Audio

Skullcandy has launched a pair of wireless earbuds that come with a unique twist: a large puck-shaped dial designed for use by gloved hands. The idea behind the unique design is simple: if you're out snowboarding, for example, you'll likely be wearing a pair of gloves and listening to music using earbuds. In order to adjust the volume, pause the playback, and more while on the snow, you'd need to remove the gloves first. Skullcandy designed its new Vert model to offer a solution to this problem.

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The Google Pixel 4 doesn't include a pair of earbuds in its box, no headphone jack, and no 3.5mm headphone adapter for USB-C. My first reaction as a tech news reporter and reviewer of products is to cry foul! We've come to expect that we'll get certain things when we buy a smartphone, and those expectations are being changed for us, right before our eyes! But there's a bright side to some of this.

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Sony's previously announced 360 Reality Audio will arrive for around 1,000 songs this fall, the company has announced. Sony first detailed this technology during CES 2019, introducing the world to what it described as a new music experience that is more immersive by putting listeners within a 3D sound field. Behind the new capability lies object-based spatial audio technology.

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For a long time, DxOMark's mobile benchmarks focused on the basics of smartphone cameras but, at long last, it started modifying its testing protocol last year to accommodate unmistakable trends in the market. First to come were tests for bokeh and zoom followed by selfies. Last month it added tests and scores for wide-angle cameras and night mode and now it is adding yet another new protocol that is only indirectly related to cameras: audio recording and output quality.

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TIDAL, the music streaming service that offers a high-fidelity plan for audiophiles, has announced a new major price cut for first responders. The discount is offered under the company's new Community Heroes program, which is available to paramedics and others in similar first responder roles in the United States. The discount covers both the premium and HiFi plans.

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The Skullcandy Vert, a pair of wireless earbuds first teased earlier this year, are now available to purchase. The model offers a unique twist on an otherwise ordinary Bluetooth earbuds design, one featuring a circular 'puck' with a clip on the back. By replacing the slim in-line remote control with the large puck, users are able to control volume and audio even if they're wearing gloves.

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Sennheiser has launched its new GSP 370 wireless gaming headset, a model sporting an over-ear design and ultra-long battery life. The new model is compatible with PC and Mac, as well as the PlayStation 4 console, making it suitable for the majority of gamers. Among other things, Sennheiser says players can expect up to 100 hours of battery life per charge, as well as low latency despite the wireless connection.

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Roku has teamed with Walmart to launch its new Onn Roku Smart Soundbar and Onn Roku Wireless Subwoofer. The two products are offered under Walmart's Onn brand at lower prices than Roku's previously launched Smart Soundbar product, offering better audio than one would get from their TV's built-in speakers, but at a price that makes the devices affordable for most consumers.

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Audio company Marshall has taken the wraps off its latest pair of retro-styled wireless headphones, the Marshall Major III. The latest model brings a design very similar to the two iterations before it but adds one very key feature: support for Google Assistant. Users are able to summon the personal assistant by pressing the unique golden joystick button located on one of the earcups.

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Today's Surface event was quite the show, with Microsoft revealing a bunch of new devices. Some of these, such as the new Surface Laptop and the next Surface Pro, were expected reveals, while others like the Surface Duo came as more of a surprise. Regardless of the reveal, Microsoft had a flashy video to go along with each, and we've collected them all here for you to peruse.

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While most of our attention is on the new Surface hardware at today's Microsoft event, the company also revealed what's next for the Surface Audio line. Last year, Microsoft launched the Surface Headphones, and this year, it's following up with the Surface Earbuds. The Surface Earbuds are somewhat like any other wireless earbuds out there, but they offer some more functionality beyond what we're used to seeing.

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Starting today, Pandora users on iOS and Android are getting an updated version of the app that features the Pandora Modes station already offered on the service's desktop site, as well as a new 'For You' tab that features extremely personalized content based on the user's own streaming habits. The update builds upon the company's personalized nature, enabling users to discover new music and podcasts they're most likely to enjoy.

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