Tag: author_name|Billy Steele
Alexa Home Theater: Everything you need to know about Amazon’s newest Echo feature
When Amazon’s latest Echo speakers arrived in October, a feature the company spent time hyping during its fall devices event was missing. Alexa Home Theater arrived in late November, allowing owners of a recent Fire TV device and either of the new Echo speakers the ability to use up to…
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Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Affordable earbuds that are better with ANC
The Pixel Buds Pro 2 have been the best earbuds for Pixel phone owners since they arrived last fall. With the Pixel Buds 2a ($129) though, there’s no longer a clear-cut buying decision. This more affordable model finally has active noise cancellation (ANC) as just one of its many updates.…
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How to use Live Translation with AirPods
With the arrival of iOS 26, Apple’s Live Translation feature for AirPods is now ready for use. It’s available on older models of the company’s earbuds, so you don’t need the new AirPods Pro 3 to access it. There are some hardware and software requirements though, so let’s dive into…
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How Apple used ANC to build its best AirPods features
Once upon a time, noise-canceling headphones primarily existed for one purpose: air travel. Bose and Sennheiser were among the first on the scene commercially, blocking unwanted sounds for pilots long before wireless headphones were even a thing. Today, active noise cancellation (ANC) is not just commonplace, it's practically expected for…
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iPhone 17 review: Closer to Pro
For years, the “regular” iPhone received hand-me-downs from the Pro models. This was less so with the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus, but the trickle-down philosophy was still there to a degree. For 2025 and the iPhone 17 ($799) is no longer the compromise that the base model used to…
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Inside the Apple audio lab where AirPods are tested and tuned
When you enter the building that houses Apple’s audio lab, venture just beyond reception and you’ll encounter a massive vintage stereo setup. The deck and accompanying speakers were a gift from Steve Jobs to the team of engineers who work in this office. The group sees the old-school tech as…
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