Audio - Page 8

Ultimate Ears (UE) has just announced its new flagship Bluetooth portable speaker, the "HYPERBOOM". It's got extreme bass and is designed for the party scene.

In a press release, UE details what the HYPERBOOM can do, and for users that want to pick one up for their next party, here's what you need to know. The HYPERBOOM sports four input sources, two Bluetooth connections, one 3.5mm AUX, and one optical audio input. This allows users to play music through the HYPERBOOM on their phone, laptop, or even gaming console.

The HYPERBOOM also has adaptive EQ, as it "reads the environment and automatically adjusts the sound to fill any space". The HYPERBOOM is also what UE calls "party-proof", with an IPX4 rating, it has the capabilities of being able to withstand spilled drinks and being dropped in a pool. It can also charge phone devices, connect to any other BOOM device, and much more. UE's HYPERBOOM comes in at a price of $399.99 and will be available for purchase in early March.

Everywhere I turn I see Apple AirPods in ears of people walking around, so they must be doing something right -- so right, that Counterpoint Research estimates Apple will sell over 100 million AirPods in 2020.

Counterpoint Research points out that the wireless earbud market grew by over 50% in Q4 2019 alone, which saw average sales sitting at over 50 million units per quarter. Apple's own market share increased by 44% in Q4 2019, with Xiaomi coming in second place, Samsung in third.

The report goes into more depth about just how much Apple dominates with its AirPods, where in the $100 and above market Apple commands around 70% market share. This leaves Samsung, Jabra, Beats, Huawei, Sony, and others with what little is left after that. In the sub-$100 market Apple is not visible at all.

Firstly, what isn't Elon Musk capable of? He is pioneering both space travel with his SpaceX company and also electric vehicles with Tesla. Now, he is also a musician...

Musk took to his personal Twitter account to share the above post of his track "Don't Doubt ur Vibe" reaching SoundCloud's top 10 most played. At the time of writing this, Musk's track has reached the seventh place, and I can also say that while I'm writing this post, I'm also listening to the track, and it has a major 'space' feel to it.

At the moment, Don't Doubt ur Vibe is sitting at 2.78 million plays and is still growing. It also has to be mentioned that Musk commented in the Tweet thread, saying, "Putting that on my LinkedIn for sure". Honestly, I hope Musk keeps making tracks for SoundCloud because this is awesome! Have a listen to it here.

You'd probably think that Samsung would be the one to confirm the existence of their new Galaxy Buds+, but Apple has beaten them to the announcement.

It appears that Apple may have 'accidentally' revealed the new Galaxy Buds+ via their App Store Preview section as it depicts a new App called "Samsung Galaxy Buds+". The preview shows a bunch of screenshots from inside the app, as well as 'what's new' and compatibility requirements. The app doesn't describe the physical earbuds very much, but according to CNET, they are expected to have extended battery life on a single charge -- 12 hours.

It's expected that Samsung will officially showcase the new earbuds during their Unpacked event scheduled for February 11th. During this event, it's also expected that Samsung will showcase its new flagship device and a bunch of other cool devices (Galaxy Home Mini etc). CNET also reports that the Galaxy Buds+ could arrive with no noise cancellation, which would be a considerable downside to Apple's AirPods Pro.

The first season of The Witcher was Netflix's best first season of television ever, and within that first season is a song that took the internet by storm.

Instead of replaying that part of the show to hear the song, fans will now be able to stream it on digital music streaming platforms alongside the rest of The Witcher's soundtrack. Netflix will be releasing the soundtrack behind season one onto streaming services starting January 24th. 'Toss A Coin to Your Witcher' is already available on Spotify and Apple Music.

At the time of writing this I have already listened to most of The Witcher soundtrack. In total there are 55 individual tracks and so far each of them are fantastic. Netflix truly did a fantastic job with The Witcher soundtrack, and after season 2 is released I hope to see that soundtrack distributed on digital music streaming services as well. After more Witcher news? Check out this link here to find out more about the show.

According to a couple of new contracts posted on the federal spending database, the United States military is cashing in on developing a new form of facial recognition technology.

If you assumed that the US military was already using facial recognition technology on the battlefield, then you would have been right. The current use of facial recognition technology today is to identify potential targets, but the current technology relies on images from standard cameras. The US military wants to move away from the traditional camera and jump into something that is a bit more technologically advanced -- such as facial recognition technology that reads heat signatures.

The new contracts reveal the US military's motivation towards developing a new technology that can analyze infrared images to identify individuals. Department of Defense (DoD) states the following when calling for contractors, "Sensors should be demonstrable in environments such as targets seen through automotive windshield glass, targets that are backlit, and targets that are obscured due to light weather (e.g., fog)".

Earbuds are all the craze right now, with audio company's such as JBL moving full steam ahead into providing great wireless audio solutions. Louis Vuitton is also a brand that is jumping on the bandwagon.

Louis Vuitton is teaming up with Master & Dynamics to bring out a new pair of earbuds that have not only fantastic audio quality (?), but also capture modern aesthetic taste. Above, you can see an image of what has been created between the two companies -- new 'Horizon Earphones.'

Since the Louis Vuitton brand is attached to these earbuds, you can expect that the price would be increased exponentially, even if the audio quality is similar to some other earbuds that are a lot cheaper. If you assumed that, you are right. The Louis Vuitton branded earbuds cost an unbelievable $1,090, which is more than a 64 GB iPhone 11 Pro ($999).

It has been recently discovered that Apple's first iPod was designed and released in just one year. In that one year, the way people listened to music was changed forever.

CEO of Stripe, Patrick Collision, decided to share an insider story regarding Apple's Ex-SVP, Tony Fadell and the creation of the first iPod. Collision describes that Fadell pitched the idea to Steve Jobs in March 2001 regarding the iPod. Jobs greenlighted the project, and in the following weeks and months, the final design was created, and in the first week of November (same year), units were shipped out to customers.

Jon Rubinstein, the head of Apple hardware engineering, found a small form-factor hard-drive that measured in at just 1.8 inches. This drive was from Toshiba and later became the standard hard drive for the first iPod. Apple really did pull off something amazing with the iPod. Music listening was undoubtedly changed forever after its release. To think that the device, which was so innovative at the time, was designed and released in the same year, really shows a high-level of incredibility on Apple's behalf.

Thermaltake has shown off a new headset that comes with Alexa and Razer Chroma's support. The headset can even match its color to users' local weather.

Thermaltake's latest gaming headset is called the 'Riing Pro RGB 7.1', and owners of the headset can use Alexa and Razer Chroma to control the headsets vast array of colors. It should be noted that owners will need a separate Alex-ready device or Razer Synapse software to enable those new features.

So how does the headset perform? Thermaltake boasts that the Riing Pro RGB 7.1 comes with "oversized" 50mm drivers, a 20Hz to 20,000Hz frequency, and a combination of an ESS ES9018 DAC and a SABRE9601K amplifier. This amplifier drives a 24-bit/96kHz playback. At the moment, we don't have a confirmed price on the Riing Pro RGB 7.1, but we do know that Thermaltake will be shipping it in the first quarter of 2020.

CES 2020 - Elgato has really shown their colors at this year's CES with the announcements of the 4K60 S+ and also the Key Light Air, but what about their mystery announcement?

If you head on over to the Elgato website, you can find a teaser trailer for what is called 'Project WAVE'. Before clicking into the video, it says that this product is "the next big thing from Elgato" and that it's arriving this Spring. So what is it? If you watch the video, you might have noticed what I have provided in the above screenshot. I think this part, in particular, gives away what Elgato has planned for this Spring -- a new streamer microphone.

Why do I think it's a streamer microphone? Well, if you look at the screenshot, you will notice a turn knob that has multiple sources such as mic, game chat, music, and SFX. Judging by the video, this product will be able to jump between different audio sources and control them independently.

CES 2020 - During CES this year, Sennheiser has revealed two new wireless headphones that are surprisingly really affordable.

The two new headphones are the HD 350BT and the noise cancelling version the HD 450BT. Both models are Bluetooth 5.0 ready and offer 30 hours of pleasurable listening. When the battery gets low and you need to charge them up quickly, the USB-C fast charger will be your best-friend.

They also come with a dedicated voice assistant button. So how much are we looking at for Sennheisers new headphones? Surprisingly not that much. The 350BT comes in at $130 and the $220 for the 450BT. Sennheiser has said that they will begin shipping the 350BT in mid Janaury and plan to roll out the 450BT sometime in mid February.

CES 2020 - JBL has unveiled their new earbuds which are directly aimed at Apple's AirPods, are they worth it though?

JBL has revealed at this year's CES its new line of wireless earbuds that seem to be directly aimed at Apple AirPods. JBL has shown off the TUNE 220TWS in a variety of different colors, they have a sleek design and will last for about three hours on a charge. The charging case comes with an additional sixteen hours of battery, and the earbuds are priced at just $100.

JBL hasn't stopped there, though. The other new higher-end model is the LIVE 300TWS, which is quite a big step up in the features department when compared to the TUNE 220TWS. The 300TWS comes with a higher level of water resistance, JBL's TalkThru mode (lowers phone audio when people are talking to you, so you don't have to take out your earbuds), and AmbientAware which lets you hear sounds around you. The 300TWS model has about four hours of charge, and the case comes with fourteen hours of additional charge. The 300TWS is priced at $150.

CES 2020 - JBL has just unveiled its first Dobly Atmos compatible soundbar, the fun doesn't stop there though, as it has detachable speakers.

JBL has just introduced to the public its first Dobly Atmos-compatible soundbar dubbed the JBL Bar 9.1. The JBL Bar 9.1 comes with four Dolby Atmos drivers that vertically project sound to the roof and bounce the audio around the room, creating more immersion.

The soundbar also comes with two removable speakers that can be placed around the room at the users' leisure. These speakers are designed for any setup, the bar itself chargers the wireless speakers, and they will run for about 10 hours playback. The subwoofer seen above is 10-inches tall, and the entire system is 820 watts. For convenience purposes, JBL has also equipped the soundbar with built-in Chromecast, AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth support. This spring, the JBL Bar 9.1 will be going on sale for $100.

CES 2020 - JBL isn't just stepping into the gaming headset market, they are cannonballing with the new Quantum lineup announced at CES.

JBL has just announced a new line of gaming headsets that are more than special. JBL will be offering consumers a massive price range to choose from, seven separate headsets that start at the $40 mark, and range all the way up to the flagship model priced at $300. JBL has also developed it's very own 7.1 virtualized surround sound and head tracking technology that is integrated into the $80 Quantum 300 and above models.

Are you wondering about wireless? Sure. JBL has wireless support with the $149 Quantum 600 and $199 Quantum 800. The highest-end model, Quantum One, comes equipped with the company's 360-degree sound technology that allows users to turn their heads and experience more realistic sound. Typically in a virtual surround sound headset, the speakers inside the headset track the ears and not users head. With JBL's 360-degree sound technology, users will be able to turn their heads and follow specific sounds.

CES 2020 - The world of foldable displays is really just beginning, with CES 2020 seeing companies unleash flexible and foldable displays -- with Chinese company Royole unveiling its new Mirage.

Mirage is a new Alexa-enabled smart speaker with Royole using an 8-inch wraparound flexible OLED display, offering up the speaker for $899. It has a flexible OLED display that wraps around the speaker, with a built-in 5-megapixel camera that Royole didn't detail what would be the function of. Maybe for video calls?

Royole will have its new Alexa-powered Mirage speaker with its flexible OLED display going up for sale later this year for $899. I don't know how many people would buy it specifically for a flexible OLED display, but hey -- it's a start.

JBL has just announced an interesting and tech-fueled pair of wireless headphones in the new Reflect Eternal, a new pair of over-ear headphones that are being crowdfunded, offering "virtually unlimited" listening.

Inside, JBL is tapping Powerfoyle material from Exeger which is capable of sucking in energy from the sun, and indirect and indoor light. This means that if you're under a source of light, you will be receiving charge to your new JBL Reflect Eternal headphones -- while you'll have up to 68 hours of listening time with a fully-charged headset when you're in darkness.

You can also plug the headphones into power with JBL saying 15 minutes of charge time will give you up to two hours of playback time. The headphones feature 40mm drivers with 20Hz to 20kHz frequency, hands-free calling, ambient audio amplification, multi-device pairing, and a voice assistant. They can even get a little wet, with JBL packing in IPX4 rated water resistance.

I didn't think I'd ever be writing about a gaming headset that feeds you mid-game, but it's the end of the decade and Pringles is feeling peckish, and experimental with its strange-but-cool Pringles Headset Hunger Hammer.

Pringles went out and 3D printed a bunch of components, strapped them to a Razer gaming headset -- and voila, a self-feeding gaming headset is born. The headset packs a motorized arm on the side that has a Pringles chip dispensed onto it, slowly positioned to go in front of your mouth -- waiting for you to chomp it down.

The chip maker (and not that type of chip, but the edible kind) thought it would be clever to team up with some Twitch streamers for a Pringles promotional tie-in with Gears 5. The new Hunger Hammer isn't going to be some product that will debut, and more of a fun marketing stunt for Pringles -- so don't blame me if you can't find this headset online, but maybe Fry's Electronics might have some.

Awhile ago rumors were circling around that Apple were planning on releasing a second variant of the popular AirPods, the AirPods Pro.

Obviously, if Apple was to release the AirPods Pro they would arrive with a more hefty price tag, but what about color options? A new report out of Economic News Daily claims that Apple is actually in the process of developing the AirPods Pro but not just in one color option, but eight.

These color options would coincide with the new iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max color themes. The report also talks about the rumored specs for the AirProds Pro, and according to the report the new version of the pods will come with noise cancellation. How much would these AirPods Pro cost and when would they release? Rumors say that they could cost $260 and that they would release before the holiday season arrives.

Spotify is back at it again with another giveaway, this time round they will be handing out free Google Home Minis to all new and old Spotify Premium subscribers.

Spotify has said that these giveaways will only be occuring to Premium subscribers in the United States and will only happen "while supplies last". It seems that as Google is gearing up for the release of the Nest Mini, they have selected Spotify to clear out the 'old stock' of the previous generation. But who doesn't like free stuff right?

The partnership between Google and Spotify to get more smart home devices out into the public is certainly a beneficiary idea, as both companies are working towards accessibility in the fashion of getting users the music they want when they want it. As Assistants progress in technology and become even better, more users will be more inclined to purchase a smart home system. Especially if Spotify and other music streaming applications are abundantly producing reliably good music. All Spotify and Google are doing is getting out ahead of the curve.

Corsair has just announced the latest members of its VOID gaming headset family, with the new VOID ELITE and HS PRO series of gaming headsets.

First up we have Corsair's new VOID ELITE gaming headset which has all of the bells and whistles, with Corsair cramming in improved audio, a redesigned Discord-certified omnidirectional microphone, dynamic RGB lighting, low-latency wireless technology (ELITE WIRELESS), and custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drives with an expanded frequency range that sits between 20Hz and 30,000Hz.

Corsair has designed the new VOID ELITE gaming headset from the ground up to provide the best audio quality it can, as well as immersive 7.1 surround sound that will throw you into the middle of the battle field... and hopefully get you some of those delicious wins in your favorite game.