True wireless earbuds might not be for everyone, but they do have a lot of advantages over normal earbuds, namely no wires to snag. Even so, they aren’t perfect, with lower battery life than standard wireless earbuds. That is beginning to get better, however, and the Aria true wireless earbuds from xFyro, now on Indiegogo, claim the best battery life we’ve heard of so far.
Until now, the best battery life we’ve encountered in a true wireless earbud is The Headphone from Bragi, which offers six hours of playback time. The xFyro Aria claims eight hours of playback time, and the company says the included charging case can charge them three more times, for a total battery life of 32 hours, with a 15-minute charge giving three hours of playback time.
That said, we haven’t had the chance to see these in action, and we don’t know what caveats there might be. Playback volume, for example, can affect battery life, so it’s possible that the testing that provided these numbers was done at extremely low volume. If the headphones actually do provide eight hours at usable volume, it would mean each earbud would need a fairly large battery, which could have a negative impact on sound quality.
Skepticism aside, the Aria earbuds boast a lot of features aside from their battery life. The earbuds sense when you put them in or take them out of your years, pausing and starting playback automatically. They also feature an IP67 rating, meaning they’re certified dustproof and waterproof and can be safely submerged in water for up to 30 minutes.
While xFyro was initially seeking $10,000 for the Aria earbuds, it quickly passed that goal and has raised more than $800,000 at the time of this writing. The headphones will retail for $200, but Indiegogo buyers can get a single set for $110, with discounts for buying more, up to $390 for six sets, making them available for just $65 per set.
The campaign comes to an end on July 23, with rewards planned to ship to backers in August, which is an awfully quick turnaround time. If you’re interested in the headphones and can afford to be disappointed if they’re not everything you hoped, go ahead and jump on this offer, but as is always the case with crowdfunding, keep in mind there is an element of risk here. In the meantime, take a look at our list of the best true wireless earbuds for an idea of what some of your other options are.
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.
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