eschewing the evergreen Lightning connector. In the meantime, an engineer has modified the existing AirPods Pro charging case to support USB Type-C charging and is selling replacement parts or complete units.

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.