Apple
fromZDNET
10 hours agoDo Apple's new AirPods Max 2 beat the Airpods Pro 3? I've tried both, here's my take
AirPods Max 2 are ideal for Apple power users, while AirPods Pro 3 suit iPhone users better.
While both pairs of wireless headphones share a similar look overall, there are actually some major design differences worth noting. One of the biggest differences is in color. While the Headphone 1 come in just black or white, the Headphone A expand the color options to include pink and yellow in addition to black or white, though the latter is limited edition.
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless came out almost four years ago, yet it's still one of the best gaming headsets you can buy. Turns out, it's not easy for other companies to duplicate all that SteelSeries got right with this one - mixing multiple audio sources, active noise cancellation, a retractable mic, hot-swappable batteries, and more.
The ring-like portable speaker has a lanyard that lets users hook it onto a backpack or simply carry it around the wrist. Another option is to wear it around the neck, turning the device into a personal stereo system that surrounds the user with sound while remaining lightweight and portable.
They're called open earbuds (or open-ear buds, depending on the brand), and just about every audio brand has a pair (or three). They come in a slew of styles, but most either loop around your ears like older Beats buds, or clip on like funky-futuristic earrings. Whatever the style, they're designed to deliver satisfying sound while keeping your ear canals open to the sounds of the world around you.
We are seeing that there is a huge move towards voice as a new interface that a lot of folks are adopting. You can do much more with voice in a natural way than with a keyboard. However, we saw that voice is rarely an interface people use when others are around. So that using our noise isolation model, we will give consumers a way to experience a voice interface in the form of our earbuds,
While the dial is still present, it isn't functional and is only present as a signature CMF design element. The absence of the Smart Dial feature doesn't bother me since I seldom used it on the Pro model. The overall case build has a textured but slightly slippery finish. I've dropped it a couple of times because it keeps slipping out of my hands, but I haven't noticed any wear and tear due to my accidental drops.
In the fast-paced race to load AI into every smartphone, laptop, tablet, and earbud, the flashiest AI-powered features usually receive the most attention. When your earbuds use AI to perform real-time translation services or allow hands-free access to a gen AI chatbot, you'll know. There's another way your earbuds use AI that isn't as exciting to talk about, but when it's done well, it's incredibly valuable: AI-powered adaptive noise cancellation.
JBL has announced wide availability of three new open-style earbuds in early 2026. The JBL Sense Pro and Sense Lite join the original Sense, which came out in 2024. The new Sense Pro and Lite use JBL's OpenSound technology, support Dual Connect and Fast Pair, have an adjustable ear hook for better comfort, and allow for touch control customization through the JBL app.