Audio

At its annual I/O event, Google revealed the new Pixel Buds Pro. Available for preorder this July, take a look at what Google’s high-end headphones offer for US$199. Are the Pixel Buds Pro an innovative leap forward or simply AirPods Pro with a whimsical paint job? Listen up! It’s the latter.

The Sonos Ray home cinema soundbar is now available to pre-order. The gadget has many features, such as Speech Enhancement for clear dialogue. You can connect the device to your TV via an optical audio cable, and the soundbar is compatible with Stereo PCM, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Digital Surround formats.

Sony has introduced the WH-1000XM5, a long-awaited upgrade over the WH-1000XM4. With a new look and improved hardware, the WH-1000XM5 should be a decent upgrade over the WH-1000XM4, were it not for its US$50 higher price tag and its impractical design.

The Sonos Roam portable speaker has been released in three new colorways: Sunset (orange), Wave (blue) and Olive (green). The speaker has many features, including Trueplay tuning technology, to adapt the sound based on your surroundings and the content. The device is voice-enabled, making it compatible with the new Sonos Voice Control tool, out on June 1st.

Google has announced the Pixel Buds Pro, a premium answer to the Pixel Buds A-Series. Launching this summer for US$199, the Pixel Buds Pro will be available in four colours, all with ANC and Bluetooth multipoint. The Pixel Buds Pro should deliver decent battery life with ANC enabled too.

As promised, the 1MORE EVO TWS earbuds are now available with SGS-certified adaptive ANC, support for the LDAC codec that delivers an excellent level of acoustic detail, SoundID personalized sound, wireless charging for the case, and a battery life of up to 28 hours (20 hours with ANC enabled). The price tag reads US$169.99.

Nubert has released a new soundbar, the nuBoxx AS-225 max. The speaker has many features, like voice focus and Dolby decoder, to optimize the soundtrack for the content playing on your connected TV. You can connect to the soundbar in various ways, including via HMDI eARC and Bluetooth 5.0.

The Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Plus can now be pre-ordered with a US$38 discount. The portable speaker has up to 20 hours of playback time and a PowerIQ feature that enables you to charge other devices from the gadget. Plus, PartyCast 2.0 allows you to connect up to 100 compatible speakers for a louder sound.

This fall will mark three years since the AirPods Pro launched back in late 2019. While early adopters of the premium wireless headphones are surely suffering from the downsides of aging batteries, a second-gen model of AirPods Pro is expected to debut later this year, according to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. We take a deep dive into what users can expect from AirPods Pro 2.

According to reports, Apple is looking to bring new versions of the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max to market this summer. Reputedly, next-generation AirPods Pro will also come in new colourways, potentially building on the five that Apple offers with the current model.

Availability and pricing for the LinkBuds S have leaked. Reputedly, the earbuds will arrive less than a week after the WH-1000XM5 and will cost slightly more than the original LinkBuds. However, the LinkBuds S will also undercut the WF-1000XM4, while retaining ANC and the latter's design.

Sony has started teasing a new product, dubbed #YourWorldStartsHere. To be revealed on May 12, the products appears to be the WH-1000XM5, Sony's next premium pair of over-ear headphones. In the meantime, pricing has been revealed for the WH-1000XM5, as has availability going forwards for the WH-1000XM4. Purportedly, the WH-1000XM5 will be more expensive than the WH-1000XM4 too.

Marshall has revealed two new portable Bluetooth speakers, Willen and Emberton II. The latest gadgets are compatible with Stack Mode, which allows you to connect multiple speakers for amplified sound, and you can control the devices via an app. Willen is the smaller of the two gadgets, while Emberton II has True Stereophonic sound.

Porsche Design has revealed the Soundbar PDB90, which will be available to pre-order from June 1st. The surround sound speaker has Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies for an immersive 3D experience. The device has 16 drivers, including a built-in subwoofer, with preset modes to optimize the gadget’s output based on the content you are listening to or watching.

Hands-on photos with the WH-1000XM5 have leaked online, not long after marketing images appeared. While design changes extend to Sony's packaging, the WH-1000XM5 will in fact retain its predecessor's battery life.

A year after launching the mid-range Pixel Buds A, Google looks set to bring yet another TWS earbud device to the market. Supposedly, it will be branded as the Pixel Buds Pro and is coming soon—likely as a rival to the upcoming Galaxy Buds Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 2.

A team of researchers at MIT has developed a loudspeaker as thin as paper. The ultra-thin film can turn any surface into a loudspeaker, requiring little power to produce a high-quality sound. The researchers suggest many applications for the material, including wallpaper and smart devices with limited battery life.

The VAVA Chroma triple-laser projector became the most-funded product on Indiegogo in 2021. Now, it is available as a retail unit via its brand's own website. Alternatively, it will be available through Best Buy in some markets. The device is rated to throw an image of up to 150 inches for a "cinematic experience".

Realme has rounded its major Indian product event of today (April 28, 2022) with its latest smart TV. This new X Full HD variants boast Dolby Atmos-tuned stereo speakers and support Bluetooth 5 and 5GHz Wi-Fi and come in 2 sizes. They will join the ~US$300 price-bracket on their release to their first market.

Realme India has made the Pad Mini official today (April 29, 2022). The OEM has brought the Unisoc Tiger T616-powered, 8.7-inch HD+ display slate to its new market in both Wi-Fi only and 4G/LTE-enabled forms. It has landed alongside the Buds Air 3, Realme's latest TWS earbuds.

UGREEN has announced a new addition to the HiTune line of truly-wireless (TWS) earbuds. The T3s are placed on the more budget and AirPod-mimicking end of this spectrum - although they also feature active noise cancellation (ANC) for the first time. They also support the Bluetooth 5.2 standard and up to 24 hours of battery life.

The OnePlus Nord Buds have launched in India with a more original take on the typical AirPod-clone form-factor. They contain large "titanium" dynamic drivers, feature IP55 ingress-protection and have an estimated 30 hours of battery life. On the other hand, there is no active noise cancellation (ANC) or wireless charging here.

1More has now set a date for the launch of its next TWS earbuds, which, as the OEM claims, will challenge enthusiast-grade wired headphones for audio quality. The EVO buds are touted to debut with an upgraded internal design for highly detailed music playback, powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) and LDAC support later in 2022.

Google has now officially confirmed that Android 13 has moved along the path to a full release to the point at which its first public beta is now available. Those who own eligible Pixel-series devices can install it to enhance the level of control they have over how apps use media files, if not much else at this point.

The POCO Buds Pro Genshin Impact Edition has launched globally with plenty of features, despite its compact size. Not only do the earbuds support up to 28 hours of battery life, but they also offer multipoint connectivity, 9 mm composite dynamic drivers, 35 dB of active noise cancellation and a dual transparency mode.

Sennheiser has unveiled the Momentum True Wireless 3, a premium alternative to the Sport True Wireless. The Momentum True Wireless 3 retails for US$249.95 and is available in three colours. Sennheiser's latest Momentum True Wireless earbuds feature Hybrid Adaptive ANC, support for aptX Adaptive, and 7 mm dynamic TrueResponse™ drivers.

Renders of the POCO Watch and POCO Buds Pro have leaked, confirming their similarities with existing Xiaomi Redmi devices. The pair will launch on April 26 alongside the POCO F4 GT and should be available in multiple markets.

Razer has released the Leviathan V2, a 50 cm-wide soundbar that comes with a subwoofer. The Leviathan V2 supports THX Spatial Audio, among other features, and retails for US$249.99.

A leaker has shared many images of the Sony LinkBuds S WF-LSN900. While the earbuds will arrive under the LinBuds brand, they share their design with the WF-1000XM4. The same leak also introduces a few technical details about the WF-LSN900, which should launch in at least two colours.

Denon has unveiled the DHT-S217, a 2.1 Ch soundbar that features six drivers and supports Dolby Atmos. Available from next month, the Denon DHT-S217 also has plenty of I/O and comes with a bundled remote.

Xiaomi's sub-brand, Poco, has now officially announced the launch dates of its two latest products, the Poco Watch and Poco Buds Pro. Both devices will launch globally on April 26 alongside the Poco F4 GT.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 has leaked again, confirming that the WH-1000XM4 successor will feature longer battery life and a significant redesign. Purportedly, Sony has also made other changes, such as new drivers and ANC improvements.

Sennheiser has released the Sport True Wireless earbuds, a pair of premium earbuds that retail for US$130. The earbuds come with multiple ear tips and fins for maximised comfort, plus up to 27 hours of battery life.

The latest wireless headphones from Bang & Olufsen, the Beoplay EX earbuds, will go on sale next month. Each headphone features a large 9.2 mm driver and adaptive active noise-cancelling technology. The gadget has six microphones built into the stick of the earbud for improved call quality.

While Harman Kardon has not officially released it, the Citation MultiBeam 1100 Soundbar is now available to pre-order in Europe. The device is designed for streaming and is the first in the Citation range to have Dolby Atmos and DTS:X technologies for immersive 3D surround sound.

OnePlus will bring the OnePlus Nord Buds to India on April 28. The Nord Buds looks to be a rebadge of the OnePlus Buds N scheduled to debut in China on April 21, and most major details of the TWS earbuds have now been leaked.

Apple has released three new colours for the Beats Studio Buds, a cheaper alternative to the AirPods Pro. The Beats Studio Buds now come in six colours, including Sunset Pink. Simultaneously, the Beats app for Android has received new features, courtesy of 'Locate My Beats' functionality.

TCL has introduced 3 of its latest soundbars to European customers, each of which comes with its own subwoofer and Bluetooth for wireless streaming. The highest-end of this new line-up also features the latest generation of in-house RayDanz sound-quality-enhancing design which, as the OEM insists, would match one of its new QLED TVs perfectly.

OnePlus has now officially announced a launch event scheduled for April 28 in India. The company only claims an "array of OnePlus devices" will debut at the event, but all available information points towards those being the Nord Buds, OnePlus 10R, and Nord CE 2 Lite.

TCL has set a date on which its newest 4K TVs and soundbars will be unleashed on the international market. The OEM has revealed that there will be at least 2 products from either product category to preview during the show ahead of their release, some of which have won 2022 Red Dot Design Awards for their esthetics and "innovative" features already.

Apple's AirPods Pro are on sale over at Amazon for US$75 off, a 30% discount. You can snag a pair for US$174. If your budget is a bit smaller, The Beats Studio Buds are also on sale for US$120.

Apple will be refreshing the Beats Studio Buds soon, as it did with the iPhone 13 series. While Apple offered the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro in a single new colour, the Beats Studio Buds will receive three new colour options.

A new trademark application has offered an insight into the future of Huawei wearables. Filed with the EU, the Watch Buds would be Huawei's first smartwatch with built-in earbuds. While the idea is not new, no other major smartwatch manufacturer has sought to combine the two product categories to date.

Reportedly, Apple has rethought its AirPods strategy after lower than expected AirPods 3 sales. While the AirPods Pro 2 is tipped to launch later this year, Apple will not repeat the move of continuing to sell the original AirPods Pro alongside its new earbuds, as it has done with the AirPods 3.

360 Audio is a new feature baked into the flagship Galaxy Buds Pro earphones at their launch, and is touted as Samsung's answer to the Spatial Audio found in some Apple audio products. It is also available to the Galaxy Buds Live and Buds2, thanks to these TWS earbuds' latest software update.

A retailer has leaked the Momentum True Wireless 3, Sennheiser's next flagship TWS earbuds. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 will arrive in multiple colours and for a competitive price.

The SOUNDBOKS Go portable Bluetooth speaker is now available to pre-order. The device has two drivers and can deliver up to 121 dB of sound. The gadget has a 7.8 Ah battery providing up to 40 hours of playback time. You can connect the smart speaker to other devices to create an immersive experience.