Audio

Dell has launched the Alienware Tri-Mode Wireless Gaming Headset to supplement its gaming laptops at CES 2022. It can interface with a device over Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz and a 3.5mm audio jack. The headset costs US$199 and will go on sale in certain regions on February 9.

Sharkoon's latest headsets come with different treats for gaming fans, so while the first one sports stylish 3D-like RGB illumination, the second comes with a subtle black design that features modular cables and a detachable microphone. Their suggested prices are 31.90 Euros (RUSH ER40) and 49.90 Euros (B2).

Huawei has rounded its bumper product event of today (December 23, 2021) out with the introduction of new smart glasses. These accessories are, like their predecessors, equipped with speakers and mics for hands-free use and entertainment. Then again, this new generation also has something of a health-tracking component.

OnePlus recently launched the Buds Z2. These midrange TWS earbuds support Dolby Atmos, active noise cancellation, and have a 40-hour battery life. Their bass-tuned 11mm drivers promise solid sound quality, too. At US$99, they offer substantial value compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro.

The Buds Z2 are OnePlus' latest TWS earbuds, although they have not been available outside China to date. The OEM has revealed that this will change in mid-December 2021 with their debut in Europe. This launch is to be a social media-centric event, although the product is also intended to boost the company's Red Cable Club expansion into a new region.

Huawei has just released some details on another new product for its increasingly large-scale event later in December 2021. It is the OEM's latest generation of smart glasses. They are speaker-enabled wearables like their predecessors, although they will ship with Huawei's own software.

Lenovo is now believed to release an Android tablet under the Legion gaming brand for the first time soon. Now, this device is said to have emerged again in a hands-on photo. The leak may give an idea of its build, as well as some audio-related co-branding that it will bear.

Lenovo has launched a new projector under the Yoga brand in China. The T500 Play is an FHD variant of its line with a peak brightness of 700 nits. It has a large battery of just over 22,000mAh in capacity, and is thus rated for truly portable use, as well as the ability to connect mobile devices via its USB type-C port.

The Kokoon Nightbuds are a pair of (technically) wireless earbuds specifically designed to wear in bed. They are rated by their OEM to track and enhance sleep through a combination of hardware such as an in-built heart-rate sensor and an app that delivers "personalized sleep coaching". They are now available as a mainstream product rather than on crowdfunding as before.

Nothing had already revealed that the new, black versions of its inaugural ear (1) TWS buds would be sold through its own website from December 13, 2021. However, the OEM has also now stated that the new variants will also be available through a range of new and existing retailers, both online and physical, a few days beforehand.

UGREEN's "next step in the evolution of the X-series," namely the HiTune X6 ANC earbuds, come with 35 dB dual ANC (thanks to the use of six microphones), also adding 10 mm high fidelity dynamic drivers and 50 ms low-latency to the mix. Until December 11, this piece of tech is up for sale at US$48.99 instead of US$69.99.

YouTube Music has gained the option of saving your queue as a playlist, a feature previously available on Google Play Music. The feature should also work when using the 'Start radio' function.

Magico's latest subwoofer is like almost no other, with it weighing in at 177 kg and capable of outputting 6,500 W of power. The subwoofer has a frequency response of between 10 Hz and 150 Hz too, with a 136 dB peak volume.

Nothing has announced another pair of earbuds, albeit not successors to the Ear (1). Instead, the company has unveiled its eponymous earbuds in black. The Nothing Ear (1) black will be orderable using fiat money or cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Samsung is said to update its Galaxy A line of smartphones with devices with minimal design upgrades compared to the 2021 variants. Now, shots of a rear panel allegedly belonging to one of these next-gen smartphones has reportedly been taken from its factory. It shows camera cut-outs that may also be present in the rest of this "A13's" siblings.

Sonos has leaked that it will be announcing a new subwoofer soon. The new subwoofer is not a Gen 4 model though, which would be a successor to the current Sonos Sub.

Sony has announced that its headphones will lose Google Assistant support on iOS from early December. The change will affect all Sony headphones, although Google is discontinuing the service, not Sony itself.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are selling at a reduced price this Black Friday at two US retailers: Amazon and Best Buy. The device offers speak to chat and active noise cancellation features.

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.