Apple : Juventus vs AC Milan live stream: how to watch today's Serie A football online from anywhere

---

• Juventus vs AC Milan live stream: how to watch today's Serie A football online from anywhere
• The best Bluetooth speakers
• The best waterproof speakers
• The best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players
• Best Wi-Fi extenders
• Best on-ear headphones
• Best over-ear headphones
• Best wireless earbuds and earphones
• Surface Pro X teardown finds a new high in ‘repairability’ for Microsoft
• Falcons vs Saints live stream: how to watch today's NFL 2019 football from anywhere
• The best earbuds
• The best 4K TV
• Samsung Galaxy S11 phones tipped to get bigger screens and 108MP cameras
• Komodo to lead blockchain revolution with quantum-safe cryptography
• The best Fitbit
• The best noise-canceling headphones
• Best 65-inch 4K TVs
• A clan system could be coming to PUBG on PC
• The best wireless headphones

Juventus vs AC Milan live stream: how to watch today's Serie A football online from anywhere Posted: 10 Nov 2019 11:32 AM PST League leaders Juventus host long-time rivals AC Milan with the visiting boss desperate for a big win to silence critics at home. Don't miss a moment of Juventus vs AC Milan with our live stream guide below. Under-fire AC coach Stefano Pioli was already an unpopular choice of manager with the Milan faithful when he was appointed last month and results since took over the hot seat have done little to endear him to Rossoneri supporters. Juventus on the other hand are on a roll and will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the season. One glimmer of hope for embattled Pioli is that his league-leading opponents are in the midst of a fairly major injury crisis. Key Old Lady stars Giorgio Chiellini, Mattia Perin and Mattia de Sciglio are all sidleined while Cristiano Ronaldo and Matthijs de Ligt both face late fitness tests ahead of Sunday's match.  The news is somewhat better for Milan, with lightning Spanish winger Suso set to be given the all-clear to play. You can watch this intriguing Serie A match (and, indeed, every televised Serie A match) from practically anywhere on Earth. To find out how, read on and we'll tell you the best ways to live stream Juventus vs AC Milan. What about English football? Here's how to watch a Premier League live stream How to live stream Serie A from outside your country Keep on scrolling if your a citizen of the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand or Canada - we'll tell you your broadcasting option (spoiler alert, it's ESPN+ in the US). But the minute you try to watch the game on those networks from outside your borders, you'll discover that you can't. The stream will be geo-blocked. The only legal way we know of getting around this is to use a VPN, which certainly beats watching some dodgy feed you've found online. Check out our guide to live streaming all the best sport from anywhere How to watch Juventus vs AC Milan soccer in the US And if you have ESPN+ but are trying to watch the match from overseas, then using a US VPN allows you to watch all your domestic sports coverage from abroad. - Discover our pick of all the US's best sports streaming sites How to stream Juventus vs AC Milan live in the UK  How to live stream Juventus vs AC Milan soccer in Canada How to live stream Juventus vs AC Milan in Australia How to watch the Serie A in New Zealand Catch all your favorites with our guide to the best sports streaming sites This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best Bluetooth speakers Posted: 10 Nov 2019 10:53 AM PST If you don't have one already in your AV arsenal, a Bluetooth speaker is a must-own piece of technology. They're the best way to take your tunes with you to picnics, beaches and outdoor adventures, and some of the best ones sound just as good as almost any indoor speaker that you'd buy.  However most of us can't afford a new speaker for each occasion, which means we need to look for one that'll serenade us from the bedroom to the beach and everywhere in-between. That's why we've put together this buying guide, which will help you find the right Bluetooth speaker for your needs (and your budget). How to pick out the best Bluetooth speaker There are so many new speakers on the market these days with great designs and the latest tech built-in that it can be tricky to figure out which one you need. Although it may seem like the choice is endless, there are plenty with unique selling points that'll suit you. First up, some speakers are built with ultimate durability in mind, others are weather and waterproof for camping and tunes by the pool; however, some aren't fit for the outdoors and would look pretty inside your home instead.  If you're having trouble figuring out which speaker might be best for you, start by picturing where you're going to use it and find a speaker that matches that setting. That means if you're a beach person, water and dust-proofing in your outdoor speaker are key. Or, if you're a party person, you might want the ability to connect two speakers together or a speaker with multi-point pairing that allows multiple devices to connect at a time. Battery life, sound quality, and design are paramount for all speakers, and we've done our best to take these in the utmost consideration when creating our list. That said, here are 10 of our favorite portable wireless speakers right now, ranked by their price-to-performance ratio, that will surely work for you. Here’s the thing about the Sonos Move – it’s so good, you might want to consider it not only as your on-the-go party station, but also as your main in-the-home speaker too. With two quality drivers, a solid app that unlocks playback from hundreds of wireless sources, multi-room capabilities and smart audio-tuning tech which tweaks the output based on the speaker's immediate surroundings, the Sonos Move is engineered well beyond your average Bluetooth speaker. It's a versatile speaker, one that stands solidly alongside the built-for-home Sonos speakers that the company made its name on. It’s not perfect – it’s heavy as a byproduct of its incredible sound, it’s expensive due to its rich feature set, and it sadly can’t be used as rear channels for a home cinema set-up. But if you’ve got the money, it’s hard to fault the Sonos Move when it comes to hunting down the very best Bluetooth speaker in the world. While we weren't as impressed with the UE Boom 3 as we were with its predecessor, this is still one of the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy. This is a speaker that can get loud and not distort at higher volumes; be light enough to carry on a camping trip but remain durable enough to tumble in a bag unprotected.  It's both water and dust-proof, and now has a one-touch mix button that lets you pull up your favorite playlists without ever picking up your phone.  There are certainly more detailed speakers out there, but at a price that's relatively affordable to all, the UE Boom 3 hits all the right notes for the third year in a row.  Ultimate Ears now lets you customize your UE Boom 3, so you have even more options when it comes to color and pattern combinations. The Bose SoundLink Revolve is an excellent sound speaker for folks looking for true 360-degree sound. It’s great for sharing music during a party or for moving around the room without losing audio fidelity. However, the Bose SoundLink Mini II sounds slightly better and is slightly cheaper to boot.  On the debit side, it’s also not fully dust or waterproof so you’ll want to think twice before bringing the Revolve to the beach.  For half the price, the Wonderboom is a great speaker that is completely dust and waterproof and while it can’t match the audio fidelity or features of the Bose, it's still great for on-the-go listening. If bass is your game, the JBL Charge 3 is an excellent fully waterproof speaker that sounds great, but is big and heavy along with it. For the money, the JBL Charge 4 is a definite no-brainer. You get a speaker that lasts all day, sounds great, can put up with all kinds of abuse, and tops your phone up in a pinch. Yes, there are better sounding speakers but you’ll have to spend much more money.  While the JBL Charge 4 only offers minor updates to the previous generation, it remains an excellent value in wireless speakers – and is one of the best waterproof speakers around. Anker has a history of making excellent budget wireless speakers. While we weren’t entirely impressed with the Anker SoundCore 2’s sound, we couldn’t be too mad since the speaker was so affordable.  So what happens if you can stretch your budget? For not much more you get the Anker Soundcore Flare, an excellent waterproof Bluetooth speaker that can stand toe-to-toe with the competition.  The Soundcore Flare is an amazing value. Competitors like the UE Wonderboom (listed above) give the Flare a run for its money in terms of build quality but we give the Flare the slight edge with sound quality. We recommend the Flare for anyone looking for a wireless speaker that can do it all without breaking the bank. portable speaker The Bose SoundLink Mini II is relatively ancient, having been released in June 2015. However, writing off the SoundLink Mini II because of its age would be a mistake, as it remains one of the best sounding wireless speakers.  That said, it punches way above what its size would suggest, producing deep bass, sparkling highs and a lush midrange. While most wireless speakers sound OK, the Mini II proves that small speakers don’t need to compromise on sound, and other Bose conveniences like a charging pad.  Although the UE Wonderboom 2 looks nearly identical to the original, Ultimate Ears packed in a slew of upgrades that make the Wonderboom 2 even better, like the increased battery life (up 30% compared to the original), better bass response, and the new Outdoor Boost feature that helps the speaker get even louder than before. The UE Wonderboom 2 is a fantastic rugged and waterproof speaker you’ll actually want to take with. Its small size doesn’t mean small sound, however, as the speaker gets extremely loud and sounds great. While it can’t match the bass response of larger speakers like the UE Boom 3 or the Bose SoundLink Revolve, the improved bass adds warmth and intensity to music that the original was lacking.  All said, the UE Wonderboom 2 is still one of the best waterproof speakers you can buy - and our recommended option for those looking to bring their speaker to the beach or pool. The Tribit XSound Go shouldn’t sound this good for the price, but it does. The speaker impressed with balanced sound, is near distortion-free at high volumes, and lasts and incredible 20+ hours of playtime at medium volume.  Plus, the speaker is IPX7 water and dust resistant so it’ll put up with a day at the beach or pool without a problem. While its design may be forgettable, you won’t care once you hear how good the XSound Go sounds.  In terms of competition, you’ll have to spend a lot more for better sound quality. The UE Wonderboom is an excellent outdoor speaker, but will cost twice the money and doesn’t last as long as the Tribit. The SRS-XB501G is a big speaker that offers a light show, tripod mount, big sound, and Google Assistant. This is a speaker that you can truly use on the go and in the home after a day of partying. On the go, the speaker is brilliant, playing loudly and for up to 16 hours. But at home, it’s dated design and average voice detection are compromises compared to dedicated home speakers.   Competitors like the LG PK7 sounds slightly better and has a light show that actually reacts to your music, however it doesn’t have the Google Assistant built in. If you’re looking for an actual portable speaker that you can fit in a bag that also supports Google Assistant, the JBL Link 20 is a good choice. Just don’t expect it to pump out as much bass or offer as wide of a soundstage.  To that end, the XB501G is a good all-around compromise that fills multiple purposes. It's not the best wireless speaker, nor the best smart speaker, but it's a solid entry in both categories and one of a select few to exist in both camps. The newest speaker in the Denon Envaya line offers powerful, room-filling sound that will sound great to most ears, plus comes with an IP67 rating, make it both dust and waterproof. It's also built like a tank, making it one of the most durable speakers we've ever laid our hands on. Despite a nearly flawless performance, the Envaya isn't perfect. While sound quaity is full, powerful and rich, it doesn’t have the treble bite some like and the buttons located along the side can feel stiff and difficult to operate. These are ultimately minor complaints, however, and the Denon Envaya remains a great Bluetooth speaker – easily one of the best you can buy this year. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best waterproof speakers Posted: 10 Nov 2019 10:39 AM PST If you're planning on spending a lot of time at the pool or beach this year – or plan on taking your music anywhere outdoors on a camping trip – you're going to want one of these best waterproof speakers along for the ride. While no one ever really intends to get their portable speakers wet, accidents and bad weather happen, and when they do the last thing you're going to want to worry about is whether or not your speaker still works. Thankfully, there are a number of impressive IP67 (Waterproof) speakers out there, so even if you're not planning on taking a swim with your Bluetooth speaker, you can rest easy knowing that your purchase can withstand an accidental dip. With that said, we've gathered up the best ones for you - not only are these devices rain-friendly, pool-friendly and spill-friendly, they're also the best outdoor speakers you can buy right now. Stick with us and we'll be sure to find the best waterproof speaker that works for your budget and requirements. Waterproof vs Water-Resistant speaker While waterproof and water-resistant aren't synonymous, they roughly translate to "water won't ruin it".  Waterproof is the better of the two, as it usually carries an IP67 rating that means it can withstand to float in around a meter of water for a half-hour before it bites the dust.  Water-resistant, on the other hand, means it could survive a splash or two, but it's not the kind of thing you'd just want to casually throw in the pool. Of course waterproofing isn't the only thing we looked for when picking out this list of the best outdoor speakers. We also considered factors such as sound quality, price and feature set, all of which helped establish a set of criteria that we could measure all speakers against. What you see below is the result of that effort – our definitive list of the 10 best wireless portable waterproof speakers. Outdoor speakers FAQ: quick questions answered Can you put an indoor speaker outside? It's possible, depending on the type of power output. A wireless speaker can be put anywhere, providing it's near enough to its source device – smartphone, computer, or otherwise. Keep in mind indoor speakers won't usually be waterproof, though. So it's always best to get one built for the outdoors to be safe. What's a good wattage for outdoor speakers? 5W might be suitable for a quiet picnic, but you'll want more for a bustling BBQ or party out of doors. For comparison, most smart TVs come with maximum 10W speakers. How many outdoor speakers do I need? This depends on the volume of the device and where you're putting it. For covering various spots around a garden or yard, you may want several. Image Credit: Ultimate Ears The original UE Wonderboom has been at the top of our best outdoor speaker list since its debut and for good reason: It’s rugged, plays louder than its diminutive sound suggests, and could be paired to other UE Wonderboom speakers to amplify sound. And although the UE Wonderboom 2 looks nearly identical to the original, Ultimate Ears packed in a slew of upgrades that make the Wonderboom 2 even better, like the increased battery life (up 30% compared to the original), better bass response, and the new Outdoor Boost feature that helps the speaker get even louder than before. Combined, these seemingly minor upgrades not only keep the UE Wonderboom 2 on our list of the best outdoor speakers for another year, but they help to make it one of the best portable speakers you can buy period. Image credit: Denon If you want a waterproof speaker that doesn't look like a waterproof speaker, get the Denon Envaya DSB-250BT. It'll fit into a classy living room but has IP67 water resistance, letting it withstand a full-on dunk. This is also the best-sounding speaker of its size, with meaty bass and audio balance you might expect from a hifi master like Denon. There's an Envaya Mini if you want something smaller, too. Any complaints? To make the water resistance work, the speaker has rubbery panels instead of clicky buttons, and they aren't half hard to depress sometimes. But if that isn't a minor quibble, what is? Image credit: JBL The JBL Charge 4 may seem like a boring update on paper, but it’s still one of the best outdoor speakers around. For the money, you get a speaker that sound great, is tough as nails, acts as a charger for your phone, and lasts all day. For the money, the JBL Charge 4 is a definite no-brainer, as you get a speaker that lasts all day, sounds great, can put up with all kinds of abuse, and tops your phone up in a pinch. Yes, there are better sounding speakers but you’ll have to spend much more money. (One of our favorite speakers, the UE Megaboom 3, sounds worse and costs more money.)  Image credit: Anker You might not have ever heard of Anker before, but it's sweeping Amazon as one of the highest-rated electronics manufacturers.  Its flagship waterproof speaker, the Anker Soundcore Flare, combines the best features of its competitors into an affordable package that’s tough to beat. For the price, the Flare offers good sound, a tough waterproof build and excellent user experience. The LED light show is a bit of a gimmick, sure, but it's certainly fun and can be disabled entirely. While other outdoor speakers may sound better, you’re going to have to spend much more money. Image credit: Ultimate Ears The UE Boom 3 is one of the best outdoor speakers money can buy in 2019. This is a speaker that can get loud and not distort at higher volumes; be light enough to carry on the move but remain durable enough to tumble in a bag unprotected.  It's waterproof as well as dust-proof, and  has a one-touch mix button that lets you pull up your favorite playlists without needing to pick up your smartphone.  There are certainly more detailed speakers out there (see: Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin down below), but at a price that's relatively affordable to all, the UE Boom 3 hits all the right notes for the third year in a row.  Image credit: TechRadar If you still don’t know about Fugoo, you’re certainly missing out on some of the best outdoor speakers in the world. The Fugoo Style not only offers the longest battery life of any speaker on this list (40 hours!), but it also comes in at a tiny one pound. Fugoo’s design philosophy is to offer different ‘jackets’ (Style, Tough or Sport) to fit around its ‘core’ speaker to fit different styles. The Fugoo Style waterproof speaker offers a great blend of size, sound fidelity and battery life for an affordable price. Image credit: Ultimate Ears The UE Megablast is at the very peak of Ultimate Ears’ line of waterproof speakers. Its larger size means that the Megablast can get loud and can last up to 20 hours at a sensible volume. Bass is stronger and richer than its smaller UE Boom 3 and Wonderboom 2 brothers, and this is the speaker for anybody who wants to really blare their music at a party. For people who want to save some cash, however, the other Ultimate Ears speakers cost much less and sound nearly as good. Still, it's not a bad option if you want a personal assistant with you at the beach. Image credit: JBL In terms of sheer audio prowess, the JBL Boombox was a pleasant surprise – it's a monstrous outdoor speaker that not only gets loud, but stays pretty crisp when pumping the volume. It’s heavy, and not the easiest thing to carry around, but it’s rugged enough to handle any pool or tailgate party. That said, we can’t recommend the Boombox as a speaker for the home. You can find comparable sound in form factors that take up less real estate, but if your plan is to hit whatever patio, pool, beach or tailgate party you can find, then this one should be in the running to play the tunes. Image credit: Tribit If you believe the old adage about getting what you pay for, you might not expect much from the Tribit XSound Go’s sound quality. Thankfully, that adage has never been less applicable: the speaker gets loud enough to fill up a medium-sized room, and at full volume, there’s only a little distortion on the highs. Honestly, the Tribit XSound Go shouldn’t sound this good for the price, but it does. The speaker impressed with balanced sound, is near distortion-free at high volumes, and lasts and incredible 20+ hours of playtime at medium volume. Plus, the speaker is IPX7 water and dust resistant so it’ll put up with a day at the beach or pool without a problem. While it’s design may be forgettable, you won’t care once you hear how good the XSound Go sounds. Image credit: Braven Last on our list is the Braven Stryde 360 that, in all fairness, is a solid outdoor speaker that is average in just about every way. Sound quality is good but the speaker struggles with bass response. Battery life is an average 12 hours and its design doesn’t particularly stand out. For the price, there are better options - see: any of the speakers above - but if you've gotten this far and still haven't found what you're looking for, the Braven could be it. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players Posted: 10 Nov 2019 10:29 AM PST Popular streaming services, like Netflix and Amazon, increasingly offer movies and TV shows you can watch in 4K resolution – if you have a 4K TV to watch them on, of course. But if you're the kind of person who wants the best, uncompressed picture quality from your movie sessions and TV binges, you need to invest in a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Why's that? When you display video content from a disc you don't get the same risk of buffering or varying resolution as over an internet connection, making for a more consistently high-quality picture. New 4K Blu-ray discs also tend to pack in the most advanced and premium HDR formats, such as Dolby Vision – or even Dolby Atmos surround sound audio. A 4K Blu-ray player will still be able to play HD Blu-rays too, as well as regular ol' DVDs you may still have lying around – with the capability to upscale those lower-resolution formats up to 4K before feeding them to your TV. Blu-ray is still in many senses a niche market, but there are still some great choices for those opting for 4K Blu-ray discs – with the likes of Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony all having a crack at the multimedia player. As for the upfront investment of buying yet another media device, you can take some solace in knowing that these players really aren't that expensive. Sure, there are one or two premium players on our list that can do anything and everything, but most 4K Blu-ray players on the market right now are pretty reasonably priced. Keep in mind, of course, that various games consoles come with Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray players built into the hardware – such as the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, or upcoming PlayStation 5. But if you want a standalone 4K Ultra HD player, here are the options for you. What else do I need to watch a UHD Blu-ray? That being said, before you plunk down some money on a new player, make sure you already own a 4K TV in order to watch it. If you don't have a 4K TV, your 4K Blu-ray player will still work, but it will only display images in 1080p. Image Credit: Panasonic The DP-UB9000 is Panasonic’s latest flagship 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and, after Oppo started winding down its competing devices, the new model finds itself in one of the top spots in the high-end player market.  That said, beautifully made and enviably specified, this flagship 4K disc spinner is unashamedly premium. The plastic and tin build, familiar on mainstream Blu-ray players, has been replaced with heavy metal and luxe design.  Beyond its good looks, however, the DP-UB9000 is also the first UHD deck from Panasonic to support all key HDR flavours: vanilla HDR10, its dynamic sibling HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision. The latter is included, despite the fact that Panasonic isn’t supporting Dolby Vision on any of its 4K TVs.  Not only is the player more than capable with images, it has audiophile aspirations as well, sporting high quality DACs, two-channel and 7.1-channel analogue outputs, and Hi-Res Audio support. Toss in a host of smart features, and the UB9000 ticks nearly every box in the book.  Naturally all these flagship features don’t come cheap - but, for those seeking the ideal replacement Blu-ray player after Oppo’s collapse, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is a more than adequate replacement.  Image Credit: Panasonic The Panasonic DMP-U700 is the 4K Blu-ray player we end up recommending most often. It's more affordable than an Oppo deck, and still gets you the amazing picture quality of Panasonic's top-end DMP-U900.    Streaming service support, with HDR-enabled 4K Netflix, is well worth trumpeting and the player does a swell job with 24-bit audio. It supports both FLAC and DSD files.  There's no Dolby Vision support, perhaps the main reason to upgrade to the DMP-UB900. But as it stands the UB700 offers the best balance of price, audio visual performance and features.  Image Credit: Pioneer While its price tag might be a bit intimidating, Pioneer has produced a peach of a player with the UDP-LX500. This heavyweight home cinema hero deserves to be shortlisted by all high-end upgraders, and can comfortably claim to be one of the best universal 4K Blu-ray players available for less than a grand.  There are caveats though. It’s not quite as brilliant a video performer as its main rival, the cheaper Panasonic DMP-UB9000, and it’s not quite as well finished either. However, if music is as important as movies to you, it’s clearly got broader appeal.  Image Credit: Sony Sony might have been a little late to the Ultra HD Blu-ray party, but its first player is a great machine. It's solidly made, and its overall image quality is superb.  As an added bonus, the player also supports a wide range of audio formats, can play SACDs, and even DVD-As.  So why does the player sit the number three slot in our list? Well, unfortunately it lacks support for Dolby Vision, the high-end HDR format that discs are increasingly offering support for, and which the Oppo UDP-203 does now support thanks to a firmware update. Its also more expensive than our top pick, the Panasonic DMP-UB700.  If you want a UHD player that also doubles as a very capable music player, then the Sony UBP-X800 is a great choice, but if you're after something focussed solely on playing movies, then there are better or cheaper options out there.  Image Credit: Panasonic The DMP-UB900 will restore you faith in physical media. In full 4K HDR guise it offers a level of performance that will have new 4K TV owners gasping. Ultra HD Blu-ray brings the experience of 4K digital cinema to the home, and rewards with brilliant colour fidelity, deep contrast and almost three-dimensional clarity. Factor in solid file playback support, plus 4K iterations of Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, and you have a machine that'll make your new 4K HDR TV look sensational. Image Credit: Sony The UBP-X1000ES is Sony’s premium 4K Blu-ray offering, a posh stablemate to the unfeasibly fine UBP-X800. In terms of performance and value, the latter can be considered one of the best value UHD Blu-ray players available, so clearly this more expensive sibling needs to be rather special to warrant a premium.  To that end, the UBP-X1000ES delivers pristine UHD Blu-ray images and its audio performance is excellent, be it via HDMI or two channel analogue. The player is also artfully built, and incorporates a high-end 192kHz/ 32bit DAC and offers a gold-plated phono analogue audio output on the rear.  Ultimately, though, the X1000ES is considerably more expensive than the UBP-X800, and doesn’t quite have the feature roster of the Dolby Vision-enabled, MQA-playing Oppo UHD-203 - and if you’re looking for a UHD player with comparable audio chops (although admittedly not universal disc compatibility), then Panasonic’s DMP-UB900 provides cheaper competition. Image Credit: Panasonic You'll make a couple of compromises if you want to take advantage of the DMP UB300's budget price-tag – there's no built-in Wi-Fi for example, and rear ports are incredibly limited – but thankfully the machine doesn't scrimp where it matters.  Picture quality is excellent, it supports a wide range of audio codecs and formats, and there's also streaming services built in if you're willing to go down the wired ethernet route. The Xbox One X is a beast of a gaming console. It offers 6 teraflops of performance, 12GB of GDDR5 RAM and an eight-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz. By far and away, it's the most powerful device listed on this page.  But despite all that power under the hood, it's not the best 4K Blu-ray player. Sure, it can play 4K UHD discs – and it even supports Dolby Atmos audio – but the images that it produces aren't likely to blow you away. That's probably because the Xbox One X doesn't have the same level of picture-upscaling that some of the other dedicated media players on this list have.  While the Xbox One X might not be as good of a 4K Blu-ray player as the Oppo or the Sony, we'd like to see either one of those players handle an Xbox One X game. Image Credit: Microsoft/Xbox Not holding the title of a "proper Blu-ray player" doesn't stop the Xbox One S from being a great, cheap way to play 4K Blu-ray discs.  Sporting a Blu-ray disc drive and the capacity to run Netflix in 4K Ultra HD, Microsoft's latest iteration of the Xbox is a great 'jack-of-all-trades' machine that's capable of satisfying your UHD disc needs as well as playing the latest console game released for the system.  The downside of it being able to do everything is that you'll be working with an interface designed primarily for gaming. The controller that comes with the console isn't the most efficient way to control movie playback, and the machine lacks support for Dolby Vision.  Regardless, if you want a machine that can handle both your gaming and your home cinema needs, the Xbox One S is the console for the job. Image Credit: Samsung The K8500 is currently the cheapest route into 4K Blu-ray. It's also a useful hub for 4K OTT services from Netflix and Amazon, and while the design won't be for everyone, you'll be consistently impressed by its loading speed and colourful UI. You can get better image quality, support for more formats and better build quality by spending more money, but if you want a cheap machine that covers the basics, then the Samsung UBD-K8500 is yet to be beaten on price.  Samsung has since stopped making Blu-ray players, but be assured this one should last you for a while yet. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best Wi-Fi extenders Posted: 10 Nov 2019 09:38 AM PST You might not realize what the best wifi extender can do for your home. But if you have any dead spots or a large area to cover, it’s well worth the investment. The best wifi extenders will help “extend” your wireless network into the furthest corners of your home or building, making your wireless coverage reliable no matter where you are. And it’s of particular help when you are trying to cover a large space and a regular router just won’t cut it. If you’ve been experiencing slow connections, or even dropped connections, the best wifi extenders can fix that without having to rely on more costly solutions, such as running extra network cables around your home or office. How do they work? The best wifi extender will pick up where your router starts to lose coverage. It will take that original network and increase its range, giving you a significant boost in your wireless coverage. We’ve gathered up the best wifi extenders for you to check out. So if you’re working or living in a large space and have been frustrated by your network’s coverage, take a look at our picks for the ideal solution. Here are our picks for the best wifi extender. Whether you’re looking for an affordable option or one that’s inconspicuous, you’ll find something on this list to fit your needs. The Plume SuperPods act as one of the best Wi-Fi extenders straight out of the box. Needing to increase your network coverage and get network-based cybersecurity as well? The Plume SuperPods will get the job done, though they don’t come cheap. You see, the Plume SuperPods act as one of the best Wi-Fi extenders straight out of the box. But perhaps more importantly, they also come with a subscription service to protect your network from cyber-attacks, as well as remove ads from the internet. Nonetheless, even if you don’t care about the extra software, the excellent performance is more than enough to make this Wi-Fi extender worth your consideration at the very least. At the time of writing, the Plume SuperPods are only available in the US, so check out our other picks below if they are not available where you are. Read the full review: Plume SuperPods The Netgear AC1200 WiFi Range Extender EX6150 is a simple device that you can discreetly plug right into any electrical outlet. Over the last couple years, Netgear has essentially turned itself into a household name in the networking world. And, they’ve put their extensive expertise to impressive use with their AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender EX6150. This terrific extender is a simple device that you can discreetly plug right into any electrical outlet, and definitely has our vote for one of the best Wi-Fi extenders. As an additional bonus, the EX6150 boasts quick and easy installation, free of any hassling installation software. Just follow the easy-to-read instructions and you’ll have fast and dependable Wi-Fi covering your entire home or office. The Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700 lets you stream 4K content, play games and hook up all kinds of devices to your Wi-Fi network without a hitch. Bring the power and convenience of a mesh network to your home with the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700. Not only does this extend the area of your Wi-Fi network, but it creates a seamless Wi-Fi network throughout your home or office - so you don't need to switch networks while moving around. Thanks to the powerful hardware inside the Netgear Nighthawk X6 EX7700, you can stream 4K content, play games and hook up all kinds of devices to your Wi-Fi network without a hitch. The included Ethernet ports are also a nice addition for bringing your network to wired devices. TP-Link RE350 AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender isn't just among the best Wi-Fi extenders you can buy right now; it's also one of the most affordable. TP-Link is a Chinese networking company that has been steadily gaining popularity in the west, and for good reason. With devices like the TP-Link RE350 AC1200 Wi-Fi Range extender, it’s easy to get why: this extender – among the best Wi-Fi extenders you can buy right now – does the job well, and it’s affordable. It’s not going to be the fastest Wi-Fi extender out there, but with the range this extender provides at the price it’s available at, it’s a steal. Finally, thanks to an LED signal indicator on the front, installation is a breeze. Linksys RE6500 AC1200 Dual-Band Wireless Range Extender's tougher design lets Linksys include four gigabit Ethernet ports. The Linksys RE6500 AC1200 is yet another Wi-Fi extender which could be mistaken for a router. This tougher design lets Linksys include four gigabit Ethernet ports, which basically empowers you to increase your network to internet-connected devices that need an ethernet connection. It also has an audio output jack so it can connect to an audio system, letting you stream digital music from your PC to your audio receiver. This is a pretty robust and versatile product, and one of the best Wi-Fi extenders for the money. D-Link DAP-1320 Wireless N300 Range Extender is designed well and is built to last. If you’re needing a reasonably affordable way to beef up your Wi-Fi network, and you’re ok with settling a little on performance and features, then the D-Link DAP-1320 Wireless N300 Range Extender may just be one of the best Wi-Fi extenders for you. This tiny device comes sans any Ethernet ports, and it doesn't feature dual bands or 802.11ac, which is presently the fastest form of Wi-Fi. However, it is designed well and is built to last. And best of all, it's a fast, easy and cheap way of boosting your Wi-Fi network as long as you don’t expect too much network traffic. Linksys Velop Wi-Fi extender has a user-friendly setup that anyone with a smartphone can easily do. The Linksys Velop offers a solid argument for a wireless mesh network’s ease of setup. Looking to replace both your router and your now-antiquated range extender, the Velop comes at a time when companies like Google and Netgear are trying to accomplish the same thing. The main way Linksys hopes to stand out from its competitors in the wireless mesh networking space is with a user-friendly setup that anyone with a smartphone can easily do. With just a visit to the App Store or Google Play marketplace, you’ll have the Linksys Velop up and running in a matter of minutes. It's certainly a worthy addition to our list of the best Wi-Fi extenders. Read the full review: Linksys Velop Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere features a clone button that will clone the SSID and WPA key of your network. If you need a great way to upgrade your network so you can have fantastic coverage anywhere in your house, a powerline adapter is a remarkable option. Not only do they offer the same functionality as the best Wi-Fi extenders, but the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere Powerline might just be a dream come true. It’s not exactly visually pleasing, and the price tag may be a bit much. However, this unit more than makes up for those issues with sheer performance. And, unlike other powerline adapters, the Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere features a clone button that will clone the SSID and WPA key of your network so that it can double as a Wi-Fi extender. Read the full review: Trendnet Wi-Fi Everywhere powerline 1200 AV2  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best on-ear headphones Posted: 10 Nov 2019 09:31 AM PST In the world of headphones, on-ear headphones (also called supra-aural headphones) are the middle child between bulky over-ear headphones and diminutive in-ear earphones. For most folks, they're just right.  Their name comes from the fact that their cushions sit on, rather than over, your ears. This means they're more compact and can travel with you without taking up a ton of room in your bag. Conversely, they're bigger and more comfortable to wear for long periods than in-ear headphones.  The reason you'd pick this form factor over the other two, is that you're a traveler, a commuter or a home listener who needs a bit of noise cancelation without the bulk of over-ears. It's a winning combination, honestly, and a form factor that we've tested extensively over the years. To that end, and to help you pick out a great pair of on-ear headphones, we've put together a list of our top-rated on-ear headphone reviews, so that you can do all your research and make a purchase in one place. Looking for a list of the finest cans you can buy? Check out our roundup of the best headphones for our overall winners in every category. For your money, you can't do any better than Grado's SR60e. The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet.  The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way more than it does.  Their open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver, although this does mean that they're not ideal for use in loud environments where sound can 'leak' in and disrupt your listening.  That said, in terms of pure sound quality, they're our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears. (Our review is for the SR60i, but the newer SR60e headphones are largely similar in design and performance) Read the full review: Grado SR60e There is a lot to love about the Philips Fidelio NC1 headphones: Not only are they a joy to wear and offer up great sound reproduction, but they're also one of the lightest and most compact ANC headphones around. They're best suited for frequent travellers who don't want to lug massive cans around with them all of the time but also don't want to compromise on sound quality. To that end, they offer superb sound that's balanced and warm and while I would love to see a wireless range, the cable offered in the mix is dextrous enough to not worry about it.  Read the full review: Philips Fidelio NC1 In recent years AKG has dominated the budget and mid-range headphone space. While most other headphones at these price points chase after the bass-addicts, AKG has been content to stick to what it knows best; namely headphones that offer a balanced, refined sound you'd normally find in more expensive cans. With the AKG N60NC Wireless headphones the company appears to be stepping out of its comfort zone a little. The aluminium accented design is more flashy than AKG’s usual fare, and the noise-cancellation combined with wireless operation pushes the N60NCs to the upper end of the company’s normal price points.  Read the full review: AKG N60NC Wireless The V-Moda XS are the perfect travel buddy for audiophiles. It’s balanced and detail-rich sound is a pleasure to listen to, plus, it’s built like a tank. While the bass could use a little more impact, we had little complain about the sound. However, that said, the XS has a loose fit on the head and barely blocks out any sound, which isn’t ideal for working out or for commuters. If you're a sedentary listener, however, these are great. In terms of competition, the Klipsch Reference On-Ear II are an excellent alternative that can block out more external sound. However, the trade off is the extended and exciting highs of the V-Moda XS as the Klipsch has more high frequency roll-off.   Read the full review: V-Moda XS If you can afford the steep price, the Master & Dynamic MW50 - and newer MW50+ - will not disappoint. These headphones are a simply work of art and feel every bit as expensive as their price commands. They sound great with all types of music and are one of the most comfortable on-ear headphones we’ve ever tested. Those looking for value, however, will want to look elsewhere. Read the full review: Master & Dynamic MW50 The Klipsch Reference On-Ear II is the follow up to the previous year’s excellent Reference On-Ear model, a previous resident of this list. Admittedly, this year's model doesn’t change much in terms of design or sound – but why fix something that’s not broken?  That said, Klipsch kept it simple with the Reference On-Ear II, concentrating on sound, comfort and portability that will please audiophiles. Only diehard audiophiles will even consider this wired-only headphone after looking at the price tag, but those who value sound and comfort above all else will be happy with the Klipsch Reference On Ear II. Read the full review: Klipsch Reference On-Ear II The Grado GW100s sound absolutely stunning; they boast an immersive, wide soundstage, clear highs, smooth mids, and extended bass frequencies. They also look great, with a kitsch, retro design that recalls Grado’s humble beginnings in 50’s Brooklyn – but, that said, that vintage-style look won’t appeal to everyone, and they do feel a little flimsy.  Although the Bluetooth connection works very well, we are struggling to understand the need for a wireless pair of open-back headphones; particularly if the design makes them unsuitable for commuting or listening in communal areas. Still, having the option to listen wirelessly is undeniably convenient when you’re pottering around the house, and audiophiles can use them with an AUX cable if they prefer.  Overall, we feel the Grado GW100s are designed for a fairly niche market of audiophiles who crave a wide, natural sound, and who do the majority of their music listening at home. If that sounds like you, you will probably love the Grado GW100s. If not, you may want to look at closed-back models instead.  Read the full review: Grado GW100 Wireless headphones review The Bowers and Wilkins P5 Series 2 aren't the most feature-rich option, but in terms of sheer sound and build quality, they easily raise the bar for the competition to follow.  They look fantastically stylish, and sound just as good. So long as you have the money, there's not much else in the on-ear market that can match this package. Read the full review: Bowers and Wilkins P5 Series 2 You, like everyone else, probably wants a set of headphones that nails the tricky blend of design, useful features and incredible sound. You might think that you need to flush your savings to enjoy such a pair of cans. Protip: you don't. The Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT are a well-built, great-sounding, long-lasting pair of headphones. Their features constantly outweigh their modest price and we can’t get enough of that 40-hour battery life. While technological advancements usually mean a premium price, that's just not the case with the Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT.  Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-S200BT While the Samsung Level On Pro Wireless are best paired with a Samsung Phone, these Beats headphones come into their own when paired with an iOS device thanks to its W1 chip that makes for excellent wireless connectivity.  At first glance, the Solo 3 Wireless appear almost identical to the Solo 2 headphones that proceeded them. The majority of the changes Apple made to its class-leading cans come internally, baking its mobile phone know-how into these headphones to ramp-up their wireless skills and maximise battery life.  In terms of wireless performance, these headphones are as reliable as any out there. However, you can get significantly better sound quality at the price. (See: entries one through nine.) Read the full review: Beats Solo 3 Wireless This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best over-ear headphones Posted: 10 Nov 2019 09:15 AM PST If you value good quality sound and best-in-class performance when it comes to listening to music, then nothing out there beats the full immersion you'll get from a pair of solid over-ear headphones.  It's a fact: in terms of soundstage, sound quality and comfort during extended listening sessions, no other form factor can compete with them. Plus, if keeping your ears healthy long into your twilight years is just as important to you, they also tend to be better for your ear health overall because you don't need to amp up the volume to get a good level of audio performance and noise-cancellation. The pair you go for will be down to personal preference, but before you invest in a pair of the best over-ear headphones, you'll need to consider what your priorities are.   For example, do you want wireless headphones or do you want noise-cancelling headphones? Do you want something expensive and mainstream like Beats headphones, or the audio prowess of the best Sony headphones?  We've even seen true wireless over-ear headphones that transform into a portable Bluetooth speaker with a single snap (yes, you read that correctly). There are so many options out there, so deciding your list of must-have features or brands can be a good starting point. What are the best over-ear headphones? Image Credit: Beyerdynamic While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 were renown for their excellent build and sound quality.  Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same, so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound.  As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing.   If you've been searching for a pair of Hi-Fi headphones that are used by some of the world's leading audio engineers, these are them. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro Image Credit: Philips The Philips Fidelio X2's are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans. Perhaps on sheer sound quality they're a notch off the likes of the top Oppo or Sennheiser offerings – but the fact that you'd be saving vast amounts of cash by opting for the Philips is just a no brainer. Read the full review: Philips Fidelio X2 Image Credit: Beyerdynamic The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pros are a stunning pair of headphones. Are they expensive? To some no, to most yes; but for the sheer listening experience they deliver you'd be hard pressed to take them off after putting them on, even using them with portable HRA players and mobile phones. That said, they really do push the boundaries of what you can do with a dynamic driver. All praise to Beyerdynamic for putting together such a wonderful product. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro Image Credit: Sennheiser The fourth entry on our list easily could've been the first if it didn't cost well over $1,000/£1,000. The Sennheiser HD 800 are, hands down, one of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones on the planet, affectionately praised by inner circles of audiophiles the world over. When paired with the proper hardware, they sound absolutely excellent – balanced in every way.  Unfortunately, they're supremely expensive and require more audio equipment than the average consumer is ready to buy. Should you find yourself in need – or, let's be honest, in want – of amazing over-ear headphones, these are them. Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 800 Image Credit: 1MORE If you’re looking for a pair of audiophile headphones that won’t break the bank, the 1MORE Triple Driver over-ear is a great place to start. Its build quality and detailed sound really impress and we think bass-lovers will like the slight mid-bass emphasis and control in the lower registers while not sacrificing the mids or highs. The headphone reveals a good level of detail throughout the frequency range and never get harsh in the upper registers.  To that end, it’s hard to fault the 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear, making them an easy recommendation for the price.  Read the full review: 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear Image Credit: Bowers & Wilkins The B&W P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail.  That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity. But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point.  [Update: We've been informed that the last pair of P9 Signatures have been shipped to retailers, so if you want to get your hands on these cans, you'll need to snap them up quickly.] Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature Image Credit: Sony It's almost unfair to stick them in the same category as the more critical listening-focused over-ear headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM3 are one of the best all-around headphones we heard last year. Not only do they sound great and pack excellent noise-cancellation, but they manage to do this all wirelessly.  Other headphones on our list offer superior sound quality, sure, but the WH-1000XM3 manage to offer the best balance of features and performance.  And while it's the noise-cancellation that really sell these headphones, they've also got a couple of interesting tricks up their sleeves like built-in Google Assistant and Alexa, plus support for NFC and aptX HD with some Android devices.  Offering all of this without a serious price-premium over the competition means the Sony WH-1000XM3 are a great all-around choice for on-the-go music listeners.  Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3 Image Credit: Audio-Technica Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent. That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a headphone under $200 (£150). They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They're extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge. And while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT Image Credit: Beyerdynamic The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it. Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless They may not beat the Sony WH-1000XM3's battery life and price, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones.  By applying noise cancelation on both music and phone calls, they offer class-leading technology, and well as a vibrant, lively sound and wide, well-balanced soundstage.  If you’re trying to decide between buying the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, we’d recommend going for the former because of that lower price and better battery life.  That being said, you wouldn’t be making a mistake if you opted for the Bose cans instead (and we wouldn’t blame you if you did) – they sound great, look stunning, and the noise-cancelation is out of this world. Read the full review: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Image Credit: TechRadar For the money, the JBL Live 650BTNC punch above its weight in terms of sound quality, build, and features. The cons we have listed above – like mapping the assistant to the touchpad and its use of microUSB – are simply nitpicks with none of them being outright deal-breakers.  That said, we came away very impressed at the well-rounded package JBL created for the market and would certainly recommend them to anyone in the market for a cheap pair of noise-cancelling headphones. Read the full review: JBL Live 650BTNC review Image Credit: TechRadar The SXFI Air headphones are something of a mixed bag when used in Bluetooth mode, and if you’re mainly planning to use them indoors then it’s tempting to opt for the less expensive wired version instead.  However, the wired mode really shows off the SXFI holographic audio to best effect, adding a dramatic sense of space to music, games and video alike. There’s still some room for improvement when listening to music – but for gaming and video the SXFI Air is about as good as you’ll get. Read the full review: Creative SXFI Air headphones review In terms of audio quality, these Sennheiser over-ear headphones sound fantastic, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs. Customizable noise cancelation is a great touch, but it doesn't quite reach the class-leading standards set by Sony and Bose. Battery life also doesn't compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3s, and they're more expensive to boot.  So, why buy the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched.  Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019) review Image credit: TechRadar The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant. If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before. So why didn't they make the list? Well, we included them as a bonus option because they're incredible. But they're very, very expensive.  They're around $3,000. And as good as they are, therein lies the problem: the Focal Stellias are prohibitively expensive for most people, at 10 times the price of our current favorite headphones, the Sony  WH-1000XM3s. Read the full review: Focal Stellia review This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best wireless earbuds and earphones Posted: 10 Nov 2019 09:01 AM PST Wireless earbuds are one of the best ways to listen to your music on the go, whether your commuting, heading to the gym, or relaxing poolside on a sunny day the right pair of earphones will stay put and bring you quality sound. You'd be forgiven for thinking wireless earbuds aren't as good as the best headphones – that's because a few short years ago, Bluetooth wasn't the best way listen to your favorite music.  Back in the day, Bluetooth earphones didn't sound as good as their wired counterparts, suffered connectivity issues and became known for having short battery lives. Luckily, times have changed. Thanks to improvements in wireless transmission standards, such as aptX and innovations in battery technology, Bluetooth earbuds are quickly becoming the most popular way to listen to music, and many of the best earbuds feature wireless connectivity. When it comes to wireless earphones the big question is: which brands have emerged as the best when it comes to big Bluetooth improvements and the future of audio innovation?  Audio companies like Jaybird, Plantronics, Nuforce, RHA and Jabra all are great options, as they've all committed a great deal deal of time and money to improving audio quality without sacrificing battery life – and there are some good options from big players like Sony, Apple and Bose, too. What are the best wireless earbuds? The NuForce BE Sport4 wireless earbuds are that rare find: earbuds that are good for basically all situations, whether you're looking to take them out on a run or just wear them around town. They're ideal for exercise, although any urbanite will also find their lightweight functionality and impressive sound isolation highly appealing. If you want proof that wireless headphones can now compete with the best of them, look no further. Read the full review: Optoma NuForce BE Sport4 While they're not the kind of earbuds you'd want to bring with you to the gym, the RHA MA390 Wireless are the perfect companion for anyone looking for a home listening pair of wireless earbuds. The headphones are built extremely well, have a fun sound signature, and come at an affordable price.  Its main rival, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless, are also excellent, however we give the nod to the RHA MA390 for its more dynamic sound and better build quality.  Read the full review: RHA MA390 Wireless OnePlus is most known for its “flagship killer” phones like the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro,, but the company also makes headphones – the best example of which are the company’s excellent Bullets Wireless 2, which offer an incredible value in the neck-bud headphone category.  In terms of audio quality, they boast a lively sonic presentation and an accurate-feeling soundstage, although bass-heads may want to look elsewhere for headphones that pack a bassier punch.  They're comfortable to wear too, but it's just a shame that they don't have a waterproof rating and the inline remote is so fiddly, because otherwise they could make a decent pair of running headphones.  They may be more expensive than their predecessors, but the improved battery life and sound quality makes up for that; it also makes it worth upgrading if you have the originals and are due a new pair of wireless earbuds.  Read the full review: OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 The Jaybird Tarah Pro headphones are wireless sport headphones for the endurance runners, athletes and fitness nuts out there. With a neck cable to keep the earbuds together, they aren’t quite ‘true wireless’, but will be practical for those concerned about dropping and losing a costly earbud in the heat of a race or training session. As the first in Jaybird’s new ‘Pro’ range of earbuds and aimed at offering higher quality audio and materials, the Tarah Pro will suit anyone not willing to sacrifice audio quality in harsher outdoor conditions or indoor workouts and who don't mind spending a bit more to get a premium product.   Read the full review: Jaybird Tarah Pro Image Credit: Beats Beats haven't always gotten the best rap when it comes to audio performance, but the Beats X is trying to set the record straight. The Beats X hence make up for their slightly bassy, confined sound with a rock solid connection and a pairing process that, on iOS devices at least, is as painless as it's possible to be.  If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in five minutes, work well with iOS and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you. Read the full review: Beats X Life is full of compromises, and it's no different with the Bose QuietControl 30. On the positive side you get a level of noise cancellation that comes close to what's offered by the brand's over-ear headphones, but the concession here is on sound fidelity, which just isn’t on the same level as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tested.  There's also that neckband which adds an unfortunate level of bulk to what should otherwise be a slimline pair of headphones.  Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30 Or, cut the cord with these true wireless models Considering it's still rare to get noise-cancellation in wired earbuds at all, the fact that Sony has managed to pack it into a pair that are not only wireless, but true wireless is very impressive indeed.  The Sony WF-1000X manage to offer a level of noise-cancellation that's very good for a pair of earbuds – it won't offer the same isolation as a pair of over-ear cans, but if you're after a sleek form factor then the compromise is well worth it.  There may be a few minor problems with these wireless earbuds, but we think Sony has knocked the ball out of the park with the WF-1000XM3; not only are these hands down the best-looking True Wireless headphones out there, but they combine serious noise cancelling tech with fist-pumping musicality.  Read the full review: Sony WF-1000XM3 Cambridge Audio is known for its high-end audio equipment, but until now, hasn’t ventured into the world of true wireless earbuds. Enter the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s: with an outstanding 45 hours of battery life, they combine the brand’s award-winning engineering with the convenience of truly wireless listening.  For a pair of true wireless earbuds, the sound quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s is sensational. In fact, it rivals some of the best over-ear headphones, which is all but unheard of for buds of this size.  They may not have the noise cancelation technology offered by the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds, but they are cheaper – and have a superior battery life.  They certainly outperform the Apple AirPods, in all respects apart from the lack of wireless charging case. This is a small price to pay for that exceptional audio quality, though, and we think they represent much better value for money, too. Read the full review: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 With their stellar sound and build quality, long-lasting battery life and what may be one of the coolest cases we've ever seen, we'd argue that the Klipsch T5s are of the best models on the market right now.. Of course, you're buying a Klipsch product because it features the signature Klipsch sound, which is warm, detailed, and never harsh. Acoustic music is lush and detailed, and the detail extends to the highs as well, allowing the headphones to sing in the higher registers without ever being sibilant.  Battery life is rated at 8 hours per charge with the case giving an additional 24 hours – that means these true wireless in-ear headphones will last you for a long haul flight, no problem.  Read the full review: Klipsch T5 True Wireless  Although the TrueConnect is RHA's first true wireless headphone, the company showed they did their research and development by making it one of the best true wireless headphones on the market today. The combination of sound quality, battery life, and wireless reliability means these are a pair of headphones you can rely on everyday.  The Jabra Elite 65t set the standard for what true wireless headphones should be and, regardless of what RHA has done here with the TrueConnect, they’re still great headphones. Compared to the RHA TrueConnect, the Jabra has more features with its useful ambient noise mode to help with situational awareness and an app that lets you tailor sound.  The RHA doesn’t have either of those features but we didn’t miss them, thanks to better sound quality and wireless reliability. The RHA also feels more like a premium product than the all-plastic Jabra.  All said, if you’re shopping for a pair of true wireless headphones, RHA TrueConnect should be at the very top of your list.   Read the full review: RHA TrueConnect If you want a pair of high quality truly wireless earbuds that aren’t the Apple AirPods, then the Jabra Elite 65t should be at the top of your list.  After spending over a month with them, we came away impressed with the well-rounded package that Jabra managed to create: The earbuds offer a subtle, mature look and a reliable wireless connection, which isn’t always the case with truly wireless earbuds. Plus, they sound great compared to the competition.  If you want an alternative for the RHA TrueConnect, go for the Elite 65t.  Read the full review: Jabra Elite 65t With a promising battery life and well-managed bass enhancement over Audio-Technica’s usual neutral sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW true wireless earbuds have a lot going for them.  They've one of the most complete and well-rounded sound profiles we've seen from true-wireless earbuds, and that's despite the claimed bass enhancement. It's a very enjoyable sound that they make. However, they are let down a bit by their fit – mileage will vary of course depending on your preferred bud style and the size of your ears, but all will find the fiddly case fit will annoy over time. Still, the quality audio here may be a worthy trade-off. Read the full review: Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW review The new PowerBeats Pro true wireless Beats headphones aren't exactly the earbuds analysts have been predicting, sure, but they are something special – they’re supremely comfortable, sound decent and seem to never, ever fall out.  That said, they are – in our opinion – Apple’s best true wireless earbuds to date thanks to small additions like the pressure-reducing micro-laser barometric venting hole, their longer battery life and their superior sound quality. If we had to choose between wearing these and the AirPods around the house or office, these are what we’d wear.    Read the full review: Beats PowerBeats Pro It feels as though Samsung has finally got it right with the Galaxy Buds, and they represent serious competition for the Apple AirPods in terms of design, sound, and ease of use. We loved the pearlescent effect on the buds outer housing and the sleek design of the case, and we found they felt comfortable and secure.  The sound quality offered by these true wireless buds is also very good indeed, with deep bass, and a wide open soundstage. The downside here is that other features that are available on the app like ambient noise and the equalizer presets are useful to have, but didn’t always work as effectively as we hoped. Worse, these features are also pretty much out of bounds for iOS users, as you can only download the app on devices running Android 5.0 or later.  That said, if you have a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Buds are a fantastic pair of true wireless earbuds, with a few quality-of-life features that make them stand up confidently the competition. If not, you may miss out on these additional features but the high sound quality, comfortable fit, and attractive design means that these buds could be a smart purchase, even for the iOS crowd. Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy Buds This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Surface Pro X teardown finds a new high in ‘repairability’ for Microsoft Posted: 10 Nov 2019 08:21 AM PST Microsoft’s Surface Pro X is even more repair-friendly than the Surface Laptop 3, getting a bigger thumbs-up from the teardown experts over at iFixit. While iFixit scored the Surface Laptop 3 as a 5 out of 10 when it came to repairs, the freshly unleashed Surface Pro X managed to creep ahead with a 6 out of 10. Surface Pro 7 got a firmware fix for battery issues at launch Microsoft Surface Pro X: the answer to iPad Pro has its ups and downs These are the best 2-in-1 laptops of 2019 The most positive facet was the SSD being ‘truly user-replaceable’ as it’s accessed without having to remove the screen, and can be taken out with just a SIM eject pin (and a T3 Torx screwdriver is needed to undo a single screw). “That’s awesome to see in such a slim form factor,” enthuses iFixit, while observing that the solid-state drive is the same model used in the Surface Laptop 3, and so standardization across the range means it’s easier for third-parties to support repairs on these devices. Screen pass All the screws used in the Surface Pro X are standard Torx affairs, and the iFixit team were particularly impressed with how easily the display came out, with no globs of glue holding the screen in place (rather there’s foam adhesive which can be cut easily enough, without requiring any heating and possible accidents with cracked displays). There’s even a tongue-in-cheek mention of a celebratory dance and the fact that “we never thought we’d get into a Surface Pro this easily”. The caveats here are that iFixit noted that almost all repairs do require removal of the screen – and it still isn’t a trivial matter – plus the battery remains firmly glued in, so there’s no change here. Still, Microsoft is clearly moving in the right direction with this and the Surface Laptop 3, and is certainly a long way away from the days when iFixit wanted to give the Surface Laptop 2 a negative score for repairability. Check out the best Microsoft Surface Pro deals going This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Falcons vs Saints live stream: how to watch today's NFL 2019 football from anywhere Posted: 10 Nov 2019 07:46 AM PST We’ve reached week 10 of the 2019-20 NFL season and this weekend you’ll get to see the Atlanta Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The long-standing rivalry between these two NFC South teams makes today’s game one you won’t want to miss. Thankfully we’re here to make sure you catch all of the action at today’s game as we’ll show you how to get a Falcons vs Saints live stream regardless of where in the world you are. Calling the Falcons an underdog would almost be an understatement as the team is going into today’s game 1-7. While Atlanta did manage to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-20 during week 2, they’ve lost every other game they’ve played this season and their odds against the Saints aren’t looking good either. The Falcons defense is 2nd to last in points allowed this season at 31.8 and the team also ranks 28th in passing yards allowed as they’ve given up an average of 274 per game. A win over their NFC South rival would be a welcome surprise but can the Falcons muster up the strength to defeat the Saints? New Orleans on the other hand is having a fantastic season so far and the Saints are going into today’s game 7-1. They also suffered a loss during week 2 when the Rams defeated the team 27-9 but unlike the Falcons, the Saints have managed to win every other game they’ve played. After missing five weeks of this season due to a thumb injury, quarterback Drew Brees will once again be joining the Saints on the field and this will likely make today’s game even more difficult for the Falcons. Can the Saints continue their six game winning streak or will the team choke against their biggest rival? Whether you’re a Falcons fan in Atlanta, a Saints fan in New Orleans or just want to tune in to see the 100th regular-season meeting of two NFC South rivals, we’ll show you how to live stream the Falcons vs Saints from anywhere in the world so you don’t miss a single touchdown. See our guide to discover how to stream every single NFL game live Watch the Falcons vs Saints game online from outside your country (or in a blackout) Watching this game from the US, UK, Canada or Australia? We'll tell you how to catch the NFL game further down in the article. But if you're somewhere else in the world - or if a coverage blackout is stopping you from watching in the US - then there's still a way you can live stream Falcons vs Saints online (and you don't even have to slum it with a grainy, illegal feed you've found on Reddit). Instead you could use a VPN - or Virtual Private Network - to change the IP address to one in a different state or country which does have a stream. And it's not even hard to do. How to watch the Falcons vs Saints in the US Can I watch with the NFL Game Pass? Well it's a no and a yes. The NFL Game Pass in the US will only let you watch a replay of the game, but not the live action. Interestingly, it's a different story with an International NFL Game Pass where all 256 regular season games are being shown absolutely live...shame you can't officially get access to that if you and your laptop's IP address is in the US. Other ways cord cutters can stream NFL live online Sling TV $40 per month - Sling TV splits its live NFL options across its $25 a month Blue plan and $25 a month Orange plan. By combining the two, you get a $10 dollar discount and access to Fox, NBC, ESPN and the NFL Network.   Hulu with Live TV $40 per month - Hulu with Live TV includes CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN but does not come with NFL Network. FuboTV $35 for the first month - FuboTV gives you the first month at a discounted rate but after that the price increases to $45 a month. The service includes CBS, Fox, NBC and the NFL Network but does not come with ESPN. DirecTV Now $50 per month - DirecTV Now includes CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN and for $5 extra you can add the NFL Network. However, with this service you can only watch football on local TV stations live. YouTubeTV $40 per month - YouTubeTV gives you access to CBS, Fox, NBC and ESPN but just like with Hulu with Live TV, there is no NFL Network. How to watch the Saints vs Falcons in the UK Get a NFL live stream in Canada for Free Live stream Falcons vs Saints in Australia This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best earbuds Posted: 10 Nov 2019 07:40 AM PST Earbuds. Earphones. In-ear headphones. Whatever you call them, they're undoubtably one of the most convenient ways to listen to your music, whether you opt for wired, wireless, or true wireless earbuds.  They used to have a reputation for sub-par audio quality, but today's best earphones, the most high quality earbuds, can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with even the greatest over-ear headphones.  How to choose the best earbuds for you The best pairs of in-ear headphones need to be ultra-comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and must fit securely in your ear for decent noise isolation.  If you're looking for a pair of running headphones, your new buds should have an IPX4 water-resistance rating or above; this means that they'll be able to withstand a little sweat as well as a spot of rain. There are wired and wireless earbuds on this list, but newer models can be completely wire-free. Our current favorite true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM3 go one step further, combining truly wireless sound with high quality noise cancelation tech. If you do opt for wireless or true wireless earbuds, make sure the battery life is up to scratch, otherwise you could find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute.  Most importantly, they need to sound good. If you're a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity.  What are the best in-ear headphones? After spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective price ranges.  It’s hard to think of a better sounding and built headphone than the 1MORE Triple Driver. That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are still a bargain at twice the price.  There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for. Their rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks. But, for their price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones. Considering it's still rare to get noise-cancellation in wired earbuds at all, the fact that Sony has managed to pack it into a pair that are not only wireless, but true wireless is very impressive indeed.  The Sony WF-1000X manage to offer a level of noise-cancellation that's very good for a pair of earbuds – it won't offer the same isolation as a pair of over-ear cans, but if you're after a sleek form factor then the compromise is worth it.  That being said, in spite of a few minor problems we feel that Sony has knocked the ball out of the park with the WF-1000XM3: Not only are these hands down the best-looking true wireless headphones out there, but they combine serious noise cancelling tech with fist-pumping musicality. If you don’t want the inconvenience of carrying full-size cans, they’re a persuasive alternative. Battery life is above average, and that compact charging case is pretty slick too. On-ear volume controls similar to the PowerBeats Pro would've been nice, but again, that's really not a deal-breaker in our books. While truly wireless earbuds are undoubtedly the future of portable audio, they still present compromises in battery life and wireless reliability. Plus, they’re easy to lose if you’re not careful. Neckbuds, or earbuds that are worn around the neck, are a great alternative to true wireless earbuds as they offer longer battery life for continuous listening and stronger wireless performance.  That being said, if you're interested in picking up a pair, it's hard to do better than the RHA MA390 Wireless, which easily stands as one of the best neckbuds on the market. After spending several weeks with them, we came away impressed with the package RHA has come up with: The headphones are built extremely well, have a fun sound signature, can take a beating and still remain relatively affordable.  It’s main rival, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless (featured below), are also excellent, however the RHA MA390 offer more dynamic sound and better build quality. Cambridge Audio is known for its high-end audio equipment, but until now, hasn’t ventured into the world of true wireless earbuds. Enter the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s: with an outstanding 45 hours of battery life, they combine the brand’s award-winning engineering with the convenience of truly wireless listening.  For a pair of true wireless earbuds, the sound quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s is sensational. In fact, it rivals some of the best over-ear headphones, which is all but unheard of for buds of this size.  They may not have the noise cancelation technology offered by the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds, but they are cheaper – and have a superior battery life. Good sound is subjective, yes, but there are things that we can all agree on that make a headphone sound good: Bass should be tight and impactful, highs detailed but not harsh, and mids that are smooth like honey.  Most headphone manufacturers shoot for these specs, but what if you want a little more bass or want to increase the energy of the highs? For most headphones, your only option is to mess with equalization. But RHA has a different idea.  The RHA T20i is an excellent sounding pair of in-ear headphones with a neat party trick: customizable filters. These filters thread into the headphone housings and let you choose from Bass, Treble, and Reference. Each filter makes an audible impact and are easy to swap out on the go.  As a package, the build quality, sound, and customizable filters make the RHA T20i a must-have for audiophiles on the go. In fact, they sound so good, they made us want to give up our wireless headphones. The NuForce BE Sport4 wireless earbuds are that rare find: earbuds that are good for basically all situations. While they're specifically designed for use in the gym and on the track, the BE Sport4 do an awesome job isolating audio in a crowded city environment and are even good enough for home listening.   The BE Sport4 earbuds have claimed 10-hour battery life, which we found to be pretty close to the mark in our time with them, and from empty you can get two hours of use from just a 15-minute charge – ideal for those needing a quick top-up while they put on their trainers and pack a gym kit.  Consider this a warning shot fellow audio manufacturers: build and audio quality do not need to be sacrificed in order to keep earbuds affordable.  OnePlus is most known for its “flagship killer” phones like the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro, but the company also makes headphones – the best example of which are the company’s excellent Bullets Wireless 2, which offer an incredible value in the neck-bud headphone category.  In terms of audio quality, they boast a lively sonic presentation and an accurate-feeling soundstage, although bass-heads may want to look elsewhere for headphones that pack a bassier punch.  They're comfortable to wear too, but it's just a shame that they don't have a waterproof rating and the inline remote is so fiddly, because otherwise they could make a decent pair of running headphones.  They may be $30 more expensive than their predecessors, but the improved battery life and sound quality makes up for that; it also makes it worth upgrading if you have the originals and are due a new pair of wireless earbuds.  If you want a pair of high quality truly wireless earbuds that aren’t the Apple AirPods, then the Jabra Elite 65t should be at the top of your list.  After spending over a month with them, we came away impressed with the well-rounded package that Jabra managed to create: The earbuds offer a subtle, mature look and a reliable wireless connection, which isn’t always the case with truly wireless earbuds. Plus, they sound great compared to the competition.  While the Jabra Elite 65t are easily one of the highest scoring true wireless headphones we've reviewed, there are a few others on the market worth considering: If you want a pair of exercise earbuds, there’s the Jabra Elite Sport which has a higher water resistance and handy sports-oriented features. For audiophiles who don’t mind stretching the budget, the active noise cancelling Sony WF-1000X are an excellent choice. Bassheads will want to try the SOL Republic Amps Air.   If you only have the budget for one of these, though, go for the Elite 65t. If the most important aspect of running earphones for you is the audio quality, these wireless earbuds from Sennheiser could be a fantastic choice.  With a lively, bass-heavy presentation, and a comfortable fit, the Sennheiser CX Sport wireless earphones can really bolster your running performance through sound quality alone.  They don't come with a heart rate monitor, but the inclusion of ear fins and sporty neon color scheme makes them ideal for casual workouts.  With a battery life of six hours, they're great for your average running session, or even your daily commute – but marathon runners will want to look elsewhere.  They're expensive, but the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones are worth every penny. 1MORE hit it out of the park with this flagship pair of in-ear headphones with its balanced sound build quality, smartphone compatibility and price. These in-ear headphones will make mobile audiophiles very happy.  The only reservation that we have is that the Quad Drivers face tough competition from 1MORE’s own cheaper Triple Driver sibling which costs half the price (which sit pretty at the number one spot on our list).  In terms of value, the 1MORE Triple Driver headphones are the winner but for those who want just a bit better build and more detailed sound, the 1MORE Quad Driver headphones are worth the extra money. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best 4K TV Posted: 10 Nov 2019 07:26 AM PST Almost every television releasing to market these days is going to be a 4K Ultra HD TV, with a bucketload of pixels bringing increased clarity and detail to whatever it is you watch in your living room – four times as many pixels as HD, to be exact. But not all 4K TVs are created equal, and it may be hard to tell what are really the best 4K TVs out there. Although 4K resolution displays aren’t usually cheap, we’ve included a mix of options that we hope will please everyone in the market for a new TV – even those with a slightly smaller budget. (If you're more keen on a good deal than top-notch visuals, though, you can head to our cheap TV sales guide for the best deals on offer.) But the newer the TV, the longer its price tag will hold out – and if you’re looking for a new Ultra HD TV, it might be best to go with an older model, which should hopefully come with a decent discount as new devices enter the market.  If you're not sold on 4K tech just yet, remember it's not just a case of packing as many pixels as possible into a screen. It's also about the quality of those all-important pixels – with High Dynamic Range and Wide Colour Gamut technologies to make those pixels truly shine.  We've been testing TVs since the dawn of 4K, and using that wealth of experience alongside the hundreds of TVs that have crossed our paths, we've created a list of the best 4K TVs – whether 55 inch, 65 inch, or 75 inch is what you need. We regularly update this list with new suggestions, so keep on checking back to see what replaces the leading models. What you need to know about 4K TVs Before we get stuck in, let's have a quick 4K refresher.  For starters, not only do 4K UHD screens have four times the amount of pixels as their 1080p predecessors, these 4K TVs also usually pack in screen technology like High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Wide Colour Gamut (WCG) that really make the most of those extra pixels. The other reason 4K TVs have taken off is that game consoles, like the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, have totally embraced the 4K future, as have the Blu-ray industry and streaming video player market.  Pretty much everyone is on board the 4K Ultra HD train these days, so what better time to get a set? If all of this sounds weird or tough to understand, don't worry. We're here to help decipher the wild, wonderful world of Ultra HD. Give us a few minutes of your time and we'll help you take home the best 4K TV on the market. Image Credit: Samsung Last year the Samsung Q9FN won plaudits galore for its features and image quality. But it's now been replaced on our list of the best 4K TVs by the Q90 QLED TV. The Q9FN wasn't perfect and there were legitimate complaints about viewing angles and an over-aggressive local dimming system that crushed detail just above black. Samsung has clearly taken these criticisms to heart, and directly addressed them in the Q90. The new model has a visibly superior viewing angle that holds its own against an OLED TV, and the local dimming delivers deep blacks without losing shadow detail. To that end, the new Ultra Black Elite filter is nothing short of a revelation, rejecting ambient light in a way that just staggers belief.  It's not too much of a leap to say that the Samsung Q90 is the most impressive QLED we have reviewed to date, incorporating comprehensive features and cutting-edge picture innovations. As a result, this TV can deliver a performance that is capable of competing with and often surpassing even the best OLEDs. As the upgrade to the C8, which topped our list last year, the C9 OLED continues LG's winning streak as the best performing OLED television for the price. There aren't huge differences with last year's model, but the addition of the 2nd Gen a9 processor means the picture processing is truly top-notch, with a vibrant picture full able to reach the deep blacks and rich colors that OLED panels are known for. You also get Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support (premium video and audio technologies) though not the competing HDR10+ video standard. The webOS smart platform is outstanding, too, with a sleek and well-organized interface. Sure, there are more expensive OLEDs out there with more audio output packing in, but if you're after a top panel at a reasonable price, the C9 is the television you want – while the LG B9 is also available for those wanting to shave a bit more off the asking price. There's a very good reason that Hollywood video editors master on OLED TVs – they simply outmatch anything else on the market. And while LG and Sony certainly have their merits in this area – the former is the largest producer of OLED panels in the entire world, after all – Panasonic is certainly no slouch.  The GZ1500 is a fantastic example of this, sitting between Panasonic's entry-level GZ1000 and pushed-to-the-max GZ2000 and offering a great marriage of the strengths of both. With the same panel and HCX Pro processor as the cheaper model, the GZ1500 offers a brilliant picture, with only minor colour banding and stuttering you're unlikely to notice if you're not squinting at the screen for evidence of it. At the same time, its front-firing speakers offer an immediacy to the audio you won't get lower down the range – even if they lack the sheer power of the GZ2000's (possibly unnecessary) 140W speakers. Want an OLED TV experience without the price tag? The LG B9 OLED may be the television for you. Sitting at the bottom of LG's 2019 OLED range, the comparatively budget set forgoes the a9 Gen 2 processor of its more expensive siblings (like the C9) for a simpler a7 Gen 2 model. You have to be careful going for the cheapest OLED TVs out there, as some simply don't get the balance between bargain and baseline quality. The LG B9, though, still manages to achieve a dynamic picture with the infinite contrast and vibrant colours in keeping with the rest of the range – even if some mild video noise creeps into the darker sections of the screen. Why buy the A9G OLED? The latest model excels when it comes to upscaling, with SD and HD images looking as polished and detailed as you could hope for on the A9G’s 4K display – while the OLED panel manages to draw out incredible color and contrast performance. Sound is also a key feature, with Sony’s premium Acoustic Surface+ Audio technology emitting audio out of the panel itself, rather than jutting out of rear-firing speakers. The lack of HDR10+ may disappoint some, though these are niggling issues in a truly top-notch television. Coming in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch sizes, there’s a lot of screen on show too. Image Credit: Philips Philips has significantly upgraded the picture processing power of its previous OLED TVs, and the benefits of this new found brawn can be seen writ large on the Philips 803 OLED, with enhanced contrast and spectacular colors. The brand’s second generation P5 Perfect Processing Engine offers twice the picture processing power of the original, and that was a pretty impressive chip in its own right.  While the 903 is still the brand's flagship model, beyond its Bowers & Wilkins sound system, there’s little to separate that from the 803, making it the smarter buy. If there's anything holding Philips back from holding the top spot in our round-up, it's the minor irritations, like poor catch-up TV provision, just two full-spec UHD HDMI inputs and the lack of Dolby Vision. If that doesn't bother you, though, Philips Hue-compatible Ambilight room lighting system, and the promise of an early upgrade to the new Android Oreo TV OS, however, might just make this the most promising OLED on the market.  Image Credit: Samsung The Samsung Q80R QLED TV isn't the flashiest QLED put out this year – in fact, it's third in the line-up after the Samsung Q90 and Samsung Q85. The difference between each one might be incremental, but by the time you've got the the Q80R, you've got a substantial price saving from the higher-end models. The Q80R still packs in everything that makes a QLED a QLED: a dazzlingly bright display, a direct full array backlight, and Samsung's new Ultra Viewing Angle technology (which keeps colors looking rich even from off-axis). Not to mention voice control through Samsung's Bixby voice assistant, and Airplay 2 functionality. As it's Samsung, there's no Dolby Vision support – meaning you won't get the best of dynamic HDR through Netflix and the like – opting instead for HDR10+, which is used by Amazon Prime. Like the Sony A9G OLED, you won't find Freeview Play here either. But if you're after a compromise between price and performance, this is one of the best 4K TVs on the market today. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Samsung Galaxy S11 phones tipped to get bigger screens and 108MP cameras Posted: 10 Nov 2019 06:30 AM PST We're starting to hear more and more about what we can expect from the Samsung Galaxy S11 flagship phones, supposedly launching in February, and over the weekend a couple of new details have come to light. First up, @evleaks aka Evan Blass – perhaps the most consistently well-informed tipster out there – says Samsung will once again launch three Galaxy S phones, with screen sizes of 6.4 inches, 6.7 inches, and 6.9 inches. Quite a bump over the 5.8-inch Galaxy S10e, the 6.1-inch Galaxy S10, and the 6.4-inch Galaxy S10 Plus then. These phones are going to take up a serious amount of room in your pocket or bag. The Galaxy S11 could feature Space Zoom Face unlock improvements for the S11 Get ready for Galaxy S11 battery upgrades A direct comparison might not be fair though – Blass says all three handsets are getting the curved edge displays, so the flat panel of the Galaxy S10e is going away, apparently. 5G and 108MP cameras According to Blass, who is usually correct in his predictions, the smaller two phones will come with 5G and LTE/4G variations. The biggest Plus model (if that's what Samsung calls it) will only offer a 5G version. Again the mid-to-late February launch window is mentioned – some tipsters have said February 18 is going to be the big day, though we wouldn't take that as confirmed just yet. Also this weekend, XDA Developers has found mention of a 108MP resolution mode in the Samsung Galaxy camera app, suggesting that a sensor of this size is going to find its way into future Galaxy phones – and probably the Galaxy S11 range. As it happens, Samsung has already announced a camera sensor of that size, though up until now it's only appeared in Xiaomi phones. The consensus is that it'll show up in the Galaxy S11 handsets too, though perhaps in an upgraded form. You can expect some serious camera improvements on the Galaxy S11 This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Komodo to lead blockchain revolution with quantum-safe cryptography Posted: 10 Nov 2019 04:47 AM PST The emergence of quantum computing is posing a serious threat to cybersecurity as it can crack the most sophisticated encryption algorithms on the horizon. So, sooner or later, quantum computers, which is an emerging technology that takes advantage of quantum physics to solve certain problems that are impossible to be solved on traditional computers, may become a bigger issue than most IT organisations appreciate as cybercriminals will have the resources to build their quantum computers. Google recently claimed to have a made a breakthrough in quantum computing, pointing to a machine that has solved a problem in 200 seconds that would normally take a supercomputer over 10,000 years to figure out. If true, the news could have big implications on the security and integrity of the cryptography behind modern blockchains. Are blockchains at risk? Is the danger overhyped? Could Bitcoin be realistically attacked? IBM and some other companies have been doing researches on quantum computing for the last couple of years and there are some solutions but none has come out with a standardised or certified quantum-safe cryptographic solutions. Kadan Stadelmann, CTO at Komodo, a multi-chain blockchain architecture platform, told TechRadar Middle East that quantum computing poses dangers to blockchain and cryptocurrency. The world of quantum computers is much more “complex and complicated”. Komodo provides different technologies for software developers and researches to build their own open and composable blockchain platform. Over the years, blockchain has evolved rapidly. According to Grand View Research, the global blockchain technology market is expected to reach $57,641.3m by 2025, registering an annual growth rate of 69.4% from 2019 to 2025. Blockchain platform is ripe for an infrastructural disruption Top five trends that will shape the technology sector in UAE in 2020 People trust robots and turn to them for advice more than their managers Abu Dhabi establishes world’s first graduate-level and research-based AI university Powered by IBM technology Stadelmann said that Komodo is similar to Ethereum but it is 100% independent, free and open-sourced platform.  “As the world is getting digitised, it is all based on binary digits. Binary digits can have either 1 (on) or 0 (off). We don’t speak of bits anymore but quantum qubits or quantum bits, which can be in both 1 and 0 states at the same time. This qubit can attain so many states at the same time and they are also able to process calculations at a much faster rate than classical computers,” he said. As a blockchain platform, Stadelmann said that Komodo is trying to solve the problem and has implemented quantum-safe cryptographic solutions for the past couple of years which will not be able to crack cryptographic signatures. Using an IBM-built technology, known as Dilithium, into its blockchain platform, he said the new digital signature algorithm will create a key which cannot be cracked by a quantum computer. To compare this with the traditional signature technologies, Stadelmann said that they are based on public-key cryptographic systems like RSA, etc. For classical computers, he said that it will take billions of years to calculate but in theory, it has never been safe and it is hackable or crackable. “Breaking existing digital signature schemes is possible, but it is not yet easy,” he said. IBM calls this as Dilithium digital signature scheme. This new algorithm is part of Crystals [Cryptographic Suite for Algebraic Lattices] suite that has not come under any classical or quantum algorithmic attacks. IBM donated it to the whole quantum-safe organisations and also submitted it to the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the US Department of Commerce for research. IBM is one of the publicly available open-source algorithms that are available. This project is researching cryptographic hash functions and digital signature schemes that are secure against quantum computers.  “If NIST approves this algorithm and if it is going to become the approved algorithm for quantum-safe cryptography, then we will use it but we don’t know at this point of time if it is 100% proven that it cannot be broken by quantum computers,” he said. Giving priority to security  “If there is any other solution that is quantum-safe, then Komodo is very flexible and will be able to integrate a new signature algorithm into any module. We are already implemented but we don’t have quantum computers yet. The invention will jeopardise all of the modern cryptography as we know it. Google hasn’t published quantum-safe cryptography yet. We are open,” Stadelmann said. As of now, he said that Komodo platform is the only blockchain that is using quantum-safe technology and it adds consensus rule that requires each transaction to be signed twice - once in accordance with the blockchain’s original digital signature process and then a second time according to Dilithium’s new quantum-resistant signature process. “Globally, we have around 30 production blockchains that are being run on Komodo platform. However, Komodo also has other blockchains which are not on the Komodo platform but use Komodo exchange for security. We can give any blockchain an additional layer of security. Even Ethereum-based platforms can use Komodo technology,” he said. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best Fitbit Posted: 10 Nov 2019 04:35 AM PST If you're in the market for the best Fitbit for any budget or purpose, you're in the right place. And opting for a Fitbit tracker at all is a good choice, as the company has been around for many years and in that time it has released numerous high quality trackers at a range of prices, from basic step trackers to full smartwatches. While Fitbit now faces stiff competition from the likes of the Apple Watch, it’s still going strong, and its future looks bright having now been bought by Google’s parent company Alphabet. Although it’s uncertain exactly what this will mean for Fitbit going forward, having the might of Google behind it is likely to be a good thing. Recent models include the Fitbit Versa 2 smartwatch along with the Fitbit Inspire and Fitbit Inspire HR trackers. But there are all sorts of other models available too either direct from Fitbit or from third-party retailers, such as the Fitbit Charge 3, Fitbit Ionic, Fitbit Versa Lite, and the much older Fitbit Flex 2. To help you pick through them and choose the right model for you, we’ve curated this list. It highlights the very best Fitbit wearables at all price points, showing you their specs, key features and main good and bad points at a glance. You shouldn’t go wrong with any of these, though note that they are ordered from best to worst. There are two things to bear in mind before buying any of these though. The first is that new models could appear at any time. While we’re not expecting any new Fitbits imminently, the likes of the Fitbit Ionic 2 and Fitbit Charge 4 are likely to launch sooner or later. Best Fitbit Below you'll find our full ranking of the best Fitbit activity trackers that you can buy right now. We've taken design, features, fitness prowess, price and many other elements into account when making this list. The best Fitbit for fitness tracking is the Charge 3, which has a much larger screen compared to the last few versions of the Charge series. It's one of the best fitness trackers you can use right now and comes with fitness features such as a heart rate tracker, guided breathing, swim tracking and improved notifications. If you opt for the Fitbit Charge 3 Special Edition, you'll get Fitbit Pay compatibility as well. It connects with the GPS on your phone to keep track of your runs as well, but unfortunately can't keep tabs on your location without your phone. With that in mind, it might not be the best option for serious runners.   Everything is just a bit better on the Charge 3, and considering it's the same price at launch as the Charge 2 it'll likely be a suitable tracker for anyone looking for a Fitbit. Image Credit: Fitbit The Fitbit Inspire HR is one of the latest Fitbits and it’s a superior alternative to the company’s other basic trackers. It’s reasonably affordable yet comes with a lot of features including – obviously – heart rate tracking, as well as activity tracking, sleep monitoring, and guided breathing exercises. There’s also connected GPS, but no onboard GPS. Other highlights of the Fitbit Inspire HR include great battery life of around five days in our tests, and a sleek, surprisingly premium design, making this one of the best-looking Fitbits you can buy. It’s also waterproof, though doesn’t come with any real swim-tracking skills. Basically, if you don’t need to track your activity in the pool, don’t mind taking your phone with you on runs and don’t need something that’s more of a smartwatch, this is the best Fitbit option – and if you do need those other features you’ll have to pay more. Image Credit: Fitbit The Fitbit Versa 2 is the first smartwatch you've come across in this ranking of the best Fitbit devices, and it's arguably one of the most versatile devices that the company offers. You can get notifications through to your wrist, use Amazon Alexa functionality and access a variety of third-party apps on your wrist through the Fitbit Versa 2. That's all on top of the top fitness features like a heart rate tracker and exercise monitoring you'll get from a Fitbit product. There's no built-in GPS here though, so you'll have to take your phone on any runs you go on if you're after a device to track your location. Image Credit: Fitbit Do you want a fitness tracker that is easy to use and uncomplicated? The Fitbit Flex 2 may be the best device for you. You'll be able to use this while swimming as it's waterproof and it'll also keep an eye on how well your dips in the pool are going. On top of that it comes with all the other basic tracking features you'd expect plus a slim and light design too. It's a touch cheaper than the Fitbit Charge 2 as well, so it may be the perfect Fitbit tracker for you. If you're considering buying a Flex 2 for yourself, it has great fitness tracking on board and a super subtle design that's bound to appeal to almost everyone. The only thing it's seriously lacking is a screen, so for an upgrade consider a Versa instead.  This is a remarkably similar product to the original Fitbit Versa below, but it has dropped a couple of features so the company can sell it for a lower price. That price isn't always that much cheaper, so we'd recommend checking deals on the original Fitbit Versa (and now the Fitbit Versa 2) before opting for the Fitbit Versa Lite. You'll get connected GPS, a solid heart rate tracker and a variety of smartwatch features with the Fitbit Versa Lite. You need to know it won't be able to track swims, doesn't have storage for music and there's also no Fitbit Pay. All of that said, this can be far cheaper than the company's other smartwatches so you may find that a good trade off when looking to buy a new Fitbit. If you're after a smartwatch from Fitbit, there's also this. The Fitbit Ionic isn't the fantastic smartwatch some hoped it would be but it succeeds if you're looking for a fitness-focused device that can tackle running, weight lifting, swimming and much, much more. Dedicated workout programs and Fitbit Pay are among the other highlights of the Ionic, but it doesn't perform as well as say the Apple Watch 4 or Samsung Galaxy Watch if you're looking for a full blown smartwatch experience.  It's not cheap either and the Fitbit Ionic is also low in our list of the best Fitbit products because it's just very expensive for what it can offer you. However, if you're an outdoor runner the Ionic is your best bet. Not only is it durable, but it has built-in GPS, meaning you can leave your phone at home. Image Credit: Fitbit The Fitbit Inspire is basically a cheaper alternative to the Fitbit Inspire HR for anyone who doesn’t need a heart rate monitor. That somewhat limits its skills, but there’s still a lot to like here, including an attractive, petite design, activity tracking, sleep tracking and up to five days of life. Sadly there’s no GPS here – not even the connected kind – so this is more for people who want a very basic activity tracker than a real workout companion, but it’s priced accordingly and what it does it does well. Image Credit: Fitbit Packing a lot of the features we saw debut on the Ionic, the Fitbit Versa condensed them down to a smaller package with a lower price tag and if you want a slimmer watch on your wrist this may be better for you than the company's first watch. The price is already lower thanks to the introduction of the Fitbit Versa 2, and while it doesn't feel as premium we enjoy the smaller design that sits closely to your wrist. It comes with Fitbit Pay, all of the apps on the Ionic, storage for music and much more. If you're looking to use it for running the Versa is sorely missing GPS features so you'll have to take your phone with you to track where you're jogging, but it's still a great smartwatch from Fitbit. Image Credit: Fitbit The Fitbit Alta HR takes the slim, stylish Fitbit Alta and jams a heart rate monitor into its slender frame, without bulking it up. Where the original Fitbit Alta feels a bit light on features, and puts form over function, the Alta HR is an admirable tracker which goes beyond basic step tracking, but still looks good. It's still not the most feature-packed - there's no GPS for a start - but it strikes a good balance and is the sort of thing you'll be happy to wear 24/7 (other than when swimming - this isn't waterproof), which is handy, because it can also track your sleep, and the heart rate monitor helps there too. With basic message / notification alerts pulled from your smartphone and an almost week long battery life too, it's well worth considering if you don't need the features - or don't want the bulk - of something like the Fitbit Ionic. Until the launch of the Charge 3, the Charge 2 was our favorite Fitbit. It has a much larger screen compared to the original Fitbit Charge and the Charge HR, and it's packed with extra fitness features. There's Multi-Sport tracking that allows you to keep a track of outdoor runs, walking, weight training and many more exercises. It also connects with the GPS on your phone to keep track of your runs as well. You won't be able to use this in a pool though, if you want to go swimming with your tracker we'd recommend looking at the Fitbit Flex 2 above or the Fitbit Charge 3. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best noise-canceling headphones Posted: 10 Nov 2019 04:05 AM PST The best noise-canceling headphones can help you slip into audio nirvana in all kinds of situations, whether you're commuting and trying to escape the sound of traffic and sniffling fellow commuters, on a long-haul flight and need to drown out the sound of kids screaming or just want to get away from everything and get comfy with your favorite music at home. Noise-canceling headphones are true wonders of the modern era because they can totally tune out any unwanted sounds, while simultaneously making your music sound even better than any old pair of in-ear earbuds (except for the fantastic Sony WF-1000XM3s, of course).  If you're yet to try a pair, we bet you'll be truly blown away by just how well they can cancel out the outside world so you can focus on your favorite music, audiobook, podcast or anything else with zero distractions. What is noise cancelation? Noise canceling headphones use analogue and electronic methods to block out the environmental sound around you, allowing you to listen to your music in peace without distraction. Most noise-canceling headphones make use of the following two approaches: Passive noise cancelation This is when the headphones physically block outside sound from reaching your ears, and this can be achieved in a number of ways. Noise-canceling over-ear headphones typically have heavily padded earcups to achieve this, while in-ear headphones need to fit snugly in your ear to create a tight seal, stopping environmental sounds from entering. Active noise cancelation This method uses inbuilt microphones to analyze environmental noise and create 'anti-noise' frequencies that are mixed in with your music playback. This effectively cancels out the sound of your surroundings using analogue or digital filters. How to choose the best noise-canceling headphones We believe that noise-canceling headphones are just as vital as your laptop, TV or mobile phone when it comes to tech that'll change how you live, work and play – especially if you have a long commute each day or a flight ahead of you. That means that choosing the right pair for you is important – the demands of a good pair of headphones for a flight are different to those you'll only ever use at home. Design is hugely important, as a good pair of noise-canceling headphones need to be comfortable for long listening sessions – look out for padded earcups and headbands in materials like memory foam for ultimate comfort.  Padded earcups also help with passive noise cancelation – in other words, they physically block sound from entering your ears. This works in tandem with active noise cancelation, with the best noise-canceling headphones using a combination of the two methods to get rid of outside noise.  As with any pair of headphones, the sound quality needs to be good, even if your focus is blocking out the world around you. How you define good sound quality depends on your personal taste. Do you like a warm, well-rounded sound, or do you prefer ultra high-fidelity that allows you to hear every single detail of your music? Are you a dedicated bass head or a classical music junkie? Luckily, to help you pick out a pair of over-ear headphones (or in-ear headphones) that deliver all of the above in spades, we've put together a list of our favorite noise-canceling headphones, listed below and ranked by their price-to-performance ratio. What are the best noise-canceling headphones? The Sony WH-1000XM3 are the best noise-canceling headphones in the world two years running. Sure, they might be a small refinement of last year's excellent WH-1000XM2, but subtle tweaks like using USB-C instead of microUSB and  adding padding along the bridge help make Sony's award-winning cans even better. So why does everyone love these Sony headphones so much? Well, it's exceptionally good at cancelling outside noise. Put a pair on while vacuuming and you'll barely hear the motor running.  For music lovers, the Sony WH-1000XM3 features aptX HD and Sony LDAC, two of the best ways to listen to Hi-Res music from your phone without a wire. Finally, all of Sony's flagship headphones offer both Google Assistant and Alexa support, making them not only the best noise-canceling cans on the market but some of the smartest, too. They don't quite beat the Sony WH-1000XM3s in terms of battery life and price, but the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still a brilliant pair of over-ear cans – and the best Bose headphones we've reviewed.  Traditionally, noise-canceling headphones have been designed to block out the environmental sounds around you, so that you can hear your music more clearly (or catch some shut-eye on a noisy flight).  This can be really effective if you’re listening to music. If you’re making a phone call however, the person you’re speaking to can still hear everything that’s happening around you, whether you’re standing on a busy street or trying to speak on a rumbling train. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 seek to remedy this, by applying noise-cancelation to phone calls as well as music, which is fantastic feature. The sound quality is undeniably good, with a vibrant, lively character and well-balanced soundstage. If you’re trying to decide between buying the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, we’d recommend going for the former because of that lower price and better battery life. That being said, you wouldn’t be making a mistake if you opted for the Bose cans instead (and we wouldn’t blame you if you did) – they sound great, look stunning, and the noise-cancelation is out of this world. If you can find a pair, the Sony WH-1000XM2 are still some of the best noise-canceling headphones around: They sound great, deftly wield noise cancelation technology and cost just as much as a pair of Bose QC35s.  They might have a slightly shorter battery life than Bose’s flagship over-ear headphones, but Sony’s WH-1000XM2 outclass the QC35 in terms of performance and feature-set.   You’d want to pick these Sony headphones over the Bose because not only do they provide the same level of awesome noise-cancellation, but they have three neat tricks that Bose just doesn't have on its older headphones: one is an ambient noise mode that only lets in mid-to-high frequency tones (announcements over a loudspeaker, for instance) and another being Quick Attention mode that allows you to let in all outside noise without taking off the headphones. (The latter is perfect when giving a drink order on a plane or speaking to a coworker for a brief moment before diving back into your work.)  The last trick Sony has up its sleeve is the LDAC codec. Alongside the widely adopted aptX HD standard, LDAC enables Hi-Res Audio playback using the 1000XM2. Great-sounding, feature-packed and just as affordable as the competition? The Sony WH-1000XM2 are a solid all-around pick for noise-canceling cans. Coming in at number four are the Bose QuietComfort 35 II - a nearly identical product to the already-excellent Bose QuietComfort 35 but updated for 2018 with Google Assistant. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancelation Bose is known for, good sound quality and incredible comfort, plus a convenient assistant to answer any inquiries you might have while traveling.   Taken as a whole, the Bose QC35 II NC is an excellent headphone for travelers and commuters. Bose has found a good balance of features that will satisfy most mainstream listeners. While we don't love them as much as the better-sounding Sony WH-1000XM2, they're still top of the class for noise cancelation. Despite the popularity of the QC35s, Bose has shaken things up by releasing a totally new wireless noise-canceling headphones model, with a focus on sleek design and “breakthrough” audio tech: the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. They may not have pipped Sony to the top spot of the best noise-canceling headphones, but they're still a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones, coming in at number two. It's not often you'll find a pair of wired earbuds, let alone a pair of true wireless earbuds on a list of the best noise-canceling headphones; considering it's still rare to find the technology in earphones at all, the Sony WF-1000XM3s are very impressive indeed, and fully deserve a place in this roundup.  The Sony WF-1000XM3s manage to offer a level of noise-cancellation that's very good for a pair of earbuds – they won't offer the same isolation as a pair of over-ear cans, but if you're after a sleek form factor then the compromise is worth it.  Not only are these hands down the best-looking true wireless headphones out there, but they combine serious noise-canceling tech with fist-pumping musicality. If you don’t want the inconvenience of carrying full-size cans, they’re a persuasive alternative. Offering class-leading battery life, terrific style and plenty of personalization when it comes to sound profiles, the Elite 85h is easy to recommend. That said, purists will bemoan the lack of high-end codec support and there are punchier headphones on the market at this price point.  When you consider that Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones are the company’s first attempt at premium wireless ANC headphones, the result is quite commendable. We can’t wait to see what the company’s next premium ANC headphones will accomplish.   If you want an alternative to Sony's WH-1000XM3, these are a great option. Philips presents a more elegant noise-canceling solution with its NC1. These on-ear headphones aren't wireless like our top pick, but that's hardly a reason to knock them. The NC1 are a compact set that's high on comfort and battery life. You get a lot for the money here. In the box comes the headphones, a hard case for storage and the headphones rock a rechargeable battery that provides noise cancelation for close to 30 hours. But best of all, the sound performance is extremely well balanced and warm. A few years ago, the Bose QuietComfort 25 are the best noise-canceling headphones we've ever used. The lows, mids and highs came through clear as day, never stepping over each other. Music of all sorts sounded predictably incredible. With the noise-cancellation turned on, we never felt further immersed and concentrated than when we let the QC25 engulf our ears. But that was a few years ago and time has moved on since. Bose has released not just one sequel to these headphones, but two: the QC35 and QC35 II with Google Assistant built in, both of which we'd recommend above the QC25. But, it's not all bad. If you don't mind using the older, wired headphones, the QC25s are a finely-tuned set of cans that provide over 35 hours of very good noise-canceling performance with one AAA battery.  Bowers and Wilkins are a little late to the noise-cancellation game, but their first foray impresses.  The PX Wireless aren't just a great sounding pair of headphones, they've also got a number of other interesting tricks up their sleeve. They'll turn on and off automatically depending on whether you're wearing them or not, and they also feature the future-proof USB-C charging standard.  In our opinion their only downside is the sound quality, which we felt lacks the depth of the flagship headphones from Bose and Sony.  That said, if you've been a fan of the look of B&W's headphones in the past then the PX Wireless are certainly worth a listen.  In terms of sheer sound quality, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019) headphones sound brilliant, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs.  The customizable noise cancelation on offer here is also good, but it doesn’t quite reach the class-leading standards set by the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless headphones. They have nowhere near the battery life of Sony’s headphones, and are more expensive – which begs the question, why buy the Sennheisers when you could have the WH-1000XM3? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched.  For the money, the JBL Live 650BTNC punch above its weight in terms of sound quality, build, and features. They offer your choice of either Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, and can have their EQ customized by the JBL Headphones app.  Battery life is rated at 20 hours with ANC and wireless enabled and if you use the JBL Live 650BTNC with a wire with ANC enabled, you can get upwards 30 hours on a single charge. If you don’t want to splurge on the Bose QC35 II or Sony WH-1000XM3, you’ll be satisfied with the JBL Live 650BTNC knowing that you’re getting 80% of the performance at 50% of the price tag. While they're not quite up to par with the flagship noise-canceling cans from Sony and Bose, Microsoft’s Surface headphones are surprisingly good, with a stunningly warm sound, and generous bass frequencies. Problematically, the active noise-canceling works pretty well, although it won’t block out all ambient noise in your environment, especially if you're somewhere noisy. That being said, if you have the noise-canceling turned on while listening to music, you can pretty much get lost in the experience without being disturbed by your noisy shared office of the rumbling of the train on your commute.   Although we were initially unconvinced by the high price (particularly when you can buy quality cans from heritage audio brands for less), most of the Surface Headphone's features work so seamlessly that it feels justified. Image credit: TechRadar If you haven't found something quite to your liking so far, we have one last option for you to look at – the all-new Nura Nuraphone over-ear/in-ear hybrid. Their form factor means you’ve not only got an earbud sitting at the entrance of your ear canal, but also an over-ear cushion sitting over your entire ear.  This effectively means you’ve got two physical barriers meaning that the noise from the outside world can’t get to your ears. While more traditional over-ear headphones do a better job offering useful features at a reasonable price, the Nuraphone will appeal to the more experimental audio crowd looking to be on the bleeding-edge of the next big thing. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Best 65-inch 4K TVs Posted: 10 Nov 2019 02:54 AM PST If you're on the hunt for a bigger television screen, you could do a lot worse than a 65-inch TV. You'll need a decent amount of space in your living room to fit a 4K television of that size, of course, but if you have the room to spare, a 65-inch TV could be just the thing to take your home entertainment setup to the next level. TV makers are going bigger and bigger every year; while 55-inch TVs are still the flagship, the market for 65-inch TVs is growing fast, with most sets these days being offered in both sizes, alongside even larger sizes. Why go as big as 65 inches, we hear you say? Well, Most smart TVs nowadays will pack in 4K resolutions, while many feature color and contrast improvement with HDR (high dynamic range), and a 65-inch TV can help show off those enhancements in far more detail than a meagre 40-inch TV set. If you want to go even larger, you can also consider these 75-inch TVs – or make a real statement with the Samsung Q950R, which measures a whopping 98 inches. The trouble is, getting a bigger screen can also just show off the imperfections in a TV's processing even more clearly – which is why we've brought together the best 65-inch TVs in this handy guide, to make sure you won't regret investing in a big-screen set. With the top picks from the likes of Samsung, Sony and LG, you know you're getting the very best 65-inch 4K TVs out there. Best 65-inch TV sets: making a choice The sets in this list give you a wealth of choice at the popular 65-inch TV size, but as we've said, sometimes a lot of choice gets confusing. That's why we're here to try and help you answer the question: which one is right for you? Currently, our favorite 65-inch 4K TVs are LG's series of OLED TVs, boasting exceptional black levels and premium HDR in the form of Dolby Vision. On the other hand, they aren't the best option for brightly lit rooms.  If your living room's ratio of windows to doors is too high, you might want to consider Samsung's QLED TV series for your 65-inch 4K TV purchase instead. In comparison to the LG models, these are bright and colorful, and pack in technology that helps them cope with overly bright environments.  Of course, Sony TVs come with both OLED and LED panels, and you can't go wrong with these either – so you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking out the best 65-inch TV set. Don't forget 60-inch TVs either – we haven't highlighted any in particular in this list, but you still get a decent-sized set, all the benefits of a 4K resolution, and the usual set of smart TV features too. Oh, and they're a little bit cheaper. As you consider what you can afford, how bright your room is and where it'll look best in your living room, let's take a look at our favorite 65-inch 4K TVs right now. Each one in this list has been tested and approved by our expert team of reviewers, so you can make a well-informed decision. The big question this year for 65-inch 4K TV buyers with money to spend is QLED or OLED? QLED is Samsung's LCD-based screen tech, while LG makes not just the panels for its own OLED TVs but the other makers too. An OLED like the OLED65C8 is hard to beat for a cinema-like environment. This 65-inch TV actually has much better contrast, and probably color, than your local cinema screen.  It uses WebOS software too, which just about the best smart TV interface out there in our humble opinion.  Cinematic images, smart software and slick design – what more could you want? Well, as you're asking, Samsung's QLED TVs are much brighter (which does wonders for HDR), and their motion handling is a little better too. However, for the image quality fundamentals of color and contrast, the LG OLED65C8 still wins in our opinion.  This TV is so high up our list for its practicality, though. It costs less than other OLEDs, or Samsung's top QLED, which makes it our top choice. Philips has significantly upgraded the picture processing power of its older TVs, and the benefits of this new-found brawn can be seen writ large, with enhanced contrast and spectacular colors.  The brand’s second generation P5 Perfect Processing Engine offers twice the picture processing power of the original, and that was a pretty impressive chip in its own right. The effectiveness of Philips second generation P5 picture engine may sometimes be subtle with real-world content, but it gives this 65-inch TV set an edge when it comes to playing 4K or HD in SDR.  Buyers should weigh the visual benefits against the minor irritations, like poor catch-up TV provision, just two full-spec UHD HDMI inputs, and the lack of Dolby Vision. The Philips Hue-compatible Ambilight room lighting system, and the promise of an early Android TV updates, however, might just balance the books.  With a competitive price point for the technology on offer, the 803 is arguably Philips most compelling OLED proposition to date. As the top model in Samsung's QLED range – 8K models like the Q950R aside – the Q90 offers a truly dynamic picture with market-leading picture processing and incredible HDR images. Not to mention a dazzling peak brightness of 1,600 nits (double that of most OLEDs). And with a sleek, bezel-less design, and the OneConnect box to tidy away all your cables, the Q90 is as nice to look at when the TV is off as well. But one of the most impressive innovations with the Q90 is the viewing angles: something that LCD panels traditionally struggle with, given that backlighting usually faces directly forwards. Samsung has tackled the problem admirably, with its Ultra Viewing Angle technology meaning that contrast and color are as strong off-axis as they are head-on, correcting one of our main complaints for the Q9FN. Add to that the built-in Bixby voice assistant and comprehensive smart platform, and you have a top-class television full able to compete with the OLED TVs out there. Few televisions released this year have quite the swagger of the Panasonic GZ2000 4K OLED. Sitting at the very top of Panasonic’s 2019 TV range, this flagship TV offers the best of the company’s HCX Pro Intelligent processing, with a custom-made OLED panel to distinguish it from the cheaper Panasonic GZ1500 and GZ950 / GZ1000 models. That’s not to mention the broad HDR format support Panasonic has introduced across its mid-range and high-end sets. However, it’s the GZ2000 that should really show off these formats at their best. Another standout feature is the 140W Dolby Atmos speaker system, involving both a built-in soundbar and upward-firing speakers, with incredibly precise audio location across the screen – meaning you're getting both precision and power from your television's drivers. You won't find this one in the US, despite its popularity among professional Hollywood colorists. LG'S OLED 65E9 doesn't stray too far from the C Series model listed above, though the design is a bit more ambitious, with a gorgeous bezel-less glass panel that appears to simply float above the TV stand. You're getting an equivalent picture and 2nd-gen a9 processor, and in terms of getting bang for your buck, the C Series is generally the better option. But for those wanting something with the wow factor – even when you're not watching anything on it – and a boosted audio system packed in, the E9 is certainly the premium option. There are nowadays a handful of choices if you want a 65-inch OLED TV. Sony, Panasonic and LG all make them, and each offers multiple options.  The 65-inch Sony KD-65AF9 is one of the best, too. Sony has some terrific upscaling algorithms at play, meaning even those HD/SDR images get the cinematic treatment on this 4K set – often more so than LG's own panels. The new X1 Ultimate processor clearly helps with picture processing, with the vivid color and flawless contrast expected of a top-class OLED. The AF9 struggled with a frustrating smart platform, but its successor's Android Oreo interface is simpler, stripped back, and much faster to load too. Sony still insists on a lean-back design that works better on paper than it does on practice, but it's a small complaint for one of the year's best OLEDs. Just stay clear of the Netflix Calibrated Mode: as it stands it tends to harm rather than help the picture. The Sony XBR-65X900F brings a number of improvements over earlier models from Sony, including greater brightness, which improves HDR performance, and even better motion handling. In fact, we doubt you'll find smoother motion handling on any other set. Image quality is also fantastic, with great black depth and insight – even SD content looks good. As this is an LCD you don't quite get the perfect blacks of OLED, but it gets as close as LCD can.  Like previous Sonys, the Sony XBR-65X900F uses Android TV, which can be frustrating at times. However, it does give you access to masses of apps, games and streaming services. Sound quality has improved too, although this TV's speakers won't, of course, make an action movie's explosions shake your floorboards. Want an OLED TV experience without the price tag? The LG B9 OLED may be the television for you. Sitting at the bottom of LG's OLED range, the comparatively budget set forgoes the a9 Gen 2 processor of its more expensive siblings (like the C9) for a simpler a7 Gen 2 model. You have to be careful going for the cheapest OLED TVs out there, as some simply don't get the balance between bargain and baseline quality. The LG B9, though, still manages to achieve a dynamic picture with the infinite contrast and vibrant colors in keeping with the rest of the range – even if some mild video noise creeps into the darker sections of the screen. Overall, though, its low starting price (for the 55-inch model) makes it the best 'budget' OLED out there. There's no doubt in our minds – the TCL P6-Series was hands down the best budget TV of last year. But, if there was a downside to last year's models, one that could've and should've been fixed by year's end, it was the fact that the TVs were limited to one size – a paltry 55-inch screen. Worse, production couldn’t keep up with the heavy demand once word got out how spectacular those TVs were.  Thankfully that's all changed this year and the TCL 6-Series is now available in a gorgeous, affordable 65-inch TV size that not only looks phenomenal, but goes easy on your wallet as well for a 4K screen. Hisense is a TV brand known for bringing some real budget prices to even some of the biggest screens, and the U8B proves it. Sold only in the UK, this edge-lit 65-inch 4K TV bundles a host of different patented technologies that make up Hisense's ULED panels – essentially a jacked-out LED display, rather than a different type of technology altogether.  Why so cheap? The edge lighting won't make for the most consistent brightness across the screen – compared to a full array backlight – but it does keep the panel wonderfully thin. With a silver trim and imposing stand, too, this is a television designed to have an impact. The Hisense U8B ULED has a clean and straightforward UI, through its Vidaa U smart platform, with plenty of streaming and catch-up apps – including FreeView Play. With Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, there's plenty of premium format support too – though sadly not HDR10+. You won't get quite the picture quality of other entries on this list, but it's not quite a straggler, either. This is a fully-fledged 4K panel, with crisp images and decent motion handling – even if the edge-lighting and dimming zones can lead to blooming around bright areas of the screen. For the price, definitely a 65-inch TV to consider. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

A clan system could be coming to PUBG on PC Posted: 10 Nov 2019 02:37 AM PST PlayerUnknown’s Battleground has only just rolled out its latest update but future-focused dataminers may have already discovered what could be next in the PC version of the Battle Royale game: clans. The source of the information is well-known dataminer PlayerIGN (via The Loadout), who is active in the PUBG community and has been accurate with previous leaks. Based on information found in a number of files, PlayerIGN has reported on Twitter that it’ll be possible to have up to 20 players in a clan, with clan names running between 2 and 15 characters and shorter tags running between 2 and 4 characters. Clans won’t be free, though—there appears to be a fee of 5000 BP attached, which is likely to be a set up cost.  PUBG Mobile improves its anti-cheat system 10 cross-play games that are truly platform agnostic The latest from Fortnite Chapter 2 The files also indicate some kind of “résumés” and “recruits” element to the system, which could mean players will have to submit their gameplay stats to an existing clan in order to prove themselves worthy to join, though precisely how this element will work isn’t entirely clear at the moment. As a result of finding a “no clan” label in the game’s Leaderboard, PlayerIGN has suggested that the clan system could be a part of the game’s new ranked mode.  Given clans were introduced to the mobile version of the game more than a year ago, it’s not a huge leap to imagine them working in the the PC and console versions. When (and if) they might be introduced, however, remains unknown. It may be worth drawing up a shortlist of names, slogans and members now in preparation.  All the latest in PUBG's mobile version This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The best wireless headphones Posted: 10 Nov 2019 02:35 AM PST Welcome to our pick of the best wireless headphones. Now sure, a few short years ago, we may have tried to dissuade you from buying a pair of wireless headphones (the technology had issues with wireless connectivity over Bluetooth and sound quality took a dive as a result) but these days, you can't go wrong by buying a wireless pair of headphones.  Thanks to advancements in Bluetooth (thanks, aptX), the best wireless headphones not only stay connected to any phone in every situation. But they sound just as good as their wired counterparts, too.  Yes, a wireless pair of headphones might cost a bit more than a similar wired model, but wireless headphones offer greater freedom of movement and, because they don't use an aux cable, make great companions for jack-less phones that lack a 3.5mm aux port to connect with. Whatever your reason for upgrading, we're here to help you pick out the best wireless headphones, regardless of your budget. What you'll find below are the top headphones we've reviewed – some of which come with neat features like noise-cancellation – all vetted by our staff so you can shop with confidence. Wireless vs true wireless: what's the difference? Wireless headphones – the focus of this guide – are traditional over-ear or on-ear headphones without the wire – the two earcups are connected by a headband.  Wireless earbuds – the focus of this guide – have existed for a while now, basically since Bluetooth was invented. Though battery-powered and not physically connected to your phone, they have a cord connecting both buds – and sometimes a band around the neck too.  True wireless earbuds have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. Read on for our top wireless headphone picks.  For the last three years, the Sony 1000X series of headphones have been our favorite wireless headphones on the market. They sound great thanks to a combination of superb wireless codecs - aptX and Sony's proprietary LDAC tech - and keep outside noise at bay thanks to Sony's ever-improving noise-cancellation algorithms.  While the Sony WH-1000XM3 might not be a massive improvement over last year's WH-1000XM2, they're still a cut above their rivals, the Bose QC35 II, in nearly every way: they sound better, they block out noise better and have better features like Quick Attention mode that lets in all outside noise without taking off the headphones. (The latter is perfect when giving a drink order on a plane or speaking to a coworker for a brief moment before diving back into your work.)  Great-sounding and feature-packed, these impressive Sony headphones are great travel companions and all-around excellent wireless headphones. Bose has really outdone itself with the Headphones 700 – and a big part of these cans’ appeal, is the sophistication of the noise cancellation they offer. As an alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM3, these headphones sound fantastic, with a vibrant, lively character and well-balanced soundstage and offer the same great noise-cancellation you'd expect from Bose. They don't have the same dexterity as the WH-1000XM3 and the battery life is also 10 hours less than Sony headphones despite costing more, but they're still well-worth considering when looking for a pair of wireless headphones. Offering class-leading battery life, terrific style and plenty of personalization when it comes to sound profiles, the Elite 85h is easy to recommend. That said, purists will bemoan the lack of high-end codec support and there are punchier headphones on the market at this price point. When you consider that Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones are the company’s first attempt at premium wireless ANC headphones, the result is quite commendable. We can’t wait to see what the company’s next premium ANC headphones will accomplish.   If you want an alternative to Sony's WH-1000XM3, this is it. Bose took the already-excellent QC35 and updated with Google Assistant. The headphone is identical in every way save for the new Google Assistant button. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancellation Bose is known for, good sound quality, and incredible comfort. Said simply, they sound great and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights. The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a wireless headphone, this is it. Audio-Technica has a long history of producing high-quality headphones, microphones, and turntable accessories, and with the release of the ATH-M50xBT, it delivers studio-quality audio without the cord.   The ATH-M50xBTs are designed for really high-end audio performance, with 45mm drivers and a frequency response range of 15-28,00 Hz, and it shows - we were very impressed with the warm, well-rounded sound. The ATH-M50xBT headphones also performed well in terms of battery life and Bluetooth connectivity, however the microphone isn’t particularly strong, and you may struggle to make phone calls using them - still, that’s probably not the reason you would purchase a pair of studio grade headphones in the first place.  In terms of audio quality, these Sennheiser over-ear headphones sound fantastic, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs. Customizable noise cancelation is a great touch, but it doesn't quite reach the class-leading standards set by Sony and Bose. Battery life also doesn't compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3s, and they're more expensive to boot.  So, why buy the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched. The AKG N60NC Wireless sound like a pair of headphones that should be much more expensive than they are.  At their mid-range price point the headphones offer fantastic value for money, with great sound quality and a level of noise-cancellation performance that's on a level with the much more premium entries on this list.  Our biggest issue with these headphones is the fact that they're on-ear rather than over-ear, meaning that we found that they got uncomfortable over longer periods.  Regardless, the benefit of this is that this is a fantastically compact pair of headphones, and if you're willing to make the trade-off then these are great for the price.  The Grado GW100s sound great with a wide soundstage, clear highs, smooth mids, and extended bass frequencies. They also sport a kitsch, retro design that recalls Grado’s humble beginnings in 50’s Brooklyn. Although the Bluetooth connection works very well, the need for a wireless pair of open-back headphones can be unclear; particularly if the design makes them unsuitable for commuting or  listening in communal areas.  Saying that, having the option to listen wirelessly is undeniably convenient when you’re pottering around the house, and you can use these cans with an AUX cable if you're something of an audiophile who prefers a wired connection. Overall, we feel the Grado GW100s are designed for a fairly niche market of audiophiles who crave a wide, natural sound, and who do the majority of their music listening at home. If that sounds like you, you will probably love the Grado GW100s. If not, you may want to look at closed-back models instead. Overall, Microsoft’s Surface headphones are surprisingly good, with a stunningly warm sound, and generous bass frequencies, which means your music will sound great whether you’re listening to subby hip-hop or acoustic singer-songwriters. One criticism of this warm sound is that it can take some of the attack away from lower-mid frequencies, which some users may find a bit underwhelming. However, if sharp trebles and mids tend to give you listening fatigue, these could be the perfect headphones for you. The calling card of these headphones is the active noise cancellation, which we felt worked really well, and we loved how easy it was to control this using the inbuilt dials on each housing.  Although we were initially unconvinced by the high price (particularly when you can buy quality cans from heritage audio brands for less), the features work so seamlessly that it feels justified. The best in-ear wireless headphones Image credit: TechRadar Here's where things get a bit murky - the term 'wireless headphones' is often used interchangeably with 'Bluetooth headphones' - i.e. headphones that don't use a 3.5mm jack to connect to your phone, but still have a wire running between them. While we contemplated leaving these off our list entirely, Bluetooth headphones are still well-worth considering - even if it means having a wire wrapped around your neck.  That being said, if we had to pick a pair of Bluetooth headphones to go with, it'd be the NuForce BE Sport4 headphones: They're an incredible value for a pair of wireless headphones that sound good, last all day, have a bulletproof build and incredible noise isolation. While they're not the most dynamic or resolving headphones, NuForce shows us that the future of Bluetooth is a bright one. Image credit: TechRadar When you think of noise-cancelling headphones you probably picture bulky over-ear cans, but three years ago Bose turned its noise-cancelling chops to in-ear headphones, and the result was the excellent Bose QuietComfort 20i.   Soon after that came the Bose QuietControl 30 (QC30, for short). These neckbuds offer the best noise cancellation of any in-ears we’ve tried and are comfortable enough to wear around your neck for long flights. Add to that the fantastic wireless capabilities of these headphones and you have the recipe for success.  While we'd love to see a true wireless pair of headphones from Bose, the QuietComfort 30 are a tried-and-true stopgap that you'll enjoy all the same.  Image credit: TechRadar If you don't mind rocking a neckband, the Moto Surround hits all the high notes in terms of price, performance and battery life. After spending some time with the RHA MA390 Wireless, we came away extremely impressed with the package RHA has come up with. The headphones are built extremely well, have a vibrant sound signature, and are hardy enough to take anywhere -and all at an affordable price.  It’s main rival, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless, are also excellent, however we give the nod to the RHA MA390 for its more dynamic sound and better build quality.  Image credit: Beats / Apple Audiophiles may complain about the sound performance of Beats headphones, but the inclusion of Apple's proprietary W1 chip has been a boon for the strength of their wireless connectivity.  The Beats X make up for their overly bassy sound with a rock solid connection and a pairing process that, on iOS devices at least, is as painless as it's possible to be.  Functionally that makes these wireless earbuds a joy to use, just don't expect the most detailed or broad soundstage. If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in 5 minutes and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you. The best true wireless headphones Image credit: RHA Although the TrueConnect is RHAs first true wireless headphone, the company showed they did their research and development by making it one of the best true wireless headphones on the market today. The combination of sound quality, battery life, and wireless reliability means these are a pair of headphones you can rely on everyday.  The Jabra Elite 65t set the standard for what true wireless headphones should be and, regardless of what RHA has done here with the TrueConnect, they’re still great headphones. Compared to the RHA TrueConnect, the Jabra has more features with its useful ambient noise mode to help with situational awareness and an app that lets you tailor sound.  The RHA doesn’t have either of those features but we didn’t miss them, thanks to better sound quality and wireless reliability. The RHA also feels more like a premium product than the all-plastic Jabra. Image credit: Jabra You might have expected to see the Apple AirPods on the list. While Apple's true wireless earbuds are fine for certain folks - cough, iPhone users exclusively - they're not the best for everyone. If you're looking for an egalitarian pair of true wireless earbuds, you can do no better than the Jabra Elite 65t.  Not only are these competent Bluetooth buds for use around town, with a long-enough battery life and good sound quality, but they are easily some of the best true wireless earbuds on the market, offering a perfect balance of usability, features, and sound quality. If you’re in the market for the ‘ultimate’ set of true wireless headphones and don’t mind paying for them, then they are a strong choice. Image credit: Optoma The NuForce BE Free5 wireless earbuds show just how accessible truly wireless headphones can be nowadays. They feature a more polished design than the more expensive BE Free8, and even sound better to boot. However, we found the left earbud would drop out briefly more than we’d like, and we hope NuForce can address this issue.    The connection dropouts combined with the frustrating controls keep it from claiming the top spot on our list, but the BE Free5 offer undeniable value in the truly wireless headphone market,, making them a great option for your first pair. Image credit: TechRadar The second generation Apple AirPods aren't quite the AirPods 2 we were hoping for, but they still some cool features.  They still feature the iconic design of the original AirPods (a good or bad thing depending on your point of view), and sound quality hasn't changed at all. The bulk of the upgrade comes from the new H1 headphone chip, which improves connectivity and battery life, and allows for a new ‘Hey Siri’ voice activation feature. The AirPods also come with an optional wireless charging case means you can use a Qi-compatible charging mat to power the case, rather than sticking a cable into the Lightning charging port in the bottom of the case.  Like their predecessors, they are super easy to pair, but they are very much optimized for using with iPhones – and they aren't exactly cheap.  Image credit: TechRadar The TicPods Free have been cited as a more flexible alternative to the AirPods, coming in a range of colors, and enabled for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, as well as Siri. When we tested them, we thought the audio quality was impressive, and although guitars sometimes sounded a little distorted, it’s a small price to pay for the amount of sonic power you get with these in-ears.  These in-ears are unlikely to appeal to true audiophiles but if you’re a casual listener, the TicPods Free will do just fine, and for a great price. Image credit: Sony Sony’s first pair of true wireless headphones, the Sony WF-1000X, were divisive -some users thought they didn’t offer enough bass, while others said they had too much. Some said they cut out or unpaired periodically. Others simply never had that problem.  Criticisms came from all corners of the internet and the only reasonable conclusion one could make after sifting through all of the noise was that Sony’s headphones just couldn’t please everyone. Now, Sony’s second-generation true-wireless headphones – the Sony WF-SP700N – are here to try it again. These true wireless headphones are better tuned for the low-end and they’re stable in almost every situation. They still offer very modest active noise-cancellation tech and a sweat-resistant PX4 rating, and the new charging case is aesthetically pleasing if not radically different in functionality from before.  Image credit: TechRadar Let’s get one thing out of the way – the B&O Beoplay E8 are one of the nicest-looking and most expensive wireless earphones you can buy.  The E8 come with a stylish carrying case, and you can tweak the sound to your liking using the accompanying Beoplay app on Android and iOS. Even without tinkering around with ToneTouch, the E8 sounds crisp and clear. Bass feedback will depend on how snug you’re wearing the E8s, but was acceptable for earphones of this size. If you’re able to look past the price point, then then Beoplay E8 is a great investment. It’s super compact, offers great audio, and looks great – what more could you ask for?  Image Credit: TechRadar Cambridge Audio is well-known for its good quality audio equipment. However, untul recently the company hasn’t ventured into the world of true wireless earbuds.  Enter the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s: with an outstanding 45 hours of battery life, these buds combine the brand’s award-winning engineering with the convenience of truly wireless listening.  For a pair of true wireless earbuds, the sound quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s is sensational. In fact, it rivals some of the best over-ear headphones, which is all but unheard of for buds of this size.  They may not have the noise cancellation technology offered by the Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds, but they are cheaper – and have a superior battery life.  They certainly outperform the Apple AirPods, in all respects apart from the lack of wireless charging case. This is a small price to pay for that exceptional audio quality, though, and we think they represent much better value for money, too. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

You are subscribed to email updates from TechRadar - All the latest technology news. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States