Every GPD Win handheld gaming PC to date has been powered by an Intel processor. The company started with low-power Intel Atom chips, but last year’s GPD Win Max shipped with a 25 watt Intel Core i5-1035G7 Ice Lake processor and this year’s GPD Win 3 is supports up to an Intel Core i7-1165G7 chip […]
audio
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound aims to bring better audio to mobile devices
Smartphone audio can be a bit hit or miss. Some phones ship with HiFi digital audio converters (DACs) capable of delivering high quality audio to headphones and speakers while others take a something-is-better-than nothing approach. Now chip maker Qualcomm is introducing a new Snapdragon Sound set of technologies designed to bring high-quality, low-latency audio to […]
Google’s Lyra audio codec delivers high-quality audio at low bit rates
Broadband wired and wireless internet connections are getting faster all the time. But in many parts of the world high-speed internet access is unavailable and/or unreliable. So researchers continue to find ways to find ways to use compression to save bandwidth while transmitting audio, video, images, and other content that typically uses a lot of […]
JLab JBuds Frames are $50 earbuds that clip onto your glasses
In the past few years we’ve seen companies including Bose and Amazon build speakers into eyeglass frames. But the $250 price tags might be a bit off-putting at a time when you can find true wireless earbuds selling for a small fraction of that price. Still like the idea of speakers that are near your […]
Razer’s $100 Hammerhead True Wireless Earbuds promise low-latency audio
Bluetooth headphones are convenient alternatives to wired options — especially if you’re using a newfangled smartphone that lacks a headphone jack. But there are some downsides. The batteries never run out on most old-school headphones, and I don’t typically worry about audio and video going out of sync when using a wired connection. Razer’s new […]
Google’s next-gen Pixel Buds coming in Spring, 2020
Google is updating its Pixel Buds lineup with a new set of truly wireless earbuds that support Google Assistant voice interactions, feature adaptive sound to adjust the audio according to your environment, and a compact design that Google says allows the new Pixel Buds to sit nearly flush with your ear. The 2nd-gen Pixel Buds […]
Microsoft’s $249 Surface Earbuds are… something
A year after launching its first set of premium wireless headphones, Microsoft has introduced the new Surface Earbuds. These truly-wireless earbuds will be available in time for the the 2019 holiday season for $249 and the company says they offer up to 8 hours of battery life on a charge, plus another 16 if you […]
Pocket Casts is now free (with optional subscription-based features)
One of the most popular podcast apps for iOS and Android is now available for free. Previously the Pocket Casts app for Android cost $4, while the iPhone app was $4. Now you don’t have to pay a penny to use either one. But the company behind the app needs to make money somehow. Enter Pocket […]
Amazon Music HD provides lossless streaming starting at $12.99 per month
Amazon has added a premium tier to its music streaming service: the new Amazon Music HD lets you stream lossless audio at up to 24-bit/192 kHz quality. The service is compatible with most iOS and Android devices launched since 2014, most Amazon Fire tablets, Fire TV devices, and 2nd-gen or later Echo devices), and many […]
Crowdfunded portable cassette player is the first with Bluetooth 5.0 (if that’s something you want)
Tape cassettes have been making a surprising (if small) comeback in recent years, with a growing number of musicians releasing albums in the format. Sure, they don’t have the same level of sound quality as CD, vinyl, or even Hi-Fi digital streaming. They’re not as convenient as digital, since you have to manually fast forward […]