Apple AirPods

Apple has yet to release its wireless charging AirPods case or AirPower itself, but that isn’t stopping third-party accessory makers from releasing their own take on the idea. The latest attempt to bring wireless charging to AirPods comes from East Brooklyn Labs, a small accessory maker based in New York.

Dubbed SliQ, this AirPods wireless charging case is available in white, black, pink, and blue. The case costs $25 and is available now. Read on for our full review.

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For the first time, Apple is endorsing an add-on accessory for AirPods: a new set of protective AirPods cases from Catalyst. The cases are waterproof rated up to 1 meter and offer protection against drops. They also feature a carabiner to clip the AirPods case onto your clothing.

It’s a weird proposition for the first AirPods accessory to be stocked in Apple retail, given that the Catalyst case is only useful when you are not using the earbuds themselves.

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There are already a number of AirPods alternatives on the market – but noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes we’re about to get more. He points to supply-chain reports suggesting that both Google and Amazon are working on direct competitor products.

But he also expects Apple to work on holding its market lead by adding new functionality …

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A new patent granted to Apple today reveals some of the potential new features we could see in future AirPods. The most interesting part of the filing involves interchangeable earbuds equipped with “at least one” biometric sensor, which could detect left/right ear placement and accordingly adjust audio.

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The AirPods truly-wireless earbuds are on track to be Apple’s best growth product for the foreseeable future, according to Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo said that Apple will release an “upgraded model with wireless charging support” in the first quarter of 2019.

Kuo also said an all-new design for AirPods is currently on track to launch in early 2020 …

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While no one has managed to match the magic of AirPods in the almost two-year period since they hit the market, there is one Apple-endorsed pair of wireless earbuds that arguably fits the slot where theoretical AirPods Pro could exist.

Bose SoundSport Free Wireless are truly wireless, offer 5-hour battery, and include a protective charging case like Apple AirPods. SoundSport Free Wireless also adds water resistance with an IPX4 rating, in-ear sport tips for delivering louder sound and natural noise cancellation, and a higher retail price.

Bose hasn’t quite captured the wireless-without-compromise balance that Apple struck two years ago, but SoundSport Free Wireless includes a few significant features that may be worth the trade-off with AirPods in some situations.

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One of the key features of Apple’s HomePod speaker is the beamforming technology used to adjust the sound output to the shape of the room, and using those same microphones for a neat Siri trick. By cancelling out the music output, Siri commands can be easily heard by the speaker even when it is blasting out music at full volume.

A new Apple patent application, published today, suggests that Apple may be seeking to use the same basis of that beamforming tech in its rumored over-ear headphones, to achieve two things …

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Apple’s October event has come and gone without an update to the truly wireless AirPods, but they continue to remain incredibly popular. According to data compiled by Thinknum, AirPods were the top-selling product at Best Buy during the month of October.

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Apple’s October event came and went without mention of an updated AirPods wireless charging case or AirPower. Both products were originally announced back in 2017 during the iPhone X launch event. While we haven’t seen either product come to life, it does seem like Apple may be looking to releasing an AirPods update altogether, which may include that AirPods wireless charging case.

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We’re one week away from Apple’s big October 30th event, and reliable supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities has some newsworthy predictions. Kuo summarizes previous predictions including his belief that AirPower is still debuting soon based on supply chain sources. The analyst also predicts Apple will indeed produce a new iPad mini…

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Update: The AirPods are now back in stock with regular delivery estimates. Panic over!.

Amidst rising expectations for another Apple event, readers have noticed that Apple AirPods have gone out of stock across Apple Stores in Europe. The online Apple stores for the UK, France, Germany, Spain and many other European countries are all reporting that AirPods are ‘Out of Stock’, despite having availability just a couple of hours ago.

AirPods are unlikely to be getting a major revamp until next year, but Apple did promise that it would start shipping a wireless charging case for AirPods by the end of 2018 …

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With the current state of the Apple AirPods still uncertain, the HyperJuice Wireless Charger adapter presents an alternative method that lets your wirelessly charge AirPods. Yes, indeed, it’s a wireless charging case for your charging case. Absurd? Slightly, but nonetheless, it may prove to be convenient for those that have gone all in on wireless charging.
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Update: Geskin has now acknowledged that the photos are likely fake.

Ben Geskin, a leaker with a mixed track-record, has tweeted photos of what he claims are the 2018 AirPods, with wireless charging case.

He also says that the next-generation AirPods will be launched later this month …

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Master & Dynamic has announced its first true wireless in-ear headphones, the MW07. The company is aiming to bring high-quality audio to the ultra-portable in-ear category.

Custom 10mm beryllium drivers, a metal traditionally used only in hi-fi products, provide exceptional acoustics and deliver a rich, warm, expansive sound.

‘Our goal is to offer the best of both superior sound and sophisticated design to our customers,’ said Master & Dynamic’s founder and CEO Jonathan Levine …

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AirPods are one of my favorite Apple products to come along in quite some time, and I use them every single day. I especially enjoy using them while traveling, because they’re completely devoid of wires, have all-day battery life, seamless device pairing, and are easy to stow away.

I was skeptical during their initial unveiling, but after using AirPods for the last year and half, they’ve become one of my favorite tech products of all time. Next to my iPhone, AirPods are easily my favorite tech-related travel companion.

Outside of the long-awaited AirPower mat wireless charger from Apple, I didn’t think there was any accessory that could improve or enhance AirPods in any way. But Twelve South, always the innovator with new Apple-related accessories, is making a case for its new AirSnap accessory. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough for the details.
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ToothFairy is a Mac utility app that makes connecting to AirPods and other Bluetooth accessories as easy as a menu bar icon click or even a keyboard shortcut. The latest version of ToothFairy for Mac adds support for Dark Mode in macOS Mojave ahead of its official release (seen above) as well as plenty of text description improvements for users.

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When Apple’s AirPods originally debuted, the possibility of losing one or both of the wireless earbuds was a major concern. Apple later added a Find My AirPods feature that helps you locate lost earbuds by playing a loud sound from the speaker, but that’s not as useful when your AirPods are lost in their charging case.

Twelve South wants to make keeping up with your AirPods and charging case easier with its new AirSnap carrying case. AirSnap is a $29 leather pouch that protects your charging case and clips to your backpack or bag so your AirPods don’t go missing in action.

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