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Iconic and underwhelming: that’s been the recipe for Apple’s bundled earbuds with the iPod and iPhone so far, but the EarPods are here to hopefully change that. Packaged with the new iPhone 5, 5th-gen iPod touch and 7th-gen iPod nano, and also available for anyone with $29 to spare, the EarPods promise an affordable step up, but do they deliver? Check out our hands-on after the cut.

First things first: they’re a solid improvement over the standard Apple earphones. That wouldn’t take a huge amount, though, but it’s a welcome change for those picking up one of today’s new devices. Whereas before we would probably have recommended everyone replacing the standard set with some aftermarket alternatives, the EarPods are reasonable enough options to at least audition for a while before settling on a replacement.

The gimmick is in the trio of apertures for the sound, both at the tip as usual, but also arranged around the body of each bud. They also get a new design of casing, which is said to improve in-ear fit. We had no problems keeping them in place, and they do feel more secure than the version they replace, but a sturdy rubber or foam tip (or, better still, a set of custom-molded buds) will always feel less precarious.

What those options usual have against them is cost, and there the EarPods strike a balance. We’ll have to spend more time with them to figure out quite the quality difference – amid the noise of the demo floor they were certainly better than the old set, with noticeably stronger bass, but we won’t judge any more than that – and listening to other people testing them it was clear that these aren’t the headphones to choose if you want to keep your musical tastes completely secret. There’s definitely some overspill in noise.

Apple EarPods headphones hands-on is written by Vincent Nguyen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

When Apple unveils the iPhone 5 at that rumored September 12 event, it will apparently be doing so with a new set of earphones. A video showing off these new earphones has popped up on Vietnamese site Tinhte.vn, giving us a look at what may come packaged with the next generation iPhone. If this is the real deal, then it would appear that Apple’s earbuds have undergone a pretty big redesign.

The video you see below originally had sound, but a new version without any audio has since been uploaded in the original’s place. Luckily, MacRumors was able to translate the audio before that switch occurred. Apparently these new earphones are smaller than Apple’s traditional earbuds (though only slightly, judging by the comparison pictures), and it seems that they would fit the ear better than the older round shape. It isn’t exactly a secret that Apple’s earbuds weren’t the most comfortable things to wear, and indeed, Tinhte says that these new ones don’t hurt when put them in your ears.

Tinhte also says that each earpiece is made in such a way that it looks like it’s all one “fully integrated, single unit.” This means that these earphones might not come apart as easily, which should be welcomed change since the old earbuds could feel a little fragile at times. Have a look at the video below to get a first glimpse at what may just be the iPhone’s redesigned earphones:

If Apple is planning a new design for the next iPhone like some of the rumors claim, it wouldn’t surprise us at all to see the earbuds undergo a reboot as well. The last few weeks have brought a pretty steady stream of parts leaks, and in just 10 short days we should be finding out if any of them were legitimate. Keep it here at SlashGear for more information, and be sure to check out our timeline below for the latest iPhone 5 rumors.

iPhone 5 gets revamped earphones in new video is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Logitech released a couple of teasers late last week about their new series of headphones from their Ultimate Ears line, and they finally have made public what they have been working on. The UE series of headphones includes 4 different models that will go over your ears and into them.

The Logitech UE 4000 headphones ($100 USD) are available in three colors, black, blue, and magenta. The cord is detachable and has an in-line mic as well as audio controls that will work with iOS devices. The UE 6000 ($200) is the over-ear model that folds up nicely for when you are on the go. It’s got an in-line remote and active noise cancellation.

The UE 9000 ($400) are the top-of-the-line wireless Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation. The UE 900 (also $400) are their high-end in-ear model that sports a quad-armature design with in-line controls.

All of the headphones are available now, and you can find more details over on the Logitech UE website.

Now more than ever, people want their music on the go. Logitech is looking to tap into that market by announcing a new line of Logitech UE products aimed directly at those who take their music seriously. This new line includes everything from earphones to portable speakers to headphones, so hit the jump to find out more about them.

Let’s jump right in with the Logitech UE Boombox and the Logitech UE Mobile Boombox. Both allow you to connect smartphones and tablets through Bluetooth – the Boombox can support up to 8 devices connected through Bluetooth, and it can handle three connected at once. The Mobile Boombox can only handle two devices connected at once, but its advantage comes in its rechargeable battery. While both come with a rechargeable battery, the Mobile Boombox can go for 10 hours, whereas the Boombox is only quoted for six hours of use. You’ll be getting better sound quality with the Boombox, as it Logitech says it comes with “eight custom-tuned drivers,” but the trade-off is that the Mobile Boombox’s smaller form makes it easier to use on the go. There’s also price to consider, with the Boombox coming in at $249.99 and the Mobile Boombox priced at $99.99.

If the boomboxes aren’t quite your cup of tea, the company is also offering the Logitech UE Smart Radio. Using “one simple, unified interface,” users can access their favorite Internet radio stations, music services or their personal music collections on PC or Mac, and it even comes with a color display that shows the track name, album art and station information. Users can also save their favorite stations to access them quickly in the future, and connect an iPhone, iPad or Android device to use it for navigation. The Logitech UE Smart Radio comes with a six-hour rechargeable battery and will set you back $179.99.

Next up, we have a rather expensive set of earphones – the Logitech UE 900 Noise-Isolating Earphones, to be specific. The earphones’ “four-armature speakers and a three-way crossover in a
universal fit” allow for excellent sound quality, and the earphones come with two detachable cables, one of which includes a mic and controls. To make sure the sound you’re hearing is as clean as possible, the earphones also feature five silicon and three Comply Foam tips. You better be ready to shell out a lot of cash for these, though, as Logitech UE has given these a price of $399.99.

In addition to these new earphones, Logitech UE will also be launching three new sets of headphones. The Logitech UE 9000 Headphones are the most impressive of the bunch, but they’re also the most expensive. The headphones feature Bluetooth connectivity, meaning that you can listen wirelessly, but there’s also a cord included in case you run out of juice during an extended listening period. Touch controls allow you to answer calls, switch between songs and change the volume, and Logitech’s “high-resolution drivers” are present to ensure that sound quality is top notch. Featuring around-the-ear cushions made of memory foam and articulating joints, the Logitech 9000 Headphones come in at $399.99.

If you want a good set of headphones but don’t want to shell $400 for them, Logitech has you covered there too. The Logitech UE 6000 Headphones feature a fold-up design, plush around-the-ear memory foam cushions, UE sound signature and active noise canceling technology. The UE 6000 sports a price tag of $199.99, which is a little more manageable than the $400 the 9000 demands. Even cheaper still are the Logitech UE 4000 Headphones, complete with Logitech’s high-sensitivity drivers, plush memory foam cushions in an on-the-ear design, and – like the 900 earphones – an on-cord mic and controls. They also fold up when you’re not using them, and come with a travel pouch to store them in. Expect to pay $99.99 for these bad boys.

Logitech says that all of these products should be available beginning in September, which as you may have already noticed is right around the corner. Since all of these products are compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, you’ll be able to find them at Apple Stores across the country. Are you planning on buying any of these new products?

Logitech UE announces new line of products for music enthusiasts is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

You know Sennheiser’s pissed when it holds a press conference just to talk about its anti-counterfeit efforts. In Guangzhou yesterday, the German audio company brought along two executives to debut its new authentication technologies on its retail packaging: a shiny Tesa PrioSpot authenticity label plus a “fool-proof” online look-up system. For the former, President of Corporate Services Volker Batels claims it’s treated as securely as one would with cash money, in the sense that it has many visible and invisible features.

There’s also a QR code plus its corresponding label ID printed below the foil, and scanning the former or entering the latter on qr-sennheiser.com returns a virtual copy of the foil label plus a visual description. If what you have matches the label on the screen then hakuna matata. But if the code’s been looked up many times already, the website will also give you a warning like in the screenshot after the break — chances are the label’s been duplicated, so potential buyers should always check this before handing the money over.

Marc Vincent, the company’s President of Greater China, aims to have this “urgent project” covering most products by the end of this year. “We have been fighting counterfeits for five years with some result, but now we have officially declared war on counterfeiting,” Mr. Vincent said in a stern voice. “Manufacturers of counterfeit products are social parasites. They really damage our reputation.”

Continue reading Sennheiser boasts anti-counterfeit efforts, unveils new authentication technologies

Sennheiser boasts anti-counterfeit efforts, unveils new authentication technologies originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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