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Hands-on: AirPods 3 sound great thanks to lots of trickle-down tech [Review]

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AirPods 3 on messy desk
Everything about AirPods 3 is better.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The new AirPods 3 are marvelous little earbuds. They sound fantastic, are dead easy to set up and use, and the wireless charging case is a godsend.

Compared to their predecessors, Apple greatly improved just about everything — and they are well worth their $179 price tag.

AirPods Max: Apple’s new over-ear headphones look fantastic but mighty pricey

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AirPods Max are available to order for $549.
AirPods Max, the first over-the-ear headphones sold under the Apple brand, combine a custom acoustic design with Apple H1 chips and advanced software.
Photo: Apple

Apple expanded its popular AirPods lineup Tuesday, unveiling a new over-the-ear model dubbed AirPods Max.

The high-end headphones promise to deliver “the magic of AirPods” in an all-new design. They boast high-fidelity, spatial audio and active noise cancellation like AirPods Pro. And they come in five colors. They’re available to order today, priced at $549.

How to make Siri announce and read your messages

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Announce Messages with Siri
Siri can now read out your incoming messages, automatically.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

In iOS 13.2, Siri can announce your incoming messages and read them to you. This is the kind of feature that is so useful, and obvious, that it seems like it should have always been there. It’s called Announce Messages with Siri, and it does just that.

Here’s how to set it up and use it

Powerbeats Pro fuel 24-hour run through Iceland in breathtaking new ad

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powerbeats
The scenery in the new Powerbeats Pro ad is astounding.
Photo: Beats

The insanely beautiful landscapes of Iceland serve as the backdrop for Apple’s latest Powerbeats Pro ad that will motivate you to get out and run.

Seven runners from the Paris Running Club embark on a daunting relay that takes them 280km through the wilderness of Iceland in the new ad. The goal is to chase the sun that doesn’t set for days and Powerbeats Pro are there every step of the way to make the run more magical.

Watch the full 90-second ad:

Are the Powerbeats Pro better than AirPods? [Review]

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Powerbeat Pro in charging case
Order yours now!
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Back in 2014 – long before the AirPods – I picked up what would become my go-to fitness earbuds – the PowerBeats2. A year and a half later, the AirPods came out, replacing my PowerBeats2 that were literally falling apart.

Fast forward to now, and I’ve been using my AirPods – both my first gen, and more recently, my second gen – in almost every situation. I use them all the time and carry them almost everywhere I go. But sometimes I hate my AirPods. No matter how simple and convenient they are, they insist on slipping just a little when I wear them while exercising. And if there’s any background noise or wind, even the loudest volume is inaudible while wearing the AirPods.

Even with those minor drawbacks, they were my favorite headphones. Then I got the new Powerbeats Pro.

Beats’ version of AirPods rumored to arrive in April

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powerbeats wireless
Bag Powerbeats3 for half the usual price.
Photo: Beats

Apple-owned Beats is about to unleash its wire-free earbuds that will be like a more sporty version of AirPods.

The Beats headphone lineup hasn’t seen a lot of design changes over the last few years but it sounds like fans might finally get a fresh look this spring. According to a new report, the new sport earbuds will be a redesign of the PowerBeats wireless earphones and will be announced in April.