Audio

The TCL 10 TABMAX and 10 TABMID are 2 new slates launched at IFA this year. They feature their brand's in-house NXTVISION technology for "the most vibrant colors and rich details", as well as reduced blue-light emission. They may also go well with the OEM's new MOVEAUDIO S200 TWS earbuds.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) has been found to be of interest for 71% of consumers planning to buy true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds. However, the feature does require physical seals and a fit that some users may find less tolerable over time. Qualcomm claims that its new Adaptive ANC solves these problems.

Bang & Olufsen has a well-earned reputation as the purveyor of high-quality audio experiences so it is always exciting when the company launches a new set of headphones. Its new H95 compact over ear headphones have all the traditional hallmarks we expect from B&O blending enhanced comfort with active noise cancellation.

It appears Sony might be preparing for PlayStation 5 pre-orders as new headers featuring titles like Gran Turismo 7 and Demon’s Souls have appeared on some official media channels. Devs have been singing the praises of the PS5’s SSD and Tempest 3D AudioTech engine, but it appears the next-gen console won’t have an optical audio out port.

Xiaomi has what appear to be a Pro variant of its Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in the works. This has been confirmed overtly by the certification of products going by this name by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). This is a strong indication they will be introduced to the market soon.

Hachi's Infinite M1 is an AI-powered projector that can throw a working interface onto the desk or wall in front of it. Its maker originally launched it at CES 2020, and is now prepared to ship it from Amazon or its own website. It works thanks to a Snapdragon SoC and a version of Android 9.0.

The number of "workplace-style" headsets shipped worldwide might exceed 65 million over the next 6 years, compared to a figure of 22.9 million from 2019. This may correspond to a market value of US$2.94 billion in 2026. This growth is associated with the shift in trends to virtual and online meeting types, as well as the rise of remote work in 2020.

Sunglasses that also act as personal audio devices are a rapidly expanding category of tech. The start-up SND RAY has put its take on this concept up for crowd-funding on Indiegogo. It claims that this product has improved audio quality compared to its rivals in this space.

The Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro from Xiaomi have appeared in a listing for the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). Although there are scant details about the earphones in the WPC record, there is an image included of the Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro that shows off the sleek and premium-looking personal audio device.

Sennheiser has marked its 75th anniversary by releasing another version of the Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds. The price remains identical to the regular model, as does the hardware contained within the pricey earbuds. However, Sennheiser has incorporated an exclusive all-black design with its original company logo for fans of a more retro look.

The Mobile DAC and Mobile DAC PD mobile USB-C sound cards from Sharkoon are inconspicuously compact and lightweight. They even have an integrated equalizer and are hi-res-audio certified. We have subjected both models to a practical test.

Google has posted a blog outlining a new set of features being bestowed upon its true wireless Pixel Buds via a software update. The range has also been bolstered with the release of new variants in orange, mint and black colors.

Razer is weighing in on the traditional Back to School sales period with offers on many of its Blade 15 Base Edition, 15 Advanced and Pro 17 notebooks. These PCs are available at US$200 off their normal prices during this event. There is also $10 off the OEM's Hammerhead TWS earbuds.

Lenovo has revealed a new pair of its Yoga ANC Headphones. The over-ear headphones come in what Lenovo calls Shadow Black and offer up to 14 hours of battery life. The Yoga ANC Headphones will retail for US$149.99, making them a much cheaper alternative to the likes of the Bose 700, Surface Headphones 2 and Sony WH-1000XM4.

LG USA has announced that every customer who buys an eligible OLED TV from its 2020 line-up will also get a pair of TONE Frees as a promotional gift. They are this OEM's latest TWS earbuds that are tuned by Meridian and are rated for up to 18 hours of battery life. This offer is valid until the end of August 2020.

The popular messaging app Telegram marks its seventh year of business today (August 14, 2020). It has ushered this anniversary in along with a new feature: video calling. It now exists in alpha form, boasting picture-in-picture and end-to-end encryption, but only for its Android app thus far.

Today (August 13, 2020), Mobvoi launched its latest Earbud Gesture product on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo. The OEM was able to score its goal twice over within the first hour of this project going live. The TWS devices in question are rated for up to 50 hours of battery life with their case.

The THX Spatial Audio app is software developed in conjunction with Razer that may improve the immersion offered by headsets of nearly any type. Its latest update is to add Spatial Audio Game Profiles, which may improve environmental awareness or realism while playing a compatible range of titles.

The Creative SXFI AIR is a US$140 pair of over-ear headphones that packs plenty of features. With a Super X-Fi DSP, Bluetooth, line-in, USB Type-C and a microSD card reader, you are spoilt for choice with the SXFI AIR. Average battery life and underwhelming drivers hold the SXFI AIR back, though.

Sony has finally released the WH-1000XM4, almost two years after it released its last edition in the WH-1000XM series. Little has changed from the WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM4 save for a few new features. Battery life remains at 30 hours with NC on and the new model has the same 40 mm neodymium drivers. Bluetooth 5.0 is now supported, but aptX and aptX HD have been dropped.

The Ovisen S201 is reminiscent of many cheap smartwatches, but it has a trick up its sleeve. Unusually, Ovisen has integrated a pair of wireless earbuds that charge from within the body of the smartwatch.

The release of the WH-1000XM4 is almost upon us, at least according to the publication of more retailer listings and even a video review. Sony appears to have made some minor changes from the headphones that it released two years ago, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Call quality apparently remains unchanged, though.

Following its August 5 Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung has now posted several new videos of its launch devices. Each offers a deeper dive into the Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Watch 3. We can expect something similar for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 when Samsung reveals more details about that device at another event on September 2.

Samsung has long been rumored to launch its new generation of Galaxy Buds in a completely new form-factor. This has finally been proven true at the OEM's latest product launch. The Buds Live are indeed also the first of their line to feature active noise cancellation (ANC).

Hands-on videos of all the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy devices for its latest Unpacked showcase have leaked ahead of the launch. TechTalkTV combined them into a single video that combines the leaked clips and shows the devices being put through their paces.

Aipower's Wearbuds were unique on their launch in that they combine a fitness tracker and TWS earbuds in one product. Now, their second generation has finally come to the market via a crowdfunding platform. The OEM claims this new Pro variant improves on the original in terms of functions, battery life and finish.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is thought to be arriving on August 6, following a protracted development cycle. The headphones will arrive almost two years on from the release of the WH-1000XM3, but early retail listings have confirmed that the WH-1000XM4 will use the same QN1 Noise Cancelling Processor as its predecessor.

Netflix is reportedly rolling out a feature by which a user can make content go forward or backward at different rates. This facility has apparently been under consideration at the streaming giant for years, and may benefit those with sensory impairments. However, it is only available on its Android app as yet.

Xiaomi's Mi-series of truly wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds is a rapidly-growing line of accessories. However, none of them have featured active noise cancellation (ANC) before. A new addition to the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) strongly suggests this is about to change.

A promo video for the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-cancelling headphones has been leaked online, and it reveals quite a few details about the successor to the well-received WH-1000XM3 headphones. Users will be treated to features such as wear detection, Speak-to-Chat mode, DSEE Extreme, and location-based favorite presets.

The PowerBuds are sports-themed TWS earbuds from Huami's brand Amazfit. They are unique in that they have a sensor for heart-rate tracking, a feature normally reserved for smartwatches. Their OEM has finally announced that they will launch on Amazon India in August 2020.

Our pink noise test shows balanced audio reproduction at most frequencies, but the smaller design may not fit comfortably around larger ears. If you travel a lot, however, then the LCD-1 should prove useful.

Razer's latest gaming headset is the BlackShark V2. Its 50 millimeter (mm) drivers feature the OEM's TriForce Titanium coating, as well as its SpeedFlex cable. It features THX Spatial Audio for an immersive experience and a removable cardioid mic with a USB sound card.

Sony is finally getting around to releasing the WH-1000XM4, some eight months after the headphones leaked. Reportedly, the WH-1000XM4 will retail for €379.90 in the Eurozone and US$349.00 in the US. It could be upwards of a month before the up-market headphones start shipping, though.

Samsung is one of a minority of Android OEMs that bake its own in-house personal assistant into its mobile UI. However, some parties might prefer it did otherwise, not the least of which is Google. That company is reportedly offering the Korean giant a better deal to discontinue Bixby.

The price tag has been set for the Sony WH-1000XM4 in Europe, a new leak has revealed. Additionally, a new release date has been suggested as Sony bears down on the possible launch of the Apple AirPods Studio.

Amazfit claims that its ZenBuds TWS earbuds are so light and comfortable that they can be worn in bed all night. In fact, this is part of their use-case: to emit custom-designed audio that helps improve the user's sleep pattern. The brand has launched this product via Indiegogo, where they have now attracted just over US$1 million in backing.

Sony may finally be ready to unleash the WH-1000XM4, its successor to the almost two-year-old WH-1000XM3. While hopes of a June release fell flat, Sony Brazil has seemingly teased the WH-1000XM4 on its Instagram channel.

Xiaomi could be contemplating producing a smartphone, possibly as part of the innovative Mi Mix line, which actually integrates wireless earbuds into the top edge. It’s an intriguing concept along the lines of how Samsung Galaxy Note devices house the S Pen stylus. However, whether Xiaomi will take the wireless headset-holding smartphone into production remains to be seen.

Samsung has announced new headphones branded and optimized by AKG. The Y600NCs are the more premium of the two, and come with active noise cancellation (ANC) and an innovative rotating ear-cup for volume control. The Y400s, on the other hand, are smaller on-ears that come in a fresh range of colors.

WinFuture's Roland Quandt was the first tipster to assert that Samsung had developed a new, kidney-bean-like form-factor for its next-gen TWS earbuds. Now, this seems to have been borne out in increasingly convincing leaks since. Now, the same blogger is back with a more complete gamut of specs for these Galaxy Buds Live.

The hissing or static issue with the latest Pixel Buds remains, despite the release of a firmware update that supposedly addressed the problem. In fact, the hissing issue is noticeable even on units released after Google claimed to have fixed it.

The Huawei TalkBand B6 wearable fitness tracker and Bluetooth headset combination has leaked in some live images and short video clips. The dual-function accessory looks to be a step up from the previous generation, with the TalkBand B6 bearing a larger display and utilizing a Kirin A1 processor.

The launch of the new OnePlus Buds means Xiaomi has to up its game in the TWS segment and it's done so spectacularly with the Haylou T16 TWS earbuds that offer active noise cancellation, 6 hours of playback, and wireless charging just for US$40.

Xiaomi has slashed the price of its Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in India to counter the upcoming threat from the recently launched OnePlus Buds. The Xiaomi earphones are now priced at ₹3,999 (US$53), which should help the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 take on the OnePlus Buds that have an advertised price of ₹4,990 (US$67).

The Redmi Note 9 Pro and Redmi Note 9S are two sides of a coin, and both phones are currently receiving new updates in different regions. Sadly, the updates don't bring MIUI 12 as most owners would expect, but there's official confirmation that a rollout isn't far off.