Heena Sharma Blog

  The Pixel Buds A-series earbuds are of a different kind, in a good way. They do not have a long list of features, and they cut corners even on the most obvious ones like active noise cancellation. But the product shines through when it comes to user experience. Made by Google, these earbuds have built-in Google Assistant for hands-free operations. Besides, they boast identical touch controls on both earbuds. Both these features alone make the Google Pixel Buds A-series an easy-to-use pair of wireless earbuds. But do they justify their price tag? Let’s find out: Starting with design, I liked how Google has kept everything simple here. The earbuds look like baby mushrooms with circular heads and rather elongated tails with in-ear tips at the end. While the in-ear design helps them latch on to the ears, the added stabiliser arc helps them stay put securely and comfortably even in situations like exercising, when many others would come off easily. Like the earbuds, the charging-cum-

  London-based technology start-up Nothing’s debut wireless earbuds ear (1) will be available for pre-orders in India from 12pm on August 17 through home-grown e-commerce platform Flipkart. Priced at Rs 5,999, the earbuds will be available for pre-orders with offers like instant discount of Rs 500 on ICICI credit card and free six month subscription of Gaana Plus music streaming service. Unveiled in July, the Nothing ear (1) is one of the affordable wireless earbuds in the market with premium features like active noise cancellation and wireless charging support. Complementing the features is the ear (1) transparent design, which extends to both the earbuds and charging-cum-storage case. The transparent design shows the product internals, including microphones, magnets and circuit board. Nothing said, each earbud weighs in at 4.7g, and delivers pressure-relieving vents, an ergonomic fit, and three customisable liquid silicone tips. As for the audio, the Nothing ear (1) packs a 11.6

  The market is flooded with low-cost Bluetooth earphones with collar bands these days. Such is their appeal that Realme had to go ahead and launch an ultra-low-cost brand, Dizo, so as not to miss out on the opportunity. With this new brand launch, Realme also upgraded its wireless earbuds. When the phone manufacturer launched its first iteration of buds, there were only a few competitors in the space. The stylish design and battery life ensured that Realme stayed ahead of the competition. The company’s new offering seems to build on the previous gains. Design One thing that Realme had going in its favour with the first earphones was design. It had made the buds lightweight and attractive. While the company has kept to the colour aspect, the design element has been revised. Personally, the earphones have been made to look bulkier. Even though they are still lightweight and ergonomically better than the previous model, the bulky design makes them stand out, and not in a good manner

  From neckband-style earphones to true wireless earbuds, Realme is one smartphone brand that has significantly expanded its audio range despite being new to the segment. Importantly, the Chinese brand has been consistently democratising premium features like active noise cancellation in its inexpensive offerings. Fresh in its line-up is the Realme Buds Q2 , priced at Rs 2,499. These true wireless earbuds seem to be undersell for someone to experience active noise cancellation (ANC) for the first time without actually having to pay much. But how does the product fare in real-life scenarios? Let’s find out: Design The Realme Buds Q2 come in active black and calm grey colour themes. Made of plastic, the active black (review unit) colour model has a matte finish with glossy film on the touch area that reflects blue hues. The earbuds are IPX5-rated for protection against water ingress. As for the earbuds’ charging case, it is a pill-shaped unit with a matte black finish. It is curved

  Active noise cancellation (ANC) is one premium feature still scarcely available in true wireless earbuds, especially in the budget segment. That said, there are no other earbuds better at present than the recently launched Realme Buds Air 2 to experience the ANC for the first time without actually having to pay much for it. Fourth in the Realme’s Bud Air series, the Buds Air 2 is a completely reworked model with a fresh design, improved acoustics, and ANC among its core features. Starting with the design, the earbuds come in two colour options – black & blue and silver & white – with a dual-tone accent for novelty. These in-ear earbuds have a stem-based design with earbuds donning a white glossy finish and silver theme on the stems (review unit – silver & white). With each earbud weighing about 4.1g, the Buds Air 2 is comfortable for extended usage. As for the earbuds’ charging case, it is a pebble shaped unit with a glossy white finish. It looks similar to the OPPO

  From enhancing acoustics to building on value-added features, Samsung has come a long way to add finesse to its true wireless stereo earbuds. Fresh in the line-up, the Galaxy Buds Pro takes a huge leap forward in terms of design, audio quality, voice call performance, and on-battery time. It is, however, the value-added features which give the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro an edge over other wireless earbuds in its own segment, and others too. The earbuds boast intelligent active noise cancelling, auto-switch between supported devices and 360 audio, among other notable value-added features. The earbuds are touted to be as good for call as they are for music-listening experience. But how are they in practical use? Let’s find out. Galaxy Buds Pro: Design If you have used any of the Samsung’s previous wireless earbuds – the Galaxy Buds (review) and Galaxy Buds Plus (review), using the Galaxy Buds Pro feels like homecoming. However, what’s even better is that the Galaxy Buds Pro, despite

  Samsung has released a new software update for its Galaxy Buds Pro true wireless earphones that brings improvements to active noise cancellation and ambient sound modes, among other changes. The software update appears to only be available in the US at the moment, reports SamMobile. The update is just 2.2MB in size and can be applied using the Galaxy Wear app for Android or Galaxy Buds app for iOS. The latest update arrives a few weeks after Samsung introduced another update that included improved Bixby voice wake-up response and left/right sound balance adjustment. Priced at Rs 15,990, the new Galaxy Buds Pro comes with an Intelligent Active Noise Cancellation and feature system in the package which uses a separate woofer and tweeter making it a 2-way speaker. Read More

  Jabra is one of the audio equipment makers that has come a long way adding finesse to its true wireless earbuds. Latest from the Danish company is the Jabra Elite 85t , which is touted to be as good for calls as it is for music. Besides, it boasts active noise cancelling, wireless charging, and IPX4 rating for protection from water damage. Priced at Rs 18,999, the Jabra Elite 85t seems to be an all-round premium wireless earbud. But do they work as touted by the company? Let’s find out: Design Jabra Elite 85t Jabra continues with the simple, minimal and compact design statement with the Elite 85t. Successor to the Elite Active 75t, the Elite 85t are about 1.5g heavier in weight over the predecessor yet they do not feel heavy as the weight distribution is proportionate and not uneven. With each earbud weighing 7g, the Elite 8t are lightweight and comfortable to use. As for the changes over the predecessor, the Elite 85t has an oval shaped ear gels for snug and secure fit. The

  The LG Tone Free FN7 is a one-of-its-kind pair of true wireless earbuds that comes with a charging cradle powered by UVnano technology – that’s a fancy name derived from the words ultraviolet and its unit nanometer. The technology is touted to kill 99.9 per cent bacteria on the speaker mesh of the earbuds in 10 minutes while charging. The UVnano tech is not the only interesting pitch in these earbuds; they also boast active noise cancellation and Spatial audio, tuned by British high-performance audio tech maker Meridian. Priced at Rs 18,990, the LG Tone Free FN7 seems to be tech-rich true wireless earbuds. How does it perform in real life? Let’s find out: Design The LG Tone Free FN7 is a pair of in-ear earbuds with a tiny stem protruding downwards from the body. Made of plastic, these earbuds have a glossy finish which makes it a little difficult to take them out of the case. Moreover, the glossy finish makes them susceptible to accidental slips from your hand in the absence of

  OnePlus on Monday launched a limited edition of its Buds Z in collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist and designer Steven Harrington, for Rs 3,699 in India. "For our users who are looking for the right combination of great sound quality and aesthetic design, the OnePlus Buds Z Steven Harrington Edition will prove to be a valuable addition,'' said Pete Lau, Founder, and CEO, OnePlus in a statement. According to the company, the new OnePlus Buds Z Steven Harrington Edition features the artist's signature stylized graffiti along with artistic caricatures and designs. The limited-edition earphones have a two-tone purple and mint colour combo with a matching charging case. Equipped with a dynamic 3D stereo powered by Dolby Atmos, these earphones construct a thoroughly immersive soundstage. On a full charge, these limited-edition earphones provide an impressive 20 hours of playback time, while a quick 10-minute top-up provides three hours of vibrant audio.

  Audio equipment maker JBL by HARMAN, owned by tech major Samsung, on Thursday launched its new JBL C115 true wireless earbuds in India for Rs 4,999. According to the company, the earbuds come with access to voice assistance, autonomous connectivity and jumbo battery life making it the ultimate go-to headphones. "Over its 75-year history, JBL has delivered the best sound experiences to different generations of audio enthusiasts cutting across demography and pocket size. Celebrating our milestone 75 year anniversary, we are excited to bring the new JBL C115 TWS to our aspiring youth who are discerning in their sound choices, without losing sight of the price tag," said Vikram Kher, Vice-President, Lifestyle Audio, HARMAN India said in a statement. It comes with ergonomic fit earbuds for comfort, autonomous connectivity and access to the phone's voice assistants like Google Echo or Alexa directly from the earbuds. Read More

  Samsung is taking pre-orders for its flagship Galaxy S21 series smartphones in India. Consumers can pre-book the smartphones in the Galaxy S21 series on offline stores, including the Samsung's exclusive stores, and online on Samsung India online store and e-commerce platforms. As part of the pre-booking offers, Samsung is bundling the Galaxy SmartTag free and Samsung E-Shop voucher of up to Rs 10,000 on all pre-orders. Additionally, as a special offer, Samsung is offering the Galaxy Watch Active 2 or a combo of Galaxy Buds+ and Travel Adapter on all pre-orders. Besides, the company is offering p to Rs 10,000 cashback offer in partnership with HDFC Bank, and an additional upgrade bonus of up to Rs 5,000 if you trade-in your existing Samsung smartphone for any model in the Galaxy S21 series. Pre-booked orders will start to delivery from January 25, and the Galaxy S21 Series will go on sale in India on January 29. Galaxy S21 Series: India pricing and colour options Galaxy S21

  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 positi

  Wings is a lesser known name in the audio space but it is one of those brands that make value-for-money products. I had reviewed the Wings Infinity neckband-style earphones last year (review), and found it good with regard to build, finish, and sound quality. The new offering from the brand is a true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds named Wings Revel. Is the Wings’ TWS earbuds as good as its neckband-style earphones? Let’s find out: Wings Revel: Build and design Wings Revel TWS earbuds The earbuds come in a premium packing and inside the box you get the charging case, Type-C cable, some ear-tips, documents, and the earbuds. The capsule-shaped charging case is small and seems to be made of a good quality plastic. It has Wings branding on top, three LEDs at the front to indicate battery level, and a Type-C port at the back for charging. The case’s compact form factor and lightweight design makes it easy to carry around, be it in pocket or otherwise. Read More

  The OPPO Enco W51 is an affordable pair of true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones with noise cancellation feature. At Rs 4,999, the Enco 51 is one of the few TWS earphones with in-ear design for noise isolation, an array of six microphones for digital noise cancellation, and an ingress protection rating (IP54) for water and dust resistance. The earphones are touted to be as good for attending voice calls as it is for listening to music. Is it? Let’s find out: Design The OPPO Enco W51 looks similar to the OPPO Enco W31 (review), which is another budget in-ear TWS earphones, but without noise cancellation feature. The earphones look premium and have a touch of novelty. Being an in-ear earphones, the Enco W51 offers secure and snug fit besides good passive noise isolation. However, the earphones’ hard silicone tips and oval design make them unsuitable for extended usage as they cause discomfort to ears after some time. Read More

  Wireless earphones come in all shapes and sizes, but none as distinct and intriguing as the Samsung Buds Live. These true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones are one of their kind, at least in terms of design. Each earphone has a kidney-bean-shaped build, which fits surprisingly well into your ears. The earphones’ semi in-ear design is comfortable, too, especially if you use them for extended hours. However, the lack of silicone tips affect the earphones’ passive noise isolation capability; the ambient noise easily passes through the earphones and you hear everything crystal clear even with earphones on. The earphones have active noise cancelling (ANC), which seems experimental. It blocks the ambient noise but only to an extent. Unfortunately, there is no way to customise ANC intensity. As for the performance, the earphones have a balanced audio output. They sound similar to the Galaxy Buds+, even better in some cases, and that is a big feat, considering that the Buds+ has an in-ear d

  Chinese technology company Xiaomi on Wednesday launched in India the Redmi Sonicbass wireless earphones and Redmi Earbuds 2c wireless earbuds. Priced at Rs 1,299, the Redmi SonicBass Wireless earphones will be available in black and blue colours at an introductory price of Rs 999 from October 7 at Mi online store, Flipkart, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores. The Redmi Earbuds 2C are priced at Rs 1,499 and it will be available at an introductory price of Rs 1,299 from October 7 at Mi online store, Amazon, Mi Homes, Mi Studios and select retail stores. Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones: Features The Redmi SonicBass wireless earphones are in-ear neckband styled earphones. It boasts an anti-slip design made of flexible material for comfort. The earphones have an on-board volume controls and a multi-function button for ease of access to various multimedia controls. The earphones weigh 21.2g and feature anti-wax silicone ear tips with magnetic earbuds. It has 9.2mm audio

  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 work great e

  South Korean electronics maker Samsung on Monday launched in India its Galaxy Watch3 smartwatch and Galaxy Live Buds earphones. Unveiled on August 5 at the company’s biannual Galaxy Unpacked event, the Galaxy Watch3 comes in 41mm and 45mm variants. The 41mm variant comes in Mystic Bronze and Mystic Silver colours, whereas, the 45mm comes in Mystic Silver and Mystic Black colours. Both the variants come with Bluetooth and 4G LTE connectivity options. The Galaxy Buds Live, on the other hand, comes in Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black and Mystic White colours. Samsung Galaxy Watch3 price in India and sale details The Galaxy Watch3 41mm is priced at Rs 29,990 and Rs 34490 for the Bluetooth and 4G variants, respectively. The 45mm Bluetooth and 4G variants are priced at Rs 32990 and Rs 38990, respectively. The Galaxy Watch3 will go on sale starting August 27 at retail stores, Samsung Opera House, Samsung.com and other online portals. Currently, the Galaxy Watch3 is available for pre-boo

The OPPO Enco W31 is a pair of true wireless stereo earphones that Chinese smartphone maker OPPO launched recently as part of its bid to enter product categories other than smartphones. Priced at Rs 3,999, these earphones boast an in-ear design, something most of its peers in the segment lack, and an ingress protection rating (IP54) for water and dust resistance. On paper, the Enco W31 seems to be a strong contender in the budget TWS earphones segment. But is it worth your money? Let’s find out: OPPO Enco W31: Design Though budget earphones, the Enco W31 boasts a design better than your regular ‘budget’ product. These earphones come in a petite circular-shaped charging-cum-storage case, which is convenient to carry and fits easily even in the most cramped places like jeans pockets. Made of plastic, the case has a matte texture with OPPO printed on top and a USB type-C charging port at the back. Overall, the case has a minimal yet functional design. Read More