Technology
The best deals on true wireless earbuds right now
On the subject of true wi-fi earbuds, there are a ton of manufacturers and merchandise to select from. Whether or not you want one thing with noise cancellation like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wi-fi 2 to drown out your morning commute or a fitness-focused pair just like the Beats Powerbeats Professional, there’s now a pair of wi-fi earbuds properly fitted to almost each event. Some, just like the UE Matches, even conform to the form of your ear to supply a safe match that’s uniquely yours.
Whatever the model or mannequin that speaks to you, nonetheless, we’ve scoured the web to search out the very best offers at the moment obtainable on true wi-fi earbuds. After all, in case you’re nonetheless looking for the correct make and mannequin for you, be sure to take a look at our information to the very best wi-fi earbuds, which ought to assist slim down your choices. We’ve additionally put collectively a information to the very best noise-canceling headphones if earbuds aren’t your factor.
Highlights throughout the vary
Apple AirPods offers
When you personal an iPhone or a number of Apple merchandise, the AirPods Professional are possible the very best true wi-fi earbuds available on the market for you. In contrast to the bottom AirPods, the newest Professionals supply higher sound high quality and have energetic noise cancellation, to not point out seamless integration with iOS and a MagSafe-compatible charging case.
Whereas the AirPods Professional carry a lofty $249.99 price ticket, in addition they go on sale relatively ceaselessly. Throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday, for example, we noticed them drop as little as $160. They’re now not obtainable at that worth, however you possibly can nonetheless get a pair with the MagSafe charging case for $189.99 at Amazon, Walmart, Goal, and Greatest Purchase. B&H Picture, in the meantime, has them for $194.99.
Alternatively, you should buy a pair of second-generation AirPods — now the entry-level mannequin — with both a wired or wi-fi charging case. The bottom AirPods usually retail for $129, however you possibly can at the moment get the model with the wired charging case for $109.99 at Amazon, Greatest Purchase, or Walmart.
When you favor just a little extra comfort, it’s also possible to get a pair of the second-gen AirPods with a Qi-compatible wi-fi charging case for just a few {dollars} extra. Apple now not sells the wi-fi configuration — and so they’ve grow to be more and more tough to search out on-line — however you possibly can nonetheless get them for $149.95 as an alternative of $199.99 at B&H Picture and Greatest Purchase.
Final on the AirPods block is the latest third-gen mannequin, the newest addition to the AirPods lineup. The earbuds mix a little bit of the AirPods Professional look with the laborious, plastic construct of the second-gen mannequin and include a MagSafe-compatible charging case. Additionally they supply IPX4 water resistance, improved sound high quality, and retail for $179.
Though we not too long ago noticed the third-gen AirPods on sale for as little as $140, they at the moment can solely be discovered for round $169 at Amazon, Greatest Purchase, Goal, and Walmart. That’s solely $10 off their typical retail worth, however in case you just like the newer design and MagSafe charging, it could be price contemplating.
Samsung Galaxy Buds offers
Samsung has just a few totally different wi-fi earbuds to select from, together with its newest flagship wi-fi earbuds, the Galaxy Buds Professional. These earbuds embody energetic noise cancellation and a few of the finest sound high quality of any Samsung earbuds up to now.
Throughout Black Friday, the Galaxy Buds Professional have been greater than $50 off, bringing the worth all the way down to round $150 — almost an all-time low — in choose colorways. Fortunately, Goal is at the moment matching that worth, promoting them in choose colorways for $149.99. Amazon has them on sale in purple for $179.99, in case you favor a extra vibrant shade.
Samsung launched the Galaxy Buds 2 — a good-sounding pair of earbuds with energetic noise cancellation, wi-fi charging, and a delicate design — in August, and we’ve seen loads of reductions since then at retailers like Woot and Amazon. Proper now, for example, you will get them at Woot for $99.99, their lowest worth up to now. Whereas these are in new situation, they solely carry a 90-day guarantee from Woot. If that provides you pause, you should buy them at Amazon with a one-year producer’s guarantee beginning at $111.10.
The Galaxy Buds Plus have been our high choose final yr for the very best wi-fi earbuds general however have since been discontinued with the arrival of the Galaxy Buds 2. A successor to the unique Galaxy Buds, the Plus mannequin extends the battery life by as much as 11 hours and, not like AirPods, is available in an assortment of colours.
Proper now, you should buy the $149.99 Galaxy Buds Plus in black for simply $99 at Walmart, which is without doubt one of the lowest costs we’ve seen within the final a number of months and sure one of many final main reductions we’ll see earlier than the earbuds grow to be unavailable.
The Galaxy Buds Stay are a few of the extra unconventional wi-fi earbuds available on the market proper now, however don’t let their bean-shaped design idiot you. The Buds Stay are a superb possibility if you’d like earbuds that produce highly effective sound and showcase marathon battery life. Proper now, you should purchase a pair of the Galaxy Buds Stay beginning for as little as $95.97 at Amazon and Goal as an alternative of $169.99, which is almost their lowest worth up to now.
Sony earbud offers
The Sony WF-1000XM4 are our high choose for the very best earbuds you should buy, boasting the very best noise cancellation of any true wi-fi earbuds. They provide phenomenal sound high quality in addition to a wonderful battery, and may even be charged wirelessly by way of the included charging case. Though we’ve seen them promote for as little as $218, they’re solely obtainable at Amazon, Goal, and Greatest Purchase proper now for round $248, about 11 % off the MSRP. Even at their present worth, nonetheless, they’re a simple suggestion.
When you’re searching for a pair of Sony earbuds which can be extra budget-friendly, enter the Sony WF-C500. These reasonably priced earbuds got here out on the finish of 2021, and so they show their price with good sound high quality, glorious battery life, and really aggressive pricing. You might not get energetic noise cancellation or wi-fi charging with these earbuds, however they continue to be an distinctive worth. At the moment, they’re obtainable at Amazon, Walmart, Greatest Purchase, and Goal for round $68, a modest low cost on their $99.99 price ticket. Learn our overview.
Jabra Elite 75t offers
In comparison with the competitors, Jabra’s wi-fi earbuds have a uncommon function that has but to grow to be normal within the true wi-fi earbud market: the power to hook up with two gadgets concurrently. Ideally, that is nice for customers who swap between two gadgets usually (like, say, a cellphone and a laptop computer).
Regardless of their age, the Jabra Elite 75t stay a reliable set of earbuds. In our authentic overview, The Verge’s Chris Welch decried them to be the very best AirPods different you could possibly purchase on the time, with a snug match, twin level Bluetooth connectivity, and deep, bass-heavy sound. We have been barely dissatisfied by their lack of true energetic noise cancellation, however we’re comfortable to report that, due to a firmware replace, the Jabra Elite 75t now embody this function.
Usually $149.99, the Jabra Elite 75t wi-fi earbuds are at the moment on sale at Walmart for $82.50, whereas Amazon has them for $99.99. We don’t count on them to be broadly obtainable for for much longer, nonetheless, given Jabra plans to section out the Elite 75t in favor of newer fashions, particularly the Elite 7 Professional, Elite 7 Lively, and Elite 3.
Jabra Elite 85t offers
In 2020, Jabra launched the Elite 85t wi-fi earbuds, that are the highest-tier mannequin in Jabra’s present lineup. They provide extra superior noise cancellation than the 75t. Nonetheless, in addition they function much less bass and an inferior match. That stated, you possibly can at the moment purchase the Jabra Elite 85t at Amazon for $184.91 as an alternative of $229.99 while you select the copper black colorway. That’s not as steep as their all-time low of $139.99, but it surely’s nonetheless a $45 low cost. You can even purchase them at Greatest Purchase and GameStop for $199.99 while you select the black colorway.
Jabra Elite 3 offers
The Jabra Elite 3, one of many newer fashions from Jabra, are additionally obtainable proper now at a sizeable low cost. In his overview, The Verge’s Chris Welch famous that though the Jabra Elite 3 shed options like energetic noise cancellation and multipoint Bluetooth assist, they nonetheless present a wonderful listening expertise at a comparatively low worth level. Usually $79.99, the earbuds are at the moment on sale at Amazon in choose colorways for $72.95.
Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wi-fi 2 offers
Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wi-fi 2 are one other pair of wonderful noise-canceling earbuds which can be at the moment on sale. As famous in our overview, the earbuds supply nice ANC efficiency, customizable controls, and sound that may almost match that of a premium pair of noise-canceling over-ear headphones. Usually $299.95, you should buy them proper now at Adorama for $190, one in every of their higher costs up to now, or at Goal for $199.95.
Beats Powerbeats Professional offers
When you’re at the moment available in the market for a dependable pair of wi-fi earbuds to your exercises, it’s laborious to go incorrect with the predecessor to the Studio Buds, the Beats Powerbeats Professional. These earbuds sport an over-ear hook that retains them in place when you’re exercising; in addition they supply IPX4 sweat- and water resistant, that means you don’t have to fret about ruining them ought to your exercise get intense.
At the moment, there are just a few totally different reductions obtainable on the Powerbeats Professional, which usually retails for $249.95. The bottom worth we’ve discovered is at Amazon, the place you should buy them in choose colorways for as little as $169.95. If Amazon doesn’t have the colour you’re after, nonetheless, it’s also possible to choose them up at Greatest Purchase, Staples, Walmart, or the official Beats storefront, all of that are promoting them in a number of colours for round $200. That’s not the bottom worth we’ve seen the PowerBeats Professional go for — they have been on sale for round $150 all through most of November and December — but it surely’s nonetheless a hefty low cost on what would in any other case be a $250 pair of earbuds.
UE Matches offers
After testing a pair for ourselves, we remarked in our overview that the UE Matches have been probably the most snug shopper earbuds available on the market. That’s as a result of, not like the opposite wi-fi earbuds on this checklist, the UE Matches are uniquely able to completely molding to the form of your ears in simply 60 seconds, making them an ideal selection for these involved their earbuds might come free or fall out. On the similar time, nonetheless, we additionally discovered that they provide good sound high quality, in addition to prolonged, eight-hour battery life. Usually $199.99, you will get them proper now for simply $164 from Final Ears.
Technology
Monster Hunter is getting an open-world RPG spinoff for mobile
The Monster Hunter franchise is bringing, well, monster hunting to your smartphone. Capcom has announced that it’s teaming up with TiMi — the studio behind games like Call of Duty: Mobile and Pokémon Unite — for a spinoff called Monster Hunter Outlanders. It’s described as an “open-world survival game” that’s playable either solo or co-op with up to four players. It sounds like Outlanders will feature the core aspects of a MonHun experience (namely, the exploring, hunting, and crafting) but with live service and social elements typical of a mobile game.
That recent success, combined with TiMi’s history and MonHun’s pedigree as a portable experience, are positive signs this could be more than a mobile cash grab. It might be some time before we get to check out the game for ourselves, however, as it doesn’t currently have a release date. Capcom says there will be “several play tests in advance” of the eventual launch.
Technology
Starbucks now offers delivery in its own app
A new way to spend $10 on a 12-ounce coffee just dropped. Starting today, Starbucks is accepting delivery orders right inside its app. Delivery is handled by DoorDash, and right now, it’s limited to “participating stores” in the US and Canada. But if you’re in the delivery area and willing to pay a small fortune in fees, getting your Starbucks order into your hands has never been easier.
Starbucks has been offering delivery through DoorDash in the US since early last year, but only within Doordash’s app. Previously, order ahead options in the Starbucks app were limited to in-store and drive-through pickup. Now, you can toggle between pickup and delivery. Placing a delivery order brings up an interface identical to the one on DoorDash’s app.
Whichever app you use, you can also expect to pay DoorDash’s service fees. There’s a $1.99 delivery fee, and if your order subtotal is under $10, you might see a $2.00 small order fee. There’s also a 15 percent service charge that goes to DoorDash, and where I live in Seattle, an additional $4.99 fee because the company decided to pass on the cost of paying drivers a living wage to customers. Add a $1 tip for the driver (and nothing for the barista making the drink, apparently), and my $6.55 12-ounce peppermint mocha now costs $19.23. Convenience doesn’t come cheap, unsurprisingly.
Depending on where you live, you probably won’t see such steep fees, and the delivery option is likely more practical if you’re ordering coffee for the whole office and not one person. Personally, I’m deleting that $20 mocha order from my cart. We have coffee at home.
Technology
Alarming rise of fake legal requests: What it means for your privacy
Phishing emails are one of the most common tricks scammers use, but they’re usually easy to catch if you pay attention. Awkward grammar, random details and, most importantly, an unofficial email address are dead giveaways. For example, you might get an email saying your Apple ID’s been disabled, but the sender’s email won’t actually be from Apple. Now, though, scammers are finding ways to get around this.
According to the FBI, there’s been a recent rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government email accounts to send fake subpoenas and data requests to U.S.-based tech companies.
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What you need to know
The FBI has seen a spike in criminal forum posts about emergency data requests and stolen email credentials from police departments and government agencies. Cybercriminals are getting into compromised U.S. and foreign government email accounts and using them to send fake emergency data requests to U.S.-based companies, which exposes customer data for further misuse in other crimes.
In August 2024, a popular cybercriminal on an online forum advertised “high-quality .gov emails” for sale, meant for espionage, social engineering, data extortion, emergency data requests and more. The listing even included U.S. credentials, and the seller claimed they could guide buyers on making emergency data requests and even sell real stolen subpoena documents to help them pose as law enforcement.
Another cybercriminal boasted about owning government emails from over 25 countries. They claimed anyone can use these emails to send a subpoena to a tech company and get access to usernames, emails, phone numbers and other personal client info. Some con artists are even hosting a “masterclass” on how to create and submit their own emergency data requests to pull data on any social media account, charging $100 for the full rundown.
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How this phishing scam works
When law enforcement, whether federal, state or local, wants information about someone’s account at a tech company, like their email address or other account details, they typically need a warrant, subpoena or court order. When a tech company receives one of these requests from an official email address, they’re required to comply. So, if a scammer gets access to a government email, they can fake a subpoena and get information on just about anyone.
To bypass verification, scammers often send emergency data requests, claiming that someone’s life is at risk and that the data is needed urgently. Because companies don’t want to delay in case of an actual emergency, they may hand over the information, even if the request turns out to be fake. By portraying it as a life-or-death situation, scammers make it harder for companies to take time to verify the request.
For example, the FBI reported that earlier this year, a known cybercriminal posted pictures on an online forum of a fake emergency data request they’d sent to PayPal. The scammer tried to make it look legitimate by using a fraudulent mutual legal assistance treaty, claiming it was part of a local investigation into child trafficking, complete with a case number and legal code for verification. However, PayPal recognized that it wasn’t a real law enforcement request and denied it.
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What can companies do to avoid falling for these phishing scams?
1) Verify all data requests: Before sharing sensitive information, companies should verify every data request, even those that look legitimate. Establish a protocol for confirming requests directly with the agency or organization that supposedly sent them.
2) Strengthen email security: Use email authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF and DKIM to block emails from unauthorized sources. Implement anti-phishing filters to detect suspicious content in messages.
3) Train employees on phishing awareness: Regular training sessions on phishing scams can help employees recognize red flags, such as urgent language, unusual requests or emails from unknown addresses. Employees should be encouraged to report suspicious emails.
4) Limit access to sensitive data: Restrict who can view or share sensitive customer data. Fewer people with access means fewer chances for accidental or intentional data leaks.
5) Implement emergency verification procedures: Have a clear verification process in place for “emergency” data requests, including steps for double-checking with higher management or legal teams before responding to any urgent request for customer information.
Is there something you need to do?
This particular phishing scam mostly targets big tech companies, so there’s not much you can do directly. However, it’s a reminder that you shouldn’t automatically trust an email, even if it comes from a .gov address. Here are some steps you can take to stay safe.
1) Double-check email addresses and links: Even if an email looks official, take a moment to check the sender’s email address and hover over any links to see where they actually lead. Be cautious if anything looks off. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Use 2FA for all sensitive accounts. This extra layer of security helps protect you even if your login credentials are compromised.
3) Stay updated on phishing scams: Keep an eye on the latest phishing tactics, so you know what to look out for. Regular updates help you spot new types of scams before they affect you.
4) Verify suspicious requests: If you get an unexpected email asking for sensitive info, contact the sender directly through an official channel to confirm the request.
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Kurt’s key takeaway
Scammers are taking phishing emails to a whole new level. I often recommend checking the email carefully when you receive anything suspicious to see if it’s legit. But now, since scammers can even access government emails, you need to be extra cautious. This phishing scam seems to target mostly big tech companies, so it’s on them to strengthen their security and verify every request thoroughly before sharing any user information. It’s also up to governments worldwide to protect their digital assets from being compromised.
What’s your stance on how governments are handling cybersecurity? Are they doing enough to protect sensitive data? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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