Audio

Just... not the actual phones. Instead, it’s 2023’s repairable Fairbuds XL headphones that will go on sale on Amazon this month. As for the excellent Fairphone 6, CEO Raymond van Eck tells me launching that is a “complicated process,” but one he hopes will be sorted “in the near future.”

Creative has resurrected its Sound Blaster brand for a modular audio hub to help you route audio inputs and outputs across your gear. Go take one look at it and tell me you don’t feel exactly the same way as commenter RG7:

This new edition includes chapters by fellow acclaimed Harman researchers Dr. Sean Olive (on headphones) and Todd Welti (on subwoofers and room acoustics). It’s 20 percent off until next Tuesday.

The Blomprakt Bluetooth speaker lamp was first announced last July as part of a new lineup following the end of Sonos and Ikea’s partnership earlier this year. It’s priced at $59.99 in the US making it much cheaper than Ikea’s $179 Sonos-compatible Symfonisk lamp speaker, but the Blomprakt lacks Wi-Fi and streaming support.

When it launched last November, Rode’s $149 Wireless Micro system was a smaller and more discreet alternative to the company’s Wireless Go II. The mics are now slightly less discreet with three new bright color options including blue, red, and an orange that looks similar to Apple’s, and they’re cheaper at $99.

Last week, we noted that the popular multiplatform podcast app was showing ads to people who’d paid for the mobile version years ago, before subscriptions. Now, a post in its forum says, “We have removed the banner ads, and they will not be displayed to app purchasers in the future.”

You might have noticed tech is getting just a little more expensive these days. SteelSeries’ new $599.99 Arctis Nova Elite headset is only the latest example, but at least it means fans of spending money can complete the set.

The update to firmware version 4.467 is rolling out, letting the buds adjust ANC on the fly to keep you aware of your surroundings. Announced in August, the update also brings loud noise protection, clearer mic audio for Gemini Live, and head gesture controls to take or decline calls.

The OpenFit 2 debuted at CES 2025 earlier this year, but Shokz is already rolling out an updated version called the OpenFit 2 Plus. Their functionality is nearly identical to the $179.95 Open Fit 2, but the Plus adds the convenience of wireless charging, support for Dolby Audio, and a price bump to $199.95.

The Pocket Scion isn’t just a rad portable synthesizer that creates soundscapes from organic matter (but it is that!) — it’s a vision of a better world, where the tech industry is a little less evil, and a lot more weird.

Anker calls its Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro the “world’s first mobile theater station with 4K laser projection and 7.1.4 spatial sound.” I call it impressive.