Every year, I ask The Verge’s staff what kind of audio gear they like to use. And they are the perfect set of people to ask: besides working on videos and podcasts, our Slack channels are filled with discussions of the podcasts and music we listen to while working, walking, exercising, or just hanging out.
Technology
The Verge’s favorite audio gear
So here are the headphones, earbuds, and other devices that some of the folks here like to use, both on a professional and personal level.
Headphones and earbuds
RØDE NTH-100 headphones
Andrew Marino, senior audio producer
Professional-level over-the-ear headphones with memory foam cushions and an optional headset microphone.
The RØDE NTH-100 headphones are the comfiest headphones I’ve used. The memory foam cushions let me wear these all day at work without fatigue. The sound is great for the price, too, and the optional headset microphone is one of the best-quality mics I’ve heard on consumer headsets.
Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses
Victoria Song, senior reviewer
$379
Smart glasses equipped with Meta AI, a 12MP camera, and audio, in various styles.
On sunny walks and runs, I’m not interested in getting flattened by wayward SUVs in my neighborhood — I need that situational awareness. Many open-ear headphones wrap around the top of the ear, and since I often wear glasses, that’s a lot to put on my poor ears. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses kill two birds with one stone; they’re my go-to headphones these days. The audio quality is great, they protect my eyes from UV rays, and once in a while, I use them to snap a photo of a random bunny or stray cat. There’s a mic right by your nose bridge, so you sound pretty great on calls, too. Who doesn’t love a multitasking gadget?
Sony LinkBuds
Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter
Sony’s LinkBuds have a standout design that’s rooted in comfort and an airy, open sound. They also excel when used for voice calls, outshining pretty much all competitors.
They’re not the wireless earbuds I reach for all the time, but when I’m relaxing on a bike ride at the end of the day, the open design of Sony’s LinkBuds helps keep me aware of my surroundings — whether it’s approaching vehicles or other cyclists who are in more of a hurry. Even with some compromises to sound quality, the LinkBuds still sound very good, and because they sit in my ears, they’re easier to wear with a helmet. My favorite feature is the ability to tap on the side of my head to control playback or adjust the volume while riding. The earbuds detect the nearby vibrations as inputs so I don’t have to precisely target buttons or touchpads.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
These buds have excellent sound quality and good noise cancellation but work best when you’re part of the Samsung ecosystem.
I love my Galaxy Buds 2 Pro; they’re the first wireless earbuds I’ve ever used, and they made the most sense for me, as I’m knee-deep in Samsung’s ecosystem. They fit comfortably inside my ears and their active noise cancellation works well — almost too well — at the gym or on an airplane.
Miscellaneous and accessories
Shure MV7 USB microphone
Andrew Marino, senior audio producer
$279
An update to the well-regarded Shure MV7 with customizable color and improved performance.
The Shure MV7 USB has been our go-to microphone to send to remote guests for Verge podcasts. It’s a very flexible dynamic microphone for podcast interviews because of its sonic similarity to typical radio mics like Shure’s SM7b and has both a USB and XLR output for virtually any recording setup.
Apple’s Lightning and USB-C headphone adapters
Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor
$9
If you miss having a headphone jack in your iPhone or iPod, this adapter can help.
Taking away the headphone jack was and is user-hostile and stupid. It is stupid that I need an adapter to connect wired headphones to my tablet, and it is stupid that I need a different adapter to use them with my phone.
At least Apple’s Lightning and USB-C headphone adapters are small and cheap. And the USB-C one is a surprisingly good DAC. I keep one of each in a little pouch in my backpack, along with some cheap wired earbuds. If only there were some universal wired audio connector! Maybe someday.
3D-printed rack mounts
Andrew Marino, senior audio producer
$19
Motu offers desk mounting brackets for a variety of audio interfaces, getting them out of the way of your other equipment.
If you have a lot of audio gear on your workspace, I’d recommend making some room by mounting some of that stuff under your desk. I bought a 3D-printed mounting bracket for my Motu audio interface from an Etsy store, which makes my setup look a lot more professional and keeps the tech away from any spilled drinks.
Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O.!
Andrew Liszewski, senior reporter
$99
This microsampler and drum machine can provide hours of fun for music lovers.
I am by no stretch of the imagination a musician, but I do enjoy living out my Daft Punk fantasies with the Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O.! It’s part of the company’s Pocket Operators lineup of calculator-sized drum machines, but what sets the PO-33 apart is a built-in microphone that can be used to record sounds that can be turned into beats. I won’t be releasing an album anytime soon, but the PO-33 is an endlessly fun distraction — easy to learn but with enough functionality that it feels like it will take years to master.
Audio-Technica AT-HPH300 headphone hanger
Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor
$24
A convenient way to hang your headphones up next to or under your desk.
My partner spends a lot of time wearing headphones — among other things, he has a radio show and a YouTube channel — but occasionally he does have to put them aside. When he does, he uses the Audio-Technica AT-HPH300 headphone hanger that he bought a few years ago. It fastens securely to the edge of his desk and has an adjustable padded hook. The hook rotates so he can also move the headphones out of the way and under the desk if he needs to.
A spring clamp
Nathan Edwards, senior reviews editor
These clamps can be used for a variety of useful tasks, including holding up your headphones. Package of four.
I hang my headphones from a spring clamp I found in the garage.
Technology
The Setapp Mobile iOS store is shutting down on February 16th
Setapp Mobile was a bold, breakthrough project that aimed to provide EU iOS users with access to alternative app marketplaces – creating a new app ecosystem where both developers and users could thrive. We are proud of what we have accomplished with it over the past two years and still believe passionately in this vision.
As a result of still-evolving commercial conditions, we have determined that it is not viable to continue development or support for Setapp Mobile within Setapp’s current business model.
While we are disappointed to discontinue Setapp Mobile, we are looking forward to pursuing the development of other innovations. We are excited to focus efforts on various projects that will launch later this year. This includes Eney, a first-of-its-kind AI assistant native to macOS, and new enhancements to Setapp Desktop.
Technology
Breakthrough device promises to detect glucose without needles
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The idea of tracking blood sugar without needles has challenged health tech for years. For people with diabetes, constant monitoring is critical, yet the tools remain uncomfortable and invasive. Finger pricks hurt. Traditional continuous glucose monitors still sit under the skin. That daily burden adds up fast.
Recently, one small device has been drawing significant attention for tackling that problem in a very different way.
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WEIGHT LOSS EXPERTS PREDICT 5 MAJOR TREATMENT CHANGES LIKELY TO EMERGE IN 2026
A small breath-based device called isaac aims to alert users to glucose changes without needles or sensors under the skin. (PreEvnt)
Why noninvasive glucose tracking matters
Blood sugar levels can rise or fall quickly. When changes go unnoticed, the risks increase, from long-term organ damage to sudden hypoglycemia. Monitoring can be especially difficult for:
- Small children
- Older adults
- Anyone who struggles with needles
At the same time, glucose tracking has surged among people without diabetes. As GLP-1 medications gain popularity, many people now track their blood sugar to understand how food affects their bodies. The need for simpler tools keeps growing.
Even Apple has spent years trying to bring no-prick glucose tracking to wearables. Despite heavy investment, the feature has yet to arrive.
NEEDLE-FREE GLUCOSE CHECKS MOVE CLOSER TO REALITY
Instead of finger pricks, the device analyzes acetone and other compounds in exhaled breath linked to blood sugar levels. (PreEvnt)
How the PreEvnt isaac monitors glucose using breath
One of the most talked-about health devices at CES 2026 came from PreEvnt. Its product, called isaac, takes a nontraditional approach to glucose awareness. Instead of piercing skin or using optical sensors, isaac analyzes your breath.
The device measures volatile organic compounds, especially acetone, which has long been associated with rising blood glucose. That sweet fruity breath is a known marker of diabetes. By detecting changes in those compounds, isaac can alert users to potential glucose events. The device is small, about the size of a quarter, with a loop so it can be worn on a lanyard or clipped to clothing or a bag.
The breath-based design is intended to reduce how often users need finger-prick blood tests, while providing early alerts for glucose-related changes.
The device is named after the inventor’s grandson, Isaac, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just 2 years old. The inventor, Bud Wilcox, wanted to reduce the number of painful finger pricks his grandson faced each day. That personal motivation led to years of collaboration with scientists, designers and engineers. Research and development included work with Indiana University under the direction of Dr. M. Agarwal. The goal was simple but ambitious: Alert families to blood sugar events earlier while reducing the physical and emotional toll of constant testing.
How the isaac device fits into daily life
Isaac is designed to fit into everyday routines. Users breathe into the device, which processes the reading and sends the data to a companion smartphone app. The app, still in its final stages of development, focuses on awareness and safety. Current features include:
- A timeline for logging meals
- A history of breath readings
- Alerts that can notify emergency contacts
This matters because people with diabetes can become disoriented or incapacitated during hypoglycemic events. Early alerts give caregivers or family members a chance to step in. A single charge lasts all day and supports multiple breath tests. The device comes with a USB-C charging cradle and cable.
Who isaac is designed for
According to PreEvnt, isaac is being developed for:
- Type 1 diabetics
- Type 2 diabetics
- Prediabetics
It may also appeal to people focused on metabolic health. As mentioned, the device is still undergoing development and FDA review and is not yet for sale in the U.S. The companion app will launch on iOS and Android closer to availability.
TYPE 1 DIABETES REVERSED IN LANDMARK STUDY, PAVING THE WAY FOR HUMAN STUDIES
Designed for everyday use, the isaac wearable device pairs with a smartphone app to log readings and send alerts when needed. (PreEvnt)
Clinical trials and FDA review for the isaac device
PreEvnt first introduced isaac publicly at CES 2025. Later that year, the device entered active human clinical trials. Those studies compare isaac’s breath-based alerts with traditional blood glucose monitoring methods.
Trials began with adolescents who have Type 1 diabetes and later expanded to adults with Type 2 diabetes. The company is now working toward regulatory review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Because this technology is new, PreEvnt is pursuing a de novo pathway, which allows devices to be evaluated while standards are still being defined. According to the company, regulators have shown strong interest as the data continues to come in.
Isaac does not claim to replace medical-grade glucose meters. The device is being developed to supplement existing monitoring methods by offering breath-based alerts tied to glucose-related changes.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Noninvasive glucose monitoring has long felt like a future promise that never quite arrives. The attention around isaac at CES 2026 suggests that promise may finally be getting closer. If clinical trials continue to deliver strong results and regulators give approval, breathing into a small device could one day replace at least some finger pricks. For families living with diabetes, that shift could make daily life easier and safer.
Would you trust a breath-based device to warn you about rising blood sugar before symptoms appear? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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”Share a Disney quote that sums up how you’re feeling right now!”
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