Wireless headphones give you the freedom to enjoy your music completely devoid of cables. Not too long ago, a wireless headphones’ Bluetooth connection was extremely unreliable but now thanks to advancements in audio technology, you can never go wrong with a pair of wireless cans. They even sound as good, sometimes even better, than their corded counterparts. Besides, the latest smartphones like the iPhone 11 and Pixel 4 are lacking a 3.5mm audio port. The future is looking more and more wire-free. One of the best makers of audio tech in the world is Bose, and right now its premium wireless headphones offering, the Soundlink II, are available on Amazon at an exciting discounted price . Snag a pair for $229 — $50 off its usual retail price of $279. And if you order after being approved for an Amazon Rewards Visa card, you will enjoy an additional $50 off and pay just $179.
The Bose Soundlink II have large elliptical earcups that fit very comfortably. Weighing in at a measly 7 ounces and padded with memory foam, you’ll barely notice that you’re wearing them, and you might often wonder where the music is coming from. Despite being featherlight, the company claims that the Bose Soundlink II are “engineered with impact-resistant materials.” It would be hard to determine whether these would really last a lifetime, but they certainly look and feel durable.
Although these headphones don’t offer active noise cancellation, their around-ear design is good at passively keeping out unwanted sound. One problem with this design, though, is that it tends to make ears sweat with long use, especially in warmer environments. At least they double as earmuffs when it’s cold outside.
Control buttons can be seen on the right earcup, including power, volume, and a multifunction button for answering calls and playing, pausing, and skipping tracks. Bose also equipped the Soundlink II with a two-way microphone system and something called Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology. This feature automatically adjusts the volume depending on speech level and ambient noise. You’ll have no difficulty making phone calls even in a busy street as your voice gets “processed” to sound clearer. Connecting to devices via Bluetooth is seamless, regardless of whether you have an iOS or Android phone. What’s more, you can connect to two devices simultaneously and switching between them is hassle-free.
The Bose Soundlink II exceeded our expectations when it came to sound quality. Using TriPort and Active EQ technology, the audio gets analyzed to deliver a far richer and well-balanced sound. The basses are solid but not over-the-top, the mids are strong and far from flat, and the highs are clear without sounding harsh.
Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, these headphones can give you up to 15 hours of playback. If they run out of power, simply connect the backup cable to the headphone jack and continue listening to music.
The Bose Soundlink II around-ear wireless headphones are very light, comfy, and are an absolute blast to listen to. They do tend to get a bit warm with extended use and don’t offer active noise cancellation (if you want headphones that have ANC, check out these ones from Sony), but overall, these are a superb pair of wireless cans that are well worth your money.
Check out these pages for our best headphones and true wireless earbuds. For more exciting discounts, feel free to browse our curated deals page.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.