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Insta360 launches a cheaper version of its wireless mics with color screens

A person holds the Insta360 Mic wireless transmitter between two fingers with a flower illustration displayed on its screen.

Following the launch of its wireless Mic Pro system last May featuring built-in color E Ink screens for custom branding and an array of three microphones to emulate different pickup patterns, Insta360 has announced a cheaper alternative that skips a few features many content creators might not miss.

The new Insta360 Mic sits between the company's Mic Pro and the budget-friendly Mic Air, which uses much smaller screenless transmitters. While the Mic Pro is priced at $329.99 for a kit that includes two microphone transmitters, one wireless receiver, and a charging case, the Insta360 Mic costs $249.99 for a similar bundle. Insta360 sells the m …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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Bose acquires Skullcandy to help it reach a wider audience

A pile of Skullcandy headphones sitting on a mixing board in a studio.

Bose announced today it has acquired Skullcandy. Although the two companies are competitors in the consumer audio space, Skullcandy recently partnered with its new owner to bring several of Bose's audio technologies - including its head-tracking spatial audio and excellent active noise cancellation (ANC) - to products like the Skullcandy Crusher 1080 ANC headphones and Method 360 ANC earbuds.

Specific details about the deal weren't shared, but according to a news release, Bose plans to keep Skullcandy a separate brand that will become part of its premium consumer audio business. Skullcandy will remain based in Park City, Utah, where it was …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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Spotify is busting free of CarPlay with the launch of its first native car app

Spotify native car app in Audi vehicle

Spotify announced Wednesday the launch of its next-generation, fully native in-car app, built directly on Google's Android Automotive operating system. The standalone app, which is launching today in select Audi models, runs directly on the vehicle's infotainment hardware - eliminating the need for phone tethering, Bluetooth connections, or aux cables.

It's the clearest sign yet that Spotify is ready to move beyond Apple CarPlay and Android, popular phone projection systems that currently dominate the way most people consume media in their cars. And with 34 percent of Spotify's monthly active users and 77 percent of Premium subscribers stre …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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It’s hard to imagine wireless headphones ever getting lighter than these

A person wears the Final Porta wireless headphones with orange ear pads.

If you're on the hunt for lightweight wireless headphones but wearing earbuds or clip-ons never feels comfortable or secure, a relatively obscure Japanese headphone maker could have the solution. Final's new Porta headphones feature an on-ear design supported by a headband but with a structure made from a single piece of wire so they weigh just 40 grams. For comparison, Marshall's recently-launched Milton A.N.C. are also designed to be smaller on-ear headphones but weigh 200 grams.

The Final Porta are available for preorder now through the company's online store for 12,800 yen (around $80) with black or orange ear pads and shipping expected …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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Fairphone’s latest repairable earbuds are smaller, lighter, and longer-lasting

The Fairbuds 2 have had a total design revamp from the original pair.

Repairable, ethical phone brand Fairphone has released its second pair of earbuds. The Fairbuds 2 are just as repairable as the first generation, but deliver improved audio and almost twice the battery life. The Fairbuds 2 are out now in the UK and Europe from Β£99 / €119, and a US launch at $119 will follow on November 2nd.

The Fairbuds 2 have been redesigned from the ground up, moving to a stemmed design, available in black or green, and a case that's 37 percent smaller than the first generation. Despite that shrinking hardware, Fairphone has almost doubled the buds' battery life, which now totals 40 hours without active noise cancellation …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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