Tag Archives: bose

Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are an absolute steal for $99

Posted on by

Wired earbuds are making a strong comeback for good reason. You don’t have to worry about charging the case, freak out about the buds dying from battery degradation over the years, or fear losing them in transit or dropping them by accident. Bose has realized how big the wired earbuds market is turning out to be over the last couple of years, and they’ve created a pair of ANC wired earbuds that’ll please music lovers like me.

Ever since the introduction of QC20 in the 2010s, the US-based audio brand has seen a lull of many years as far as tethered options go. Since true wireless earbuds first made their presence felt, wired earbuds have been sidelined for the sheer convenience of use. Now driven by the resurgence, as celebrities and Gen-Z endorse the novel idea, there is a renewed interest among audio fanatics for wired options. Bose has gone a level ahead with its new wired earbuds, as they offer what only a handful of trusted makers are offering – the ability to have active noise cancelling baked in.

Designer: Bose

Unlike the passive wired earbuds, these make more sense in audibly chaotic situations like on a flight, walking down a busy street, or noisy neighbours around the block. Simply called the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds (I just love that), they bring back the nostalgia with all the perks that come with tethered options like the in-line remote, and of course, the goodness of blocking out distracting noises with the QuietControl noise cancellation tech. Bose has chosen to go with the USB-C connectivity options, which makes logical sense for audiophiles who value high-quality audio.

Since we are talking Bose, the wearing comfort is top-notch with the three sizes of silicone eartips and a couple of stability wings. According to Bose, listeners can mix and match them to find the “fit that feels both comfortable and secure”. For taking calls, the inline remote has the usual three button controls – volume up, volume down, and the play/pause button in the middle. ANC comes courtesy of the two microphones on each bud, which constantly monitor the surroundings and provide adaptive noise cancelling. Like all TWS earbuds, the ANC can be toggled to Quiet Mode for full immersion, Aware Mode for being aware of the surroundings, and the ANC Off Mode to listen in the native state.


Sound quality is always on top of Bose’s priority list and these wired ANC earbuds are no different. They come with the proprietary Sound Design digital signal processing with support for lossless audio listening. The wired buds can output a fixed 24-bit/48kHz audio signal, which should sound crisp and layered. We also have to keep in mind the low-latency performance, which should make gaming and watching fast-paced action movies a whole lot better compared to TWS earbuds.

The only downside is the absence of a dedicated app control for the wired earbuds, which Bose should consider having, as they are a no-brainer. So, for now, the in-line mic handles all the controls. On the upside, you don’t have to worry about those distracting noises when the wire brushes against the clothing. The IPX4-rated earbuds are waterproof and dustproof against splashes and sweat, and come with a zippered carry case for easy carrying.

Arriving in three classy color options, the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds up for pre-order at $99 are worth the money. They are all set to ship on October 13, so you better pull the trigger before the stock runs dry, which I’m sure will be the case.

The post Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are an absolute steal for $99 first appeared on Yanko Design.

Poco F9 Ultra Review: Great Sound, Grown-Up Design

Posted on by

PROS:


  • Bose-tuned speaker remains a genuine standout

  • big , bright 185Hz display

  • Huge 8,050mAh battery

  • Great performance

CONS:


  • Relatively large and heavy body will not suit everyone

  • Ultrawide still does not feel especially wide

RATINGS:

AESTHETICS
ERGONOMICS
PERFORMANCE
SUSTAINABILITY / REPAIRABILITY
VALUE FOR MONEY

EDITOR'S QUOTE:

The F9 Ultra feels like Poco growing into its strengths, with Bose-tuned sound still leading the experience.

The Poco F8 Ultra felt like a turning point for Poco. Up to that point, the brand had always been easy to understand. You bought a Poco for speed, sharp pricing, and a bit of swagger. The F8 series added something new to that formula with Bose-tuned speakers, and that changed the feel of the phone in a way a faster chip or brighter screen usually does not.

It was not just about volume or clarity. The whole device felt more built around entertainment. Games had more punch, films had more room to breathe, and even everyday audio felt less like an afterthought. The denim-inspired rear panel helped give the F8 Ultra a bit of tactile identity too, even if the finish was more denim-adjacent than truly fabric-like, but the thing that stayed with you was the sound.

Designer: POCO

The Poco F9 Ultra takes that idea and pushes it further. Rather than treating the Bose-tuned system as a one-off flourish, Poco seems to be building on it with more confidence this time, wrapping that sound-first approach in a package that feels bigger, more polished, and more ambitious. If the F8 Ultra introduced a new side of Poco, the F9 Ultra feels like the phone that tries to make it stick.

Aesthetics

If the Poco F8 Ultra leaned young and fashionable, the Poco F9 Ultra leans sophisticated. It keeps the brand’s taste for visual confidence, but expresses it in a more restrained way, swapping tactile playfulness for cleaner lines, flatter surfaces, and a more polished sense of control.

That shift is obvious the moment you look at the back. The denim-inspired treatment from the F8 Ultra is gone, replaced by a finish that feels more metallic and more architectural. The overall silhouette is simpler, but it does not come across as plain. Instead, it feels like Poco has traded novelty for composure, letting shape and proportion do more of the work.

The camera island design remains largely the same as its predecessor, but it feels more resolved here. A large rectangular module sits across the top portion of the phone, housing three cameras and an LED flash in a neat 2 by 2 arrangement, with the speaker grille set off to the right. It is still a bold layout, but one that now feels less experimental and more like a defining part of the phone’s identity.

New to the F9 Ultra is a dynamic light ring built around the speaker grille. It supports personalized visual effects for incoming calls, games, and music. The effect itself appears to be fairly simple, closer to a clean white LED accent than anything overly flashy, but that may be exactly the point. It feels like Poco’s way of keeping a hint of gaming-phone energy alive without letting it overwhelm the more sophisticated direction of the design.

The two colors also tell slightly different stories. The Dark Cherry finish is the more expressive option, bringing warmth and a bit of drama without tipping into flashiness. The Black version feels more understated and technical, especially with the red side-button accent adding a small but effective point of contrast. Both work, but they speak to different moods. One is richer and more characterful, while the other is cooler and more controlled.

Ergonomics

That more sophisticated look does come with a more substantial physical presence. At 235g, the Poco F9 Ultra is about 15g heavier than the F8 Ultra, and you feel that extra weight immediately. It sits firmly on the heavier side, especially in one-handed use, where its size and mass are hard to ignore.

Its dimensions, 163.49 x 77.94 x 8.74mm, are broadly in line with its predecessor, so the overall footprint will feel familiar if you are coming from the older model. It is still a wide phone, though, and not the easiest to manage with one hand. The curved edges do help soften the grip and make it feel less severe than the numbers suggest, but this is still a device that feels more at home in two-handed use.

The matte finish does its part as well. It feels premium, pleasant to touch, and better at disguising smudges than a glossier surface would be. Add in the familiar button placement and unchanged in-display fingerprint scanner, and the F9 Ultra ends up feeling less like a phone you need to relearn and more like one you simply need to get used to carrying.

Performance

The F9 Ultra runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same flagship platform used in the F8 Ultra. Poco has also retained the VisionBoost D8, a dedicated chip aimed at improving gaming and video performance. In practice, that makes the F9 Ultra feel less like a leap in raw power and more like a refinement of an already capable performance formula.

The F9 Ultra pairs that gaming focus with a 6.9-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, and it is exactly the kind of panel you would want on a phone built around entertainment. It is large, sharp, and vibrant, with a refresh rate that gives the phone a clear performance edge in games that can actually take advantage of it. Outside of gaming, that same smoothness carries over into scrolling, animations, and general navigation, even if the practical difference becomes less dramatic in everyday use.

Brightness is another clear strength. Poco says this is the first global lineup to use the new M11 luminescent material, which helps the panel reach up to 4,500 nits in peak brightness and as high as 10,000 nits for HDR highlights. The numbers are extreme, but the more practical takeaway is that the screen stays very readable outdoors and gives bright scenes a stronger sense of punch and contrast without losing too much detail.

The F9 series is also Poco’s first to push to 185Hz, with support for 24 games running at a native 185fps. That sounds more dramatic than it always feels in practice, because the benefit depends heavily on the kind of game you are playing. In faster titles like Blood Strike, Crossfire: Legends, and Brawl Stars, the higher refresh rate does make a difference. Motion looks cleaner, visual updates come faster, and the game feels a little more immediate under your fingers. In slower games like Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, or Hearthstone, the gain is much smaller. You still get smoother animations and interface movement, but not the same kind of gameplay advantage.

In an hour-long session of Blood Strike at the highest graphic settings, the F9 Ultra was able to hold 185fps without any obvious frame drops. Just as importantly, it did not get uncomfortably hot, staying at around 40 degrees Celsius on the surface. There is clearly enough cooling here to keep performance from falling off over time, but the more important takeaway is that the phone stays consistent under load.

Main Camera, 1x

Portrait mode, Main Camera, 3.1x

The F9 Ultra is the second phone to come out of Poco’s partnership with Bose, which makes the collaboration feel less like a one-off experiment and more like part of the series identity. The Bose-tuned speaker system remains one of its most distinctive features, and also one of the easiest to appreciate in daily use. Poco says it has redesigned the acoustic port and upgraded the dual speakers for clearer sound and richer bass. It also keeps the sound profile presets and 10-band EQ introduced on the F8 Ultra, which means there is still plenty of room to tailor the sound to your liking.

Telephoto Camera, 5x

Telephoto Camera, 10x

In use, the speakers are easy to like. Just like the F8 Ultra, the F9 Ultra delivers some of the best smartphone audio you can get. The sound is fuller and more open than what most phones manage, with enough bass presence to give games, films, and music a bit more body. Dialogue comes through clearly, and the overall presentation feels less cramped than the average smartphone speaker setup.

Main Camera, 1x

Telephoto Camera, 5x

Telephoto Camera, 10x

The F9 Ultra upgrades the main camera from 50MP on the F8 Ultra to 200MP here, though the sensor itself is smaller, dropping from 1/1.31-inch to 1/1.56-inch. That makes it less a straightforward upgrade and more a different kind of tradeoff. The rest of the setup remains familiar, with a 50MP 5x telephoto, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 32MP front camera.

Poco has also made a subtle but useful change to the focal lengths. The F9 Ultra uses a 24mm-equivalent main camera and a 17mm-equivalent ultrawide, compared with 23mm and 18mm on the F8 Ultra. The shift is small, and the ultrawide still does not feel especially expansive, but the added separation between the two lenses makes the jump from main to ultrawide feel a little more purposeful.

Ultrawide Camera, 0.7x

Main Camera, 1x

Telephoto Camera, 10x

In use, the main camera captures photos with good detail, solid dynamic range, and vibrant color. The 5x telephoto is also capable, though it tends to produce images that look a bit more saturated and contrast-heavy. Video is solid too, with crisp footage and enough consistency to make the camera system feel dependable for everyday shooting.

Night Shot, Ultrawide Camera, 0.7x

Night Shot, Main Camera, 1x

Night Shot, Telephoto Camera, 5x

Night Shot, Telephoto Camera, 10x

Battery life remains one of the F9 Ultra’s biggest strengths. The 8,050mAh battery is enormous even by flagship standards, and it gives the phone a clear advantage in the kind of heavy use it is designed for. In my use, it was easy to stretch the phone across two days on a charge, which suits the F9 Ultra’s media-heavy, gaming-friendly character especially well.

Charging is just as capable, with 100W wired and 50W wireless support, plus 27W wired reverse charging and 22.5W wireless reverse charging. It is a battery setup that feels as well-rounded as the rest of the phone.

Sustainability

The F9 Ultra is not a phone that talks much about sustainability in the material-driven sense, but it does make a decent case for longevity. Its IP68 rating and Corning Gorilla Glass 7i should help it stand up to everyday wear, which is still one of the most practical ways a phone can stay useful for longer.

Poco also promises four major Android OS updates and six years of security patches, which gives the F9 Ultra a fairly credible long-term support story. That matters because software support plays a big role in whether a phone remains worth keeping. Poco may not be leading the conversation around recycled materials or repairability here, but the basics of durability and usable lifespan are in place.

Value

The F9 Ultra starts at $799 for the 12GB/256GB version, which puts it $70 above the F8 Ultra. That is still an increase, but not an especially aggressive one in the current climate, where similar phones have seen price jumps closer to $100. Some of that restraint may come from Poco reusing the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 platform, which likely helped balance out the rising cost of RAM and other components.

As an upgrade, though, the case is less convincing. If you already have the F8 Ultra, moving to the F9 Ultra does not make a lot of sense unless you specifically want the new design, the 185Hz display, or the 200MP main camera. As a fresh buy, however, it remains one of the best affordable flagship-level phones around. Poco may be edging upward in price, but it still knows how to deliver a lot of phone for the money.

Verdict

The Poco F9 Ultra feels like Poco settling into a formula that actually works. The design is more mature, the gaming side is still strong, and the Bose-tuned speakers remain one of the best reasons to care about the series in the first place. Add the huge battery and the 185Hz display, and you end up with a phone that feels very sure of what it wants to be.

If you already have the F8 Ultra, I do not think this is the upgrade to chase. The older phone is still good enough that the differences here feel more iterative than urgent. But if you are buying fresh, the F9 Ultra is still one of the better affordable flagship-level phones around, especially if you care as much about sound and gaming as you do about the usual specs.

The post Poco F9 Ultra Review: Great Sound, Grown-Up Design first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bose Ultra Open 2nd Gen and Sport Open spice-up the clip-on earbuds options

Posted on by

After almost two years of a lull, Bose has finally released a new version of the Ultra Open Earbuds, along with a new pair of fitness-focused open earbuds. While I’m still a sucker for ANC earbuds that isolate me from the ambient world for deep focus moments, Bose’s new Open earbuds are tempting enough to consider for my walks and outdoor activities.

The hardware for the second-generation Open Ultra has been updated for better audio, while the all-new Sports Open Earbuds explore new territory for hardcore active individuals who trust the brand with their audio requirements. Both these open-ear audio accessories take on the competition with a strong set of specifications, features, and pricing to keep everyone interested.

Designer: Bose

The timing of this release is perfect, as the open-ear earbuds are trending amongst individuals who need to be aware of the environment and, more importantly, suffer from occlusion triggered by ANC earbuds. Sure, those buds have transparency mode for situations where you need to hear what’s happening around, but the open-ear options are ideal for runners, cyclists, or public transport users. The two of them will support Bluetooth 5.4 multipoint connectivity for two devices and Google Fast Pair. Both these open-ear buds will be available for pre-order from 19 September, and available from October 1 in Black and White Smoke along with other respective limited edition colors.

Ultra Open Earbuds 2nd Gen

The flagship Ultra Open Earbuds arrive in the second generation to create “more listening moments across active pursuits and everyday life.” The buds are reengineered with better drivers to deliver deeper bass and a higher volume compared to the outgoing version. This has been the major complaint of existing users, and Bose has listened to the feedback and delivered the fix. The look and feel of the buds have been upgraded as they get a refined metallic cap with a beveled finish, while the case also benefits from a renewed design that makes them stand upright. As a welcome addition, the case is now wireless charging compatible. On the buds, you’ll now get 9 hours of battery life, with an additional 19.5 hours on the case. The buds support quick charge to deliver two hours of playback with just 10 minutes of quick charge.

High-quality audio is the main USP, as the open-ear buds get the aptX Adaptive codec and Snapdragon Sound support. For a better calling experience, the buds benefit from the Speech Clarity tech to adjust the listening volume automatically based on the environmental noise. Of course, this is AI-driven to smoothly transition the volume step. For those who love to watch movies and shows in surround sound, there is the Cinema mode that employs Bose’ TrueSpatial tech to envelope you in a 3D sound capsule. Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) will arrive in limited-edition Olive Green, Cherry Chocolate, and Sky Pink colors for $299.

Sport Open Earbuds

The new kid on the block is the Bose Sport Open Earbuds, which are designed for a secure fit and rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance. Compared to the big brother, these clip-on earbuds sport a more roundish hinge to stay in place even with the most rigorous activities like playing sports, running, or working out in the gym. According to Bose, the Sport Open Earbuds stay in place even with headshakes, cartwheels, and other activities.” For these open-ear wireless earbuds, Bose has opted for the tactile physical buttons since fiddling for touch controls is not practical.

For a sportier design, the earbuds get a translucent case lid that is textured for better grip. Each of the buds weighs 10 grams for all-day wearing comfort and touts 7 hours of listening time, with 29 hours total with the case. The Sport Open Earbuds will be available for $199 in limited-edition Eucalyptus Green, along with the aforementioned color options.

The post Bose Ultra Open 2nd Gen and Sport Open spice-up the clip-on earbuds options first appeared on Yanko Design.

Skullcandy’s $280 Headphones Pack A Subwoofer For Your Skull, And A Knob To Control How Hard It Hits

Posted on by

Everyone is obsessed with making gadgets sleeker, flatter, and more touch sensitive these days. So naturally, Skullcandy looked at that trend and said, nah, let us put a knob on it. The new Crusher 1080 ANC headphones (with sound by Bose) have an honest to goodness rotary dial sitting right on the ear cup, and it might be the single best design decision on the whole product.

Turning that dial controls the Crusher Bass feature, which is Skullcandy’s way of saying we built a subwoofer into your headphones. Twist it one way for a light rumble, twist it the other way and your skull becomes part of the sound system. It is a small, satisfying, slightly ridiculous piece of hardware, and after years of swiping at touch panels that never quite register your finger, it feels like coming up for air.

Designer: Skullcandy

Click Here to Buy Now

Bose headphones are great. They are also expensive enough to make you wince a little at checkout. So when Skullcandy rolled up with a pair of headphones that borrow actual Bose tech, including its noise canceling and audio engine, and slapped a $280 price on them, it got my attention fast. That is $170 cheaper than Bose’s own flagship, for tech with the Bose name stamped right on it. Whether the sound quality actually holds up against the real deal is a separate question, but on paper, this is a genuinely aggressive move.

Bose’s fingerprints have their way of showing up everywhere else as well. QuietControl active noise canceling uses six microphones to quiet the outside world, TrueSpatial creates a wider, more speaker like soundstage with head tracking, and the WaveForm audio engine keeps things clear even at high volume. There is also Personal Sound tech from Mimi, which builds a hearing profile tailored to you rather than relying on a generic preset. Toss in Bose-assisted call clarity and custom EQ modes, and Skullcandy is clearly betting that borrowed expertise beats going it alone.

The everyday stuff is handled well too. Automatic wear detection pauses your audio the second you take the headphones off, a low latency mode keeps games in sync, and the onboard buttons can be remapped to whatever functions you actually use. Battery life comes in at 60 hours with ANC off and 50 with it on, and a 10 minute charge buys you another 4 hours of playtime. The one number that raises an eyebrow is weight. At just over 13 ounces, these are noticeably heavier than rivals like the Sony XM6 or Bose’s own QuietComfort Ultra, the price you may pay for packing in all that bass hardware.

None of this guarantees the 1080 ANC will beat Bose or Sony at their own game, and we will not know for sure until these are actually strapped to some ears. But Skullcandy is not really trying to win a spec sheet fight here. It is selling a headphone with a genuine identity, one built around a feeling rather than a feature list, with a knob you can grab and twist like it is 1985. In a market full of interchangeable slabs of black plastic, that alone makes the Crusher 1080 ANC worth a second look.

Click Here to Buy Now

The post Skullcandy’s $280 Headphones Pack A Subwoofer For Your Skull, And A Knob To Control How Hard It Hits first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bose Just Revived Its Lifestyle Speaker for $299, Minus the Wires

Posted on by

For most people, getting serious audio at home eventually turns into a tradeoff. Multi-speaker surround setups demand wiring, dedicated gear, and more floor space than a typical room can spare. Smart speakers simplified things, but the best-sounding options tend to carry steep price tags, and the more affordable ones rarely fill a room with the kind of sound that actually does the music justice. That gap has stayed stubbornly open.

Bose thinks it has the answer, and it’s reviving a celebrated name to prove it. The Lifestyle brand, first introduced in 1990 and discontinued in 2022, is back with a collection that treats audio quality and refined design as inseparable. Leading that return is the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, a compact wireless unit wrapped in knit fabric that sits unobtrusively on any shelf while delivering sound that’s anything but understated.

Designer: Bose

The secret to that sound lies in the speaker’s three-driver configuration. Two front-facing drivers handle the direct output, while a third fires upward, bouncing sound off the ceiling to create a sense of height and space that a single forward-pointing speaker simply can’t achieve. Bose calls this TrueSpatial Technology, and it works alongside CleanBass, which uses QuietPort acoustics to produce bass that’s deep, controlled, and free of distortion.

That flexibility extends to how the speaker fits into different setups. On its own, it works as a capable standalone smart speaker. Pair two of them together, and you’ve got a genuine stereo setup. Add the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar and Lifestyle Ultra Subwoofer, also part of the new collection, and it takes on rear-channel duties in what becomes a full 7.1.4 surround system, no wires snaking across the floor required.

Getting music onto it isn’t complicated. The speaker supports Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect, so you can stick with whatever app you already use without adapting to a proprietary system. Bluetooth 5.3 is also on board, and a 3.5mm aux input handles wired sources like a turntable. Alexa+ serves as the built-in voice assistant, with on-device touch controls and a radial volume slider for quick adjustments.

One of the more practical touches is CustomTune, a calibration feature that uses your phone’s microphone to listen to the acoustics of whichever room the speaker is in. It accounts for furniture placement and room size, automatically adjusting the output without requiring any manual tweaking on your end. For even more placement options, an optional wall bracket priced at $69 and a floor stand at $149 are both available separately.

The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker starts at $299 in Black or White Smoke, with the limited-edition Driftwood Sand colorway priced at $349. The full Lifestyle Collection, including the Ultra Soundbar at $1,099 and Ultra Subwoofer at $899, is available to preorder now and ships on May 15. It can start small on a single shelf and gradually take over your entire home audio setup without ever looking like it doesn’t belong.

The post Bose Just Revived Its Lifestyle Speaker for $299, Minus the Wires first appeared on Yanko Design.

Motorola’s Bose-Tuned Speaker Automatically Follows You Room to Room

Posted on by

Bluetooth speakers have largely solved the portability problem and mostly failed the living room one. They tend to look like gym equipment that wandered indoors, sit awkwardly on a shelf, and demand a ritual of reconnecting whenever you walk back in the door. The moto sound flow, Motorola’s first portable speaker and the newest addition to the moto things lineup, takes a different angle on all three of those frustrations.

The design makes the first impression. Two Pantone-curated colorways, Carbon and Warm Taupe, wrap the cylindrical body in a twill-textured fabric finish that reads more like a decorative object than consumer electronics. It’s the kind of thing you’d leave on the coffee table without thinking twice, which is precisely the point. Motorola calls it “crafted to be seen and tuned to be heard,” and for once, the marketing copy isn’t entirely hollow.

Designer: Motorola

The hardware inside includes a dedicated woofer, tweeter, and dual passive radiators, producing a 30W output tuned through Motorola’s Sound by Bose partnership. That collaboration, which also appears in the razr fold, applies Bose’s EQ expertise for balanced, detailed sound rather than the bass-heavy thump most compact speakers default to. A companion app also lets you adjust the equalizer to your own taste, available on both Android and iOS.

The moto sound flow also distinguishes itself in terms of connectivity. Beyond Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, AirPlay, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect, the speaker uses UWB technology to do something more interesting. Walk close to it with a compatible phone, and it picks up your audio automatically, no tapping required. Run two units together, and Room Shift reroutes music to whichever speaker is nearest, while Dynamic Stereo adjusts left and right channels based on where your phone sits between them.

Those UWB features do carry a fine print worth reading. They require a compatible Android 9 or later phone with UWB enabled, so iPhones and older Android devices don’t qualify. The speaker still works over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for everyone else, but Room Shift and Dynamic Stereo, the parts that make the pitch most compelling, are locked behind a hardware requirement many buyers won’t check before purchase.

The 6,000 mAh battery covers long listening sessions, and the IP67 rating makes outdoor or poolside use fair game. A dock handles charging instead of a cable, which keeps things tidy. Four built-in microphones manage speakerphone calls. Starting at €199, the moto sound flow enters a competitive space where JBL, Sonos, and Bose already have devoted followings, each with years of speaker-only focus behind them.

The post Motorola’s Bose-Tuned Speaker Automatically Follows You Room to Room first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bose Sound Spin portable speaker is disguised as a miniature front-loading washing machine

Posted on by

Portable speakers come in all types, sizes and themes but never before have I laid my eyes on one that looks like a front-loading washing machine. Only possible in the concept design world realm, this Bose branded portable speaker is a true conversation starter in any geeky den.

The intriguing design of this compact sound blaster tickles my fancy for its ingenuity in the placement of the different elements. Most definitely, you’ll start to see all those front-loading washing machines as a huge speaker once you lay your eyes on this concept. However, in reality all the button placements and speaker components are designed in a way that they seem like the perfect amalgam of portable audio equipment and a miniature washer for your undergarments.

Designer: Hari 3D

Although there is no detailed information about this concept’s development stage, there’s a picture at the end suggesting a prototype or a display model is indeed crafted by the designer. Dressed in a cool titanium grey finish, the portable speaker is a treat to watch if you are an audiophile who appreciates modern product design. The front of this cool gadget has all the audio telemetry to show the player controls on the touchscreen display along with the volume rocker knob, power button and play/pause buttons. On the left bottom side there’s the Bass actualizer knob.

To the front lies the subwoofer and on each side are the stereo speakers to beam quality sound. Wireless connectivity should be a given on this one, since no one in 2024 would buy a portable speaker without that option. Frankly speaking, this portable speaker would rock your desk setup as well. Folks over at Bose would also be keenly viewing this design language if they want to add something on these lines to their existing line-up.

The post Bose Sound Spin portable speaker is disguised as a miniature front-loading washing machine first appeared on Yanko Design.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds x Kith collab are fashion conscious pair of clip-on-buds that are glasses friendly

Posted on by

Open-fit earbuds have tickled the fancy of music listeners who don’t want those intrusive in-ear buds shoved in their ear canals all day long. The likes of Shokz OpenFit, 1More Fit S50, Soundpeats RunFree and Sony LinkBuds are good options for people who want a fashion-first, active lifestyle without any ear itches. Bose was the first major brand to release the Sport Open wireless earbuds back in 2021 but phased them out in just one year due to a lack of popularity.

While Bose has a good stronghold on the market with the Quite Comfort earbuds when it comes to ANC performance, they still want to take another chance with the rising trend of open earbuds. We saw a glimpse of that in the shape of Ultra Open earbuds (something like the Huawei FreeClip earbuds) spotted at CES 2024 and now the audio accessory is official.

Designer: Bose and Kith

They’ve launched the buds in collaboration with Kith, a fashion and lifestyle brand founded by Ronnie Fieg. Bose also created a version of the QuietComfort Earbuds II in close quarters with singer Normani, but this collaborative effort goes much deeper. It’s the start of a loṇg stint with Ronnie who’ll now be the creative consultant for integrating fashion, culture and sound to develop interesting audio products.

The open-style pair of buds have a very distinct design with a clip-on configuration that’s not at all intrusive if you wear glasses or want to sport sunglasses on a sunbaked day. The cuff-shaped buds hook onto the outer ear for all-day-long comfort wear and beam audio into the ear canal without disturbing others in your vicinity or compromising environment awareness in busy streets. The two sections of the earbuds – speaker on the inside and battery on the outside – are joined together by a flexible joint for easy on-and-off fit for active individuals.

The earbuds are being pitched as a “breakthrough audio wearable” for enjoying music while “still hearing the world around you.” The technical specifications are scanty at this time and all that is known is that they have 7.5 hours of playback time, Bose Immersive Audio and water resistance. As you can see they have a very prominent Kith branding on each of the buds and charging case as well, with the font done in Bose styling.

Kith edition Bose Ultra Open Earbuds will be available to buy in the US and Europe starting 22 January for a price of $300. These buds will come in limited numbers and it’ll be interesting to see if Bose releases a more mainstream version in the coming months.

The post Bose Ultra Open Earbuds x Kith collab are fashion conscious pair of clip-on-buds that are glasses friendly first appeared on Yanko Design.

Marine-inspired Bose earbuds boast stemless design and fin tips for secure fit

Posted on by

Premium wireless earbuds have gained popularity in the last couple of years due to their practical design, excellent ANC and non-compromised audio comparable to IEMs. The current top-of-the-line options are the Sony WF-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 and Jabra Elite 10.

Talking of the Active Noise Cancellation feature, Bose is at the top of the tree. The earbuds also score high when it comes to comfort. The stem design of the TWS earbuds makes it a direct competitor for the Apple AirPods Pro 2 which are the best option for users deep rooted in the Apple ecosystem. So, how about a refreshing design for Bose earbuds that ditches the stem shape for a more conventional shape without compromising a secure fit?

Designer: Anant Vijay

This concept design for Bose earbuds not only peps up the available options but also lures in buyers who ditch QuietComfort Earbuds II for the stem design. Inspired by underwater creatures and marine life, the audio accessory is designed to deliver sublime audio and a unique user experience. But excellent sound delivery is nothing to talk about if the comfort level is compromised. For that reason, these Bose earbuds come with ear tip fins for a secure seal. Thus, you can take them to the gym, swimming pool, or morning runs without worrying about them falling off or getting loose.

Waterproof and dustproof aesthetics bring another level of security to a buyer who’s spending well to get premium features. The choice of colors for the buds is also inspired by the marine colors, and I absolutely love the choice. The nozzle of the buds is narrower than you would otherwise find on Bose earbuds signifying a shift towards warmer sound signature with emphasis on low sub bass.

Depending on the audio drivers installed on these Bose buds, one can expect big sound coming from that housing. Could we expect this to be a future design language for the Bose premium earbuds? That could be the case if Bose wants to have stemless buds also in its lineup.

The post Marine-inspired Bose earbuds boast stemless design and fin tips for secure fit first appeared on Yanko Design.