Audio

Carl Pei's latest tech start-up Nothing has just set a date for the launch of its first-ever product. The ear (1) TWS earphones are now set to debut on July 27, 2021. The new OEM asserts that they will offer a "pure sound experience", although it has yet to drop any hints as to their pricing.

Lenovo has unveiled the premium Yoga Tab 13 at MWC 2021; now, it is time for its 11-inch counterpart to take the same stage. This device has many design features in common with the higher-end slate, although its 2K display is 15:9 rather than 16:10. On the other hand, this one has a Wi-Fi only option for the more budget-conscious consumer.

Samsung is now touted to add a new color to its TWS earbud spectrum at the ongoing Mobile World Congress of 2021, according to an "exclusive" 91Mobiles leak. The blog claims that the "Galaxy Buds2" will be available in a relatively unique green finish: an update that might have been made in order to distract from the lack of any further upgrades in the upcoming wearables.

Honor has already confirmed that the Magic sub-brand will be updated with a flagship Android phone soon. A new leak suggests that the OEM also has a foldable phablet and clamshell in the works that will also launch under this name, not to mention new laptops, a router and accessories that might include a stylus.

The Lenovo Go series of remote-work-focused accessories is expanding at MWC 2021 to include new and arguably thoughtful peripherals for those who have come to rely on PCs such as ultrabooks in professional capacities. They include new wireless mice, one of which is of the upright variety, and a handy cable-free numberpad. The OEM has also launched audio equipment under this new sub-brand.

Carl Pei's latest start-up Nothing has announced that it will release its first products, the "innovative" ear (1) TWS earbuds, in the summer of 2021. Now, it has also revealed that it has secured a partnership with the high-end department store Selfridges to do so via this chain's flagship London store in the UK.

OnePlus' co-founder Carl Pei has followed the launch of his new start-up Nothing with an announcement for that of its inaugural product, the ear (1) true-wireless stereo (TWS) devices, in June 2021. However, it seems the buds will now fail to make this vague deadline and will debut later in the same year instead.

Apple has released an alternative to its popular AirPods Pro, this time under its Beats brand. The Beats Studio Buds is not only cheaper than the AirPods Pro, but it also has a USB Type-C port on its charging case. The Beats Studio Buds features ANC too and even has longer battery life than the AirPods Pro.

Apple's next personal audio devices are projected to come from the Beats brand and to be called the Studio Buds. The prolific leaker Jon Prosser now asserts that these TWS earbuds will cost no more than US$150 and may launch very soon. They will apparently do so in the black, white or red SKUs hinted at in earlier renders.

Sony may have teased the design and innovation of a future Xperia 1 IV smartphone in recent adverts for its WF-1000XM4 headphones. In at least three promo clips, users of the new noise-cancelling headphones can be seen accessing a smartphone that looks like a Sony Xperia 1 III from the rear but something else from the front.

Razer has launched the new Opus X headphones via its own website. These new wireless accessories have emerged as a new mid-range variant of their series, compared to the original Opus cans. They support active noise cancellation (ANC) and a low-latency connection, yet lack the THX certification of their predecessors, not to mention a 3.5mm port for a wired mode.

Sony has added to the colour options in which it already sold the WH-1000XM4. From the middle of this month, the company will begin selling its latest over-ear headphones in Midnight Blue, which also has gold accents. The Midnight Blue model will not be a limited edition and is US$100 cheaper than the limited Silent White version.

Apple's 'other' personal audio brand, Beats, is projected to release its next product, a pair of TWS earphones, soon. Now, a new leak indicates that they have picked up NCC clearance for sale in Taiwan, suggesting they are not too far from launch at this stage. The new tip seems to confirm their updated design, as well as that of their charging case.

The Schenker Vision 14 is a new entrant into the ~14-inch, 16:10 display thin-and-light laptop market. This fresh option has magnesium alloy in its construction, as well as Tiger Lake CPUs and 3K/90Hz panels in some configurations. It can support up to 64GB of RAM, Thunderbolt 4, and has 2 slots for M.2 2280 SSDs.

Razer has launched its latest Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds. The new Hammerhead TWS X earbuds are targeted at mobile gamers and feature the latest connectivity for quick pairing and low latency.

Sony has lifted the lid on the WF-1000XM4, the follow-up to 2019's WF-1000XM3. The WF-1000XM4 contains many innovations, including LDAC support, a new V1 SoC and a charging case that supports Qi wireless charging. The WF-1000XM4 is a pricier option than the WF-1000XM3 was at launch, though.

Apple has rolled out its eagerly anticipated lossless and spatial audio tiers to Apple Music. The server-end update brings lossless 16-bit CD-quality to Apple Music for the first time along with spatial audio with some tracks also reaching hi-resolution 24-bit levels.

Have you ever wanted to carry your HomePod Mini around with its audio still playing in the process? Now you might be able to, should Mission Accessories get its new Kickstarter campaign funded. It claims that its new Battery Base converts the little Apple smart speaker into a portable audio accessory. It is rated for up to 9 hours of use between charges, which it does via USB type-C.

Google has formally launched its latest TWS earbuds, albeit as effectively cut-down versions of its original Pixel Buds for $100 less than their original price. Therefore, the new A variants' design is much unchanged from their predecessors. They also retain features such as noise reduction and touch controls, but lose others, wireless charging included.

Huawei describes its latest FreeBuds 4 as high-sound-quality TWS earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC). They are also pitched as particularly comfortable earphones, due to their light build and design. They are rated for up to 22 hours of battery life, counting their wireless-charging-enabled case.

The replacement for the WF-1000XM3 is edging closer to release. Sony has finally alluded to when it will be announcing the WF-1000XM4, but a Slovakian retailer has already revealed how much the TWS earbuds will cost in Europe.

The Redmi AirDots 3 Pro have just launched on the Chinese market as its brand's latest ANC TWS earbuds; now, they seem poised to hit the global market, albeit under a different name - possibly even a different brand. They have been registered with the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) with not 1 but 2 alter egos, suggesting that they might be destined for different regions under one or both of them.

Apple's Podcasts app will soon spawn a new wave of titles, to be published by new partner brands such as the Washington Post and Sony Music and also by independent creators. These new streams will require monthly or yearly fees, for which bonus or early-access content, as well as an ad-free experience, are thrown in. The new subscriptions are to be available in 170 countries from May 2021.

According to a report, Apple is considering refreshing the AirPods Max, as it did with the iPhone 12 mini. A new model is not forthcoming though, for one reason or another.

A new Bloomberg report purports to spill the latest on the next generation of Apple's signature TWS earbuds and their availability. It asserts that the third generation of the base models will be out some time in 2021. The next Pro variants, on the other hand, will be the first to bring a new design to their series, although fans may have to wait until 2022 to see it.

Sony is yet to launch the WF-1000XM4, but a launch commercial detailing the upcoming earbuds has already leaked. A potential launch date has been revealed too, which would put the WF-1000XM4 just over two weeks away from being announced.

Samsung is rumored to launch next-gen wearables called the Galaxy Buds 2 at its next product event. Now, the OEM has submitted a pair of TWS earbuds that might match up with this leak with the FCC. They look a lot like their immediate predecessors and support Bluetooth Low Energy (LE).

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is a new Samsung tablet that definitely falls into the budget category. Despite this, it has both Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE-enabled variants. It will be available in certain European markets from June 2021 with an 8.7-inch HD+ TFT display, a 5,100mAh battery and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

ROCCAT has introduced its new Syn Pro Air as its latest high-end gaming headset. It combines a range of potential advantages of its maker's association with Turtle Beach in its build, including a TruSpeak flip-up mic, the Superhuman Hearing sound setting and ProSpecs ear-cushions. The Syn Pro Air also supports Stellar Wireless connectivity and the AIMO RGB system.

The Enco Free series are the more affordable of OPPO's TWS earbuds; nevertheless, the latest generation boasts active noise cancellation (ANC) for just under US$100. They also feature an IP54 ingress-protection, up to 30 hours of the future and input from the OEM's high-end audio partner Dynaudio.

All the details of Sony’s eagerly awaited WF-1000XM4 earbuds have leaked. The new earbuds are Sony’s answer to the Apple AirPods Pro among other competitors and bring many of the features fans of the WF-1000XM3 have been hoping for including LDAC support.

Redmi's new AirDots 3 Pro are rated for a kind of noise-cancelling that apparently adapts to the ambient condition by themselves, using AI. The Bluetooth 5.2 accessories are rated for up to 28 hours of play-time with their new case, which is also capable of wireless charging. They start for under US$50 in China at present, although this price might increase after their initial promotional window.

Carl Pei's new start-up Nothing is slated to launch its inaugural product, a pair of TWS earbuds, at some point in June 2021. This event now seems closer than ever with a new leak. It consists of an alleged BIS certification for the company's first device

Apple left many fans, in particular AirPods Max owners, baffled when it launched Apple Music’s new lossless tier without support for any of its headphones. The folks at 9to5Mac have created a concept product called the iPod Max to pair with the AirPods Max to deliver pristine lossless audio quality.

According to reports, Apple will be announcing a new iPod Touch in a few months. Renders show that Apple has tweaked the iPod Touch's looks too, giving making it resemble an iPhone SE with the iPhone 12's design language.

The SOUNDFORM Connect is a new Belkin audio adapter designed to bring any powered speaker with a 3.5mm or optical input into an Apple-heavy smart home set-up. The user can then control it via AirPlay 2 on their iPhone, iPad or TV. Therefore, a traditional speaker can become as responsive to voice-control and automation as shiny new high-tech models.

Unihertz has announced the Titan Pocket, the OEM's latest in its line of QWERTY smartphones. With a display of just 3.1 inches in diagonal length, it is the most compact member of its series yet. Nevertheless, it runs Android 11, has NFC, Bluetooth, an infrared (IR) port and a campaign on Kickstarter that has already smashed its funding goal.

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.