HeadphoneJack
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Headphone jack fans lost out to fullscreen smartphones in 2018
Throughout 2016 and 2017, it was hard to fathom why Apple, Motorola and other smartphone makers were so eager to drop headphone jacks. There weren't any huge leaps in battery life or other features to make it worth losing the most widely supported port ever made. When Google removed it from the Pixel 2 last year, I figured all was lost. Even OnePlus, perhaps the most geek-friendly brand out there, gave up on the headphone jack with the 6T this year. But now, it's at least clear why the entire industry is jumping on this bandwagon: everyone wants to make bezel-less all screen phones.
Essential will restore your headphone jack for $149
Did you say you would pay anything to put a headphone jack on a phone where it was painfully absent? Essential wants you to prove it. The startup has released its long-discussed magnetic headphone jack adapter (now called the Audio Adapter HD) for a staggering $149 -- nearly a third the cost of the Essential Phone at its standard price. It's more than just a plug, of course. There's a built-in ESS Sabre DAC and an "audiophile-grade" amp that, together, promise 24-bit/96kHz audio for your high-end headphones. Still, you have to be very, very committed to pristine sound to spend this much on a new accessory instead of making do with the included USB-C dongle.
Get ready to pay Apple $9 for an iPad headphone dongle
The new iPad Pro is a ridiculously powerful and expensive device, but as usual it's worth taking note of what Apple didn't include: a headphone jack. Yep, the iPad Pro is the next device to drop the decades-old port. Instead, get ready to pay $9 for a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, because Apple isn't including it in the box. Also, the new USB-C port on the iPad Pro means you can't use those Lightning headphones that came with your shiny new iPhone. Courage isn't easy, friends -- but since you'll likely be paying more than $1,000 for a new iPad Pro, what's another $9?
The OnePlus 6T will be unveiled on October 30th
The OnePlus 6T, a more high-tech version of the OnePlus 6, will launch on October 30th, the company announced. It's expected to pack an in-display fingerprint sensor and feature a much smaller notch than Apple's latest iPhones and (apparently) the Google Pixel 3XL. On the downside, it will apparently lose the 3.5mm headphone jack, forcing you to either adapt the USB-C connector or use OnePlus' upcoming USB-C Bullets V2 earphones.
OnePlus is dropping the headphone jack from the upcoming 6T
Apple seemingly hammered the final nail in the coffin for the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack in iPhones Wednesday after dropping the 6s and SE models (the last of its handsets to include the port) from its lineup. Another company is axing the headphone jack too, after OnePlus confirmed its upcoming phone won't include the port.
Apple just killed the iPhone's headphone jack for good
Whenever Apple announces new iPhones, it inevitably drops some older models from the lineup. But there's a bigger sea change than usual this time around, because Apple is no longer selling any phones with 3.5mm headphone jacks.
Hobbyist gives iPhone 7 the headphone jack we've always wanted
For those of you who miss the iPhone headphone jack, you're definitely not alone. But Strange Parts creator Scotty Allen missed it so much that he decided to add one to his iPhone 7. He just posted a video of the project's entire saga, with all of its many ups and downs, and in the end he holds what he set out to create - a current generation iPhone with a fully functional headphone jack. It turns out, real courage is adding the headphone jack back to the iPhone.
The iPad is now the best Apple device for music
Apple unveiled a larger entry-level iPad Pro. At 10.5 inches, folks that love working on a touchscreen are going to be ecstatic to have all that extra real estate. Plus, with iOS 11 coming this fall with its fancy multi-tasking and customizable dock, it'll much easier to convince your friends that you don't need an actual laptop to get your work done. But in addition to a larger display and more memory, the iPad kept something that your iPhone lost last fall, the headphone jack.
The next Moto Z Force will revive the headphone jack
We wouldn't blame you if you thought that the Moto Z and Z Force ushered in the death of the headphone jack. While they weren't the first phones to make that leap, it seemed like Apple, HTC and other heavyweights were all too eager to follow suit. However, we have good news: it looks like Moto, at least, is bringing the 3.5mm port back. OnLeaks and Android Authority claim to have leaked 3D renders of the Moto Z2 Force, and -- surprise, surprise -- the headphone jack has returned. It's not certain that a standard, not-so-shatterproof Moto Z2 would get the connector (assuming that phone exists), but this is bound to be relieving if the previous Force's lack of ports was a deal breaker. There's more to the story, too.
Recommended Reading: Snowden's escape from Hong Kong
How Snowden escaped Theresa Tedesco, National Post For two weeks in 2013, the most wanted man in the world hid from authorities. National Post has the story of how refugees helped hide Edward Snowden in the slums of Hong Kong before his eventual escape. This account of those events hasn't been told until now.
Apple's AirPods are smart wireless earbuds with a new W1 chip
The rumor that Apple would nix the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus has been circulating off and on since late last year. Today, the company made it official: RIP 3.5mm port on the iPhone. Apple says that Lightning offers multiple uses where the old port did a single job, so that headphone jack is gone and it's being replaced with a fancy new wireless audio accessory and Lightning EarPods. The new Bluetooth wireless earbuds are called AirPods, and they weren't exactly a well-kept secret either.
Apple's high-end wireless earbuds may not ship with iPhone 7
The long-rumoured death of the iPhone's headphone jack has left everybody wondering: What's going to become of Apple's EarPods? Well, they'll probably go wireless, but according to one analyst, they won't come with your iPhone. They'll be sold separately -- and they might be expensive. KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will announce a pair of high-end "AirPod" earbuds tomorrow as a premium accessory for iPhone 7 buyers. They won't come in the box like Apple's current earbuds, he says, and may not even use Bluetooth.
Intel hopes USB-C will replace the headphone jack
That recent trend of gadgets ditching the headphone jack in favor of thinner, more advanced ports? Like it or not, it's going to continue for a while yet. Intel is proposing that companies use expanded USB-C audio support to "eliminate" 3.5mm audio on mobile devices. It's not just about removing the bulk of a narrow-purpose port, either. As with Apple's Lightning audio, this would increase the use of digital sound and encourage smart headphones and speakers that handle more audio processing (think built-in DACs and improved noise cancellation). They'd even support upgrades, so your headphones might learn new tricks as time goes on.
Apple is reportedly making premium wireless earbuds for the next iPhone
Rumors have swirled about Apple ditching the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack for much of the last year. Now, one of the most reliable Apple rumor reporters is saying that the iPhone 7 will indeed force owners to use either wireless headphones or a wired option through the device's Lightning port. Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac today posted a report claiming that the 3.5mm headphone jack was history and that Apple is also developing a premium pair of wireless headphones to go with the new phone.
Engadget's CES 2012 Preview
Though the holidays are once again coming to a close, we now find ourselves just a week away from every geek's ultimate holiday -- the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, arguably the biggest event of the year for the tech world. Thousands of companies gather in the Nevada desert to show off their latest innovations, setting the stage for what will no doubt be another stellar year in electronics. In anticipation of the onslaught we're about to experience, we want to offer up our predictions of what you can expect at the show. There's always a few wondrous surprises that nobody could ever see coming -- part of what makes CES fun -- but aside from those jaw-dropping moments, we have a pretty solid idea of what will take place next week. So join us as we break down CES 2012, one category at a time.
Apple patent woos with tales of ultra-slim audio connectors for lusciously thin devices
We're still a long way from reaching the point where our gadgets can't get any thinner and, while the 8.7mm iPod Shuffle is just about king of the hill for the moment, Apple is already envisioning a future where where the humble 3.5mm audio jack is too thick. A recently revealed patent application called "Low Profile Plug Receptacle" describes a number of different ways to create audio ports that are thinner than current models but yet won't take us back to the sinister miniUSB adapter days of yore. One of the potential solutions has a "semi-flexible" housing that expands willingly to receive your headphones' clumsy attentions, while another is recessed beneath a pair of doors that flip open to make room when the plug is inserted. As always with these applications there's no reason to believe they'll be ever appearing in a consumer device, but that doesn't mean we can't dream of a future where the gold-plated jack on your buds is thicker than the bulkiest part of your phone.
Schiit Audio reveals gorgeous six-watt Lyr headphone amplifier, dares you to touch 11
Just kidding. In fact, Schiit Audio won't be responsible if you do wind it to 11 and blow the ear tips right off of your favorite canalphones. The drop-dead sexy box that you're peering at above is the Lyr, a hybrid (tube-MOSFET) headphone amplifier that claims to have zero feedback and more power than most headphones will ever have use for. This guy's pumping out six solid watts into 32 ohms, while loads of rivals are dabbling in milliwatts. It's relying on JJ ECC88 tubes for the input stage and touts less than 0.1 percent THD, and it'll be produced in the US of A using components that were also primarily sourced from American suppliers. It's expected to start shipping in March of 2011, but those already sold on it can commit $449 to a pre-order. And before you ask -- yes, the company name is hilarious. Ha. Ha.
Apple patent application reveals tiny audio jacks
Apple's developers have been shrinking the iPod with nearly every update, yet they aren't done. This week, AppleInsider has discovered a patent application that reveals even smaller audio jacks that could be used in future, tinier iPods. To understand how, we must discuss pogo pins and cantilever beams. Contemporary audio jacks use cantilever beams, which extend into the cavity of the jack itself, and are pushed out of the way when a plug is inserted. The beams then make contact with the plug and allow data, audio, and power to be transferred. They also take up a decent amount of space; too much in Apple's opinion. The patent mentions pogo pins, which are embedded into the cavity and extend to make contact with an inserted plug. Furthermore, the patent claims that pogo pins would "greatly reduce" the size of the audio jack "in two dimensions." Consider that the current iPod shuffle is essentially the width of its jack, and you see how it's become a limiting factor. Do we want these things to get smaller? The shuffle already feels like a postage stamp.
Klipsch headquarters walkthrough: behind the scenes and between the ears
Every time trade shows such as CES and CEDIA open their doors, the collective masses are flooded with headphone after headphone, speaker after speaker. After awhile, one driver looks just as round as the next, and frankly, you start to take for granted what all goes into bringing the tunes we all dig to our ears, dens and underutilized kitchens. One of the mainstays in the audio industry opened their doors up to us this past weekend, and it didn't take much arm pulling to get us inside. We've generally found the design and sound qualities associated with Klipsch gear to be top-shelf, and we've struggled in the past to find too many gripes with the headphones and sound systems we've had the opportunity to review. Needless to say, we were quite curious to hear about (and see) what all goes into imagining, designing, testing and qualifying the 'buds and speakers that we've enjoyed for so many years, and if you share that same level of curiosity, join us after the break for the full walkthrough (and a few heretofore unreleased secrets, to boot).
Sprint HTC Touch Pro2 shows up sporting a 3.5mm headphone jack
We already knew the CDMA HTC Touch Pro2 headed to Telus and Verizon had been upgraded with a 3.5mm headphone jack, so it's not a huge surprise that the Sprint version has one too, but it's still nice to see proof. Still no word on a release date or pricing, but if these things are sneaking out there like this we can't imagine we have long to wait.[Thanks, Kenny]
