iLuv revealed two new in-ear headphone models today that are sure to please iPhone 3GS and iPod shuffle owners. The new headphones include the iEP515 and the iEP315, both of which act as upgrades to the headphones that come standard with Apple portables.
Apple have applied for a patent whereby your headphones would act as a settings transfer system to bridge your new and old devices. Named “Data store and enhanced features for headset of portable media device”, the application describes a set of headphones that would include an amount of flash memory; that would be used to backup speed-dials, equalizer settings, playlists, network connections and other preferences from your existing PMP or cellphone.
So far, most of the headphone amplifiers that have graced these pages have been portable, budget items; the same very definitely can’t be said for this brushed-steel behemoth, the WooAudio WES Electrostatic Headphone Amp and, dangling insouciantly next to it, Stax’s SR-008 Mk2 Electrostatic headphones. According to audiophile reviewer Steve Guttenberg, you’re looking at “state of the art sound for a tiny fraction of the cost of a system built around speakers.”
If you’ve been waiting around for a good pair of in-ear headphones to drop, then you might just be in luck with the latest from Altec Lansing. The Backbeat Pro earphones are now shipping and they look pretty slick, to boot.
After Palm’s big moment last weekend, Apple once again seized the headlines with their WWDC 2009 keynote on Monday morning. We showed up to liveblog the whole announcement, expecting a new smartphone, and the company delivered in the shape of the iPhone 3G S – twice the speed, twice the storage, and the same styling as the iPhone 3G – together with a launch date for iPhone OS 3.0. However, Apple weren’t content with just that: they also brought along a new MacBook Pro range complete with integrated batteries; check out our video unboxing and first-impressions.
When we reviewed the Sleek Audio SA6 earphones last October, there was no disguising how positively we felt about the customizable in-ear monitors. So, when Sleek told us that we could expect the same and more from their custom-molded earphones, the freshly-rebranded CT6 Customs, and offered to fit us for them while at CES back in January, we couldn’t resist trying them out. It’s been a while since our SA CT6 Customs arrived; have they lived up to expectations?
Ultrasone announced a brand new pair of headphones today called Zino. These headphones are meant to be used with all sorts of portable music players and include several technologies including ULE and S-Logic that help prevent injury.
Anything that can help you save energy or protect the environment is bound to do pretty well these days with so many people’s minds on being green. But the new Q-SOUND headphones are just plain practical in that they are solar-powered.
Is it just me or were quite a few headphones announced today? Regardless, this latest pair from Creative is certainly interesting. Called the Aurvana Air, these headphones live up to their namesake with a super lightweight form factor.
SlashGear Japan
