headsets
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Samsung HM5100 Bluetooth S Pen makes a surprise debut in our Note 10.1 'press kit,' we pencil in a chat (hands-on)
Hidden among the higher-profile items at Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 launch today was a device that at first seemed familiar, but turned out to be far more than your everyday S Pen. That's right, Samsung's already capable stylus just got a major boost -- meet the BT S Pen. The device, which received no formal introduction during its host device's launch event, first appeared in the "press kit" bag that attendees received on the way out the door. It's similar in size and shape to the company's Galaxy S Pen Holder Kit, which serves as a sleeve for the standard-issue Note S Pen, but Bluetooth functionality, along with a microphone and tiny speaker, enable the lightweight plastic contraption to double as a wireless headset -- sure to come in handy with the SIM slot-equipped international Note 10.1 flavor. We caught our first hint of the pen's functionality upon discovering a bundled AC adapter -- that seemed mighty odd. The box also included an unusually beefy user manual and no fewer than five replacement "nibs" (read: stylus tips). Pairing took but a few seconds, and then we were on our way answering calls with a single tap of the talk button. There's also a built-in vibration mechanism, which serves to alert you to incoming calls. Sound quality was solid, but speaking into a pen admittedly felt a bit odd -- you may not draw as many stares as you would if speaking directly into a 10.1, but the seemingly unusual action may still turn a few heads. Otherwise, the S pen functioned as expected. The packaging is all we have to go off of at this point -- Samsung reps we spoke to didn't know to expect the device today, so there's no pricing or availability info to share. We do know that it's rated for three hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby, it weighs 21 grams, offers Bluetooth 3.0 compatibility and will work with Galaxy Note devices -- you could use it as a headset with other gadgets, though there wouldn't be much appeal. It also includes a micro-USB charging cable, with the port accessible just above the shirt clip. That's all she wrote for now -- apparently this accessory was available exclusively at today's event, and may not make its way to the US, if it's released at all. You can see it in action now though, in our hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-162550%
Harman Kardon trots out five iPhone-matching headsets, keeps you in high Apple fashion
There's no shortage of iPhone-friendly headsets. Not many are actually designed to match an iPhone's looks, however, and Harman Kardon is counting on that urge to coordinate to draw a few listeners into a new line of very tersely-named headphones and headsets. The more conspicuous resemblances to Apple's creation come through the wired CL on-ear headphones, the Bluetooth-equipped BT over-ears and the noise-cancelling NC over-ears, all of which share a distinctly familiar-looking leather-and-steel design. Subtler listeners will still get a trace of similarity with the in-ear NI and upgraded AE buds, although most of the iPhone friendliness at their size comes through an in-line microphone and remote. Both the BT and NC are battery-powered and last for 12 and 30 hours for their respective special tricks; they'll both keep working through a wire if you've forgotten to charge up just before that Hong Kong vacation. In step with the iPhone-heavy focus, Harman Kardon is only selling the quintet of headphones through Apple's online and physical stores, where they start at $100 for the NI and peak at the NC's $299. One caveat: we wouldn't factor the NC into any short-term trips, as it won't show until the late summer. %Gallery-158092%
Mad Catz partnering with Microsoft Studios for Halo 4-branded headsets
Looks like Mad Catz has more up its sleeve than just the Wii U accessories it announced at E3 last week. The company just announced a partnership with Microsoft Studios to create Halo 4-branded gaming headsets. Mad Catz says it worked with sound engineers to make sure the headsets complement Halo's "epic sci-fi universe." Alas, that's about all we know right now. Photos and pricing into remain MIA, though the accessories maker says the products will be available in time for the 2012 holiday season.
PDP Afterglow 2.0 controllers and stereo wireless headset hands-on
Here at E3, PDP is showing off a handful of new gaming accessories for those looking to jump on the third-party bandwagon. The company has refreshed its line of Afterglow controllers that now sport a second edition label. Much like the previous models, the family will include accessories for PS3, Xbox 360 and two for Wii. The major difference that you'll notice is a portion of the peripherals is now black -- a bit of a departure from the clear interior-lit controllers that we've seen previously. In addition to the recharged versions of the Afterglow add-ons, the outfit also allowed us to go ears-on with a wireless stereo gaming headset that will sport the same illuminated moniker. Here, you'll have your choice for either white or black (and then red, blue or green interiors) for the set of cans that provide a quite cozy fit -- thanks in part to the extra padding around the earcups. We gave them a spin with latest Call of Duty offering and were quite pleased with the sound quality, too. Three sound modes provide a bit of customization, allowing you to choose between pure audio, bass boost and 3D expander listening pre-sets. An LED on the tip of the unit's mic will keep you informed as to which selection you've made. Speaking of controls, all of the in-game adjustments that you'll need to make can be easily done from the left side. You can expect around 10 hours of gameplay on a single charge, an auxiliary jack for your mobile devices and connection to your console via USB dongle. When the headset arrives in September, it will set you back $89.95 and play nice with PS3, Xbox, Wii and PC. If you're still curious about further visual details, head for the gallery below and take a closer look. %Gallery-157628%
Mad Catz anticipates Wii U launch with line of gaming peripherals
Mad Catz is, quite literally, gearing up for the Wii U's impending holiday launch. Aligned neatly with Nintendo's keynote at E3 today, the accessory maker's outing a host of peripherals intended to play nicely with the gaming titan's next gen, tablet-y splash. Prospective early adopters eyeing what the Big N's selling can look forward to a pair of Wiimote- and Wii U GamePad-compatible Power Up ChargeDocks, a FlipStand protective cover and a TRITTON Kunai headset which will also work across Sony's current gaming platforms. There's no pricing available yet for this add-on kit, but the lineup should make its market bow in step with the console's looming launch. Hit up the break to peruse the official pressers.
Razer outs Battlefield 3 aviator headsets
Can't satisfy your appetite for video game tie-in peripherals? Razer's new military aviator-inspired, Battlefield 3-branded BlackShark headsets might do the trick. Each memory foam, leatherette-lined ear cup packs 40mm drivers paired with ambient noise cancellation and enhanced bass. You can also use the detachable, unidirectional boom microphone to yell at teammates to take cover. The whole package rings up at $129.99 -- or €129.99 for those across the pond -- and will be ready for duty in July. Check out the gallery and full PR below.
Samsung, Qualcomm start up Alliance for Wireless Power to take on Qi
Wireless power has until now been closely associated with the Wireless Power Consortium's Qi standard. There's now a second proposed common ground in the Alliance for Wireless Power, or A4WP. Samsung and Qualcomm, along with some help from Powermat, SK Telecom, Ever Win Industries, Gill Industries and Peiker Acustic, are making an alternative that allows for "spatial freedom" between your gadget and the charging source, although whether or not that's better than the 1.6-inch distance of the updated Qi spec is left to the imagination. The strategy doesn't just let your device avoid French kissing the charger: it lets you power up through a material besides a metal plate, and it reduces the cost by eliminating repeaters. A4WP should power everything from low-power headsets through to smartphones and tablets, although with partnership talk just getting started at CTIA Wireless 2012, we wouldn't hold off on buying wired-power gadgets in the near future.
Plantronics BackBeat Go headset sports tangle-free cord, 'rich' stereo sound
Plantronics has made a name for itself in the wireless headset space, but there's plenty of room to grow when it comes to premium stereo offerings. BackBeat Go is the company's smallest and lightest wireless earbud set to date, tipping the scale at 13 grams, or "about the weight of three nickels." The cordless rig includes a pair of earbuds linked with a flat tangle-free cord, with inline controls to adjust volume and an integrated mic for calls. The Bluetooth-enabled Go can sync up with one device at a time, so you'll need to repeat the pairing process if switching between phones or to a tablet -- and you should be able to snag 4.5 hours of listening and talk time or 10 hours of standby with a single charge. Digital noise reduction and echo canceling play into the call experience, while the "deep, rich, stereo sound" means the earbuds are equally suited for leisure. Sound good to you? You can snag your own set for a cool $100 by clicking through to the source link below.
Fanny Wang lets you make your headphones as ugly as you want
Making it big in the headphone industry isn't always about sound quality, sometimes you just have to be loud. The folks at Fanny Wang have that covered, offering up some wildly colored cans to help them "break through the noise," as they put it, of the headphone market. Users can customize the outfit's 1001, 2001 and 3001 model headphones on the firm's new interactive website, picking and choosing colors for seven distinct parts, including the cord. Orders take about three weeks to assemble and ship, Fanny says, giving you just enough time to snag some colorful cans before the holidays. You know, in case someone on your list is looking for something sort of like those ColorWare tinted Beats, but with a bit of actual color. You can find Fanny's fancy press release after the break.
Motorola intros Elite Sliver and Elite Flip Bluetooth headsets with NFC pairing (video)
Bluetooth headsets are normally the province of businesspeople so important they can't spare the energy to hold a phone to their ears or, perhaps, folks who just want to play CIA agent. If you find yourself in either category, Motorola's newest offerings will put what passes for a smile on your serious businessperson face. The outfit just took the wraps off two Elite series headsets, both equipped with NFC pairing, so one tap 'twixt phone and earpiece will have you ready to simultaneously drive and talk. You'll also get integration with My Motospeak, now capable of dictating text messages as well as hearing them read to you, HD-Audio, CrystalTalk noise cancellation and a roaming distance of 300 feet. While the Flip looks the part of your typical earpiece, the Sliver (above left) has decidedly more futuristic digs. Both will be available on October 24th with the Flip costing $100 and the Sliver fetching an extra $30 for its avant-garde design.We've got PR after the break along with a demo video -- because who doesn't love watching cartoon characters explain how NFC works?
Sony PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset review
Logitech unveils Wireless Headset, Boombox for tablets, smartphones and Radio Raheem Sony PlayStation Vita debuts in Japan on December 17th, partnering with NTT DoCoMo for 3G (updated) Bose BT2 Bluetooth headset cruises through the FCC, unsurprisingly mum on specifications Oh hey, Sony, how nice of you to join the party! The console gaming headset party, that is (no, Bluetooth earpieces don't count). Over a year ago the company had us yearning for a PS3-oriented headset after letting loose its duo of Ultimate Weapons headgear for PC gamers. Then in May, a glimmer of hope shone upon us when its PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset was announced for the DualShock-wielding gamers -- and priced at a modest $100. There's no doubt that this playing field's been blanketed with a saturation of wallet-tempting selections (we're looking at you MadCatz, Turtle Beach and Astro), but Sony's official kit has a few tricks up its sleeve for a potential home run. Despite the moniker, it's capable of virtual 7.1 surround sound and displays onscreen status reports exclusively when used with a PS3. We spent a few fragging-hours over PSN to hear how well we could pin-point our enemies with sound to keep the kill streaks coming. You'll find out the answer by hitting that "read more" link below. %Gallery-134840%
Corsair Vengeance gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets hands-on (video)
Hold on to your seats gaming enthusiasts, Corsair just unleashed an onslaught of Vengeance series peripherals aimed at helping you dominate that Call of Duty marathon... and we got our hands on all of 'em. There's a lot to cover, so we'll get right to it. The K60 gamer keyboard boasts Cherry MX Red interchangeable keys for rapid fire, 20-key rollover, windows key lock and crazy fast reporting rate at 1000 reports per second. Its companion, the M60 mouse, implements an Avago 5670 DPI sensor, adjustable center of gravity, custom lift detection and high-mass scroll wheel. In addition to all that, this bad boy features a dedicated sniper button which allows you to hone in on your target that much faster. Read on for the full rundown on the goods. %Gallery-133997% %Gallery-134002%
Sony launches party pack of noise-cancelling headphones, your personal discotheque awaits
To the joy and delight of babysitters everywhere, Sony announced a boatload of new noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds to keep you sane in loud situations. Leading the pack are the $200, on-ear active / passive MDR-NC200D headphones, which have a 40mm drivers in each ear, 22-hour battery and folding design. For $150, users wanting portability can cop the smaller in-ear MDR-NC100Ds, which have a lower price tag and 13.5mm drivers. Both headphones feature Sony's "Artificial Intelligence Noise-Cancelling" technology, which claims to automatically reduce ambient noise by around 98.2 percent -- because you know, precision matters. Also launching today are two new smartphone headsets -- the $40 in-ear DR-EX14VP and the $60 DR-XB23VP earbuds -- with connectivity to Android, iPhone and BlackBerry phones, as well as Sony Ericsson, Nokia and other phones thanks to an included compatibility cord. Pulling up the rear are the new iPhone control headsets -- the $60 DR-XB22iP in-ear silicone hybrids, the $40 DR-EX61iP earbuds and the $150 "over-the-head" DR-ZX701iP. Currently accepting pre-orders, the headphones will be available for purchase sometime in October -- just in time to tune out the doorbell this Halloween. Check out the full PR after the break.
Jabra Sport bluetooth headset lets you work the Thigh Master during concalls
If you're secretly wearing Spandex bicycle shorts underneath your suit for on-the-fly workouts between conference calls, then perhaps Jabra's new Sport bluetooth headset is for you. Of course it allows you to answer calls, but what's cooler is the built-in FM radio and A2DP technology for wirelessly connecting to your MP3 player -- claiming to be the first headset to handle both. The company also threw in a free download of the Endomondo Sports Tracker for iPhone, Android or BlackBerry -- which is kind of like the Nike+ app, tracking runs and giving speed and distance updates. This $99 device will be sold by Sprint, Apple and T-Mobile, and available sometime in September along with a corded version, aptly named the Jabra Sport-Corded, for $69. Get ready to tear away those wool trousers and check out the full PR after the break.
CM Storm Sirus gaming headset hands-on
CM Storm -- Cooler Master's gaming-centric spinoff -- is best known for PC cases, precision mouse-pads, and PC gaming mice with catchy names like "Inferno," and "Sentinel." There's more to PC games than computer towers and input devices however, and CM Storm is ready to try its hand at the personal audio game. Enter the CM Storm Sirus, the outfit's first foray into the world of gaming headsets, available today to the tune of $130. We strapped a pair of these 'muffs to our noggin to give you our honest impressions, ears-on. %Gallery-128613%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 headsets coming from Turtle Beach with custom audio presets
Gaming headset outfit Turtle Beach has snagged itself the exclusive license for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 headsets and it's planning on taking full advantage of that license by shipping not one but four MW3-themed 'sets this October, in advance of the game's November 8 release. In addition to the normal branding (see above: logos!) some of the Turtle Beach headsets will distinguish themselves in one key way: They come with custom MW3 presets, designed by the teams at Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games. Want an audio preset that makes it really easy to hear footsteps? We're guessing that's in there. The Ear Force Delta is targeting console gamers with a a wireless headset, Bluetooth chat (with XBA adapter for Xbox 360), an MW3 carrying case, the aforementioned presets, and a $300 asking price. The Bravo wireless headset comes with the same presets as the Delta and a much lower $150 price tag. The Charlie wired headset is MW3 "optimized" but there's no mention of custom audio presets in this one. At $130, you'll save a whopping $20 on this PC-focused headset. Lastly, the Foxtrot is another "optimized" headset, packing "several key features to set it apart." Since they're not saying, we're guessing that its $100 price tag is one of the most notable features. Turtle Beach is promising more info leading up to the launch of the headsets but, until then, you can take a look at the four units just after the break, or find the high-resolution versions in our gallery.%Gallery-128594%
BlueAnt branches out from Bluetooth, puts its wired Embrace headphones up for pre-order (updated)
We suppose it's not every company that can stake their reputations on Bluetooth headsets alone. BlueAnt, a brand best known for its voice-controlled earpieces, is getting ready to ship a headset of the wired persuasion. What you see up there is the Embrace, a pair of comfy-looking on-ear headphones with leather pads, an integrated mic, and iPhone-compatible controls that let you make calls and play, pause, and skip audio tracks. It has a 6936-inch cable, and comes with a handy OMTP adapter and faux-leather storage case, but mostly, we have a sweet spot for headsets that fold flat. The company doesn't expect them to ship for a few weeks, which gives you a bit of time to start saving up the requisite $199. Update: BlueAnt has gotten in touch with us to let us know it mistakenly distributed some incorrect specs. The length of the cable is 36-- not 69 -- inches.
The Queue: The weather outside
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mathew McCurley will be your host today. Everyone seems to be knocked out by summer storms. Alex is stormed in, raiders were afk'ing because of tornados, and people across the land are screaming about lost internet connections. You know what this means, right? We need to demand that the government create better weather-controlling devices. I mean, really, it's the year 2011... Aftermathmatical asked: My Q, is that with the new PvP mount for RBGs, will we be able to send those to the opposite faction? I understand that we won't get a horde mount on my alliance character and vice versa, that they would change to the right faction. Will they allow this though, or will we have to earn them within our faction? (I know I know killing tons of alliance on my horde mage so I can earn and alliance mount on my Ally druid lol) Most likely yes. When you purchase the level 25 guild mount reward (which is Bind on Account) you can send it to opposite faction members and it magically turns into that faction's version of the mount (either the lion or the scorpion.) I am assuming that the PVP mounts work exactly the same way. There's no reason to believe it would be anything different.
$99 Etymotic mc2 earbuds claim market-beating noise isolation, full platform ambivalence
Etymotic specializes in putting inexpensive moving coil drivers inside noise-isolating buds that can, as an optional upgrade, be individually molded via the company's international "Custom-fit" program. Previous models have been iDevice only, at least in terms of their microphone function and button controls, but the new mc2 should also get along happily with Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, WebOS and Symbian smartphones and tablets. It's due for release by the end of the week for $99, which will buy you noise isolation up to a claimed market-beating 42dB, 8mm (0.3-inch) dual-magnet neodymium drivers, an all-important mic and an assortment of ear tips -- Custom-fit costs extra, and substantially so. Listen carefully and you might just hear the PR after the break squeaking for your attention.
PlayStation announces official wireless cans for PS3, stereo frags coming September
Perhaps Sony deemed the Ultimate Weapon too powerful (or too expensive) for PlayStation 3 owners, but these new wireless cans ought to keep your ears warm, at the very least. The new official PS3 Wireless Stereo Headset features 7.1 virtual surround sound, a retractable, mutable microphone, and standard embedded volume controls. These proprietary sound-muffs connect via USB dongle, and push headset related status updates (that's your battery status) directly to your TV screen; if you're into that sort of thing. Sony-approved hearing will set you back $100 starting this September.
