Earbuds

Google first dipped its toes into wireless earbuds with the original Pixel Buds in 2017. Having been announced last October, the new and improved Pixel Buds are now on sale in the US, ready to give Apple's AirPods even stronger competition.

Being able to track a morning jog and listen to some tunes without carrying a phone around is surely one of the key selling points of modern-day smartwatches – so why not combine the smartwatch and a pair of wireless earbuds in one compact form?

Timekettle's WT2 Plus translation earbuds aim to give you a Babel fish type experience, quietly translating what you're saying into your partner's ear and vice versa. We've been playing with them to see how they stack up against hand-held devices.

Scientists have designed a system that allows earbuds to help verify smartphone users' identities.

Nura's over/in ear headphones are absolutely extraordinary, so we're super keen to hear how this Australian company's ear-adaptive audio technology translates to a smaller device. Nuraloop has just gone on pre-sale at a 30 percent discount from retail pricing, shipping in September.

​Beats has bounced into the world of wireless listening with its first set of truly cable-free earbuds. As the successor to its popular Powerbeats earphones, the Powerbeats Pro drop the tether for a standalone ear-hook design and a stellar battery life.

​Samsung has launched a new smartwatch that might just take the health and wellness capabilities of the common wearable into new territory. In addition to standard features like sleep and heart rate tracking, the company claims its new Galaxy Watch Active will be able to keep tabs on blood pressure.

Korean audio house Phiaton has gone truly wireless with the successfully crowdfunded Bolt BT 700 earphones, which come with a charging case that rocks its own speaker so that you can share tunes with friends.​

Wireless earbuds can suffer battery life and potential for accidental loss issues. To help solve both of those, Ascape Audio is launching SoundFlow, a pair of earbuds that tuck away neatly inside a phone case that also charges them up.

With a "sweat-proof design," the Crazybaby Air 1S earbuds are being targeted specifically at sportspeople. While I couldn't put myself in that camp, I did manage to work up a sweat to put the earbuds to the test over the course of a few weeks.

​They're hardy, waterproof and dustproof, with a nifty and very portable magnetic case that doubles as a powerbank. They cost US$125, sound great as long as you're not a bass fiend, and we've spent a couple of weeks with them to bring you this review.

​Hong Kong startup Jabees has now launched its first Kickstarter campaign, taking orders for its new wireless earbuds called Firefly which pack fast charging, Bluetooth 5.0, and intuitive tap controls into a budget price.​