Tag Archives: airpods

AirPods Pro 2 with touch controls, enhanced ANC and audio quality are worth the upgrade

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The AirPods Pro 2nd generation, most commonly known as AirPods Pro 2, has been long rumored and now Apple has surprisingly announced the noise-canceling true wireless headphones at the “Far Out” iPhone 14 event. The accessories were revealed along with the iPhone 14/14 Pro and Apple Watch Ultra.

Apple has loaded the latest pair of earbuds with the H2 chip that brings more processing power and better energy efficiency for superior battery backup. The chip works in conjunction with the low-distortion drivers and custom amplifier for a noticeably improved sound quality even with the low-resolution AAC mode over Bluetooth. For audiophiles that means more clarity and depth in the audio being delivered. According to Apple, the latest AirPods have double the noise canceling levels for people with an active lifestyle.

Designer: Apple

The design of the ear tips hasn’t changed much, although Apple has added a fourth extra small tip for people with small ears. For now, at the event, there was no mention of the Lossless tracks over wireless. Maybe Apple will announce that later on just like they did with the Spatial Audio feature for the AirPods Pro 2. On the new flagship earbuds, audio lovers will get the perks of personalized Spatial Audio and an enhanced transparency mode capable of detecting ambient noise.

Apple has not induced any major exterior changes for the look, but one major inclusion will fascinate audio lovers. There are touch controls on the stems to toggle playback and volume levels with swipe gestures. Battery life sees a 33 percent improvement on the AiPods Pro 2 with a claimed six hours life on ANC mode and 5.5 hours with spatial audio mode. The charging case adds another four hours to the equation.

Talking of the charging case it gets a speaker on the bottom for better tracking with Find My app. Apple has also included the case with a loop to hang it with a lanyard. The sweat and water-resistant earbuds can be charged with the lighting cable or a Qi/MagSafe charger like the Apple Watch charger.

For me, the changes are just enough for someone needing the convenience of true wireless earbuds with the promise of improved audio quality and a compelling case to make the upgrade from the AirPods Pro. The earbuds will be up for pre-order on September 9th for a price tag of $249, and shipping begins on September 23rd.

The post AirPods Pro 2 with touch controls, enhanced ANC and audio quality are worth the upgrade first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 earbuds designed to replace your Apple AirPods 3

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I love a good pair of earbuds! In fact, I really can’t function without my personal earbuds. Once my earbuds are in, the rest of the world is out! I deep dive into the world of my favorite tunes, away from real-world problems, happy in my own little audio bubble! Hence, owning a pair of innovative and perfect earbuds is an absolute necessity for me, and I’m sure that’s the case for most of the music lovers out there as well! Quite a few of us are Team AirPods all the way. But hey! Let’s remember that great earbuds go beyond Apple as well. And this nifty list includes all of them! This collection of exciting designs has a pair of earbuds for everyone! From NBA-themed Beats earbuds to earbuds that let you tune the music tempo to your heartbeat while exercising – these earbuds provide unique design solutions and are a must-have for audiophiles!

1. The Beats Tour Pro

Designed as a pair of high-end TWS earbuds to rival the AirPods Pro, the Beats Tour Pro come with a slicker design, snug-fitting silicone tips, active noise canceling, a transparency mode, and rapid connectivity with Apple’s desktop and mobile operating systems. Like most Beats products, the Tour Pro boasts a design that stands out as something eye-catchingly different. Unlike Apple products that have somewhat become homogenous in the way they look, the Beats Tour Pro play well with proportions. Sure, they stick to the basics with the massive Beats logo on the outer surface of the earbuds, but there’s also a hollow stem right below, making it easier to grip the earphones without accidentally hitting the capacitive touch surface.

2. Koishi

Named Koishi, after the Japanese word for Pebble, the TWS Earphones come with a soft, pebble-inspired form that’s beautiful to look at, comfortable to store in pockets, and can even be stacked one above another as Zen Stones. They come in three stone-inspired colors and even sport a slightly mottled stone texture. Running right through the case is a light strip that helps let you know when the earbuds are charging, or when they’re low on charge. However, it also visually guides you to instinctively know where the earphones are, so you can glance at the case and pull the earbuds out without fiddling to find them.

3. Tempo

Tempo, the sports metronome is designed to be worn in the ears like a pair of snugly fitting earbuds and comes with the driver as its remote control. Before we get into the design and facets, let’s brush up on the idea behind the Tempo. Without having the user compromise the impact of music on their performance, The gadget can be specifically set up to guide or be motivated by user’s pace. This works on the similar principle of the metronome used by musicians to produce a steady pulse to play rhythms accurately – here the pulse is measured in beats-per-minute (BPM) and this concept is picked up by the pair of earbuds in discussion.

4. Braun earbuds concept

The earbuds have a rather unique and attractive form that doesn’t compromise on wearing comfort by any stretch of the imagination. Matte black or white-colored housing with the hint of Braun’s signature color green is the USP of the design. The silicone ear tips match the matte look, and the charging case carries the same theme. It’s all matte black with a yellow button on the front. Wait till you glance over the top of the earbuds which have the Braun’s well-known patterned shape.

5. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 3

The MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 is ready for most workouts or adventures. It comes with an IPX4 splash-resistant casing to work out even when you’re sweating or in the rain. The battery can last for seven hours, but the charging case can extend the power up to 28 hours. That’s more than a day of listening with wireless earbuds. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 will be sold for $329.95 CAD ($258 in the US). It will be ready in three color options: graphite, white, and black. The pair will be released in the market by May 10 but you may now place your pre-order.

6. The Beoplay EX

The Beoplay EX brings Bang & Olufsen’s signature touch to the stem design, wresting the crown from Apple in order to make earbuds more attractive as fashionable pieces rather than just geeky accessories. As typical of B&O’s design language, there is a touch of glass on the touch-sensitive surface of the buds, surrounded by a brush aluminum ring to accentuate the contrasting surfaces while also offering protection for the more fragile material.

7. The Realme Buds Air 3

Realme Buds Air 3 Announcement

Realme Buds Air 3 Release

The Realme Buds Air 3 is a pair of True Wireless Stereo earbuds. It’s the first TWS earbuds pair in the world that’s been certified with TÜV Rheinland High-Performance Noise Cancellation. TÜV Rheinland rating is more known for TVs but it also checks on active noise cancellation. The company has mentioned the 42dB ANC certification so you can be assured of a premium listening experience. Realme’s Buds Air lineup is the Chinese company’s flagship offering of earbuds. Premium sound quality is often promised by manufacturers but not every model released comes with active noise cancellation. Others focus on keeping the prices down but have forgotten to improve quality.

8. The NBA75 Ivory

Special Limited Edition Apple NBA Powerbeats Pro Earbuds Design

Limited Edition Apple NBA Powerbeats Pro Earbuds

The NBA Powerbeats Pro is a pair of totally wireless earphones. Officially called the NBA75 Ivory, this pair is being released to celebrate an important milestone for the National Basketball Association. NBA is celebrating its 75th anniversary season and it’s only fitting a pair of wireless earbuds is released for the fans. Nothing has changed on the features and the specs because the change is mainly on the surface only. It comes with the same charging case and the same over-the-ear buds design so it’s ideal for busy athletes or outdoor enthusiasts. As with the regular Powerbeats Pro, this one is also sweat and water-resistant.

9. The Porsche Design PDT60 TWS Earphones

With a sleek aluminum exterior that offers a stunning visual upgrade to most plastic-body earbuds, the Porsche Design PDT60 TWS Earphones aim at creating an experience that’s as good in the visual department as it is at handling audio. Porsche Design’s repertoire features a whole host of hi-end audio gear, although the PDT60 is easily the smallest in that bunch, fitting snugly into your ear to deliver immersive, balanced audio directly into your head. The earphones come with the Porsche Design logo emblazoned on their front and sit in a case that’s partly matte metal too, with the same PD monogram embossed on the case’s sliding leather lid.

10. The dBuds U

Coming from the folks at EarLabs, the dBud U builds on their catalog of products designed to protect hearing. Its mission is a pretty strong and unique one – to give you the TWS experience while focusing on ear health – something I’ve personally been quite passionate about since I developed tinnitus. Sure, they’re like most TWS earbuds in the way they work, but they also provide an extra blanket of features that ensure that you can block out unwanted sounds that may affect your focus, your listening experience, or your hearing abilities in the long run. Additionally, they’re also designed to augment certain sounds like voices of those around you – perhaps a coworker informing you of a meeting, a barista calling your name, or your partner asking you where to order takeout from.

The post Top 10 earbuds designed to replace your Apple AirPods 3 first appeared on Yanko Design.

The designer behind the USB-C iPhone has now made the world’s first AirPods with a USB-C port

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Homogeneity is the name of the game. Ken Pillonel loves his Apple products, but he hates the fact that he needs separate charging cables for his laptop and iPad, and his iPhone and AirPods. Determined to solve this problem, Pillonel began his journey last year by designing the world’s first USB-C iPhone. This involved creating a custom PCB ribbon cable with a USB-C port that he fitted into the iPhone after removing the built-in lightning port’s circuitry. The result was a phone that not only charged via USB-C but also allowed for data transfers. Now the only missing piece of the puzzle was replacing the lightning port on his AirPods – a feat that he achieved this year.

Say hello to the world’s first (and only) USB-C AirPods. Hacked together by Pillonel, a master’s degree student in robotics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, these AirPods are no different from your regular pair of Apple-branded TWS earbuds. It’s just that they charge via USB-C.

Designer: Ken Pillonel

Creating this unique prototype involved pulling apart an AirPods case, which is a feat in itself, given that the case is sealed shut. Once Pillonel pried the plastic housing off the case, he undid the lightning port’s ribbon cable, only to replace it with a ribbon cable he designed on his own, with a USB-C port at the end. As simple as that sounds, Pillonel points out that the actual process is just as complicated. Not only is making a ribbon cable expensive, Apple puts up tonnes of safeguards to prevent crazy engineers from doing such things.

The final result marks a monumental achievement for Pillonel, who just wanted to use the same cable to charge all his Apple devices. As demonstrated in his YouTube Shorts video, he uses the same USB-C cable to charge his MacBook, iPhone, and even the AirPods!

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it’s speculated that Apple will transition the iPhone to USB-C in 2023. Thanks to pressure from the EU, Apple is considering ditching the proprietary charging port for the iPhone to opt for the global USB standard, but whether these speculations are true is anyone’s guess. Even if Apple does make a USB-C iPhone, it now faces a dilemma of having to change the ports on all its AirPods (even the Max), which all currently charge via lightning. It’s in such situations that experiments like Pillonel’s pay off, given that he’s sold his USB-C iPhone PCB in the past, for anyone who wants to mod their Apple smartphone.

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The only Apple charger you need – the MagEZ Slider wirelessly charges ALL your Apple gadgets and even has a detachable power bank

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This might just be the one charger to rule them all…

Meet the PITAKA MagEZ Slider. It’s a charger. No, wait. It’s a wireless charger. Uh, hold on. It’s a wireless charger with MagSafe capabilities. Oh, let me say that again. It’s a wireless charger with MagSafe capabilities that also has a built-in detachable power bank and can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Simultaneously.

Designers: Stephen Lu, Liang Daqian, Lucky Liu, James Zheng, Tom Chen & Li Huipeng

Click Here to Buy Now: $129.

Charge all your Apple essentials, including your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch.

Over the course of its existence, PITAKA’s worked to fundamentally make Apple’s products better by designing highly functional charging accessories for them. The MagEZ Slider, however, feels like a culmination of all that work. A wireless charger designed to work with your phone, watch, and TWS earbuds, the MagEZ Slider is compact little number that’s perfectly sized to sit on any tabletop surface while simultaneously ensuring that your workspace isn’t cluttered with different wires and dongles.

The MagEZ Slider builds on one of PITAKA’s previous products, the MagEZ Juice. The MagEZ Juice was a portable wireless charging power bank that came with its own dock/stand, allowing you to practically charge your phone anywhere. Now in its evolved form, the MagEZ Slider comes with a few new tricks up its sleeve. Sure, it has a MagSafe power bank and a docking stand for your iPhone, but now it even features a wireless charging zone for your AirPods. The rear surface of the MagEZ Slider lets you easily pop in a magnetic tray to rest your AirPods on, effectively charging them. The reason the tray isn’t baked right into the product is so as to ensure the entire MagEZ Slider has a compact profile that adapts to your needs.

Charge the power bank by placing it in the dock, then snap on your iPhone for simultaneous charging.

An adjustable, magnetic stand provides enough space to charge your AirPods.

Plugin and charge your Apple Watch using the Power Dongle.

To charge your Apple Watch, the MagEZ Slider comes with a USB-C port on the side that lets you pop an Apple Watch charging pad in. The removable charging pad ensures that the MagEZ Slider’s design remains clean and minimalistic, allowing you to expand your charging capabilities should you need to.

The Slider also comes outfitted with a rotating turntable on its base. Designed to let you adjust your gadgets to face you wherever you are without fiddling with the apparatus (and potentially knocking your phone or other gadgets over, the MagEZ Slider’s rotating turntable base swivels a full 360°. Contrary to what you’d think, the Slide doesn’t get its name from this unique feature. It is, in fact, the sliding MagSafe power bank that gives the MagEZ Slide its name, and also its key user interaction.

The sheer convenience of the MagEZ Slider lies in its ability to organize all your charging requirements in one place… however, that convenience is compounded once you realize that the MagEZ Slider has its own magnetic wireless power bank too. With a built-in 4000mAh battery, the power bank (which could also be found on the 2019 MagEZ Juice) is the MagEZ Slider’s pièce de résistance, letting you effectively travel while your gadget charges. The power bank sports a rounded, curved design that makes it easy to slide in and out of pockets, and it docks perfectly into the MagEZ Slider’s stand too when you’re finally at your desk. You’ll never need a single charger or Apple accessory again… and given the fact that the Cupertino-based company’s stopped shipping chargers with their flagship devices, the MagEZ SLider could easily be the most useful and versatile little accessory you own.

Click Here to Buy Now: $129.

The post The only Apple charger you need – the MagEZ Slider wirelessly charges ALL your Apple gadgets and even has a detachable power bank first appeared on Yanko Design.

Top 10 earbuds designs of 2022 that are even better than the Apple AirPods 3

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I love a good pair of earbuds! In fact, I really can’t function without my personal earbuds. Once my earbuds are in, the rest of the world is out! I deep dive into the world of my favorite tunes, away from real-world problems, happy in my own little audio bubble! Hence, owning a pair of innovative and perfect earbuds is an absolute necessity for me, and I’m sure that’s the case for most of the music lovers out there as well! Quite a few of us are Team AirPods all the way. But hey! Let’s remember that great earbuds go beyond Apple as well. And this nifty list includes all of them! This collection of exciting designs has a pair of earbuds for everyone! From earbuds that magnetically hang like a necklace to the world’s first TWS earbuds that actually protect your hearing – these earbuds provide unique design solutions and are a must-have for audiophiles!

1. Koishi

Named Koishi, after the Japanese word for Pebble, the TWS Earphones come with a soft, pebble-inspired form that’s beautiful to look at, comfortable to store in pockets, and can even be stacked one above another as Zen Stones. They come in three stone-inspired colors and even sport a slightly mottled stone texture. Running right through the case is a light strip that helps let you know when the earbuds are charging, or when they’re low on charge. However, it also visually guides you to instinctively know where the earphones are, so you can glance at the case and pull the earbuds out without fiddling to find them.

2. The Porsche Design PDT60 TWS Earphones

With a sleek aluminum exterior that offers a stunning visual upgrade to most plastic-body earbuds, the Porsche Design PDT60 TWS Earphones aim at creating an experience that’s as good in the visual department as it is at handling audio. Porsche Design’s repertoire features a whole host of hi-end audio gear, although the PDT60 is easily the smallest in that bunch, fitting snugly into your ear to deliver immersive, balanced audio directly into your head. The earphones come with the Porsche Design logo emblazoned on their front and sit in a case that’s partly matte metal too, with the same PD monogram embossed on the case’s sliding leather lid.

3. The dBuds U

Coming from the folks at EarLabs, the dBud U builds on their catalog of products designed to protect hearing. Its mission is a pretty strong and unique one – to give you the TWS experience while focusing on ear health – something I’ve personally been quite passionate about since I developed tinnitus. Sure, they’re like most TWS earbuds in the way they work, but they also provide an extra blanket of features that ensure that you can block out unwanted sounds that may affect your focus, your listening experience, or your hearing abilities in the long run. Additionally, they’re also designed to augment certain sounds like voices of those around you – perhaps a coworker informing you of a meeting, a barista calling your name, or your partner asking you where to order takeout from.

4. The Hakii Ice

Meet the Hakii Ice. You’ve probably never heard of them, although once you see them, chances are you won’t ever forget them. With perhaps the most memorable design in the earbuds category, the Hakii Ice sport a double shot molded case design that looks almost like the earphones are preserved in a block of ice. The outer transparent layer and the textured inner layer create an interplay of light and shade, with a touch of refraction, that makes the Ice earphones look incredibly awe-striking. In a world filled with TWS earbud cases that look like floss cases, the Hakii Ice looks like an ornament.

5. The Logitech Zone Truly Wireless

Meet the Logitech Zone Truly Wireless – earbuds designed and calibrated for work and business. The earbuds can be paired with your laptop as well as your smartphone so you can go about your day from either device, whether it’s watching training videos or listening to music while you work, answering calls, or even attending online meetings. They’re designed to work seamlessly with common calling applications across most platforms and operating systems and are certified by Microsoft for Teams and Skype for Business, by Google for Meet, and by Zoom.

6. The Edifier NeoBuds Pro

What’s really ironic is that the Edifier NeoBuds Pro are the first TWS earphones to come Hi-Res certified, a standard developed by Sony itself – a brand that’s very much in the TWS earbud race! Edifier’s own TWS earphones really push the boundaries with the adoption of the LHDC codec (to rival Sony’s LDAC codec), offering higher-quality streaming over a Bluetooth connection, even compared to Apple’s own AAC. Simply put, the NeoBuds Pro makes a pretty remarkable claim, although the LHDC codec is currently adopted by a number of brands in Asia, but isn’t entirely widespread.

7. The Timekettle M2

There are two main components to any conversation – talking to a person, and listening to the person talk to you. It’s only natural that earphones designed to facilitate conversation would embrace those two parts, right? The Timekettle M2, in that regard, isn’t your standard pair of TWS earbuds. Sure, they’re meant for listening to music and podcasts or giving commands to your phone’s voice AI, but their prime feature is the ability to foster a multi-lingual two-way conversation by allowing two people to wear one earphone each as the M2’s onboard translation engine seamlessly fills in the gaps. The earphone case’s design revolves around that very aspect, with a design that splits right in two, so you can hand one half over to someone you’re talking to, almost like you’re breaking bread with them.

8. Klipur

Designing an earbuds concept that eliminates the need for a charging carry case, Chris Thursfield conceptualized Klipur, a pair of earbuds that attach to one another when not in use. Conceptualized with an overnight charging method, Klipur can recharge during the night alongside our smartphones. When ready to leave, users can detach the earbuds from their charging case and attach them to one another for a compact carrying method, or throw them in their ears without worrying about where they left the charging case.

9. The Sirius Pro

The fact that these earbuds are designed to look like a prop out of Ghost in the Shell or Fallout isn’t entirely accidental… GravaStar’s known to make some absurdly futuristic products – you should check out their Mars and Venus Bluetooth speakers! The Sirius Pro follows that brand ethos by being unconventionally sci-fi while serving as pretty great earbuds too. They come with enhanced bass response, boast Environmental Noise Canceling, and actually have an incredibly low latency of 65ms that’s perfect for gaming. When not in use, they sit inside a rather unconventionally designed case, with a cutout running right through the middle and a bare-basics cage-like lid that secures the earbuds in place without concealing them.

10. Jade Culture Earphone Jue 20

Designed by Yibai Science & Technology from Shenzen, these are called the “Jade Culture Earphone Jue 20.” That’s a bit odd name but everything else about these conceptual wireless earbuds listed on iF Design Award 2020 is super cool. When not in use, the earbuds magnetically lock together to take the form of a necklace pendant that’s suspended by the tethering wire. Then again, when you want to listen to your favorite tunes, simply separate the pendant and get groovy. Picture this scenario – your buddy compliments, “This pendant looks so cool, bud”, and you’ll detach them and plug into your ears to their amazement, “It’s my pair of earbuds, mate!” Added bonus – you surely won’t lose one of the earbuds as there is no accidentally falling down- speaking to you AirPods!

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Top 10 AirPods Accessories of 2021

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My AirPods are one of my prized Apple possessions! I use them multiple times in a day, whether’s it’s for calls, to watch videos during work breaks, or to listen to some pumped-up tunes during my evening jogs. You’ll find them around me almost all the time. I’m sure there are other AirPods addicts in the house, and for those individuals, here’s a collection of AirPods accessories that we swear by! From a sleek AirPods Max charger that doubles up as a magnetic stand to an AirPods Pro case shaped like a camera – these nifty product designs will completely elevate and enhance your AirPods experience. They serve as the perfect sidekick to your AirPods, either by taking the best care of them, boosting their functionality, or making sure you never lose them again. These are a must-have for all AirPods fanatics!

1. Power1

Power1 takes portability and functionality to a new level giving you a system that’s doubly useful because it doesn’t just charge and protect for your iPhone… it charges and protects your Airpods too and ensures they are always with you and ready for use. Designed as an evolution of traditional battery cases, Power1 not only holds an extra battery but also manages your Airpods like no other system. Armed with a proprietary design, Power1 comes with two modes. One, where it charges your Airpods only (up to 30 times on a full battery), and a second mode that charges your Airpods as well as your phone, giving both gadgets full advantage of Power1’s 3000mAh internal battery. Power1 uses its intelligent power monitoring system to see which device is running low on charge, supplying power to them accordingly. Using its USB-C port, when you plug Power1 into an outlet, its priority charging feature kicks in, routing power to your phone and Airpods first before charging its own internal battery.

2. The Max Stand

The Max Stand has a simplistic elegance that you’d almost expect from Apple before you realize that Apple’s solution for storing the headphones when not in use is a weird handbag-esque object that most people wouldn’t really want to carry around on display. The Max Stand, on the other hand, is simple, nondescript, and highlights the product it’s charging – making the AirPods Max look like an ornament on your desk that you can easily pick up and wear when you need it.

3. The Snapshot Case

Elago Snapshot Apple AirPods Case with AirTag

The Snapshot case for the AirPods Pro comes with a camera-shaped design that neatly houses an AirTag inside the faux camera lens. Aside from looking like a tiny little point-and-shoot, the Snapshot protects your AirPods Pro from physical damage as well as theft. The all-silicone design helps absorb shock, while still enabling wireless charging… and the fact that you’ve now got an AirTag strapped to your AirPods Pro makes it really easy to use the Find My feature to track the exact location of your earphones.

4. The Chargepuck

The Chargepuck acts as a replacement for the wireless charging dock or mat you’ve probably got lying on your desk or somewhere at your bedside. Instead of being a static device that sits plugged into an outlet forever, the little puck sits attached to your iPhone and comes with its own retractable cable that lets you plug it in anywhere. The Chargepuck isn’t a battery pack (it doesn’t have its own battery inside it), but rather, it’s a charging apparatus that sits attached to your phone and lets you charge three devices at the same time.

5. Antón’s redesigned AirPods Pro Case

Antón’s redesign turns the Apple AirPods Pro case from something that looks like a ‘box of floss’ to a really classy-looking ‘chewing-gum-stick dispenser’. The rounded-box shape gets ditched for a taller and sleeker capsule shape, with lids on both ends, allowing individual earpieces to fit into each end of the case. Sure, the redesign presents some structural issues – like where would one place the Qi charging coil or the battery, but what Antón’s concept really provides is a sense of variety, while sticking to Apple’s design philosophy of building sleek products. The redesigned AirPods Pro case also fundamentally changes the UX of the AirPods. The two separate openings house the left and right earphones, and while they do that, they also hint at behavior that’s common within the AirPods user community of using just one AirPod at a time to maximize battery life.

6. The Air Omni

The Air Omni’s biggest defining feature is that it comes built to dock the iPad too, which should honestly be given the same status as the iPhone, Watch, and AirPods… after all, the iPad is a mobile device too. Designed for not just charging but docking too, the Air Omni comes with a dedicated pop-up wireless charging hub for your Watch, specified wireless charging zones for your phone and AirPods, and a stand that lets you dock the iPad vertically and charge it via a cable – all while complying with Apple’s MFi charging standards. The docking zone’s unique design is truly innovative as it shapeshifts to let you alternate between docking your iPad as well as your iPhone.

7. iPhone 13 Pro-esque triple camera module

This idea presents a flip iPhone with iPhone 13 Pro-esque triple camera module comprising an 8K capable pro-action camera. The flipping device has a curved touchscreen Retina display and the discussed camera module on the outside – split over the two halves separated by a durable hinge. The cute box-like design – when it’s folded – actually hides a pair of newly designed AirPods Pro mini in a cozy housing for each earbud.

8. The Genki Audio Lite

Designed as a sleeker upgrade to Genki’s Bluetooth adapter from 2018, the Genki Audio Lite is a tiny, plug-and-play Bluetooth module that fits right into your Nintendo Switch Lite, allowing you to connect Bluetooth earphones and speakers to your gaming console. The Genki Audio Lite’s tiny size adds a great deal of functionality to the already capable device. You can now use your TWS earphones, AirPods, or even the AirPods Max with it, allowing for a portable, private gaming session. The Genki Audio Lite comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and is equipped with aptX™ high fidelity low latency codecs that provide lag-free audio while you game.

9. Zens’ Magnetic Dual Powerbank

Zens’ Magnetic Dual Powerbank comes with an internal 4,000 mAh battery that’s good for 1.5 full smartphone charges. The power bank is MagSafe compatible on one side too, allowing you to easily snap your iPhone to it without worrying about alignment. The other non-magnetic side is good for your AirPods, or potentially even a second smartphone (if you’re that kind of person). The power bank is perfect for all your on-the-go charging needs, although it comes with its own flip-out kickstand for when you’re working at a desk and want your phone angled towards you.

10. AirFly Pro

Twelve South has come up with their AirFly Pro. A wireless headphone adaptor, AirFly Pro is “the missing link between wireless headphones and wired headphone jacks.” It lets you connect your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or wireless headphones of any brand to devices (lacking Bluetooth connectivity) with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The dongle allows two people to listen to music or watch a movie, making it a splitter! You can finally share/watch things wirelessly with your friends if you’ll share the same taste in entertainment that is. The AirFly Pro also connects with the Nintendo Switch, enabling you to listen to the audio using your favorite wireless headphones while playing your favorite game!

The post Top 10 AirPods Accessories of 2021 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Here’s how to clean your AirPods, earphones, and hearing aids safely without damaging them

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No, it doesn’t require Apple’s $20 cleaning cloth or any special skills.

Instagram and TikTok will have you believe that cleaning AirPods requires 3 different tools and 4 solvents to easily dissolve the earwax, loosen the dirt, and leave the AirPods’ ridiculously small inner grill looking as good as new. There is, however, a solution that’s easier, faster, and so ingeniously simple, it requires absolutely no learning curve. Meet AirSquares, a set of earphone-cleaning putty squares that let you effectively get all the dirt and wax out of those dadgum tiny earphone holes. Working as easily as the putties/doughs you get to clean your laptop and wireless keyboards, the AirSquares are the perfect size and stickiness to help you safely clean out your AirPods, earphones, and hearing aids. It takes mere seconds and doesn’t require complicated equipment or technical expertise.

Designer: AirSquares

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Available in a pack of 12 semi-reusable putty squares, the AirSquares are the perfect size for cleaning tiny crevasses, namely the grilles/buds of earphones, headphones, hearing aids, as well as the earpieces or charging ports of smartphones and the gaps between keys/wheels on keyboards/mice. I say semi-reusable because the putty can be mushed, molded, and reused again… although eventually, it needs to be chucked out in the trash. The white color of the putty acts as the perfect visual indicator for letting you know when it’s dirty and needs replacing.

The cleaning process is as easy as pressing the putty into the AirPods and removing them gently. The putty’s sticky surface instantly catches any dust, debris, or earwax, leaving you with a clean AirPod or earphone as you remove the putty. It’s a whole lot easier than using those fancy tools, picks, and solvents that most technicians would use, and is much safer too… especially considering how fragile those small earphones can be.

The AirSquares help you maintain your AirPods, allowing them to remain hygienic while lasting longer too. Cleaning your earphones periodically is great for maintaining their audio quality, and it also helps prevent dust and debris from getting into the device, which may interfere with its functionality or ability to pair up with the phone. Side tip from a personal experience of buying a vintage iPod and EarPods on eBay – it’s also great for restoring older earphones to their original glory, so you can sell or resell them while having them look as good as new!

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The post Here’s how to clean your AirPods, earphones, and hearing aids safely without damaging them first appeared on Yanko Design.

These wireless earbuds attach to one another, removing the dreaded concern of losing a single earbud!

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Klipur is an earbuds concept that replaces a charging carry case with an overnight charging pod and binding carry method.

With AirPods, we not only have to keep track of the two wireless earbuds but their charging case as well. When we’re listening to music while in a rush going or leaving somewhere, the earbuds’ charging case can get lost in the mix.

Designing an earbuds concept that eliminates the need for a charging carry case, Chris Thursfield conceptualized Klipur, a pair of earbuds that attach to one another when not in use.

Researching the ways we listen to music most often revealed to Thursfield that most listeners use earbuds while commuting to work or traveling elsewhere.

Following this research period, the young designer followed multiple iterations of earbud designs before settling on Klipur’s final form. Conceptualized with an overnight charging method, Klipur can recharge during the night alongside our smartphones.

When ready to leave, users can detach the earbuds from their charging case and attach them to one another for a compact carrying method, or throw them in their ears without worrying about where they left the charging case.

Klipur features an all-white color makeup, similar to other earbuds currently on the market, enhancing the concept’s familiarity to most users.

By utilizing the strides we’ve made in wireless technology and battery capacity, Thursfield conceptualized Klipur so that the pair of earbuds can last a full day’s use on a single charge.

Striking a balance between comfort and style, each earbud features a secure and snug grip with silicone plugs. Then, the main body of each Klipur earbud comes with an angled structure that leans closely against the skin for an even stronger hold.

Designer: Chris Thursfield

Before settling on Klipur’s final form, Thursfield used digital sketches and 3D renderings to ideate conceptual variations.  

At night, users can charge Klipur in its charging pod, and come morning, the earbuds plug right into the user’s ear and attach to one another when not in use. 

Conceptualized in a trio of different colors, Klipur comes in white, beige, black. 

The post These wireless earbuds attach to one another, removing the dreaded concern of losing a single earbud! first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Top 10 Earbuds designs to perfectly replace your old AirPods, in case Apple doesn’t launch the AirPods 3 today!

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I love a good pair of earbuds! In fact, I really can’t function without my personal earbuds. Once my earbuds are in, the rest of the world is out! I deep dive into the world of my favorite tunes, away from real-world problems, happy in my own little audio bubble! Hence, owning a pair of innovative and perfect earbuds is an absolute necessity for me, and I’m sure that’s the case for other music lovers out there as well! Quite a few of us are Team AirPods all the way. And, we’re hoping we get to see the AirPods 3 at the Apple event today. Fingers crossed! And in case we do not, let’s remember that great earbuds go beyond Apple as well. And this nifty list includes all of them! This collection of exciting designs has a pair of earbuds for everyone! From earbuds that magnetically hang like a necklace to the first TWS earbuds designed specifically for your work from home needs – these earbuds provide unique design solutions and are a must-have for audiophiles!


Named Koishi, after the Japanese word for Pebble, the TWS Earphones come with a soft, pebble-inspired form that’s beautiful to look at, comfortable to store in pockets, and can even be stacked one above another as Zen Stones. They come in three stone-inspired colors and even sport a slightly mottled stone texture. Running right through the case is a light strip that helps let you know when the earbuds are charging, or when they’re low on charge. However, it also visually guides you to instinctively know where the earphones are, so you can glance at the case and pull the earbuds out without fiddling to find them.

Meet the Logitech Zone Truly Wireless – earbuds designed and calibrated for work and business. The earbuds can be paired with your laptop as well as your smartphone so you can go about your day from either device, whether it’s watching training videos or listening to music while you work, answering calls, or even attending online meetings. They’re designed to work seamlessly with common calling applications across most platforms and operating systems and are certified by Microsoft for Teams and Skype for Business, by Google for Meet, and by Zoom.

What’s really ironic is that the Edifier NeoBuds Pro are the first TWS earphones to come Hi-Res certified, a standard developed by Sony itself – a brand that’s very much in the TWS earbud race! Edifier’s own TWS earphones really push the boundaries with the adoption of the LHDC codec (to rival Sony’s LDAC codec), offering higher-quality streaming over a Bluetooth connection, even compared to Apple’s own AAC. Simply put, the NeoBuds Pro makes a pretty remarkable claim, although the LHDC codec is currently adopted by a number of brands in Asia, but isn’t entirely widespread.

The fact that these earbuds are designed to look like a prop out of Ghost in the Shell or Fallout isn’t entirely accidental… GravaStar’s known to make some absurdly futuristic products – you should check out their Mars and Venus Bluetooth speakers! The Sirius Pro follows that brand ethos by being unconventionally sci-fi while serving as pretty great earbuds too. They come with enhanced bass response, boast Environmental Noise Canceling, and actually have an incredibly low latency of 65ms that’s perfect for gaming. When not in use, they sit inside a rather unconventionally designed case, with a cutout running right through the middle and a bare-basics cage-like lid that secures the earbuds in place without concealing them.

Nothing, former OnePlus founder Carl Pei’s latest venture, is lifting the veil on products with its brand of minimalist ‘nothingness’. The ear (1) marks Nothing’s debut in the product space and comes with a rather alluring transparent design. The earphones sport a transparent housing that lets you really appreciate the design and detail gone into the product’s inner assemblies, and a transparent case accentuates the brand’s ethos… of being a breath of fresh air in a saturated tech space that’s all about making black and white boxes. Partnering with Teenage Engineering over the design of the ear (1), Nothing highlights the fact that the design’s beauty lies in its inherent rawness. “Nothing like you’ve seen before, the raw beauty of ear (1)’s stripped-down aesthetic features transparency to expose the engineering, including microphones, magnets, and circuit board. Everything that is ear (1) is there with purpose”, the brand mentions in a press release.

Designed by Yibai Science & Technology from Shenzen, these are called the “Jade Culture Earphone Jue 20.” That’s a bit odd name but everything else about these conceptual wireless earbuds listed on iF Design Award 2020 is super cool. When not in use, the earbuds magnetically lock together to take the form of a necklace pendant that’s suspended by the tethering wire. Then again, when you want to listen to your favorite tunes, simply separate the pendant and get groovy. Picture this scenario – your buddy compliments, “This pendant looks so cool, bud”, and you’ll detach them and plug into your ears to their amazement, “It’s my pair of earbuds, mate!” Added bonus – you surely won’t lose one of the earbuds as there is no accidentally falling down- speaking to you AirPods!

Meet the Mode II, Marshall’s first TWS earbuds, designed with the promise to deliver a “thunderous audio experience” with “growling bass, natural-sounding mids, and crisp treble,” pumped out through its custom-tuned dynamic 6mm drivers. The drivers sit within the earphones’ tiny yet ergonomic enclosure. The Mode II comes with four earbud tips to choose from for that perfect fit, and the earphones themselves are designed to be IPX4 water-resistant, which means you can descend into an incredibly sweaty moshpit with them. Although compact, the Mode II earphones wonderfully reflect Marshall’s audio-forward DNA, from their black faux-leather texture (both on the earpieces as well as the case) designed to pay a hat-tip to their nearly 60-year legacy of building some of the best amplifiers and stage monitors, to the classic M logo emblazoned on each earphone, serving as the iconic branding detail.

Designed to work BOTH as TWS earphones for most consumers, as well as FDA-approved hearing aids for the impaired, the Olive Pro provides enhanced hearing for everything – nearby sounds, music, and conversations. Outwardly, they slightly resemble the AirPods Pro with the bulb and stem design, and with the silicone earpiece… and believe it or not, that’s not subtle plagiarism, it’s a design feature. You see, by bridging the gap between medical devices and consumer-tech, the Olive Pro makes it ‘cooler’ and less of a social stigma for the hearing impaired to wear these aids. Designed to help them blend into society, the Olive Pro’s consumer-centric aesthetic helps normalize an affliction. On the hardware front, the Olive Pro boasts powerful drivers and microphones that work to seamlessly distinguish between noises, voices, and music.

Sevy connects with you through its inherently warm aesthetics and easy user experience. “I was trying to create something which is fun to use and simple in nature. By making the design/product familiar to the user, the product wholly connects with their activity of living the events. Mimicking plays a major role in this part. So, this project is inspired by the natural form which is more simple and important,” says Pon. The earbuds can be controlled via various touch gestures on the surface as well as the Sevy app. Unlike AirPods, these earbuds are completely inside the ear – there is no physical component that protrudes outside so it is a lot more discreet and well-fitting. I also love how they come with a variety of silicone tip sizes because one size doesn’t fit all and was the main reason I switched from my AirPods to another brand.

Housed in a rather unusually designed case that makes optimal use of space, the G1 earbuds designed by Designest for Havit are a treat for the eyes and the ears. The IPX5 waterproof earphones come in a compact case that splits into two to reveal both earbuds stored in separate halves, connected by a vibrantly colored silicon piece that also transfers power between halves. The earphones boast a supremely ergonomic fit that the company claims was arrived at after scanning and measuring thousands of ears. The G1’s design features a twice-molded TPU body, to ensure the earbuds are absolutely water/sweat-resistant, anti-fall, anti-fingerprint, and wear-resistant. Havit’s G1 headphones come with a convenient 3.5 hours of battery, while the 720mAh case is capable of topping them off as much as six times. The case wirelessly charges too, for extra convenience, and a pretty nifty LED on the top glows to let you know your buds’ batteries are being replenished.

The internet is filled with very believable knockoff AirPods Max headphones. Here’s how to spot a fake.

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It’s difficult to say if some of these knockoffs were made to just harmlessly copy Apple, or to actually defraud customers, says YouTuber Dave2D… but the video above is a fair demonstration that for the right price, you can apparently buy a fake AirPods Max that’s looks and behaves just like the real deal. Or a warning that the crazy discount you find on eBay could actually be a fake Apple product parading around as an original.

The minute Apple announced the AirPods Max, tech YouTuber Dave2D instantly knew that there would be an absolute deluge of knockoffs. He just didn’t know that some of the knockoffs would be so good that they’d even confuse a seasoned tech reviewer like him. Dave hopped onto Alibaba and decided to pick up the cheapest and the most expensive pair of AirPods Max knockoffs he could find. The cheapest cans cost him roughly $30, while the more expensive ones retailed at $150.

The video at the top of the article shows Dave unboxing the two fakes as well as an original. With the $30 pair, the difference in quality was almost too obvious. The headphones shipped without packaging (they just came in a plastic bag) or any of the peripherals like the headphone holder or the charging cable. As convincing as the headphone looked on video, Dave said that the $30 pair felt nothing like the original. It felt obscenely cheap, with a lightweight design, a plastic body, and hinges that actually creaked when you used them. You could fool someone from a couple of feet away, but if anyone ventured too close or even decided to pick up the pair, the difference would be immediately obvious. For $30, the fake Pods didn’t sound anything like the original either.

However, things got really interesting with the second pair, which cost $150. They shipped in what anyone would assume to be original packaging, and even had every packaging detail down to the wire, including the manual on the inside. Perhaps the only difference that Dave could tell was that the print was slightly darker than the original (which was actually a darkish gray and not black). The unboxing experience was a remarkable copy of the original too. The headphones came in the same kind of case (although the stitching felt slightly cheap), with the charging cable, and even the user manual. While the headphones looked practically indistinguishable (even the woven headband looked quite similar), they still had plastic cups, but were considerably weighty (Dave suspects pieces of metal inside to add weight).

Things got even more interesting when the fake $150 AirPods Max actually triggered a notification on Dave’s iPhone when brought near. The fakes were built to be so believably real, they even managed to fool the iPhone, which set up a pairing request when the knockoffs were brought near the device… although they were listed as ProMax on the iPhone instead of the AirPods Max. Unless you were actually looking for signs that these were fake, chances are you’d probably miss them… and here’s the funny part. They sounded fairly decent too, although if you’d heard the real AirPods Max before, you’d immediately be able to tell that the $150 fakes didn’t sound as good as Apple’s $550 originals.

So how do you really spot a real from a fake? The most telltale sign is to examine and inspect the product itself. The knockoffs almost always have a plastic construction as opposed to a metal one, and if you notice anything off like bad stitching, gaps between parts, creaking hinges, or slightly off colors, treat it as an immediate red flag. The fakes also wouldn’t sound the same or have any of the features like OTA updates, Spatial Audio, Find My, etc… although if you’re just discovering those, chances are you probably already bought the fake headphones.

So how do you really make sure you don’t fall for a cheap knockoff or a well-made fake? The answer’s simple, really. Just buy your product directly from Apple instead of hunting for deals on other sites like eBay or Craigslist. Oh, and a sureshot way to avoid fraud is staying away from shady Chinese wholesale websites!

Video Credits: Dave2D