earbuds - page 2

Samsung rumored to drop earbuds and charger from next phone after mocking Apple

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Samsung ad
But for how much longer?
Photo: Samsung

Samsung immediately mocked Apple when the company elected not to include EarPods and a charger with the iPhone 12. So of course rumors now suggest Samsung may follow suit by ditching a charger and earphones from its forthcoming Galaxy S21 box.

Samsung has not confirmed that this will be the case. But according to SamMobile, some observers think Samsung will leave out a charger and earbuds from its new handset. Others think Samsung might get rid of only the earphones.

New Beats Flex earbuds offer AirPods features for just $49

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Beats Flex have many AirPods features for much less.
Beats Flex wireless earphones offer sophisticated Apple tech for just $49.
Photo: Apple

Some of the advanced features of Apple AirPods are in Beats Flex, wireless earphones that come in at a much lower price. Apple’s Beats division built in 12-hour battery life, a new acoustic driver and USB-C charging. All for $49.

Beats Flex are scheduled to reach customers’ hands on Wednesday.

Catch the best deals of the week you might have missed

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Best Deals Week
Catch the best deals of the week that you might have missed.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We serve up a lot of great deals on gear and apps at Cult of Mac. In fact, we do it every day, so it’s likely you may have missed good stuff. Just in case you did, we rounded up some of the best recent deals on personal audio, wireless charging, smartphone video gear and more for your weekend shopping pleasure.

JBL takes on AirPods with cheaper, more colorful wireless buds

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JBL earbuds
These AirPods rivals are cheaper and, with their range of colors, more cheerful than Apple's.
Photo: JBL

CES-2020-bug-2Given what a ridiculously massive hit the AirPods have been for Apple, it’s no shocker that other companies are keen to jump aboard the wireless earbuds train with their own rival versions. This one, from America audio company JBL, looks highly reminiscent of Apple’s AirPods.

The main differences? It comes in a range of colors, and costs just $99.95. That makes it a cheap and cheerful alternative to Apple’s premium version.

Nuheara assistive earbuds get active noise cancellation, lower cost

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Nuheara IQBuds2 Max are hearables more than just headphones.
Nuheara IQBuds2 Max help you hear conversations in noisy environments.
Photo: Nuheara

CES 2020 Nuheara’s Bluetooth earbuds help users better hear what’s going on around them, as well as play music and podcasts. The latest version adds active noise cancellation, and comes at a considerable price drop.

The new IQBuds2 Max garnered innovation awards in three categories at CES 2020.

Revamped AirPods with noise cancellation spilled by iOS 13.2

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AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
Photo: Charlie Sorrel

A new iOS 13.2 beta, out today for registered developers, spilled details about Apple’s next-generation AirPods with noise cancellation for the first time.

An image of the new Apple earbuds reveals a revamped design with soft tips. The beta also references different listening modes.

IQbuds Boost wireless earbuds also help you hear better [Review]

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Nuheara IQbuds Boost
Beyond just music, IQbuds Boost make it easier to listen to friends and family.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Nuheara’s IQbuds Boost work as Bluetooth headphones, but that’s only the start. They are really for people who need just a bit of help hearing. They aren’t true hearing aids, but might actually be better.

Take a listen to my review of these high-end wireless earbuds, along with an optional Bluetooth accessory that connects them to your TV.

Sony’s answer to AirPods boasts one big advantage

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Sony-wireless-buds
But they’re not cheap.
Photo: Sony

Sony’s new wireless earbuds are ready to take on AirPods.

The horribly named WF-1000XM3 promise the same impressive audio quality as Sony’s best-selling headphones — but in an earbud form factor. And they boast one big advantage.

Here’s why you might want to avoid Apple’s hottest accessory and pick up these instead.

AirPods top Galaxy Buds in new water test

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Galaxy buds
The Galaxy Buds are bulkier than AirPods but not as durable.
Photo: Samsung

Apple’s wireless earbuds face some new competition from Samsung’s cheaper Galaxy Buds, but a new water-damage test shows the cheaper price tag comes at a cost.

Neither AirPods or Galaxy Buds boast waterproofing but do have some water resistance. The folks at CNET pitted the two earbuds against each other in a new real-world test along with the new Powerbeats Pro and the results were pretty bad for Samsung lovers.

Powerbeats Pro will only be available in black at launch

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Powerbeats Pro
When will yours turn up?
Photo: Beats

Beats fans that are hoping to scoop up the colorful new Powerbeats Pro might be a bit disappointed with the color options when units arrive in stores in May.

Apple revealed the Powerbeats Pro wireless earbuds earlier this month with black, ivory, moss and navy color options. The ivory ones look especially sleek, but it appears that only the black ones will be available at launch.

Amazon thinks it can beat AirPods on audio quality

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AirPods 2. AirPods S, more like.
The wearables market is about to heat up.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AirPods are about to get some fresh competition from Amazon.

The online retail giant is reportedly planning to release its own set of wireless earbuds that will be powered by its digital assistant Alexa and possibly better audio quality.

Powerbeats Pro earbuds look like AirPods for athletes

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Powerbeats Pro
When will yours turn up?
Photo: Beats

The first truly wireless Beats earbuds have finally arrived.

Beats unveiled its new Powerbeats Pro earbuds today which are a successor to the Powerbeats 3 buds that feature an over-the-ear support system. The new Powerbeats Pro feature some of the same features you’ll find on the new AirPods, only in a sporty, sweat-resistant package with more color options and a larger price tag.

Check out the teaser:

How to work when it’s really, really noisy

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Construction noise can drive you crazy.
Construction noise can drive you crazy.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

As I write this, there’s a truck outside my window using its crane to shovel molten blacktop onto the street. Its diesel engine is revving hard, and has been for the last half hour. For the past two years, there’s been an apartment building under construction across the street from my office. Starting at (and often before) 7 a.m., six days a week, I’ve enjoyed a symphony of pumped cement, circular saws screeching through thin metal sheets, over-revved forklifts, and drilling into reinforced concrete.

I mention this to tell you that I know a thing or two about writing in a noisy spot. I also know how to stop it driving you nuts.

Get cutting-edge gear at great prices [Deals]

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We've rounded up next generation personal audio, touch-free smart controllers, and more ultra-modern gear.
We've rounded up next generation personal audio, touch-free smart controllers, and more ultra-modern gear.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With all the technological wonders we take for granted today, it’s easy to lose track of the cutting edge in consumer tech. So to keep that sense of wonder alive, we’ve rounded up some of the most innovative new personal gear and gadgets you can find.

Below you’ll find a solar-powered, antitheft backpack, a Bluetooth speaker that doubles as a wireless charger, a touch-free controller for IoT devices, and more. Even better, each item is massively discounted, some by more than half. Read on for more details.

Libratone’s hot new earbuds pack noise cancellation

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libratone
The TRACK+ earbuds pack premium audio.
Photo: Libratone

CES 2018 bug The company behind some of the best AirPlay speakers on the market is ready to give Apple’s AirPods a new challenger.

Libratone revealed its new set of wireless earbuds at CES 2018. And while the Track+ earbuds pack as much good design as the AirPods, they come with a feature Apple’s own wireless headphones can’t match: noise cancellation.

The Fall Tech Bundle Giveaway [Deals]

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This giveaway bundle includes smartwatches, backup batteries, ultra tough iPhone cases, and lots more.
This giveaway bundle includes smartwatches, backup batteries, ultra-tough iPhone cases and lots more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

‘Tis the season to take advantage of free gear and gadgets. By entering this giveaway, you’re eligible for the awesome haul of seven best-selling goodies listed below. So you can get a top-shelf, drop-proof iPhone case; a lens kit for your iPhone; an Alexa-integrated smartwatch; waterproof and wireless headphones, and lots more.

This grab bag is worth more than 600 bucks, but entering to win is free.

Bose takes on AirPods and Beats by baking in Google

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Bose
Bose's Quietcomfort 35 II wireless headphones are the start of a partnership with Google.
Photo: Bose

Apple’s AirPods and Beats headphones are getting some fresh competition from one of the biggest audio companies in the game. And they’re getting a little help from Apple’s rival, Google.

Bose unveiled two new products today. One is its first ever foray into the world of truly wireless earbuds. The other is a pair of brand new noise-canceling headphones that are also designed to work with Google Assistant.

Grab these top iPhone accessories for less than $20 [Deals]

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From rugged mobile mounts to keychain Lightning chargers, these are some of the top iPhone accessories for under $20.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

iPhones are great, but to get the most out of them you’ve got to have the right accessories. But when you’ve already dropped coin for a new phone, it’s hard to think about shelling out even more cash. So we’ve rounded up some of the best iPhone peripherals you can get for under 20 bucks. That includes a tough but flexible mini tripod, and a set of keychain-sized Lightning cables. Plus, we have a set of premium Bluetooth earbuds, and a device to turn any iPhone into a universal remote. Read on for more details:

Jony Ive talks earbuds inspired by stormtroopers, Apple Park

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AirPods EarPods
Ive had the dark side in mind while designing Apple earbuds.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Jony Ive has revealed that the company’s iconic white earbuds were inspired by Star Wars stormtroopers.

In a new interview, in which he also talks at length about Apple Park, the Apple design chief describes how he had the dark side in mind while creating them for the iPod.

Gadgets to make traveling easy [Tech Travel Tips]

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roost stand
Travel is a time to leave things behind, but some gadgets will make your trips a lot easier.
Photo: Roost

tech travel tips Welcome to Tech Travel Tips, a week of travel tips for vacationers. This week we’ll show you how to keep your devices safe while traveling, what apps to download before you go, what settings you should change before leaving the house and — kicking off the week — the best travel gadgets to take with you. Let’s get started!

Three ways to upgrade your mobile audio, and more [Week’s Best Deals]

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collage-2017-06-29
This week's best deals include three top shelf audio upgrades and lessons in one of the office's most-used applications.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Here’s hoping everybody’s summer is rolling along nicely. This week at the Cult of Mac Store, we’ve got three personal audio upgrades that can help dial in the summer vibes. Because some people are still thinking about their work, we’ve also got a pair of courses in Excel. That’s a skill that looks good on any resume. Everything is available at a major discount – read on for more details:

Coding classes, wireless earbuds, meditation apps and more [Week’s Best Deals]

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collage-2017-06-13
This week's best deals will turn your phone into a mindfulness tool, make your PDFs more flexible, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s getting hot out there. But it’s still nowhere near as hot as the new deals coming into the Cult of Mac Store. This week we’ve added an app that’ll change how you work with PDFs, and a set of future-ready Bluetooth earbuds. There’s also a comprehensive set of courses in Apple’s Swift coding language, and an app that turns your phone into a mindfulness tool. Most are discounted by half or more, read on for more details: