Are Apple’s Lightning Earpods an example of fragmentation?

Posted on by Juan Carlos Bagnell

The dreaded “F” word. In tech circles, we throw around “Fragmentation” as a slight against any ecosystem where the number of choices begins to degrade the user experience. A prime example cited is the current state of Android. Google has released the newest version of the Android operating system, but how many people are actually able to upgrade their phones to run it? In this instance, one of Android’s greatest strengths (diversity of hardware options) has the potential to degrade a consumer’s individual experience (ability to run newest software).

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Apple iPhone 7: 24 hours later – Lightning Connector Headphone Quality

Posted on by Juan Carlos Bagnell

Apple removed the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone 7. Why remove this standard port for connecting audio gear?Courage.Many people have made comments regarding the age of the phono jack. This is a connector which was originally developed in the late 1870’s. This design is well over a century old, so certainly by now we should have a better way to send audio from a source to speakers right? Apple thinks they have the solution and it basically involved using the same data port the iPhone uses to sync and charge. Certainly this 21st century connection has to provide a higher quality ...

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The impending horror of USB Type C audio adapters

Posted on by Juan Carlos Bagnell

There’s been a lot of chatter regarding headphone jacks these days. Motorola was first to release a phone lacking a 3.5mm jack, and Apple followed closely behind with the iPhone 7 launch. Talking about the “courage” to buck trends and move the industry forward, we’re hearing a bit of feigned disdain towards modern day gadgets using analog cabling.Gosh, it’s the year 2016! Why use a cable standard which was originally developed in the 1870’s?You’ll pardon if we all roll our eyes at another argument based on what year we’re living in, as if ...

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AfterShokz Sportz Titanium First Look: Lighter, stronger, open ear headphones

Posted on by Juan Carlos Bagnell

When it comes to fitness tech, good audio is important to many people. Being aware of your surroundings while working out can also be critical. You probably want to hear that bus which is about to turn you into street pizza. AfterShokz solution is to use bone conduction. Sound is transmitted to your brain without having to block your ears.Previous iterations of this technology though have been worn a bit heavy on the head, or felt kind of clunky. This year Aftershokz looks to address some of those criticisms with a shockingly light and durable wired headset. Here’s our first look at ...

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Free JBL Reflect Aware C earbuds with your HTC 10 buy

Posted on by Jules Wang

HTC is attacking the doldrums of August with more deals. It has ended its $100 off promotion on the HTC 10 and is instead bundling a $199 pair of earbuds.The JBL Reflect Aware C earbuds, to be specific. They run through a USB-C connection and have active noise cancellation. These earphones were launched with the HTC 10 back in April and have only

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JBL Reflect Aware C, the earbuds launched with the HTC 10, on sale

Posted on by Jules Wang

“The world’s first USB-C sport earphones with noise cancellation and adaptive noise control,” the ones that got launched about four months ago with the HTC 10, are finally for sale.JBL’s Reflect Aware C earbuds are being sold only at HTC for the moment. The Harman-owned audio hardware maker does sell its regular Reflect Aware earphones with Lightning jack. Both are touted as sweat-proof and with 14.8mm dynamic ...

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All is not lost yet, as iPhone 7 could still feature traditional headphone jack

Posted on by Adrian Diaconescu

Those of you who love surprises and hate having leaksters, tipsters, insiders and industry analysts reveal every little thing about every new high-profile gadget well in advance of their actual formal announcements should be happy to see so many iPhone 7 puzzle pieces still missing.It’s possible Apple will take the wraps off the follow-up duo to the 6s and

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Industry pressure grows to move audio away from headphone jacks – it’s not just Apple

Posted on by Stephen Schenck

For as different as smartphones can be, we all expect them to provide certain basics: you start with a touchscreen, add a couple cameras, and toss in a bunch of standard wireless connectivity options. For the better part of forever, that list has also included an analog 3.5mm headphone jack, making connecting headphones or external speakers a snap. But lately it’s felt like the tide is turning away from the classic port, buoyed by rumors that Apple could drop the headphone jack entirely for its next ...

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How to choose the right headphones for you (video)

Posted on by Juan Carlos Bagnell

Audio is a mission critical feature for many smartphone consumers. Listening to music, podcasts, movie and game audio, or simply taking phone calls, good audio hardware can make a huge difference in how you might enjoy those various audio activities. While we’re looking to cover the audio hardware in our phones with more in depth testing, it’s also important to look at what audio devices you’re connecting to your phone. Picking a good pair of ear buds can be almost as important as selecting which ...

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Decibullz Contour Custom Molded Earphones Hands-On (Video)

Posted on by Jules Wang

A bit of tangential nostalgia for you: on the last episode of first iteration of the television show Call For Help from the old ZDTV-turned-TechTV network, there was a segment called Cat’s Clicks where co-host Cat Schwartz gave an interesting “click-to.” There was a last minute addition to the segment: a pair of custom-molded earphones from Ultimate Ears that cost about $500. Today, Ultimate Ears’s product ...

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How about an $800 pair of Apple Lightning connector headphones?

Posted on by Jules Wang

We are still not ready to abandon the 3.5mm headphone jack. But Apple might be. Whether the company’s for USB Type-C, which it has extensively supported on its newest MacBook, or the Lightning connector, well, we know ...

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Motorola Moto Pulse review: love at first listen

Posted on by Michael Fisher

What’s it take to make a pair of Bluetooth headphones exciting? Well, a good first step is launching them alongside some highly anticipated smartphones at a widely publicized press event and giving a sample to everyone in attendance. But free swag is a momentary thrill; making the excitement last takes an authentically impressive ...

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