Audio

Italy's anti-competition watchdog AGCM has ruled against Apple and Amazon in a case concerning the sale of Beats-series products on the latter's website for the country. The authority has concluded that the 2 OEMs formulated sales agreements for the audio accessories that amounted to an anti-trust practice. The companies may now have to pay a combined ~US$236 million in penalties as a result.

Samsung has issued a statement about the Galaxy Buds Pro and evidence that the earbuds can cause ear infections for some people. The statement will be no solace for those affected, so perhaps consider other earbuds for the time being if you have sensitive ears.

Denon has announced the AH-C630W and AH-C830NCW, two pairs of true wireless earbuds. One has active noise cancellation and the other does not, which explains their US$60 price difference.

Carl Pei's new start-up Nothing has but one product to its name so far: the ear (1) TWS earbuds. The active noise-cancelling (ANC)-enabled wearables have had only one SKU since their launch. Now, however, they are slated to release again in the form of a second option that may or may not go on sale soon.

Xiaomi has announced a new soundbar, the Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch. The soundbar offers Dolby Audio and DTS Virtual:X sound, has a wireless subwoofer and can deliver up to 430 W of output power, among other features.

Samsung's Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy Buds 2 may be some of the best TWS earbuds on the market but they both appear to pose health hazards. A new report, along with a host of similar complaints, indicates that Samsung's recent audio accessories could be causing ear complications.

The Galaxy A33 is projected to succeed the affordable-class A32 5G from 2021. According to the latest renders, the upcoming model may not change much in terms of design or specs in 2022. On the other hand, it is now slated to lose a feature that is usually a perk of budget Android smartphones.

TCL announced a new line of 8K TVs, equipped with its in-house OD Zero technology, in 2021. Now, the OEM has announced that the flagship of this X9 line has won an CES 2022 Innovation Award, well in advance of the actual conference. One of its robot vacuum cleaners has also been recognized by the CTA committee already.

LG is offering a free pair of its flagship TONE Free TWS earbuds with qualifying OLED TVs during its Black Friday event in the US for the second year running. However, the OEM has also come up with a new promotion by which some audio products, some 2021 wireless speakers included, come with a free XBOOM Go PL5.

The HiRes certified FC5 USB DAC/headphone amp by HiBy supports MQA and features a 4.4 mm balanced output with 125 mW output power. The hardware inside the sleek metal body of the FC5 includes the ES9281 Pro DAC, dual ES9603Q headphone amps, hardware volume controls, as well as RGB lights.

An Apple tipster has offered up information about multiple products due to come out of Cupertino in the ensuing months. This includes rumors about the expected M2 MacBook Air, future iMac computers, the iPhone 14 range, and even a new Apple monitor. The leaker believes the MacBook Air with M2 Apple Silicon will be sold alongside the M1 variant.

The affordable 32-inch soundbar is easy-to-use and wall mountable with the ability to accept up to five different audio inputs. Unfortunately, its limited Bluetooth range and lack of a dedicated subwoofer can disappoint users with larger HTPC setups.

Carl Pei's new start-up Nothing geared up with bold claims of an entire ecosystem of unique products; however, it has launched just 1 pair of TWS earbuds thus far. Now, however, an executive at the company has teased launches for products to follow these accessories. There are not many details on any of them at present, although the company insists they will be "iconic".

The newest most premium tablet produced by Lenovo for the global market has a sub-13-inch E4 AMOLED display with a 2K resolution, quad JBL speakers and stylus support. Now, the OEM has also graced its Chinese fans with this collection of specs in the form of the Xiaoxin Pad Pro 12.6. It can be pre-ordered in its new market from now.

Apple has just unveiled one of the strongest competitors to the AirPods Pro with the Beats Fit Pro. Not only do the earbuds support active noise cancellation (ANC), but they are also compatible with Apple's Spatial Audio technology.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo is one of the most interesting 15.6-inch gaming laptops out there, thanks to its innovative dual-screen set-up. Now, a famous leaker claims that a possible successor or second variant for this machine is coming, with a different screen size this time around. It may or may not arrive alongside new TWS earbuds to match its branding.

The latest LG CineBeam LED projector has debuted at under $900 in the US market. The OEM asserts that it can be set up anywhere thanks to its compact form-factor and "4-Corner" keystone technology. It is thus rated for clear, vivid and accurate images of up to 120 inches in diagonal length.

When Apple unveiled the AirPods 3, it brought a feature to its basic earbuds that the AirPods Pro lack. In response, Apple has released a new AirPods Pro revision, allowing it and retailers to continue to charge US$249 for its 'Pro' earbuds.

The brand Palm may have helped propel hand-held personal tech to where it is today; however, it has all but faded into obscurity now. However, it has just revealed that it might be mounting a fightback against this with the launch of its latest products, the Buds Pro. They offer ANC with "studio-grade" sound and can be pre-ordered from now.

HTC has introduced its latest product as a pair of noise-cancelling TWS earbuds. In fact, the Taiwanese stalwart insists these accessories have dual noise cancellation: that of the often sought-after active variety (or ANC), as well as the environmental (ENC) kind, thus ensuring "clear communication in any environment". They also offer "worry-free" IP5X splash-resistance and up to 24 hours of battery life.

The original iPod has now reached its 20th anniversary, with the iPod Touch now serving as the sole representative of the series. While the iPod's design is well known, the leak-proof case in which Apple hid it shortly before its announcement is less so. Sadly, Apple no longer goes to such great lengths to hide its upcoming hardware.

Apple is projected to launch second-gen AirPods Pro in 2022. These TWS earbuds have allegedly been captured in new renders hinting that their charging case will come with new and heretofore-unseen features. Then again, their source may be less than 100% reliable in this case.

The Apple HomePod Mini speakers are now available in a total of five colourways, namely space grey, white, yellow, orange, and blue. The company has also unveiled the new Apple Music Voice plan that is tailor-made for Siri. It will cost US$4.99 per month and will be available in select regions later this year.

Apple has unveiled redesigned AirPods. The third-generation earbuds support MagSafe charging, Spatial Audio and should last up to 6 hours between charges. The third-generation AirPods are available for US$179 and will be shipping later this month.

Anker's popular personal audio brand Soundcore has gotten into the audio glasses game with its first-gen Frames. This modern-day pair of shades sets itself apart in that the user can remove the speaker-enabled components and attach them to an entirely new set of lenses. This makes the spectacles interchangeable in terms of style, although this does come at an additional cost.

Thunderbird is an augmented reality (AR) -focused start-up supported by the display-centric OEM TCL. Now, the two brands have unveiled something apparently three years in the making: the new Smart Glasses Pioneer Version, with a groundbreaking color micro-LED display geared toward an optimal AR experience.

Former co-founder of OnePlus and now CEO and co-founder of London-based consumer tech brand Nothing, Carl Pei has announced it is partnering with Qualcomm on its future products. The announcement coincides with Pei’s announcement that Nothing has raised US$50 million.

Amazfit has already confirmed that it will launch the GTR 3 and GTS 3 flagship smartwatches during its next product event. Now, the popular fitness-tech brand has also revealed specs for their latest pair of TWS earbuds. The new Powerbuds variants have the brand's latest advanced health-tracking feature hinted at in earlier press conferences.

Verizon's Stream TV is your fairly standard streaming box with Android TV. However, leaks from some official bodies have reportedly revealed that its next generation will have a much more interesting form-factor. It will apparently combine the features of the current device with those of a speaker one might place under the TV in question.

OnePlus has confirmed the launch date of the Buds Z2 and OnePlus 9RT. While the company has started teasing its pair of ANC earbuds, Evan Blass has already published a hands-on photo of a pair.

The SRS-NS7 is Sony's latest neck-band speaker. The Japanese giant touts this accessory as an alternative to headphones in a home-theater setting, with in-house speaker types and 360 Spatial Sound for immersive audio without the risk of headband fatigue. This latest offering also comes with a wireless transmitter for potentially reliable, low-latency connection to the TV in question.

Apple's true wireless earbuds with noise cancellation and the wireless charging case are currently heavily discounted on Amazon, which means that prospective buyers of the AirPods Pro can currently save US$70 compared to MSRP.

Available in open and closed variants, the EPOS H6PRO acoustic gaming headset targets PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and 5, Nintendo Switch, as well as Xbox users. Both variants have similar specs, such as 42 mm drivers, 20 to 20,000 Hz frequency response, and 28 Ohm impedance, but slightly different sensitivity and THD values.

OnePlus is projected to launch second-gen versions of its more affordable Buds Z TWS earbuds soon. A new leak for these accessories hint at a considerable boost in total battery life, slated to reach up to 18 more hours between charges. However, this only applies when the Buds Z2s' new noise-cancelling feature is turned off.

Sony has announced the WF-C500 as its latest affordable wireless earbuds. They feature many of the OEM's audio-enhancement properties and technologies, although active noise cancellation (ANC) is not among them. However, the new accessories do feature some official ingress-protection, fast-pairing and single-bud use.

The WH-XB910Ns are the latest wireless headphones from the audio giant Sony. They are also the newest accessories to bear the brand's EXTRA BASS trademark, rated for what it says on the tin. The new over-ears are also equipped with digital noise cancellation, 360 Reality Audio and voice assistant support.

The new and limited edition of Apple's Beats Studio 3 headphones sports an unusual color design, but from a technical point of view this fashionable pair of noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones should be similar to previous versions.

Xiaomi has introduced a new product called the True Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones 3 Pro today (September 27, 2021). This lengthy title covers a lot of what these new AirPod clones offer, although there is even more besides. They include IP55 ingress protection, up to 33 hours of use between charges and a new audio codec for "HiFi" sound.

Amazon has announced that it will hold an event that may unveil some new products. This launch, scheduled for later in September 2021, might see a debut for a new, wall-mounted variant of the OEM's Echo smart-speaker line. Amazon is now also rumored to unveil a Home Robot, which may or may not elaborate on the Echo Show 10's abilities with added independent movement.

Smart glasses is a category that includes pairs that incorporate a mic and speakers. The prospect might sound attractive, but might involve a pricey pair that could involve a prescription on top of that in some cases. Now, JLab Audio has developed a product slated to bring the same functions to any pre-existing glasses at a fraction of the typical price.

Even though Apple is still expected to hold a keynote event to present new MacBooks in a few weeks, some analysts are already looking ahead to next year and share their expectations for two anticipated new Apple products.

Hisense representatives have attended the 2021 Global Laser Display Industry Forum in Beijing, China to expound its success in making and selling laser TVs. The OEM now claims to have increased their shipping volumes even more in 2021 thus far. Therefore, it asserts that the display type is poised to take over the market.

The sub-US$130 Minor III TWS earbuds are now available for purchase and feature Bluetooth 5.2 support, Marshall's signature sound delivered by 12 mm custom-tuned drivers, intuitive touch controls, as well as 5 hours of autonomy (25 hours including the four charges provided by the case).

Sony has announced the addition of the Midnight Black Pulse 3D wireless headset to its lineup of official PS5 accessories. The black Pulse 3D headset follows on the heels of the recently released Midnight Black and Cosmic Red DualSense controllers. This latest accessory overhaul could point to a black PlayStation 5 console being on the cards.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is finally getting its eagerly awaited update that will bring with it support for its currently dormant M.2 SSD internal drive bay. The update also includes some other goodies with 3D audio support being added for built-in TV speakers and new UX features and customization options.

VAVA asserts that its latest high-end 4K UHD laser projector can support a home-theater experience without the need for heavy curtains at any time of day. This is due to its 2,500-lumen brightness, not to mention the latest generation of clarity-enhancing ALPD technology. The Chroma has just debuted on Indiegogo, yet has already gone beyond its funding goal.

LG is known for its UltraGear gaming-focused line of monitors; now, it has announced the speaker to match. The OEM claims to have devoted all its audio experience and prowess to optimize this new GP9 variant for communication as well as immersion during gameplay. Therefore, it offers an in-built mic in addition to a "Hi-Fi Quad" DAC and a battery rated for up to 6 hours of use per charge.