Audio

EZVIZ introduces the C8C as its inaugural outdoor wireless home security camera capable of panning and tilting within its globe-shaped exterior glass shell. Its sensor is rated for FHD recording, as well as night vision in color and AI-powered intruder detection. The new IP65 surveillance accessory is available at Walmart with a special introductory price for its launch.

The "high-fidelity" version of Amazon's music-streaming service has dropped in price by US$5 a month. This change means it now costs the same as the former price of the next tier down, Amazon Music Unlimited. In other words, customers with this service can now avail of lossless playback, or stick with their current service for a reduced rate.

The Trust GXT 258W Fyru mic has a USB interface, thus making it compatible with PCs, Macs and other devices. However, given its styling, not to mention its LEDs for RGB, it is clearly intended to pair with the PS5, especially its white SKU. Then again, with its 4 choices of recording mode and decent sampling rate, the OEM asserts it is also ideal for streaming or collaboration.

Apple Music has launched its vaunted lossless and spatial audio support to much fanfare. However, it isn't all good news with Apple confirming that none of its headphones, including the US$549 AirPods Max, support higher resolution streaming over Bluetooth.

Huawei has confirmed that it will launch its latest ANC TWS earbuds, the FreeBuds 4, very soon. However, a new Weibo post may have spoiled their reveal with new hands-on images. They suggest that the accessories will resemble their predecessors, although they are expected to be improved in other ways.

Apple has added images for the Beats Studio Buds to iOS and tvOS betas. The TWS earbuds have a compact design and have been shown in three colours.

Apple Music subscribers are in for a treat, as the platform will soon support Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio and lossless music. Existing subscribers will automatically gain access to the entire lossless music catalogue. Apple aims to offer its entire library of 75 million tracks in a lossless format.

HTC may be just clinging on to the smartphone market, but there is little question that at its peak it produced some of the most beautiful smartphones ever made. The former design chief behind its classic M7 and M8 smartphones is now working at Apple on new Beats headphones along with other design work for the company, it has been revealed.

LG's new line of soundbars for 2021 includes units that support Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, as well as the latest developments resulting from the OEM's partnership with Meridian Audio. They start at US$179, although the most expensive goes for $1,000. Most are available from now, although one 3.1.2-channel unit is not available until June 2021.

Xiaomi's FlipBuds Pro are the OEM's first TWS earbuds with triple-mic active noise cancellation. They also feature a dedicated audio chip from Qualcomm, Bluetooth 5.2 and up to 28 hours of battery life. These high-end specs do make them more expensive than their predecessors.

AV1 is a fast-emerging codec that is touted as lightweight enough in terms of resource demand to, for example, enable YouTube playback on mobile devices at 4K/60fps with ease. The latest version of the popular editing app Da Vinci Resolve (17.2) adds support for the codec in Windows, as well as a plethora of other new features and upgrades.

The electronics giant Xiaomi had been banned from the US investment market following a blacklisting by the Trump administration, based on claims of the OEM's association with the Chinese military. However, Xiaomi has strongly denied this, and has now won legal action in order to reverse the action against it.

Numerous leaks have painted Asus' 2021 camera-centric flagship phone as the first "Mini" variant of its kind, and the Taiwanese OEM has not let these expectations down on its launch. The new device does indeed have an unusually small 5.9-inch 20:9 display. Then again, there is also the ZenFone 8 Flip, a third-gen motor-cam phone.

According to a new leak, Sony plans to release the WF-1000XM4 in two colours. Both colours appear to have a matte finish and memory foam ear tips, both upgrades over the WF-1000XM3. The WF-1000XM4's charging case is a lot smaller than its predecessor's, too.

Carl Pei's new tech start-up Nothing debuted in January 2021; now, it has revealed that it is ready to launch its first-ever product, a pair of TWS earbuds. The company has chosen to keep the design of these Ear 1 wearables under wraps for now, but does suggest they will stand out on the market. They are now slated to launch in June 2021, although pricing and availability remains a mystery.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is well on its way and may arrive sooner than expected. The upcoming pair of TWS earbuds will feature a revised design, improved functionality and possibly even a charging case that can be recharged wirelessly.

Lenovo has officially confirmed that the Yoga Pad Pro 13 will launch on May 24, 2021 in China. Moreover, the device's new teasers show it has a new take on its series' classic stand/hang-tab and barrel grip. It is said to pack an HDMI port, as well as dual USB type Cs.

Xiaomi has announced that its next TWS earbuds will be the first to launch with a case inspired by the OEM's re-designed logo. Therefore, it will have apparently precisely-crafted curves to its edges, whereas its predecessors were more boxy. The wearables within are slated to have "Pro"-grade noise-cancelling technology and to launch very soon.

Sennheiser has found a buyer for its consumer audio business, which it has been trying to sell since February. Sonova Holding AG will continue to develop and sell products under the Sennheiser brand, though.

Sony has just added new variants of its Mobile Elevated Standard (ES) audio equipment for cars. They consist of 4 kinds of speaker and 1 subwoofer equipped with the latest generation of the OEM's MRC-reinforced diaphragms, combined with Separated Notch Edge Surround technology for increased clarity and an "audiophile-grade crossover" in certain units. They are available to pre-order from now.

IMore's True Wireless ANCs were the world's first TWS earbuds to receive certification from the audio specialists THX. Therefore, they don't come cheap, and have a normal price of US$200. However, the OEM has announced they are down to $130 as part of its 2021 Summer Sale

OPPO's latest product event was a bumper update for its device ecosystem in general. Not only did it introduce the new K9 smartphone, but it also revealed the new TVs of the same name. The Enco Air TWS earbuds also debuted at the show, as did the Vitality Edition of the OPPO Band.

Google has revealed the Pixel Buds A, although seemingly ahead of schedule. The budget earbuds will support Bluetooth Fast Pair and retain the Pixel Buds' design. The Pixel Buds A will be available in multiple colours, too.

The president and CEO of Sony's PlayStation division Jim Ryan has announced that users will soon be able to connect their Discord accounts via the social aspects of the console's Network. The OEM has also just bought a minority stake in the chat-app company, as a result of its current capital-raising drive. The exact nature of the new Sony/Discord integration is now slated to be revealed in the next few months.

The European Commission (EC) has issued a preliminary verdict as a result of its anti-trust investigation against Apple. It concerns the treatment of third-party music apps on its App Store. The Commission has ruled that the OEM leverages its "dominant position" in this market to subvert competition and consumer choice, particularly when it comes to payment methods and rates.

Qualcomm has now released its fiscal performance report for the second quarter of 2021 (2FQ2021). The OEM claims to have made a total of US$7.9 billion in terms of revenue, ~$1.8 billion of which is its net income. Most of this has come from its semiconductor-producing arm, which has posted a 137% growth in pre-tax earnings year-on-year (YoY).

Trust has announced that its latest Taxon webcam has a QHD (2560x1440) sensor. It also features auto-focus for its high-res lens, as well as dual mics and a USB plug-and-play nature. It has been released to Amazon in the UK for £69.99 (~US$97), or £48.99 (~$68) for a limited time.

Today (April 27, 2021), Redmi has introduced the long-hyped new member of the flagship K40 series as its Gaming Enhanced Edition. It is equipped with the premium MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC, a thin-bezel FHD+ AMOLED display, retractable shoulder buttons and a 5065mAh battery. It can be pre-ordered for as little as 1999 yuan (~US$308), although its Bruce Lee-themed special edition maxes out at just above $430.

Sony has announced the XAV-AX150, XAV-AX8100 and XAV-AX5600 as its latest AV auto receivers. Sony asserts that they deliver clear, bass-heavy in-car audio thanks to the OEM's proprietary technologies. The new units also feature HDMI inputs for the first time, as well as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and WebLink Cast.

Motorola is rumored to have what might be a 5G version of the Moto G Stylus (2021) in the works. It, like the rest of its series, allegedly goes by an internal code-name - Denver, in this case. The FCC has just registered a new device from its OEM, thereby possibly confirming its existence and impending launch.

The impending spectre of a Discord that had merged with Microsoft is now off the table, as the chat-service company has now reportedly lost interest in striking such a deal with the Redmond giant. According to the latest rumors, it has now re-visited the prospect of an initial public offering (IPO) instead.

Sony has announced a new limited edition white model of its popular WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones. The new model is available for pre-order now and will be released in June.

Described as "the best all-round quality gaming headset," the new EPOS H3 is a closed acoustic gaming headset that targets PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox gamers. Its highlights include a sound pressure level value of 124 dB, 10 to 30,000 Hz frequency response, as well as 20 Ohm impedance.

The multi-platform Recon 70 is the best headset option available for around US$40, according to its maker Turtle Beach at least. The company also offers a steadily-growing range of different colors and styles for the 70, the latest of which is a pale silver with camo earcups. This new Arctic Camo SKU is available from now.

Sony has announced pricing and availability for its 2021 TVs. They include the BRAVIA XR MASTER Series A90J, which, as the OEM asserts, integrates its best OLED panel to date. It also has new LED models with 4K and 8K options, including the 100-inch BRAVIA XR X92 now set at US$20,000.

ViewSonic asserts that its upcoming monitors address the needs of those who work at home. The OEM's new 24- and 27-inch models have inbuilt webcams and the ergonomic stands to keep them at comfortable eye levels. There is also a 34-inch ultra-wide flagship with a USB type-C docking station for charging and connectivity.

OPPO will launch a new pair of audio devices called the Enco Buds soon, according to a new tip from the leaker Evan Blass. Their new alleged renders show a fairly standard TWS form-factor very similar to a product the OEM has already launched. However, the new versions apparently upgrade to Bluetooth 5.2.

Amazon has announced its Echo Buds (2nd gen). The company claims to have addressed multiple issues customers had with their predecessors: they are now rated for better audio quality, active noise cancellation and fit in the ear. They are not available for purchase yet, though, but can be ordered in May 2021.

Huawei has launched new smart screens. They are also the inaugural models of a new series by the OEM, and are also the first with speaker arrays tuned by the high-end audio group Devialet. The devices run HarmonyOS out of the box and have 4K LCD panels with a TUV Rheinland low-blue-light certifications.

The Cambridge Melomania Touch has come a long way in a few months, having had a rough start at the turn of the year. We have been using the company's latest earbuds for a few months now, but a few issues remain, unfortunately.

Creative has announced the new Sound Blaster GC7, its latest DAC. The company has tailored its premium DAC for gamers and streamers, but it has also included its Super X-Fi headphone holography.

THX has unveiled the Onyx, a portable hi-res audio DAC that is compatible with both Android and iPhones as well as PCs and Macs. The new device features a high-quality ESS DAC, a THX Achromatic Audio Amplifier (THX AAA) and includes a Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) decoder that will appeal to audio enthusiasts.

Creative Technology has unveiled its latest pair of headphones, which it claims combines the SXFI AIR and SXFI GAMER's features. The headphones have 50 mm drivers, an audio mode for gaming and a CommanderMic microphone that is also suitable for conference calls. The SXFI AIR GAMER has a kevlar-reinforced cable too and retails for US$149.99, or £124.99 in the UK.

It has nearly been two years since Sony released the WF-1000XM3, which remain its flagship pair of TWS earbuds. Bluetooth SIG and FCC certifications suggest that Sony is preparing to release a new model though and one with a newer SoC that supports Bluetooth 5.2. There will be no aptX or aptX HD support, but LDAC may be coming the way of the WF-1000XM4.

Samsung has unveiled a new limited edition pair of Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds. The new TWS earbuds have been designed in partnership with sports maker Adidas and are themed in their famous Adidas Originals branding and design language.

OPPO has patented a new kind of phone or phablet with an optional secondary display to which it can attach using custom-designed hinges. Therefore, this detachable portion could act as a keyboard, or perhaps allow the entire product to imitate a Surface Duo at will. The OEM has also apparently patented a mobile gaming controller with in-built earphones.

Realme has already debuted its Buds Air 2 - now, their Neo variants have also been revealed. Like their immediate forebears, they feature active noise cancellation (ANC) and 10mm drivers; however, they also have a different form-factor, as well as slightly different battery life specs.