All posts in “tech”

9 of the Most Important Photography Gadgets That Came Out This Year

While 2020 hasn’t been a great year for traveling, there have been plenty of great camera and photography releases that will help you capture the moment when you can get back on the road again. Here are the highlights.

Moment Magsafe Camera Accessories

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Moment is probably the best-known gadget manufacturer of smartphone photography accessories, and it just released a MagSafe case for the iPhone 12 along with a host of MagSafe accessories, including tripod, a light, microphone, a car vent and even a wall attachment.

The case starts at $20.

Price: $20+

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Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1

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The Instax Square SQ1, on the other hand, shoots 2.5-inch square photos that offer way more in terms of lasting appeal as an actual photograph, and an aspect ratio that’s second nature to any Instagrammer. The Square SQ1 (and its film) are a bit more expensive than the Mini, but it’s worth it for pictures that are more “photo” than “gimmick.”

Price: $120

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Peak Design Travel Tripod

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The Peak Design Travel Tripod can be purchased in two different constructions: carbon fiber or aluminum alloy. The carbon fiber model is lighter and significantly more expensive, but both models weigh less than four pounds but can handle up to 20 pounds of camera. Also, both models will work with both DSLR or mirrorless cameras; a smartphone mount is also included. The Travel Tripod has latches to extend the legs instead of traditional twist locks, which makes it quicker to set up. It has a quick-release button that makes attaching and removing a camera fast and easy. And there are small levers that let you spread the legs wide for low-angle photos.

Price: $350+

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iPhone 12 Pro Max

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The iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max both have triple rear-camera systems consisting of wide (main), ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. The ultra-wide lens is the exact same on both smartphones, but the Pro Max has superior wide and telephoto cameras. Specifically, the Pro Max’s wide lens has much larger sensor — 47-percent larger, to be exact — which allows it to take better photos in low-light situations. And the Pro Max has a longer telephoto lenses (2.5x vs 2x) with slightly better optical zoom (5x vs 4x range) and digital zoom (up to 12x vs up to 10x).

Price: $1,099+

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Nikon Z 5

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the Z5 is primarily notable for two things in combination: sensor size and price. At a list price of $1,399 (body only), the Nikon Z5 is not the cheapest mirrorless full frame camera available. Options like the Canon RP (which you can find for about $899 these days) and various pre-owned or older-model options of various higher-end bodies have it beat. Not to mention you always could get a DSLR. But the Z5’s suite of features and general performance make it an especially enticing gateway drug for potential crop sensor converts. And maybe more crucially, a sign of things to come.

Price: $1,197+

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Olympus OM-D E-M1 MKIII

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The E-M1 Mark III, the product of more than a decade of refinement throughout the OM-D lineage, shows just how myopic that pixel-peeping perspective can be. Cribbing a suite of professional-grade features from the bulkier, pricier, awkward-ier E-M1x and squeezing them into the E-M1 line’s tight, tidy body, Olympus has put together a package that carries its 20.4MP sensor (and matching suite of affordable, portable Micro Four Thirds lenses) so much further than any inveterate spec nerd would ever expect them to go. It’s just a shame Olympus went and sold off its camera division.

Price: $1,399+

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Sony Alpha 7c

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The A7C is the smallest and lightest full-frame interchangeable lens cameras that the company has ever created. Combined with its big 24-megapixel full-frame sensor, the Sony A7C looks poised to put some real pressure on the APS-C compact cameras (including Sony’s own A6400). The Sony A7C looks to be a smart repackaging of the A7III. Although you’re most likely going to need a lens like f/2.8 or faster to that full frame advantage. Pair it with a 50mm f/1.4, and it A7C could make an awesome travel camera.

Price: $1,798+

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Canon R5

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Canon’s new flagship juggernaut is a best-in-class beast, and earned its spot on Gear Patrol’s GP100 because of it. Its new 45-megapixel full-frame sensor captures stunningly high-quality, high-resolution photos at speeds of up to 20 frames per second, with awesome autofocus and excellent ergonomics. The guinea pig for Canon’s new in-body image stabilization, the R5 can offer up to eight stops of stabilization under optimal circumstances and with compatible lenses.

Price: $3,899+

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Leica SL2-S

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In a move reminiscent of the Canon EOS R6, Nikon Z6 or Sony A7s, Leica has announced a lower resolution, lower cost version of the stellar SL2 that manages to incorporate some killer specs. A stabilized 24-megapixel backside illuminated sensor (down from 47 in the SL2) allows excellent low-light performance and 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 video capture up to 30fps (soon to be 60 with a coming firmware update). Another small news-bit that comes with the SL2-S’s announcement: the SL series (as well as the bonkers, medium-format S3) are now supported in Capture One – industry standard software for many pros.

Price: $4,895+

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These Apple Cases Are Everything We’ve Wanted and More

If you own an iPhone, Apple Watch or AirPods (or all of them), it can be tough to find a case for each of your devices that is streamlined and color-matched. That’s why RhinoShield designed a series of modular cases to make this task easier. Each case is built out of separate components, offering customization and flexibility, as well as allowing the cases to stay slim and sleek. Simply swap out any part of your case with different colors or designs, making it easy for your devices to match your own personal style. Choose from hundreds of case designs or personalize it with your own pictures or text. But customization is nothing without protection, which is why all RhinoShield cases are military-grade and offer a lifetime warranty. Plus, you can take $10 off when you pair a screen protector with a case. On top of that you can use the code GP10 at checkout for an extra 10 percent off, and get free shipping on orders over $40.

While the Mod NX is not available for Android, RhinoShield offers plenty of options for flagship Android devices.

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    The Best Phono Preamps Under $100

    An external phono preamp is the most upgradable component in any entry-level turntable system. It’s small and relatively affordable, and it’s flexible enough to work in most systems. The job of the phono preamp is to take the weak signal from the phono cartridge and amplify it so your speakers can play it at a reasonable volume. The best phono preamps not only amplify this signal but equalize it — staying true to the RIAA playback equalization curve — so that it sounds as true to the original recording as possible.

    Many entry-level turntables have integrated phono preamps, which allows you to hook the speaker directly up to powered speakers, a receiver or a powered amplifier. The problem is that these phono preamps are often cheap and more susceptible to vibrations and distortions since they’re close to the turntable’s other components. The good news that most of these built-in phono preamps can be turned off or bypassed, which allows you to upgrade to an external phono preamp.

    An “entry-level” phono preamp is going to cost between $50 and $100. According to Charlie Randall, the co-CEO of the McIntosh Group, the phono preamp should take up about 20-percent of your system’s entire budget, meaning that if you’re buying a phono preamp that costs around $100, the rest of your turntable system shouldn’t cost much more than $500. If you have a higher-end system, you should upgrade to a higher-quality phono preamp.

    Higher-quality phono preamps are better at equalizing the audio, boosting the lowest frequencies and attenuating the higher ones, but they also come with more advanced features, like having built-in DACs or inputs, and being compatible with turntables that use either a MM or MC cartridge. An entry-level phono preamp isn’t going to have those features, but your entry-level system doesn’t it to. It just needs it to make your records sound better. (It doesn’t hurt if it looks pretty next to your turntable, either.)

    Pro-Ject Phono Box DC

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    Best All-Around

    You can think of Pro-Ject’s Phono Box DC a higher-end version of the company’s Phono Box E. It’s still a fairly simple entry-level phono preamp, but it’s compatible with both MM and MC cartridges, meaning it’ll work with basically any turntable.

    Compatibility: MM and MC
    Gain: 40dB (MM) or 60dB (MC)

    Price: $99

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    Schiit Mani

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    Best Upgrade

    Schiit Audio is one of our favorite makers of cheap-but-good audio equipment and even though the Mani doesn’t fall under the $100 limit — consider this the upgrade pick. It’s compatible with MM and MC cartridges, has four switchable gain modes, and is designed and built in California. You can also choose the finish: silver or black.

    Compatibility: MM, MC
    Gain: (30, 42, 47 and 59dB)

    Price: $129

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    ART DJPRE II

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    Best Budget

    This phono preamp gives listeners a surprising amount of control over their sound. It has a gain control knob with a dedicated signal/peak LED, so it can work with a wide range of amplifiers. The capacitance can be switched between 100pF and 200pF, which you can fine-tune depending on your phono cartridge response. And there’s a low cut rumble filter that you can turn on or off, too. This customizability is great for tinkerers, but maybe not for somebody who wants a simple plug-and-play option.

    Compatibility: MM
    Gain: 45dB (max)

    Price: $55

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    Rolls VP29 (Turntable Lab Edition)

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    The Rolls VP29 is one of the most popular entry-level options you can buy. It’s a small, easy-to-use phono preamp that’s made in the USA. A neat feature is that it has a 3.5mm jack so you can easily connect it to any pair of powered speakers. The VP29 can be purchased in fire truck red for around $49 — here — or you can opt for a special edition version, which is a collaboration between Rolls and Turntable Lab, an New York City hi-fi shop, for a little more but it’s a more elegant phono preamp (in my opinion).

    Compatibility: MM
    Gain: 42dB

    Price: $65

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    Pro-Ject Phono Box E

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    The Phono Box E is a bespoke entry-level phono preamp that pushes well above its weight. It has a number of features to minimize external distortion, such as an SMD construction and built-in internal shielding, which means that it can sit right next to the turntable. This is an excellent plug-and-play phono preamp that’s compatible with MM cartridges. It works well with Pro-Ject’s vast lineup of affordable turntables.

    Compatibility: MM
    Gain: 40dB

    Price: $69+

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    Fluance PA10

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    This is the only phono preamp that the Fluance makes and it’s optimized to be paired with the company’s reference line (RT82-RT85) of turntables. It can work really any turntable that features an MM cartridge. It’s also a good option to pair with a receiver or AV receiver that doesn’t a built-in phono preamp.

    Compatibility: MM
    Gain: 38dB

    Price: $80

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    Music Hall Mini

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    Music Hall is one of the most well-known names in American hi-fi. Its Mini phono preamp is compatible with both MM and MC cartridges. It’s a solid plug-and-play option for most entry-level systems, and it also has a 3.5mm jack so you can simply connect to a pair of powered bookshelf speakers.

    Compatibility: MM and MC
    Gain: 35dB

    Price: $80

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    U-Turn Pluto

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    The Pluto has been one of the best plug-and-play phono preamps for years. It combines high-end circuitry with components to deliver a warm, balanced sound. And it’s compatible with MM cartridges, so it’ll work with the most affordable turntables.

    Compatibility: MM
    Gain: 36dB

    Price: $99

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    The Best Wireless Earbuds for 2021 – Which Is Right for You?

    The first true wireless earbuds date back to 2014, but it was the release of Apple’s AirPods in 2016 that really fired them into the mainstream. True wireless means that there isn’t any kind of cord tethering the two earbuds together, as opposed to just wireless earphones like the Powerbeats3 Wireless or Google’s original Pixel Buds, and they are the next natural progression of wireless earbuds. Fewer and fewer people want wires of any type, and it’s as simple as that.

    Apple’s AirPods set the benchmark for wireless earbuds, but the market has moved far beyond them now. Here are all the best options for 2021

    Apple AirPods Pro

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    Best All-Around

    The AirPods Pro are Apple’s first wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation. They’re also upgraded in a lot of other ways compared to the entry-level AirPods. The “Pro” wireless earbuds have a new design with silicone eartips, so they should stay in your ears better. They have upgraded drivers and support more immersive technologies, such as spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, so they sound noticeably better. And they’re water-resistant, which AirPods are not, so they’re actually a better option if you plan on working out in them. If you have an iPhone, the AirPods Pro are simply the best wireless earbuds you can buy.

    Read our full review of the AirPods Pro, here.

    Released: October 2019

    Price: $249 $200

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    Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

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    Best Upgrade

    The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds — also referred to as the QC Earbuds — are the company’s first noise-canceling earbuds. They’re also, frankly, our pick for the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds that you can buy. They do a slightly better job at blocking out ambient sounds than the Sony WF-1000XM3 and AirPods Pro, and they also sound excellent. They only real downside is that they’re pretty expensive. They’re also fairly big wireless earbuds.

    Released: September 2020

    Price: $280

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    Cambridge Audio Melomania 1

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    Best Budget

    Cambridge Audio is a British hi-fi company that’s best known for high-end (and expensive) audio components, so it sort of surprised people when it announced a pair of true wireless earbuds. But thankfully they did because they’re some of the best sounding wireless earbuds you can buy. They lack a lot features like noise-cancellation and USB-C charging (they charge via micro-USB instead), but for under $100, you can’t really go wrong.

    Released: July 2019

    Price: $80

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    Bose Sport Earbuds

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    The Bose Sport Earbuds are wireless sport earbuds that are smaller and sleeker versions of Bose’s previous wireless earbuds, the SoundSport Free. Each earbud has up to five hours of battery life, with a charging case that provides up to 10 extra hours. They don’t have active noise-cancellation like the company’s QuietComfort Earbuds, but they fit, feel and sound very similar. As before, the only real downside is that they’re physically larger than most other wireless earbuds.

    Released: September 2020

    Price: $180 $160

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    Jaybird Vista

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    Jaybird

    The Vista wireless earbuds were specifically designed for endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners, trail runners, mountain bikers and other extreme athletes, but really they’re a great option for anybody who listens to music while working out. They’re fully waterproof and sweatproof, and they’re some of the smallest and lightest earbuds that we’ve tested. The neat thing about the charging case is, other than being super compact, is that it conveniently charges via USB-C and can quickly charge the earbuds. In our opinion, the Vista are better wireless earbuds for running than the Beats Powerbeats Pro because they’re more reliable (no connectivity issues), cheaper, lighter, and more rugged.

    Read our full review of the Jaybird Vista, here.

    Released: Summer 2019

    Price: $180 $150

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    Sennheiser Momentum TW 2

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    Sennheiser’s first-generation wireless earbuds, the original Momentum TWs, have been one of our favorite wireless earbuds for the last couple years. With the Momentum TW 2, Sennheiser basically made them better in just the right ways. They also doubled the battery life and added active noise-cancellation, without compromising audio quality — these are the creme de la cream. The only downside? They’re very expensive. They’re a good option for anybody looking for the some of the best-sounding wireless earbuds you can buy.

    Released: Early 2020

    Price: $300

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    Sony WF-1000XM3

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    The Sony WF-1000XM3 are the true wireless versions of the company’s hugely-popular WH-1000XM3 noise-canceling headphones. And, frankly, they’re some of the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds you can buy. Since they’ve been around for longer than more options, like the AirPods Pro and Bose QC Earbuds, the nice thing is that the Sony WF-1000XM3 is usually discounted, meaning you can pick up a pair for substainly cheaper than a lot of other noise-canceling earbuds.

    Read our full review of the Sony WF-1000XM3, here.

    Released: July 2019

    Price: $230 $158

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    Powerbeats Pro

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    The Powerbeats Pro combine the design, sweat-resistance and sound of Beats’s wireless sport earbuds, the Powerbeats3 Wireless, with the true wireless-ness and functionality of Apple’s second-generation AirPods. If you own an iPhone and AirPods don’t fit in your ears, or you just want sweatproof alternatives to AirPods, these are exactly what you want.

    Read our full review of the Powerbeats Pro, here.

    Released: May 2019

    Price: $250 $170

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    Google Pixel Buds

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    Google’s second-generation Pixel Buds are exactly what Pixel owners have deserved for years: wireless earbuds that work well and easily pair with all Pixel and Android devices (no opening Bluetooth settings required). They have intuitive touch controls and premium features that only Google could deliver, like a conversation mode integrated with Google Translate. Additionally, they have an earwing design and IPX4 water-resistance rating, so they make a great workout partner. The only real downside? No active noise cancellation.

    Read our full review of the Google Pixel Buds, here.

    Released: April 2020

    Price: $179 $159

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    Sony WF-SP800N

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    The WF-SP800N are Sony’s mid-range wireless earbuds. They have active noise-cancellation similar to the company’s high-end WF-1000XM3 (they even use the same companion app), but they’re also designed as workout earbuds thanks to their earwing design and IP55 water-resistance rating. The compromise, which also makes them more affordable, is that the WF-SP800N lack the same QN1e processor as the WF-1000XM3, so they don’t sound as good or have the same noise-canceling abilities.

    Read our full review of the Sony WF-SP800N, here.

    Released: May 2020

    Price: $200 $148

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    Sony WF-XB700

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    The Sony WF-XB700 is the company’s most affordable and most entry-level pair of wireless earbuds. They share a similar sound to Sony WF-SP800N, but lack any of the features (such as noise-cancellation and transparency modes). They also don’t work with Sony’s companion app so there’s no way of adjusting the EQ. The Sony WF-XB700 are a good option for anybody who wants wireless earbuds with Sony’s sound and hardware, but don’t want to break the bank. Think of these as a great budget alternative to Apple’s AirPods.

    Read our full review of the Sony XB700, here.

    Released: April 2020

    Price: $129 $63

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    Master & Dynamic MW07 (Plus and Go)

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    Gear Patrol

    The MW07 Plus and the MW07 Go are Master & Dynamic’s second-generation wireless earbuds. The MW07 Plus look essentially identical to the company’s original MW07, so they’re still made of acetate, but they add active noise-cancellation and three times the battery life. If you want wireless earbuds that are luxurious and sound excellent, the MW07 Plus are great. The MW07 Go are the company’s more affordable and more sport-focused wireless earbuds. They’re made of an ultra-durable TR90 composite instead of acetate, which helps them be 15-percent smaller and lighter than the MW07 Plus. They’re also more water- and sweat-resistant.

    Read our full review of the Master & Dynamic MW07, here, as well as the updates on the MW07 Plus and Go, here.

    Released: Late 2019

    Price: $299 (Plus); $199 (Go)

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    Apple AirPods

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    The second-generation AirPods look identically to the ones that were released in 2016, and they work almost exactly the same way — but they up the ante in quite a few ways. With the new H1 chip, they pair faster, have better battery life and better mics. And they support “Hey Siri” voice commands, so you don’t need to push any button to activate the voice assistant. Apple now offers the option of a wireless charging case, as long as you’re willing to pay a little extra. Unlike AirPods Pro, these entry-level AirPods lack noise-canceling and transparency modes; they also lack support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. That said, if you have an iPhone these are by-far-and-away the best true wireless earbuds you can buy.

    Read our full review of the Apple AirPods (2nd-Generation), here.

    Released: March 2019

    Price: $159; $199 (with wireless charging case)

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    Jabra Elite 85t

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    The Elite 85t are Jabra’s flagship wireless earbuds and they build off the groundwork set by the their excellent predecessors, the Elite 75t and the Elite 65t. They look and fit every similar, but the Elite 85t have a few design adjustments to make them a tad more comfortable. The biggest upgrade is that the Elite 85t add active noise-cancellation. (It’s true that Jabra has rolled out a software update to both the Elite 75t and the Elite 65t that adds active noise-cancellation, but there’s isn’t as powerful.) The Elite 85t sound slightly better, too. The only tradeoff (besides cost) is that these premium earbuds have a IPX4 rating, which is bit of a dip from the Elite 75t’s IP55 rating.

    Released: October 2020

    Price: $230 $200

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    Jabra Elite 75t

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    The Jabra Elite 75t wireless earbuds still one of our favorite AirPods alternatives. They have a great battery life and support USB-C charging. They also have active noise-cancellation thanks to a software update that Jabra rolled out in late 2020. In a nut shell, they’re solid wireless earbuds that boast excellent sound and call quality, and they’re pretty sweat- and water-resistant.

    Read our full review of the Jabra Elite 75t, here.

    Released: November 2019

    Price: $180 $120

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    1More True Wireless ANC

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    1More is an audio company that specializes in hi-fi headphones at affordable prices. The True Wireless ANC are its first pair of wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation. The interesting thing about them, other than price, is that each earbud has two drivers, a dynamic driver and a balanced armature driver, that helps them sound very good. They’re a solid option for people looking for noise-canceling wireless earbuds, that are more affordable than the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM3 and Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus.

    Read our full review of the 1More True Wireless ANC, here.

    Released: February 2020

    Price: $200 $150

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    Amazon Echo Buds

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    Amazon’s first wireless earbuds are built with Bose’s “active noise-reduction” technology. It’s not as powerful as the technology that Bose built into its own QC Earbuds, but it still does a good at blocking out high frequencies. The Echo Buds sound decent, too. The main downside is that they feel more plastic-y and cheaper than most other wireless earbuds. They also charge via micro-USB. Still, they are a great option for anybody who wants wireless earbuds that’s sound and noise-canceling skills are impressive, especially given their very affordable price.

    Read our full review of the Echo Buds, here.

    Released: October 2019

    Price: $130 $80

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    WHOOP: The Personal Trainer of Fitness Trackers

    Fitness trackers are great for monitoring progress and build better habits, but they’re not all created equal. If you want to best, you want WHOOP. The WHOOP Strap 3.0 is a lightweight, waterproof and sleek…

    The post WHOOP: The Personal Trainer of Fitness Trackers first appeared on Cool Material.

    How to Back Up Your Entire Computer

    Welcome to Product Support, a column devoted to helping you get the most out of the gadgets and software you already use.

    You might back up a series of folders regularly with standard cloud storage services, but rarely your entire computer at once. When backing up your entire computer to the cloud, every photo, music file, app, download, setting, folder and personal document needs to be saved in case something happens to your machine. It can be a lot to tackle, but thanks to a host of services you should be able to set things up once and not have to worry again.

    So why back up to the cloud in the first place? The list of advantages goes on and on, but the most important ones are that you can access your data anywhere and you can’t physically lose it. (Nonetheless, it’s best to pair your cloud backup with an external hard drive just to have a failsafe.) When backed up to the cloud, all your data is encrypted, uploaded, and downloaded to servers somewhere far away from your own computer. That’s the biggest advantage, really: peace of mind.

    Google Drive

    Easiest to Use

    Whether on your phone, computer, or tablet, Google Drive can be accessed via the web or their app no matter your brand or type of device. Google’s full computer backup services are very affordable, with storage pricing as follows: 15 GB for free or 100 GB for $2/month (or $20/year. Pricing continues up to 2 TB for $10/month.

    To get started: Download the Google Drive desktop app (now referred to as Backup and Sync). Once you’re logged in (and assuming you have the space), your computer will begin backing up everything, from your applications to your system files, to Drive. Note that this is separate from “My Drive” within the site, which is still used for your own manual file backup. Note that both My Drive storage and your overall computer backup count towards the amount of storage you’ve paid for.

    To restore: Navigate to the Google Drive website via any internet browser and download your most recent computer backup. The Computers tab on the left hand side of the main screen has everything you need. Once you download your backup, your computer will have all the files it used to.

    LEARN MORE

    BackBlaze

    Best for Cloud-Only

    BackBlaze is a simple backup system because it only offers one plan. You can back up as much data as you want from one computer — only one. Their pricing, as a result, is as follows: $6/month, $60/year, or $110 for two years. One unique feature BackBlaze offers is its “Restore by Mail” program. BackBlaze will mail you a hard drive of all your files: up to 4TB for $189, or up to 256GB for $99. If you return your drive within 30 days, they will refund your account. For the money, you could buy your own drive and perform backups regularly yourself, but if you don’t want the headache, then the mailed drive program is certainly useful.

    To get started: Visit the BackBlaze website, where you can explore a 15-day free trial, or sign up if you know Backblaze will fit your needs. After creating an account, follow the prompts on the site to download the desktop application and start backing up.

    To restore: Access all your files via the “Restore Options” button within the BackBlaze application. You can decide if you want to use their Restore by Mail hard drive program, or simply download all of your data to your computer on the spot.

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    Time Machine

    Best for Local Backup for Mac

    Time Machine is Apple’s built-in backup service, so if you’re primarily a Mac user, this service is a very easy option. Time Machine excels as a service because it backs up your computer (music, personal folders, downloads, apps) and your personal user settings, making it very easy to make a new computer feel extra familiar when restoring from a backup. For extra safety though, you’ll want to pair local backups with an offsite copy as well.

    To get started: Lucky for you, Time Machine comes pre-installed on every Mac. Time Machine will prompt you the first time you plug an external drive into your computer; alternatively, you can set it up from your System Preferences. Time Machine will back up your computer every hour, day, week and month. When the drive is full, the oldest backups will be removed automatically.

    To restore: Access Time Machine via the menu bar at the top of your screen, or through System Preferences. Once inside, you can scroll through all previous backups and simply choose which one you’d like to restore.

    LEARN MORE

    Windows Local Backup

    Best for Local Backup for PC

    Backing up data on Windows is a straightforward process where your files, system settings, and user preferences will all be saved in one disc image. This is perfect if you need to restore your computer to the point right before things went south. In conjunction with a cloud backup service, this is one of the easiest options for Windows users.

    To get started: If you’re using Windows, you’ll use File History. You can find it in the system settings of your PC by searching for it in the taskbar. Once you’re in the menu, click “Add a Drive” and pick your external hard drive. Follow the prompts and your PC will back up every hour — simple.

    To restore: From the control panel, find System and Maintenance, and then click on Backup and Restore. Click on Restore My Files. From there, you’ll be walked through the prompts to recover your files from a previous backup.

    LEARN MORE

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    The Ultimate Audio Setup for Every Type of Listener

    The perfect audio setup is a thing of beauty. Not just as it relates to the sweet smooth sound filling your ears, but visually as well. It’s a piece of art, something that acts as a focal point in any room, in any size home. But picking the right setup for your listening needs can be a challenge. Maybe you find yourself looking for a plug and play hi-fi streaming option, for listening to lossless files from services like Tidal and Qobuz. Or maybe you have an extensive record collection, and want to do justice to the wax with a high quality audio system. Or maybe you’re space-limited, and reside, like many of us, in a small apartment and need something that doesn’t take up space in your already small footprint.

    Whatever the case, it’s imperative — if you’re as serious about audiophile-quality sound as we are — that you take every component in your system into account. Sure, speakers are important and need not be overlooked. But they are just one piece in the larger puzzle. To help guide you to exactly what you need, no matter what your listening needs are, we worked with some of the top providers of hi-fi audio equipment on the market. The result is four setups worthy of even the most discerning audiophiles’ ears.

    About the Brands

    McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.: McIntosh products are both designed and handcrafted at its Binghamton, NY factory. The company was founded in 1949, and is known for crafting some of the finest home audio systems to deliver an unparalleled listening experience.

    Sonus faber: Based in Italy, Sonus faber handcrafts some of the finest speakers available utilizing natural materials such as wood and leather. The company was founded in 1983 by Franco Serblin, when he created an all-in-one system entirely made in solid wood.

    Pro-Ject: Pro-Ject was founded in 1991 by Heinz Lichtenegger, one of Austria’s leading high-end audio distributors, on the premise that high-end analog audio equipment could be made at a reasonable price without compromising build quality or sonic performance.

    Michi (Rotel): Michi is a flagship series of products built on the history and heritage of Rotel. The line represents over 55 years of experience from Rotel — a family owned company founded in 1961.

    Apartment Dweller

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    project
    sonus

    For an audiophile apartment dweller, picking the perfect setup is imperative. Every piece in your system must be carefully considered when space is at a premium. For an attractive yet affordable setup that doesn’t sacrifice on performance, look to a high-quality turntable and integrated amplifier with a DAC from Pro-Ject Audio Systems and a set of bookshelf speakers made in Italy from Sonus faber. With those three pieces, you’d be hard-pressed to find your ears wanting more.

    Speakers: Lumina 1 by Sonus faber $899

    Integrated Amplifier: MaiA DS2 by Pro-Ject $1,299

    Turntable: Debut Carbon Evo by Pro-Ject $499


    Analog Aficionado

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    mcintosh
    mcintosh
    mcintosh

    In the age of digital everything, experiencing the physical practice of removing a record from its dust sleeve, placing it on the platter of a turntable, dropping the stylus and listening to the visceral notes of an album the way its performer intended can be as therapeutic as anything else. Doing so with the best analog audio equipment that money can buy takes that experience and serves it up over ice in a fine crystal glass. One album played on this setup, with power and inputs crafted by the geniuses at McIntosh Laboratory, Inc paired with Sonus faber’s handmade Olympica Nova II speakers, will ruin other audio experiences for you.

    Turntable: MT5 by McIntosh $7,000

    Pre Amp: C2700 by McIntosh $7,000

    Speakers: OLYMPICA NOVA II by Sonus faber $10,000

    Tube Power Amps: MC275 by McIntosh $6,000

    CD Player: MCD600 by McIntosh $7,500

    Power Controller: MPC1500 by McIntosh $5,500

    Room Correction: MEN220 by McIntosh $5,500


    Streaming Enthusiast

    mcintosh
    mcintosh
    mcintosh
    mcintosh

    If you often find yourself streaming high-quality lossless audio files, it’s a waste of time to do so with a subpar system. For a top-tier setup, look to a combination of components from Pro-Ject, Sonus faber and Michi. The combination was designed to render each note as the artist intended. At the center of the system is the STREAMBOX S2 Ultra from Pro-Ject, which brings network connectivity to audio components that wouldn’t otherwise have the capability. On the other end of the streamer is the sleek and modern Michi X3 integrated amplifier, which offers an ample amount of power (350 watts per channel). Power like this on tap will control demanding speakers with ease.

    Streamer: STREAMBOX S2 Ultra by Pro-Ject $849

    Integrated Amp: Michi X3 by Rotel $4,999

    Speakers + Stands: Sonetto 2 by Sonus faber $2,499

    Turntable: X1 (Walnut) by Pro-Ject $999


    Expert

    mcintosh

    Gear Patrol Studios

    mcintosh
    mcintosh
    mcintosh
    mcintosh

    The top of the line. The best audio equipment available to consumers. If money were no object, this is the system we’d listen to every single day. Anchored by Sonus faber’s Il Cremonese reference level speakers, which are painstakingly handmade in Italy, this setup doesn’t get any better.

    The speakers are paired with the first of its kind McIntosh MC901 hybrid power amplifier, which is a dual-mono design and incorporates a 300-watt vacuum tube amplifier and a 600-watt solid state amplifier into one chassis. This amp spares no expense and will undoubtedly be a showstopper in any room.

    This system covers all the bases with a high performance digital to analog converter and a turntable worthy of your coveted vinyl collection — the McIntosh MT10. It’s a precision turntable with a thick acrylic illuminated platter that will be sure to bring out the best of any record in your collection.

    Speakers: Il Cremonese by Sonus faber $50,000

    Hybrid Power Amp: MC901 (Pair) by McIntosh $35,000

    Tube Preamp: C22 MK V by McIntosh $6,000

    Digital Preamp (DAC): D1100 by McIntosh $8,000

    SACD/CD Transport: MCT500 by McIntosh $5,000

    Turntable: MT10 by McIntosh $11,000

    Handmade Audio Racks: by Bassocontinuo Learn More: Here

    6 New Tech Products That Should Be on Your Radar This Week

    Christmas is just around the corner and yet new products are still getting announced. Some of the highlights include Definitive Technology’s tiny new Dolby Atmos system and Amazon’s new fitness band available for purchase. Wyze also announced what might be the perfect cheap smart plug to control your outdoor holiday lights… next year. Check out the other new products below.

    Amazon Halo

    best new tech

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    Amazon’s new fitness tracker, the Halo Band, was announced back in the summer — but it just became available for purchase this week. The bespoke wearable is able to track the usual fitness metrics, like step tracking, calories burned , heart rate and sleep. It also, working with the Halo app and a monthly subscription, is able to measure body fat percentage and attempt to judge your emotional state.

    Price: $100

    BUY NOW

    Wyze Plug Outdoor

    best new tech

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    Wyze announced what is the cheapest outdoor smart plug you can buy — it costs just $10. It’s a dual-outlet plug that has physical buttons that allow you to control it, if you don’t want to open the Wyze app or ask Alexa or Google Assistant to turn in on/off. If you want to control your outdoor holiday lights with your voice, this is a great and cheap smart plug to consider.

    Price: $10

    BUY NOW

    Nomad Leather Sleeve for MacBook Air/Pro

    best new tech

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    If you’re in the market for a genuine leather sleeve for your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air (or any 13-inch or 16-inch laptop, really), Nomad just released exactly that. At $200 it’s fairly expensive, but it’ll last you years and patina over time.

    Price: $200

    BUY NOW

    Plugable TBT3-UDC3

    best new tech

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    Plugable makes a variety of different Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C docking stations that are designed to take your work-from-home station to the next level. The company’s newest addition, the aptly named Plugable TBT3-UDC3, is an upgrade version of its popular TBT3-UDC1 docking station. The new model charges your laptop at a higher wattage (now up to 100 watts), works with both HDMI and DisplayPort monitors, and has two USB-C ports for data transfer.

    Price: $219

    BUY NOW

    Definitive Technology Studio 3D Mini

    best new tech

    Courtesy

    Definitive Technology makes some of the best soundbars you can buy. Its latest creation, the Studio 3D Mini, is beautiful and tiny soundbar and subwoofer system that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive technologies, as well as AirPlay 2.It’s a great option for people looking for a great-sounding soundbar system that doesn’t take up a lot of space. It’ll be available in January.

    Price: $899

    BUY NOW

    HyperDrive 60W USB-C Power Hub for Nintendo Switch

    best new tech

    Courtesy

    This is a USB-C hub for anybody who works and plays on their external 4K or HD monitor. In addition to working like any other USB-C hub, powering your laptop and other gadgets while also supporting an external display, but it also is compatible with a Nintendo Switch. You can simply connect your Nintendo Switch and it’ll play on your monitor. You don’t even need your Nintendo Switch’s dock.

    Price: $100

    BUY NOW

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    Syng Cell Alpha Smart Speakers

    If you’re looking for the best-of-the-best when it comes to an integrated home audio experience, there aren’t many better options than what’s available from former Apple, HomePod and Nest engineers / designers. Which brings us…

    The post Syng Cell Alpha Smart Speakers first appeared on Cool Material.

    MAXOAK BLUETTI AC200P Portable Power Station

    MAXOAK knows that the holiday season brings families together as they celebrate Christmas or the New Year. That during these times, it is always important to have all party needs taken care of e.g., food, drinks, lights, electricity, etc. That’s why MAXOAK wants you to be ready before any power outage ruins the holiday cheer. They have come up with an even bigger reason to enjoy the festivities with the new BLUETTI AC200P.

    The BLUETTI AC200P takes inspiration from the success of its predecessor, the AC200. It comes packed with all the goodness found in the former. The difference is the built-in battery capacity. The AC200P has a whopping 2000Wh of power, which is more than enough to charge any big and small home appliances.

    More Power, More Charges 

    This is a portable power station that packs 2000 watts of pure sine-wave AC inverter for a cleaner output and ideal for use with today’s modern tools. There are six AC outlets that can handle heavy jobs and power up big appliances. These include microwave ovens, window-type air conditioners, LED TVs, CPAP machines, heaters, refrigerators, induction cookers, and more. It can even charge electric vehicles.

    In perspective, a 2000W battery can power up laptops 26 times, run a CPAP machine for 40 hours, and an air conditioner for over an hour. It takes 29 hours to keep a 7Cu freezer running and gives nearly an hour of use on an induction cooker and hairdryer.

    Moreover, the BLUETTI AC200P comes with a LifePO4 battery cell. This means you’re guaranteed over 3500 cycle time before the capacity degrades to 80 percent.

    Efficient Power Charging Station

    The BLUETTI AC200P packs an amazing 17 charging options that allow simultaneous charging. Outside of the six AC outlets, you have two 12V ports (25A and 10A) one to power an RV and the other to light a cigarette. There are also two 12V/3A ports, a 60W USB-C power delivery (PD), and four USB-A ports.

    The remaining two are for the 15W wireless pad ideal to use with Qi-enabled devices. This product even supports simultaneous charging and discharging.

    Safe and Secure

    MAXOAK takes pride in providing customers with a portable power station that is not only efficient but also safe. The BLUETTI AC200P, like with its predecessor, packs protection to keep it running smoothly. This way you get peace of mind from short circuits or power surges.

    This device uses high-tech battery management systems that ensure a safe operation anytime and any day. It has protection for overheating, short-circuits, overvoltage, overcurrent, and more. The LCD touchscreen displays real-time power usage, voltage, and temperature, and charging status. This way you know when it’s time to fill it up with juice.

    Moreover, a temperature-activated fan keeps the device cool when it reaches 45℃. This is another way to protect it from overheating.

    Off-Grid Ready

    As for refueling the BLUETTI AC200P, you have three options: solar, AC outlet, and car output. You can charge it via your car’s 24V/12V port although it’ll take roughly 10 hours, max 20 hours to get a full charge.

    Meanwhile, it takes five hours for a full charge using one 400W AC adapter and three hours via a dual AC adapter. The fastest way is through the AC+PV (solar input 700W) which takes just 2.5 hours.

    The BLUETTI AC200P is your off-grid power solution. It is solar-power ready with its built-in PV 700W/35-150V and an MPPT technology. Solar charging under this option takes about 3.5 hours for a full battery.

    Compact, Quiet, and Eco-Friendly

    The BLUETTI AC200P operates silently so you don’t wake up in your sleep when using a CPAP machine. It also does not disturb the neighbors during a power outage. Best of all, unlike gasoline-powered generators, this machine does not reek of gas.

    As for its size, it is compact enough, at 16.5 x 11 x 15.2 inches, to place on your bedside table, carry in your car, or bring along in your outdoor adventure. It weighs 60.6 pounds and offers two side handlebars for convenience in carrying. Just like other premium power stations from MAXOAK, the BLUETTI AC200P is robust, stylish, modern, and worthy to flaunt about at home or the outdoors.

    For a limited time offer, from Christmas to New Year’s Day only, MAXOAK is offering up to $250 OFF on their power stations. The BLUETTI EB240, with a 2400Wh battery capacity, now retails for $1649. That’s $250 OFF from its original price of $1899.99 and you can get it HERE.  You also get $200 OFF when you purchase the BLUETTI AC200P before the holiday ends.

    Get the BLUETTI AC200P at $200 OFF: Here

    If you would like your product reviewed and featured on Men’s Gear as well as its vast social media channels, e-mail Joe@mensgear.net

    Our Most Shopped Tech and Audio Guides of 2020

    Whether it’s building up the living sound system, tricking out the home office, or eyeing up a film camera for when it’s finally safe to get out of the house, GP readers have been finding ways to make the most out of an unsual year. These are the buying guides you shopped the most this year.

    best vintage film cameras gear patrol lead full

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    These 24 cult vintage shooters will help you find your creative eye, set you apart from the shutterbug crowd and still produce photos that’ll make your (less talented) friends and family envious.

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    sonos system gear patrol lead full

    Henry Phillips

    Sonos has been synonymous with wireless speakers for more than a decade. The company basically invented the multi-room category of home audio, starting as a software company in the early 2000s before integrating its Wi-Fi-enabled network into hardware a few years later. Here is everything you need to know about its latest, best-in-class offerings.

    LEARN MORE

    cellphone sanitize gear patrol full lead

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    You probably aren’t cleaning your smartphone as often as you should. Fortunately, there are devices that specialize in sanitizing your smartphone and other gadgets for you. Instead of using disinfectant or some other liquid to kill your harmful bacteria and germs, they use UV light.

    LEARN MORE

    jaybird vista gear patrol

    Jaybird

    Not all headphones work for running or exercising, even if they are wireless. If you have a pair that isn’t sweatproof, there’s a good chance they’ll die on you. And if they don’t fit your ears, well, they’re probably not going to stay in, either. Sport headphones add a new dimension to your workout. So if you often find yourself lifting weights, running on the roads or trails, or doing a total body workout, it’s time to swap out your basic buds for a pair that goes the extra mile.

    LEARN MORE

    turntable setups gear patrol lead full

    Chase Pellerin

    While true that traditional turntable setups have a lot of moving parts, that’s the nature of the beast — if not vinyl’s main allure. There’s also an easy workaround. These days, a bunch of turntables and speaker systems come with integrated components (like a phono preamplifier or amplifier) and they make listening to vinyl as hassle-free.

    LEARN MORE

    best wireless earbuds of 2020 gear patrol lead full

    Chandler Bondurant

    This definitive guide to the best wireless earbuds of 2020 explores everything you need to know before buying your next pair of wireless earbuds, including what to look out for and which options are best.

    LEARN MORE

    moment magsafe accessories

    Moment

    One of the best things about all the new iPhones is Apple’s new MagSafe charging system. In addition to improving charging, MagSafe opens up the door for whole new ecosystem of the accessories that work with the new iPhone models. Apple has already released a number of MagSafe cases, chargers and event a minimalist wallet. But more and more third-party makers are coming out with MagSafe accessories of their own. Here are the best so far.

    LEARN MORE

    essential iphone cases of 2020 gear patrol lead full

    Peel

    When choosing a case for your iPhone, there is no clear-cut “best overall” winner. A lot of it depends on you and how you use and treat your iPhone. Do you want a super-thin case so that your iPhone fits nicely in your pocket? What about a case that add some extra protection? Or do you want a case that doubles your iPhone’s battery life? To make things easier, we’ve picked the best iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro cases in a number of different categories.

    LEARN MORE

    best apple desk setups gear patrol lead full

    Gear Patrol

    No two people work alike — our vocation and habits make sure of that. What most of us can relate to, though, is the need to curate our home or office workstations the way we want. And we’re all dipping our hands into the same pool of devices — computer, mouse, keyboard and speakers — and hoping the right mix will allow us to become our most productive, efficient and creative self. So what to choose?

    LEARN MORE

    streaming services gear patrol lead full

    .

    We’ve rounded up the most popular streaming services (including movies, shows and music) and what free trials they are currently offering. That way you can try something out without having to hand over your hard-earned dough.

    LEARN MORE

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    How to Make a Custom Watch Face for Your Apple Watch

    Welcome to Product Support, a column devoted to helping you get the most out of the gadgets and software you already use.

    When Apple rolled out watchOS 7, the latest software update for the Apple Watchit also introduced some pretty powerful tools that allow you to customize how your Apple Watch’s watch face looks. It allows you to add “complications” from some of your favorite and most-used apps — both Apple and third-party apps — so that they appear right on your watch face and can quickly access them. And if you like somebody else’s custom watch face, or they like your’s, you can easily share watch faces with each other, too.

    If you have Series 1 or Series 2, it unfortunately doesn’t support watchOS 7. You have to have an Apple Watch that’s a Series 3 or later to access these features.

    There are many different apps that support the new complications for the Apple Watch. These include some of Apple’s own apps, such as Stocks, Weather, News or Podcasts, as well as popular third-apps such as Wikiloc (for hiking), DarkSky (for weather), Snoww (for skiing) and GoSUP (for paddle boarding).

    To customize you Apple Watch’s watch face, there are two ways of doing it. You can do it right on your Apple Watch, or you can do on your iPhone by using the Apple Watch app. Here’s how to do both.

    How to customize complications (on your Apple Watch)

    • Long-press on your Apple Watch’s current watch face.
    • Swipe to the watch face that you want to customize.
    • Before selecting the watch face, tap Edit.
    • You now have free range to add extra complications.

      How to customize complications (on your iPhone)

      • Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
      • Tap My Watch and select the watch face you want to customize.
      • Scroll down to Complications and edit as you see fit.

        To search for more customize watch face templates, we suggest searching for one via the Face Gallery on your iPhone’s Apple Watch app. Once you’ve selected a new watch face, you can easily add whichever complications you like. (Here’s a complete list of complications that you can add to your watch face.)

        How to share customize complications

        Once you have a custom watch face for your Apple Watch, you can easily share it with a friend:

        • Long-press on the watch face you want to share.
        • Select the “share” icon that’s next to Edit.
        • Select Add Contact and select the person you want to share the watch with.
        • Tap Send.
        • The recipient just has to open the text, email or link that was sent to them, and tap Add.

          LEARN MORE

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    Change the way you take measurements with the ROLLOVA

    When you’re dealing with precision, just eyeballing measurements is not really the best way to go about it. Sure, with years of experience, some folks can practically estimate the numbers. However, when a project demands accuracy, one might want to invest in tools to make their job easier. We want to share our thoughts on the ROLLOVA and what makes it a better alternative over your standard instruments.

    Although traditional options are still available, you can take the next step and allow cutting-edge technology to take difficulties out of the equation. This is where the ROLLOVA rolls in (pun intended) to give us something remarkably portable.

    This cool replacement for your old-school trusty ruler or measuring tape comes from the team at HOZO Design. The company introduced the world’s first compact digital rolling ruler – the ROLLOVA — in 2018. Instead of completely reworking the original, the team is making improvements to its functionality and quality. Full optimization allows users to benefit from the reliable performance and versatility it brings to the table.

    “At HOZO DESIGN STUDIO, we pride ourselves on our steadfast dedication to ensuring every single one of our projects is completed with our clients in mind. Below, you can see samples showcasing several of our latest launched products and conceptual designs,” stated the manufacturer.

    They continued with: “Most of our projects are designed to disrupt an aspect of technology in a specific way. While some are launched, live, and available to the public, others remain in the conceptual stage. waiting for the break of day.” Therefore, you can expect to get a top-notch device that promises a unique convenience that’s up to the task.”

    Design and build quality

    What we love about the ROLLOVA aside from its ability to measure more than just straight lines is the top-notch construction. What we have here is not a run-of-the-mill cheap plastic gadget that you can find in a hardware store bargain bin somewhere. Instead, it boasts a robust body crafted out of 7075 aluminum alloy that measures 2 inches in diameter and 0.5 inches thick.

    As you can see, this is very pocketable which adds to its charm. To enhance its durability, you have 304 stainless-steel on both of its flanks that definitely gives it a stylish vibe. Moreover, the matte finish looks classy and the metal feels noticeably premium. The rest of the assembly is nylon plastic, while the outer ring is silicone rubber.

    The material properties of the latter and the ribbed texture provides excellent grip on almost any surface. This keeps the ROLLOVA from slipping when in use no matter what angle and direction you need it to go. The Designer Edition flaunts an elegant gold/black colorway, while the regular version comes in silver/black. Meanwhile, HOZO Design even throws in a fancy leather case to protect your device.

    Technical Specs

    To view measurements, the ROLLOVA sports a 128 x 64-resolution, 1.3-inch OLED display (white for the Designer Edition, blue for the standard). It sits behind a perforated stainless-steel array that lines perfectly with each pixel.

    Measurements are calculated using the ALPS sensor and advanced algorithms processed by the onboard OVA2.0 STM32 chip. HOZO Design claims it is 60% more accurate, 25% more power-efficient, and 37% more powerful than its predecessor.

    On the opposite end is a single button right in the middle of the removable stainless-steel cover. Just twist it to unlock and you can access the two CR1632 button cell batteries. This gives the ROLLOVA at least two years of standby time. Finally, its memory can save up to 99 measurements.

    Measuring with the ROLLOVA

    Not only is HOZO Design banking on aesthetics to sell its products, but Its likewise promoting a futuristic approach. To start, just lineup up the marker on the edge of the item you want to measure, press the button and drag it across.

    The display should show the measurements in centimeters or inches depending on how you have it set up. Just release the button once you reach the end for the final reading. For corners, you can press the button once or twice to offset the radius or diameter of the ROLLOVA.

    Key takeaways

    It might seem that we are only highlighting all the good stuff about HOZO Design’s latest gadget. Nevertheless, we also need to point out some of the caveats we noticed. For example, unlike a retractable tape measure, the ROLLOVA is limited to how far your hands can reach. Another gripe we have is the need to keep the button pressed while measuring.

    As much as we want to complain about the aforementioned areas for improvement, we found the ROLLOVA impressive. Furthermore, we want to praise the concept behind it which is refreshing compared to what the market currently has to offer. It is handy, lightweight, accurate, and most of all, fun.

    Check out more from HOZO Design

    If you would like your product reviewed and featured on Men’s Gear as well as its vast social media channels, e-mail Joe@mensgear.net

    Apple’s Fitness+ Is a Breeze to Use — And It Really Kicked My Ass

    Along with its latest breed of Apple Watches, Apple announced Apple Fitness+ earlier this year, a subscription service featuring workout videos — in a variety of lengths, difficulties and types of exercises — led by world-class instructors and which use your Apple Watch to monitor your workout. Now, it’s finally available, and after a few days with it and can say that it really kicked my ass. (At least some of the workouts, anyway).

    Before the pandemic, I was never one to go to the gym or take workout classes. But I’m not inactive! I go for outdoor runs several times a week and occasionally do a stint on a decade-old exercise bike. And the Apple Watch has always been a companion for those workouts.

    Fitness+ gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizons a bit. Knowing too well that whichever workout videos I started were bound to leave me sore from exercising underused muscle groups, I dove in with beginner-level classes. These short workout classes which ranged between 10 and 20 minutes helped me “graduate” to moderate classes. It culminated in a 30-minute cycling workout that I did with Tyrell Desean, which left me drenched with sweat and pretty exhausted.

    fitness plus

    Apple

    The experience goes like this: choose your workout within the Fitness app on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, and you then feel a haptic buzz on your Apple Watch and can start the workout class. During the workout, your Apple Watch acts as your remote; you can quickly pause and play your workout with a single touch. Also, because it’s designed for the Apple Watch, all the workouts can be tracked and are designed to help you close your Activity rings.

    And that’s the thing with Fitness+: You need to have an Apple Watch (Series 3 or newer). If you don’t have an Apple Watch, you can’t even sign up for a subscription. You also need an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, so you can actually watch the workout videos. The Apple Watch shows your heart rate and calories burned on the screen while you’re working out so you can see how you’re doing. (Although Fitness+ doesn’t really give you much context in terms of what your heart rate data actually means during the workout. )

    fitness

    Tucker Bowe

    Fitness+ gives you the option to select a number of different types of workouts. There are HIIT, core, strength, dance and yoga workouts, most of which don’t require any extra equipment (although the more advanced strength and core workouts use some free weights). There are also treadmill, cycling and rowing workouts for people who have those larger pieces of equipment on hand. Once you select the type of workout you want to do, you then choose the exact workout based on difficulty or length. You can filter the workouts by instructors and/or the type of music you want to listen to, too.

    fitness plus

    Apple

    Ultimately, the Fitness+ experience is pretty intuitive and straightforward. That’s because online workout classes have been popular for years, be it cycling with Peloton or yoga with Glo, and Apple hasn’t exactly reinvented the wheel with Fitness+. The only real difference is that Fitness+ was designed to work extremely well with Apple devices, the ones you presumably already have.

    Apple integrated a few other things into Fitness+ that are pretty convenient. For example, you can download workouts to your iPhone or iPad so that, if you’re traveling, you don’t need a steady Wi-Fi connection to get your workout fix. If you’re visiting a friend and they have an Apple TV, you actually do a workout on their TV even if they don’t subscribe to Fitness+, which is pretty neat. Also, if you like the music playlist — there’s a different one for each workout — you can save it (or just a song) and open it in Apple Music later.

    You can also share your Fitness+ subscription with up to five other family members (for a total of six total people including yourself). This, of course, requires that everybody in your family has their own Apple Watch. It also more or less requires that you likely have an Apple TV, unless your family is really into doing workouts on iPhones and iPads. I haven’t been able to test this yet, but Apple claims that your Apple TV will be able to detect which Apple Watch is close by and then let you select your individual profile.

    Of course, I’m not somebody who aggressively works out and I haven’t taken the more advanced classes that Fitness+ has to offer — I’ve only been testing the service for less than a week. What I can say is that it’s been fun and, at times, very challenging. And despite the incredible enthusiasm and yoga instructions of Dustin Brown and Molly Fox, my body just can’t bend in those ways. At least not yet.

    Apple Fitness+ costs $9.99/month or $79.99/year, and the first month is free. Also, if you’ve bought a new Apple Watch this fall (September 15 or later) or are planning to buy one, the first three months of the subscription are free.

    Price: $9.99/month or $79.99/year

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    Apple Airpod Max Impressions: Here’s What Immediately Jumps Out

    I’ve only had my hands on the AirPods Max, Apple’s new over-ear headphones, for about 24, but there are a few things about them that stand out fresh out of the box. Yes, they sound awesome; they deliver a rich and deep soundstage. But at $549 and with so much competition from the likes of Sony and Bose, the AirPods Max still have a lot to live up to.

    Here are some initial thoughts I’ve had after a day with the AirPods Max.

    Watch this video–and follow for more–on Gear Patrol’s Instagram.

    They definitely feel premium.

    A lot has been made about the price of the AirPods Max and part of it is justified. At $549, the AirPods Max are substantially more expensive than their main competition, the Bose Headphones 700 and Sony WH-1000XM4, both of which you can buy for around $300 if you hunt for not-infrequent deals. And while the AirPods Max certainlly are excellent at first blush, I can’t say that the sound quality and noise canceling is better — especially $250 better — than the Bose and Sony alternatives.

    Of course the AirPods Max are not necessarily attempting to compete purely in terms of dollar-to-performance. And there are a lot of wireless headphones by the likes of Sennheiser and Bowers & Wilkins that cost just as much (and more) than the Apple’s new headphones. And like its more luxurious counterparts, AirPods Max definitely feel and look nicer than $300 headphones.

    That premium build may come with its drawbacks though. The earcups are made entirely of stainless steel — not plastic — so they can get pretty cold if outside. It was well-below freezing yesterday in New Jersey and these headphones were startlingly cold out of the box. It’s going to be interesting to see if wearing these outside in the cold actually work like earmuffs or the opposite.

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    Tucker Bowe

    They work just like AirPods Pro, almost.

    The AirPods Max are integrated with the same H1 chip that Apple uses with its AirPods Pro, so the two work basically the same way. Both have noise-canceling and transparency modes, and a mode where you can turn both modes off and get the optimal sound of the headphones. They also support spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, just like the AirPods Pro.

    The biggest difference between the AirPods Max and AirPods Pro, other than form factor, is that the AirPods Pro come with a charging case, which is how you turn them off. The AirPods Max do have carry case, but you don’t really need to use it.

    There’s no power button, which is weird!

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    Tucker Bowe

    The AirPods Max don’t have a dedicated power button, meaning you don’t have complete control of when the headphones actually turn off. Instead, the AirPods Max can detect when they’re not on your head and automatically go to sleep. They then automatically wake up when you put them on your head, just like how AirPods automatically turn on when you put them in your ears. Theoretically it means you don’t have to worry about it, but the lack of control does bug me, at least as I’m getting used to it.

    One sure-fire way to get the AirPods Max to turn off — which is technically a “low-power mode” because they still have to be awake enough to know when you put them on — is to put the headphones in the nifty carrying case that Apple provides. Generally, I almost never use the carrying case that comes with most headphones, I’m not sure how often I’ll be doing that.

    You can customize the direction of the Digital Crown.

    The AirPods Max don’t have any capacitive touch controls on the earcups like many of popular noise-canceling headphones, such the Bose Headphones 700 and Sony WH-1000XM4. This means they depend on the Digital Crown dial, which is basically a larger version of the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown, that’s located on top of the right earcup for things like volume control, play/pause and skipping tracks.

    I was initially a little disappointed in the fact that, by default, you have to turn the Digital Crown clockwise to turn the volume up — I’d prefer counter-clockwise — but it turns out that you can change that. You can just go into Bluetooth Settings on your iPhone, select the “i” icon next to your AirPods Max, and scroll down to a “Digital Crown” menu. It then allows you to choose which direction you want to turn the Digital Crown to increase or decrease the volume. It’s a nice bit of customization to help these cans feel just right.

    airpods max

    Tucker Bowe

    The missing 3.5mm compatibility is irritating.

    Despite the high price, the AirPods Max lack two things out of the box that most headphones normally come with: a wall adapter and a 3.5mm headphone cable.

    The first one is acceptable, or at least no surprise. Apple has made a big deal of not including wall adapters for new iPhones and the Apple Watches, ostensibly to be more environmentally friendly (though it certainly also helps the company’s bottom line). This is also true with the AirPods Max. The box includes a USB-C to Lightning charging cable but no wall adapter — you’ll have to use/buy your own.

    But the lack of a 3.5mm headphone cable is a little more baffling. Apple sells a Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable for $35, which you’ll have to fork over if you want to use the AirPods Max on an in-flight entertainment system or with your Nintendo Switch. (An alternative is a Bluetooth adapter like Twelve South’s AirFly.) If you’re buying the AirPods Max, an extra $35 probably isn’t going to break the bank, sure. But having to get get one is a hassle, and leaves these otherwise extremely premium headphones feeling weirdly stingy out of the box.

    Price: $549

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    7 Gadgets You Should Have on Your Radar This Week, That Aren’t the AirPods Max

    The AirPods Max, Apple’s first over-ear headphones, dominated the news this week — we got a chance to test them out. But they weren’t the only products worth talking about this week. Here are the highlights.

    Logitech Circle View Doorbell

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    Logitech announced a new Circle View video doorbell this week, the first video doorbell to support HomeKit Secure Video, Apple’s new video standard that rolled out last year. This means that it’s the only video doorbell that currently can do things like show a live video feed on your Apple TV.

    Price: $199.99

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    Roland Aerophone Pro

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    The Aerophone Pro is the next-generation version of the original Aerophone, and it’s the company’s most advanced digital wind instrument to date. It has a refined design along with a bunch of additional sonic capabilities. It’ll be available next month (January 2021).

    Price: $1,500.00

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    Scuf H1 Gaming Headset

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    Scuf is best known for its customizable gaming controllers, but the company just announced its first customizable gaming headset. The H1 is a wired gaming headset that comes in two base colors, white or black. From there, you can customize its earpad covers, its earpad material (leather or hybrid) and even its mics.

    Price: $129.99

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    Sonos Sub Superpowers

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    For anybody who has (or is looking to build out) a Sonos home theater system, one of the most requested features has been the ability to add a second Sub. Sonos has listened. You’ll soon be able to add a second Sub to your current Sonos system, so long as it’s a Gen 3 model (which was released this past June).

    Price: $699

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    MOFT Snap-On Stand & Wallet for iPhone 12

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    Third-party gadget makers are slowly trickling out accessories that work with the iPhone 12’s MagSafe. One of the newest ones, this Snap-On Stand & Wallet by MOFT, is one of the only alternatives to Apple’s own $59 MagSafe minimalist wallet. It’s not made of genuine leather, like Apple’s option, but MOFT’s newest also doubles as a flip-out stand. Plus it’s only $30.

    Price: $29.99

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    Samsung MicroLED 110-inch TV

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    Samsung announced its line of MicroLED TVs almost a year ago at CES. The advanced technology is more akin to OLED than LCD, and it’s able to deliver an exceptional picture with bright colors and supreme contrast. This gigantic 110-inch model is one of the first MicroLED TVs that Samsung is releasing. It’s only available in Korea right now and, well, it’s expensive.

    Price: ~ $156,000

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    Sonix Magnetic Link Charger

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    Sonix has made a cheaper alternative to Apple’s MagSafe Charger. It works pretty much the same, although it won’t wirelessly charge the iPhone 12 up to its 15-watt potentially. It also doesn’t come with a wall adapter (but then again, neither does Apple’s MagSafe Charger).

    Price: $30

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    Buying a Next Gen Console? Here’s Why to Budget for a New TV, Too

    If you were thinking about buying one of the next-generation consoles, either an Xbox Series X or a PlayStation 5, you might want to think about upgrading your TV first. That’s because the real benefit of these new consoles is their ability to deliver incredible graphics, and if you don’t have a TV take full advantage of that, well, there’s little point in buying one of the next-gen consoles. There aren’t even that many exclusive games (yet).

    As for the type of TV you should buy, the answer if pretty straightforward: you want to buy the best 4K TV that you can afford. The Xbox Series X or a PlayStation 5 are the best and most powerful consoles available, so it only makes sense to pair them with a 4K TV that can make the games look the most beautiful.

    A 4K TV has four times the resolution of a standard HD TV, which means it’s able to deliver a picture with four times the detail — and that’s exactly what these new consoles can take advantage of. So while the new consoles are able to play pretty the same games (right now) as the last-generation consoles, like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, the real difference is the level of detail that combination of a 4K TV and these new consoles are able to deliver.

    (If you have a 4K and a “Pro” version of the last-generation consoles, like the Xbox One X or the PS4 Pro, you’ll see some improved graphics with next-generation consoles, but the biggest improvements will be in load times and storage capacity.)

    Of course, not all 4K TVs are the same. The most common and more budget-friendly types are 4K “LCD” TVs, like TCL’s 5-Series and Vizio’s M-Series, which are great — especially for their price — but they’re not able to deliver the same brightness, color and contrast as 4K “OLED” TVs, which are the best TVs you can buy. The good news is that in the past few years, the prices of these 4K OLED have dropped a lot; you can buy a 55-inch OLED TV, like LG’s BX Series or CX Series, for between $1,000 — $1,500.

    While a 4K OLED TV and a 4K LCD TV are technically able to deliver a 4K picture (3840 x 2160) with the same resolution, the picture quality isn’t going to be the same — and that’s going to make a big difference when gaming on one of the next-generation consoles.

    “It’s not hard to grasp that a 4K set has four times the resolution of 2K, but it’s not necessarily the most important spec to look for,” said Tim Alessi, Senior Director of Product Marketing at LG. “Features that improve black level and contrast (like the perfect black levels only OLED can achieve) will have a much greater impact on picture quality than resolution alone.”This will have a big impact on shadow detail in darker areas of the [TV] screen. Think about a first-person shooter type game where you may be looking for an adversary hiding in the shadows. A [TV] set with poor black reproduction may make it impossible to see them until it’s too late.”

    The other thing you want to look for in a 4K TV is whether it has full 4K support at 120Hz. This high refresh rate at a 4K resolution means you’ll get a really fast response times and the TV will deliver a really smooth gaming experience. An OLED TV is going to make this high refresh rate look even better because each individual pixel can be controlled. According to Alessi, LG’s OLED TVs have the “the lowest input lag of any TV on the market today”; so when you press a button or pull a commands on the controller, the action will take place almost instantaneously on the screen. (By comparison, an LCD TV can only control clusters of pixels at a time, means its final picture can’t be as detailed and won’t look as realistic.)

    One thing to watch out for, however, is that at lot of more affordable 4K TVs advertise that they have a max refresh rate of 120Hz — but they don’t offer both things at the same time. Instead, they support 4K at 60Hz and will lower the resolution when increasing to a 120Hz refresh rate. If you don’t see this on the on the box, a good thing to look out for is whether the TV supports HDMI 2.1, which is the latest HDMI technology and supports for 4K content at 120Hz.

    Finally, there’s the issue of size. A common thought is that the bigger the 4K TV, the worse the picture will look because no matter the size, each 4K TV has the same amount of pixels (3840 x 2160 = 8,294,400 pixels). So, you’d think that each individual pixel would be stretched out in the bigger TVs — but Alessi says that’s not the case.

    “Generally speaking, the bigger the better,” Alessi says. “Gaming on an ultra-large TV, especially an OLED [TV] will provide an incredible sense of immersion. The only thing you’ll want to consider is the distance you’ll be viewing from. A good rule of thumb is to divide the diagonal measurement by 10 for a good guideline. For example, if you have a 75″ TV, it’s recommended to sit at least 7.5 feet away.”

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    AirPods Max Are Already Sold Out — Unless You Want to Pay Almost $1,000

    Apple just announced the AirPods Max, its first pair of over-ear headphones that have all the features and conveniences of AirPods Pro. And if you didn’t order your pair yet, well, you missed the boat. Unless you are willing to pay an extreme premium over Apple’s already high price.

    Apple’s AirPod Max are hundreds more than the best noise-cancelling headphones to beigin with, but now eBay opportunists, who likely scooped up Apple’s limited stock with automated buying bots, are selling AirPods Max from anywhere between $775 and $999 — and it looks like people are willing to pay. According to Ebay’s listing page and a lot of these AirPods Max have actually been sold for prices reaching up towards $1,000.

    Apple’s stock isn’t expected to replenish until the new year, as late as March. And while the upcoming holidays are surely inflating desperate demand, it certainly seems like Apple’s headphones can certainly find a market at their list price.

    This isn’t the first time bots have caused havoc with limited stock products. Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X have been nearly impossible to buy as resellers snag the available stock with speed no human reflexes can match. Unfortunately your only options as a buyer are to wait, or pay a hefty premium while rewarding scalpers to boot.

    But hey, AirPods Pro are just $200 right now.

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    AirPods Max: What You Need to Know About Apple’s First Over-Ear Headphones

    Apple just announced the AirPods Max, its first pair of over-ear headphones. They’re designed to deliver all the best features of AirPods Pro — including high-fidelity audio, active noise cancellation, Adaptive EQ, transparency mode, audio sharing and spatial audio (and Dolby Atmos support) — with an over-ear design. Oh, and they cost $549.

    The design of the AirPods Max borrows a bunch of details from its other product lines. Most notably, there’s a Digital Crown, inspired by Apple Watch, on top of one of the earcups, which is allows you to adjust volume, playback controls like play/pause control, answer calls and activate Siri.

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    Apple

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    Apple

    The headband of the AirPods Max is made of stainless steel and a “canopy” of breathable knit mesh fabric, which is designed to evenly distribute weight and reduce on-head pressure. The earcups are made of memory foam and the same breathable mesh fabric that’s on the headband.

    The AirPods Max will charge via a Lightning port just like all of Apple’s current line of AirPods. This is a little surprising because Apple has made moves towards USB-C in the past year, integrated the port into more iPads, and it’d be nice for these to also get that “pro” treatment. Apple says that the AirPods Max will have a battery life of 20 hours. They do not support wireless charging.

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    Apple

    airpods max

    Apple

    Like the AirPods and AirPods Pro before it, the AirPods Max will have some distinct advantages for people with multiple Apple devices. The integrated H1 chip will allow the the AirPods Max to automatically switch between the audio on your Mac/iPad or iPhone, depending on which you’re listening to. It’ll fast pair to your iPhone, obviously, and allow you to share audio with a friend.

    The price of the AirPods Max might be its most interesting detail — because $549 is significantly more expensive that most flagship noise-canceling headphones. The Bose Headphones 700 ($399 $339) and Sony WH-1000XM4 ($349 $279), which will be the main competition for the AirPods Max, can be about $300 cheaper.

    Aside from their price, the other potential caveat is the weight of the AirPods Max — they’re made mostly of metal and weigh 13.6 ounces, which is substantially heavier than most other wireless headphones. For comparison, the Bose Headphones 700 are 8.78 ounces; the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II are 10.93 ounces; and the Sony WH-1000XM4 are 8.96 ounces.

      The truth is that Apple’s over-ear cans will have to be seriously high quality (or a significantly big status symbol) to prove their worth against the competition. But judging by Apple’s past forays in the headphones and speaker categories, with the AirPod and HomePod lines, we’re not too worried about it. And we can’t wait to actually test them.

      They are available in five different colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green and pink. You can preorder the AirPods Max today and they’re expected to arrive on your doorstep next week, on December 15, just in time for Christmas.

      Price: $549

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