Heena Sharma Blog

  TCL on Monday announced its expansion into the audio category segment with the launch of a range of audio products including wired and wireless earphones and headphones. The company launched wired in-ear headphones - SOCL100, SOCL200, SOCL300, ACTV100, premium wired over-the-ear Headphones - MTRO200, ELIT400NC and high-energy wireless neckband style in-ear headphones - SOCL200BT, ACTV100BT, ELIT200NC. According to the company, the entire range of products have a host of features at competitive prices across segments without compromising on their smart capabilities. "TCL products are known to be versatile when it comes to innovation and design. Keeping in mind the same strategy, we have approached the audio category and announced a range of products in the audio segment to meet the growing needs of the young Indian consumer," Sunil Verma, Country Manager of India Subcontinent at TCL Mobile said in a statement. Read More

  Wireless headphones market is abuzz with new products from both traditional audio accessory makers and otherwise. Among other features, noise cancelling is something that the brands are betting big on in their 2021 line-up. Fresh entrant in the active noise cancelling wireless headphones segment is the Skullcandy Hesh ANC . Priced at Rs 10,999, the Skullcandy Hesh ANC seems to be an interesting proposition in the budget headphones segment with ANC capability. Is it? Let’s find out: Design and build quality Skullcandy Hesh ANC Made mostly of plastic, the Skullcandy Hesh ANC looks neither premium nor cheap but decent. It has a sturdy built with lightweight (228g) collapsible design, which makes it easy to carry and use. The headphones come with a carry bag, which adds a layer of protection against dust and scratches besides making it easy to store. Coming back to the headphones, the Hesh ANC has a matte finish for premium look and feel-good touch. The headphones’ ear-cups h...

  The Hammer KO is a pair of entry-level true wireless stereo earbuds manufactured by home-grown technology startup Hammer. These basic wireless earbuds come with a hook-based design for a secure fit – that seems to set it apart from peers in the budget segment. Except for hooks, however, there is nothing novel about these earbuds. They have Bluetooth v5.0 for connectivity, microphones for voice calls, touch controls and IPX4 water resistance rating. So far as design is concerned, these earbuds are not ergonomically sound, thanks to their hook-based build. But they sure are lightweight. The earbuds are made mostly of plastic, with matte texture on the outer side, and rubber hooks. The ear hooks do make them comfortable to wear, but the Hammer KO lacks snug fit, despite being an in-ear earphones. This hampers the earbuds’ passive noise isolation capability. They do not come off the ears easily, thanks to the hooks, but you need to constantly adjust them for optimal fit. On the po...

  American technology giant Apple Inc on Tuesday launched its first on-ear design based wireless headphones, the AirPods Max . Priced at Rs 59,900, the headphones are available for order from Apple website and Apple authorised resellers. The AirPods Max will begin to ship from December 15 in more than 25 countries and regions. The headphones are compatible with Apple devices running iOS 14.3 or later, iPadOS 14.3 or later, macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, watchOS 7.2 or later, and tvOS 14.3 or later. “AirPods are the most popular headphones in the world, beloved for their effortless setup, incredible sound quality, and iconic design. With AirPods Max, we are bringing that magical AirPods experience to a stunning over-ear design with high-fidelity audio,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. Read More    

  Home-grown audio and gaming accessory company Zebronics recently launched its new soundbar, the Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro , with Dolby Atmos support. Boasting a total sound output of 450W, the soundbar is competitively priced in the sub-Rs 20,000 category. But does the soundbar fare well enough on audio parameters to make for a sweet deal? We reviewed the device to see if it meets the expectations. Here’s what we found: Design and connectivity The Zeb-Juke Bar 9700 Pro has a sleek profile that goes well with most home décor types. The metal grilles covering the front and top add to the appeal of the soundbar. At the top, there are buttons for power, volume controls and input options. There is an LED display beneath the front grille to show basic information. However, the display looks a bit awkward. Read More

  In 2018, Japanese electronics maker Sony launched the WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones that became audiophiles’ favourite for their mature sound signature and industry leading active noise cancellation capability. Now, the company has refreshed the headphones with minor but meaningful upgrades. Named WH-1000XM4 , the wireless headphones are identical to the predecessor but gain better microphones for quality conversation over voice calls, and the ability to connect with two devices simultaneously. Do these upgrades add any utility to the already capable headphones? Let’s find out: Design Sony WH-1000XM4 review The Sony WH-1000XM4 looks similar to the WH-1000XM3; its design is minimal and the headphones have matte texture all around for a premium profile. The headphones are lightweight, sturdy and comfortable to use. Its ear cups feature Sony branding in bronze finish, which is appealing and attracts attention. Read More

  The PlayGo T44 is a pair of affordable true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones imported from China by Play, an Indian lifestyle products brand. Priced at Rs 2,999, these earphones have semi in-ear earbuds with stems, a design made popular by the Apple AirPods (review). These, however, do not look anything like the AirPods (and that is a good thing).   As for performance, the earphones are tuned for a neutral output and they seem best suited for music tracks where emphasis is on acoustics and not vocals. Interestingly, the earphones are one of the few in the budget segment that are not bass-heavy. Unfortunately, there is no way to tune or customise the output for lack of an app support. Moreover, the equaliser settings on connected devices (smartphone, laptop or tablet) sometimes distort the audio output, so it is best to use them as is. The PlayGo T44 supports audio sub-band codec (SBC) and advance audio codec (AAC). They have Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity, and they wor...

Chinese smartphone and electric goods maker Xiaomi recently launched the Mi Dual Driver in-ear earphones priced at Rs 799. These are a set of basic earphones that bring dual sound drivers at an affordable price tag. The earphones have a metal finish on the buds that give it a clean look. The wire is made of silicone, with its bottom half covered in braided fabric and the other half exposed. The wire that connects the right earbuds has key controllers and microphone. The earbuds have magnetic backs to keep them together when hanging. The Mi Dual Driver earphones are tuned for a bass-heavy output, and considering the price, they have a fair performance. Read More

The year 2020 seems more about nostalgia than anything else, especially for the kids of the 1990s. Old phones are making a comeback in new avatars (we're talking about the Moto Razr (not Nokia, as it's long gone, and people have moved on), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag opening the innings in a cricket match together, even if not for the national team (in the Road Safety World Series), and yes it’s happening: the F.R.I.E.N.D.S cast is reuniting for an exclusive special on HBO Max. In the middle of all this, Sony has brought its new Walkman, the Sony NW-A105 , which has a nostalgic appeal that takes us back to the good ol' days when things were simple and easy. One might wonder... what's the deal with Sony? Why would it launch a Walkman in the streaming age? We had the same question, so we spent a month with Sony's first Android Walkman and tried to find the answers. Read More

Chinese tech giant Lenovo has launched T rue Wireless (TWS) Bluetooth Earbuds , the HT 10 Pro , which is an upgraded version of the TWS of 2019. The earbuds come with new EQ technology and are priced at a competitive Rs 4,499. We used it for a couple weeks and here's how it fared. Design The HT10 Pro comes in a nifty little capsule which is all-black, save the Lenovo logo at the top. The pod also works as a charging point for the earbuds nestled inside. The earbuds have a plastic body with a protruding design and a button embedded on the outer surface to control them. Despite their rather bulky size, HT10 Pro earbuds are light. They do stick out of the ears a little more than I'd have liked, but they still are a comfortable fit. And if they are not, you can try the other ear tips available in the box. Overall, these earbuds have a slick, modern look with a good build and comfortable fitting. You can also use the earbuds in mono or stereo mode. The case complements ...

Most high-end headphones these days look good, sound as they should, and possibly carry a new feature or two to catch audiophiles’ attention. Skullcandy 's Crusher ANC has all these and a little more — its bass-specific tuning sets it apart from others in the high-end headphones space. When we say high-end, it means, among other things, a hefty price tag. Sure, at Rs 24,999, the Crusher ANC is no cheap top. Is that a deal to go for? Let's find out. The most common challenge that high-end headphones face is that there are just a few players and each, with its own appeal, is vying for the attention of a small set of discerning buyers. The Crusher ANC’s appeal lies in its noise cancellation and its unique and impressive sensory bass feature. Additionally, there is an in-built Tile Bluetooth tracker to help you locate the headphones using the Tile app on your smartphone. Design Skullcandy follows the conventional design for its over-the-ear headphones; they are collaps...

Festive-season sales are over, and most high-end Bluetooth headphones and earphones are off the discount lists now. If you did not buy one when the offers were still in place and are now looking to settle for a decent value-for-money audio device, we can offer you some help. Business Standard reviewed a few earphones, earbuds and headphones that are not just light on the pocket (well, most of them) but also pack good sound quality. Here are some of our picks: Fingers Go Duet TVS Pods Sometimes, there is a reluctance to go for wireless earbuds, as there is a fear these would slip out of ears, especially while commuting. But, that side, it's a great device to listen to music and attend calls, without the hassle of tangling wires.Fingers true wireless earphones Fingers recently launched Go-Duet TWS pods, and it's a tiny set of earbuds with a whopping 30 hours of battery life. So, basically, you have to charge the case once and it goes on and on. We tried to see how...

Blaupunkt’s BH-21 EQZ Bluetooth Headphone set is the most comfortable mid-range headphone I have used in a while and also comes with some great sound quality. Priced at Rs 2,999, the headphones have a simple and minimal design. The right ear cup has buttons for media playback, volume and calls, and a dedicated button for Equalizer Mode that enhances the bass. You can easily choose between Blaupunkt Music and Turbo Boost Modes using this button. Blaupunkt BH-21 EQZ Bluetooth Headphone The headphones sport 40mm aperture drivers that deliver powerful sound output. The headphones don’t take too much time to charge and with a 500mAh battery, can easily function for about 24 hours at a stretch. There is a 3.5-mm jack just in case you run out of battery. BH-21 features Bluetooth 5.0, which enables it to be quickly connected to a phone or tablet. The BH-21 EQZ has soft cushions on both earpads, and is lightweight and so comfortable that I could easily use it for over two hours wi...