Earphones evolve to suit your individual needs
Wireless earbuds have provided a hands-free way to do it all from talking to our digital assistant to controlling music.
Nowadays enjoying a podcast, a favourite album or taking calls is less frequently done directly through your phone. Wireless earphones have provided a hands-free way to do it all.
Today, we can use our tiny hearing devices to talk to our digital assistant, control music and keep us tangle-free. The cords are gone, and most new smartphones don’t have an option for the 3.5mm wired audio connection.
Fortunately, the biggest smartphone-makers are also producing the accessories we most desire. But earbuds are not all the same and there’s a difference in what each of the big tech companies offer.
-
Apple AirPods (from $249)
Adding millions of dollars to Apple’s revenue, the AirPods have been a major success.
They have two variations, with the Pro featuring noise-cancellation and tips to cater for different ear sizes.
The AirPods with the case can be used for more than 24 hours before requiring a recharge.
Recharging your AirPods, with the case, can be done through the normal lightning connection from your iPhone charger or using a wireless charger on specific models.
Usage of the AirPods is best suited to those using an Apple product as not all functions are so simple with an Android or Windows device.
The latest AirPods let you summon Siri by voice, offer faster pairing, and have a sensitive dual microphone for picking up your voice.
-
Samsung Galaxy Buds+ $299
The second version of the AKG-powered Samsung Buds are vastly better. They have a cleaner look than the AirPods, with no visible “stem” hanging from the ear.
A two-way speaker system contains a tweeter and woofer for improved audio consumption while three microphones work together, with beamforming, to tune out background noise so that you can be heard better during phone calls.
The Buds+ can last 11 hours before needing to be fully recharged in their case. You can control the Buds+ by tapping them. A single tap can play/pause your music, a double tap can skip a track or answer a call and a touch-and-hold tap can be customised to what action you’d like, including playing back a particular Spotify playlist.
While this is a Samsung product, they will work with any branded device, including Apple, and come with a free app to personalise their operation.
-
Google Pixel Buds 2 $275
While Google has been producing impressive smartphones to compete with the big brands, they’re also in our ears with their own buds.
The Pixel Buds have adaptive sound which adjusts the level of volume to suit the noise conditions you are in. Two microphones pick up that ambient sound and also listen for your Google Assistant commands. It’s like having a smart speaker in your ears.
Voice commands enable hands-free operation of your smartphone and your music as well as real-time language translation for when you’re travelling.
The Pixel Buds use “bone conduction” so that you can be heard even in high-wind situations. With the wireless charging case, Google promises 24 hours of use with the buds recharging in the wireless charging case. The buds are also sweat- and water-resistant.
Google Pixel Buds are compatible with Apple and other Bluetooth 4.0 compatible devices, so you won’t need to take them off often.
Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “Technology Uncorked” for new information each week.