Audio

The G8 ThinQ is LG's latest flagship, and introduces its Crystal Sound technology among other features. This smartphone will become available in the United States from April 11, 2019. However, those who want it on Sprint can pre-order it from tomorrow (March 29).

Jabra has released its latest generation of neckbuds, the Evolve 65e. The audio company claims that this wireless set of earphones has consumer-grade comfort with professional levels of audio. This product has attained Skype for Business and UC certification, which may appeal to the business customer in need of mobile connectivity.

Apple Music on Android has been more popular than you would think. New data from SensorTower shows that since it has launched, over 40 million users have downloaded the app from the Google Play Store.

Huawei also revealed the existence of some new wearables at its early-2019 launch event in Paris. The least expected of these are the new 'smart' glasses the OEM has developed with the eyewear company Gentle Monster. Their main function is in fact to deliver audio via Bluetooth, and also charge via a new and interesting route.

Apple subsidiary Beats will be launching its first pair of truly wireless earphones imminently. The discovery of the name PowerBeats Pro and black and white versions was uncovered by 9to5 Mac in the code for iOS 12.2 which went live today.

Transparency Market Research's latest report is based on the observation that the demand for a 'smart' or 'connected' living room is growing steadily these days. It may consist of entertainment or media hardware that works seamlessly together via wireless controls. Currently, the market that underpins this idea is worth about US$500 billion; however, this is estimated to nearly double over the next 5 years.

Apple's market share in China has reportedly fallen by 26.6% in 2018. Unsurprisingly, the culprits are more 'local' OEMs such as Huawei and Xiaomi, who offer more innovative features in premium handsets that go for less than those from the Cupertino company.

Beats by Dr. Dre has been an Apple subsidiary for some time now. The brand's next product may be a pair of truly-wireless earbuds. According to a CNET report, they may run on the new Apple H1 chip, which is also found in the newly-released AirPods 2.

In a world where everyone seems to be a streamer or caster or some kind, a USB microphone may be a viable purchase. They combine the possible advantage of improved audio with a power source that is already built into your machine. A recent "data-driven" review puts the Blue Yeti at the top of a new list of the best of these devices.

LG has stated its US dollar prices for its new OLED TVs. These state-of-the-art panels were previewed at CES 2019, and come with Dolby Vision, ThinQ AI and inbuilt Google Assistant. They start at US$2,499 - and work their way up to US$12,999.

In an embarrassing admission, Myspace has confirmed that it has lost every piece of music that users uploaded between 2003 and 2015, which equates to over 50 million files. The company reports that there is no way to recover the lost data.

Our article about the possible detrimental health effects of wireless devices including Apple’s AirPods, among others, seemed to strike a chord with a lot of readers. We are exposed to a lot of EMF radiation on a daily basis and 250 scientists with stellar reputations have signed a petition asking the UN to act on the issue. So what can you do to help reduce exposure to potential harm?

Concerns have been raised by a group of scientists about the possible carcinogenic effects of electromagnetic radiation emitted by modern devices. Of particular concern are wireless headphones like Apple’s popular AirPods as they sit in the ear canal exposing fragile tissue to potentially dangerous levels of radiation.

A new leak has claimed that Apple’s next generation of wireless earbuds will incorporate extremely fast charging technology. According to a post on Twitter made by XDA Portal writer Max Weinbach, the Apple AirPods 2 will be able to wirelessly charge from 0 to 100% in just 15 minutes, and that includes charging the case.

The TCL subsidiary Alcatel has launched its new 3T 10 tablet at MWC19. This device has a 10-inch screen and runs Android 9.0 (Pie) out of the box. It also comes with a Google Assisant pre-install. The Alcatel 3T 10 is compatible with an optional "Audio Station" stand which, as the OEM claims, adds 7 hours of battery life (for some tasks) and a dedicated 'docked' interface.

A new post on the Greek Apple leaks site iPhoneHellas alleges that the second-generation AirPods will launch in March. However, a second tipster, OnLeaks, has also asserted that his sources say they will be released 'in the fall'. Both reports contain different details on what their maker may release alongside or in conjunction with these wireless earbuds.

Microsoft has announced in a blog post that the Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2, and Surface Studio 2 devices are now launching in 20 more markets worldwide. The tech giant also revealed that its Surface Headphones will be coming to eight new markets starting in March, including Canada, New Zealand, and Germany.

A new set of leaks concerning the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 has appeared, including information and a picture of a brand-new product. There are some live photos of two different Galaxy S10 devices in the hand, and there is an image of a pair of wireless earbuds in their case that look like they are being reverse wirelessly charged by an S10+.

Casio has updated its line of digital pianos with the Privia PX-S1000 and PX-S3000, 2 variants of what the company claims is the "world's slimmest grand piano". The new models use Smart Scaled Hammer Action to replicate the tactile feedback of real grand piano keys. This up-to-date type of digital keyboard also has Bluetooth and an iOS/Android app.

The well-regarded leaker Steve Troughton-Smith claims to have found references to unfamiliar iPads while diving into the code for the iOS 12.2 update. It suggests that new 11-inch iPads, as well as an iPad Mini, are on their way. The code also specifies an iPod Touch that could be of the rumored upcoming 7th generation.

Our last report on the Apple AirPods 2 covered rumors that they could have been released by now, at least. However, their maker failed to live up to this leak, and the 2nd generation of these wireless earbuds has yet to appear. A newer article in DigiTimes alleges that these wearables will be here by July 2019.

There has been a report published stating that the American consumer electronics manufacturer Sonos is planning a foray into the headphones market. The company is probably best known for its work with smart speakers and other home-based sound equipment. Rumor has it that Sonos will be targeting the top end of the market where headphones can cost hundreds of dollars.

Spotify, the popular music and podcast streaming service, is planning on releasing its own hardware. The Financial Times reports that the device will be an in-car music player and could cost US$100.

Apple has not refreshed or updated the iPod Touch since 2015. That year saw the 6th generation of the device, which was not heard of much since. However, that fact did not stop a Japanese outlet posting claims that a supplier had told it that this product would indeed make a come-back, one equipped with USB type C no less.

HyperX has announced its Cloud MIX headphones, a wired gaming headset that also doubles as a set of lightweight and portable Bluetooth headphones. The Cloud MIX has an understated design, 20 hours of battery life over Bluetooth and supports Hi-Res Audio.

Google has officially confirmed the discontinuation of the Chromecast Audio device. A quick glance at Google’s online store lists the music-streaming gadget as out of stock, after recently receiving a heavy price cut from US$35 to just US$15. It may be possible to buy the device in some outlets while they still have stock remaining.

Jabra is one of many prominent audio companies at CES this year. It has come to present its new 85h headphones, which, as Jabra claims, can allow playback with active noise-cancelling (ANC) for as long as 32 hours. These new audio devices are also AI-enhanced and support Amazon Alexa for hands-free virtual assistant interactions.

TVs that can curl up and store themselves in a box are becoming a staple of CES. This technology, introduced by its maker LG in 2017, has yet to appear in stores. However, this year, the company has brought them to the event again - as well as the news that they will go on sale in 2019.

Taiwanese manufacturer Asus has announced the Lyra Voice device, or 3-in-1 Smart Voice Router. The gadget combines an AC2200 tri-band mesh Wi-Fi router with two 8 W stereo speakers and includes Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant. The device even features network security provided by Trend Micro, and it has an MSRP of US$219.99.

In an interview with The Verge, Amazon’s SVP of devices and services, David Limp, has revealed how many devices have been sold that have Alexa built into them. Apparently, over 100 million speakers, smartphones, gadgets and other pieces of hardware have been sold around the world featuring Amazon’s virtual assistant.

The Zanco smart pen is a stylus with (nearly) all the features of a smartphone crammed into it. It has physical buttons, a click-pad, front and rear cameras and even a teeny tiny screen. It is intended as a smartphone replacement or companion (much like the Palm phone) and can also function as a Bluetooth remote for screens for purposes such as presentation. So far, it has raised just over US$50,000 on Kickstarter.

Even the best speakers in smartphones struggle to produce even a relatively small amount of bass. Dirac, a rapidly-growing name in device audio, wants to change that with its new Dirac Bass feature. This tweak, which boosts the bass synthetically, is to be unveiled at CES 2019.

A number of Pixel 3 and 3XL owners have reportedly taken to the Google Product Forums to complain about issues with voice-calls on their devices. These problems apparently include low-quality in-call audio, connection issues and more. On the other hand, there are claims that the December Android 9.0 software update is a solution in some cases.

The ASUS ROG Phone has multiple USB type C ports, so that it can support accessories that need two of these ports. A Redditor has demonstrated that this feature can be hi-jacked in order to make it appear that the phone can charge itself. However, the effect may be less than authentic.

Antlion Audio claims that its ModMic Wireless attachment adds mic capabilities to any kind of headphone. It has the aptX low-energy Bluetooth codec, 16-bit 48khz audio and a USB type A receiver. The ModMic Wireless also has a patented clasp to stay attached to its headphone cup.

The latest issue in the growing string of problems with the Windows 10 1809 update affects devices using certain versions of Intel's display drivers. The Windows 10 October update breaks audio playback through monitors or TVs connected via versions 24.20.100.6344 and 24.20.100.6345 of Intel's display driver.

Huawei introduced a new feature known as reverse (or inverted) wireless charging with the Mate 20 Pro. It means that the new flagship can be used as a charging pad for other devices with compatible technology. However, Android Authority found it to work very slowly for a Pixel 3 in comparison with its own chargers.

The shares of the company Spotify were down 11% at the start of today (November 1, 2018) due to a forecast that shows relatively poor fourth-quarter performance. In addition, Spotify is now reported to be committed to new investments to boost innovation and future-proofing in its products.

Huawei has used its home market launch event for the Mate 20 series of smartphones to debut its Huawei AI Speaker. More than a little reminiscent of Apple's HomePod, the new speaker has been co-developed with famed Dutch audio specialists Dynaudio.

The latest Apple flagship smartphones are facing yet another issue that means they do not work out of the box as described. This time, it seems that one of their dual speakers does not fire while playing audio. The bug has been reported numerous times on several different types of forum by now.

The music streaming service Spotify has finally pushed an update for the app used on Android smartwatches. This version takes on the functions users formerly had to turn to 3rd-party solutions for. For example, the new Spotify for Wear OS has an actual set of music controls, and also syncs speakers with them.

If everything works as planned, Winamp 5.8 will arrive tomorrow with a bunch of fixes in tow and — the best part of it all — without the paid options previously reserved to the users of the Pro version. However, this iconic piece of code should get a major update and mobile versions for iOS and Android devices in 2019.

A strong supporter for the 3.5 mm audio jack in the past, Samsung may soon be forced to get with the times and move on to wireless headphones. A recent report informs that at least the flagship smartphone models launching from fall 2019 onward would not get the audio jack anymore, so the Galaxy S11 is most likely to come without it, while the Note 10 might still get one, depending on launch date.

The Pixel Slate is Google's latest tablet. It comes in one colour (Midnight Blue) and has an optional Pixelbook pen and keyboard with a dedicated Google Assistant button. The Pixel Slate runs Chrome OS and has its own Play Store apps.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K has just been announced. It may be able to deliver HDR10+, as well as Dolby Vision, in order to stream content. Amazon has also included object-based Dolby Atmos surround sound, for material that supports it. At just US$49, it may be a significant problem for the upcoming Chromecast update.

Huawei is now rumored to be integrating a new form of device security, Voice Unlock, into its upcoming flagship, the Mate 20 Pro. This device may also have a 6.9-inch screen, as much as 6GB in RAM and an extra-large battery. However, this leak reinforces the lack of a 3.5mm jack in this device.

The new Razer Nari is a line of gaming-focused headsets that will incorporate Razer HyperSense. This is an advanced form of haptic feedback intended to intensify an immersive experience. The Nari headsets will also feature THX Spatial Audio and improved engineering for those who wear glasses or similar equipment.

Amazon has released a stunning array of new Alexa-powered devices that spans traditional products like its Echo range, through to a new car product and even an Alexa-enabled microwave oven. The new devices highlight the increasing popularity of its digital personal assistant and the company’s plans to make the platform ubiquitous.

Carl Pei, the OnePlus CEO, confirmed the fact that his company's upcoming late-year flagship refresh will not feature a headphone jack in an interview with TechRadar. Pei claimed that user feedback had contributed to this decision. Accordingly, OnePlus' next branded headphones will have a USB type C connector.

Sony has launched its most expensive digital music player and in-ear headphones to date. The new Signature Edition DMP-Z1 and IER-Z1Rs come in at a whopping US$7,900 and US$1,780, but promise an unmatched audio quality.