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What we bought: An ode to the Koss KSC75, still the oddest and best-sounding headphones $20 can buy
They aren't pretty, but if all you want is an affordable way to savor your music at home, the $20 Koss KSC75 are arguably the best value on the headphone market.
Apple and Koss settle dispute over wireless headphone patents
Apple and Koss have settled a patent fight over wireless earbuds, including AirPods.
Robinhood raises $1 billion, will reopen GameStop stock purchases on Friday
Robinhood claimed its decision to freeze purchases of 13 stocks, including GameStop, on Thursday was a "risk-management" decision. After raising $1 billion from investors, it will reopen trading access on Friday morning.
Apple countersues headphone maker Koss in AirPods patent dispute
It claims the inventor of stereo headphones didn't have the right to sue.
Koss sues Apple and Bose for allegedly copying wireless headphone tech
Koss is suing Apple, Bose and three other companies for allegedly copying its wireless headphone technology from the 2000s.
The best wired exercise headphones
By Lauren Dragan This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. After considering 145 sport-specific headphones and testing 82 of the best-reviewed and newest options, our panel of experts agreed that the Sony MDR-AS800AP is the best pair of wired exercise headphones for most people. The sweatproof MDR-AS800AP fit our panelists' ears more comfortably than the competition and sounded much better than many other models we tested. And their sealed design will allow you to focus, even in a crowded (and loud) gym.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're taking our audio with us -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! With all of the studying and on-campus traveling you're about to delve into, sometimes adding a bit of music to your step can spice up those mundane times in your daily routine. That's why we've rounded up a selection of portable speakers and headphones that'll not only help you rock out whenever the mood strikes, but also go a step further by letting you take phone calls without skipping a beat. It may not be audiophile-grade gear in the official sense, but it won't matter when you're enjoying good sound just about anywhere your smartphone-connected life takes you.
Koss intros Striva headphone systems, lets you stream music over WiFi straight to your ears
Koss may be known for its budget-minded offerings in the headphone space, but today it's announced something to shake things up a bit. Falling under the Striva moniker, Koss has created what it claims as being the first lineup of headphones to use "WiFi technology that receives music directly from the Internet without wires." To start, there's the over-ear Pro model, loaded with gesture controls for volume and channel adjustments, while an in-ear set, dubbed Tap, is also available for extra portability. Interestingly, the Taps don't use a connecting wire -- instead, "microprocessors" inside of of each earpiece consistently ensure that the stereo signal stays in sync. To elaborate, both models feature Koss' Core, which the company describes as battery-powered microprocessors coupled with WiFi components. Utilizing its new MyKoss server, you'll be able to pull content from a variety of free audio streams and customize your own listening experience with the included music management software. Lastly, if you don't have a WiFi connection -- in cases such as using your cellphone -- each unit comes with a "matchbook-sized" Content Access Point, which lets you create a WiFi hotspot to enable wireless listening wherever you are. If these headphones have piqued your interest, get ready for the kicker: the Taps are priced at $500, while the Pros are set at a slightly cheaper $450. Both models are available from Koss today, and you'll find more info in the press release and video just after the break.
Koss revamps Porta Pro headphones with iPhone remote, intros 'interlocking' earbuds
We're baffled that we missed this gem of news during the bustle of CES, but it turns out that Koss has recently announced a new version of its iconic Porta Pro headphones. The Porta Pro KTC (Koss Touch Control), as it's dubbed, is essentially the same piece of retro kit that's been delighting ears and keeping wallets chubby for nearly three decades. The KTC bit in its name refers to the inclusion of an iDevice-certified inline remote / mic, aimed at keeping on-the-go users in sync with their playlists and phone calls. If you prefer earbuds, but hate tangled cords, then the company's interlocking intra-aurals might be to your liking. This lineup features in-ears which snap into each other for easier storage. You'll have a choice between the IL-100 and 200, the latter of which distinguishes itself with the mere addition of an inline remote for iPhones. While there's no word on pricing just yet for any of the aforementioned units, Koss aims to begin shipping the new audio-wares once spring is in full bloom. For now, you'll find the press releases and a render of the 'buds after the break.
Storyboard: Flaw of the land
Nobody's perfect. Heck, most of us aren't even within spitting distance. That's why we spent a column starting in on a discussion of flaws as they affect characters, breaking down the broad categories of flaws that you can give a character. But as I said right then, there's a lot more to talk about when it comes to flaws, especially since your flaws can be far more important than your character's actual abilities. It's useful to understand that you could make your character profoundly incapable of understanding selfish or deceptive motives (ignorant flaw), or make him a former murderer who's adventuring as a sort of work-release program (redemptive flaw), or even just a deaf mute (functional flaw). But it's important to understand why these things matter -- in a world where everyone is telepathic, a deaf mute is only at a slight disadvantage. You need to pick out marquee weaknesses that are relevant, and you need to know when a smaller flaw is actually useful to roleplaying.
CES 2008: Fugliest headphones awards
These cans are just the ticket for some tunes while hunting. The selection committee had an extremely difficult time arbitrating this one, so if you're affronted by what we've relegated to runners-up after the break be sure to cast your vote.
Koss introduces Cobalt Bluetooth headphones
Although Koss may not be a frequent name here at Engadget, it has hung around and delivered a few quality offerings, the latest of which has been dubbed Cobalt. These wireless streetstyle (i.e. wrap around your dome) stereo headphones aren't particularly elaborate in any one sense, but they do manage to fold away nicely for portable storage and, of course, sport Bluetooth. While there are quite a few alternatives out there tailored for iPod use, Koss is apparently marketing these as the end-all solution to your wireless earphone needs -- by thoughtfully including a USB Bluetooth dongle, a 3.5mm Bluetooth transmitter, a 3.5mm extension cable, and a USB charging cable, you're able to utilize the 'phones on pretty much anything. Touted as being right at home on your PC, CD / DVD player, DAP, media player, and basically everywhere you can jam a USB device or 3.5mm jack in, the Cobalt isn't lacking in the utility department. You'll get 8 hours of easy listening from the rechargeable battery, and Koss even flaunts its ability to "simultaneously pair" with cellphones in order to both hear callers and listen to music without a hitch (but how much good is this really without a built-in microphone?). If you're searching for a Bluetooth headset that can play nice with basically any music player, and you trust these things will actually sound halfway decent, the Koss Cobalt can be picked up now for $179.99.
Koss lip gloss earbuds
Awwww, ain't it so cute you just wanna puke? Koss is putting out a set of earbuds that is also a lip gloss compact. The Pop Gloss headphones will come in pink (of course), purple, blue and orange, with four "luxurious" lip gloss shades to choose from. According to Koss, these phones are perfect for "when sound is as important as appearance" because, you know (as Koss clearly does), appearance is usually what women are concerned with above all - functionality be damned! Then again, at $9.99 a pop, are we really gonna get a lot of sound quality out of these things, or are we just gonna have a really inconveniently messy carrying case for some cheap earbuds?
