Best Bluetooth Headsets in 2018

Most of the world has migrated to Bluetooth headphones, but there are still uses for a dedicated earpiece. These are the best options!

While most consumers have moved onto using Bluetooth earbuds and headphones, there’s still a use for old-school Bluetooth earpieces. They’re smaller and often less expensive than actual headphones, making them an attractive option for someone who would just needs the earpiece for hands-free phone calls.

These are the best ones you can buy right now.

Plantronics Voyager 5200

The Plantronics Voyager 5200 is a straightforward earpiece that securely hooks around your ear and has a lengthy microphone for voice calls. There’s noise cancellation built-in to keep wind, traffic and other surrounding noise from ruining your call. It features Bluetooth 4.1 and works up to 98 feet away from your phone — though the specifics will vary based on interference. You get seven hours of talk time from the headset itself, but you can purchase a charging case for up to two additional charges. The headset includes a Micro-USB charging cable, as well as three different earbud sizes to help you find the perfect fit.

The Plantronics Voyager 5200 is available for $90.

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TOORUN M26 Bluetooth Headset

A much less expensive option comes from a company called TOORUN. Its M26 Bluetooth headset pairs with Bluetooth 4.1, and you can pair it with two devices. It also offers plenty of on-ear controls so you don’t need to get your phone out of your pocket to start a call. There’s also noise cancellation built-in to keep your surroundings from leaking into your call. This charges over Micro-USB, meaning you’ll be able to find spare chargers easily. You get up to seven hours of talk time, and five hours if you decide to use it for music.

The TOORUN M26 Bluetooth Headset is available in black, red, blue for $17.

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Plantronics M165 Marque 2

Plantronics has another great option, but this one costs much less money than the earlier earpiece. The M165 allows you to trigger Google Assistant or Siri, and you can answer or reject calls just by saying “Answer,” or “Reject.” This headset charges with Micro-USB, and offers seven hours of talk time. There’s also a deep sleep feature which will extend your battery life while it is turned on, letting the headset remain on for up to 180 days. Finally, this earpiece comes with three different earbud sizes so you can find the perfect fit.

The Plantronics M165 Marque 2 is available for $36.

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Mpow Pro Trucker

This headset isn’t nearly as compact as the other options, but if you can’t stand in-ear headphones, this is a great option for you. The boom mic swivels 360-degrees, letting you wear the earpad on either your left or right ear. The headband is flexible and adjustable for a snug fit, and the soft earpad should let you wear this headset for hours and hours. Speaking of which, the larger design means a larger battery, letting you talk up to 12 hours and have the headset in standby for up to 200 hours. There are volume and call controls on the headset, and you can pair this with two devices.

The Mpow Pro Trucker headset is available in all-black, black/silver, and violet/blue for $20.

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Apple AirPods

Yes, these are advertised and regular Bluetooth headphones, but since they are genuinely wireless headphones, you just use a single earbud the same way you would use a Bluetooth earpiece. Despite being made by Apple, AirPods work without issue with Android phones. There are no physical on-ear controls, but if the AirPods are paired to an Android phone, double-tapping them will play/pause music. Each AirPod has five hours of battery life, with another 24 hours of so in the charging case. The only downside to using the AirPods with an Android phone is the charging case can only be recharged with a Lightning cable, rather than the standard Micro-USB or USB-C.

Apple AirPods are available for $160.

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Samsung Gear IconX 2018

In a similar vein as the Airpods, Samsung’s latest Gear IconX also serve as a great — albeit expensive — earpiece. Samsung and Apple are two of the few truly wireless headphone makers that set each earbud to work independently. For example, if you only want to have the left earbud in, you can do so and still have all the access to on-ear controls. With other truly wireless headphones, you can only access controls on one of the earbuds. The Gear IconX 2018 comes has five hours of talk time or music playback per earbud, and the included charging cradle offers another ten hours of battery life. The charging case itself charges with USB-C, meaning you can use the same power cord that you use with your phone.

Samsung’s Gear IconX 2018 headphones are available in black, gray and pink for $135-$150.

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What say you?

Which Bluetooth headset strikes your fancy? Let us know down below!

PSA: Apple Maps is Down for Many Users as ‘Directions Not Available’ Right Now

If you are attempting to navigate with Apple Maps right now, you may be unable to do so, as the service appears to be experiencing downtime.

The issue appears to be widespread, with many users reporting that Apple Maps is down across the United States, Canada, and other countries. The outage affects all devices with Apple Maps, including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

“Directions Not Available,” the app says. “Route information is not available at this moment.”

Apple has yet to update its system status page to reflect any issues. We’ll update this article if that changes or when the issues are resolved.

Tags: Apple Maps, system status
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Apple Begins Selling Danalock V3, First Retrofit HomeKit-Enabled Smart Lock Available in Europe

Danalock today announced that the HomeKit version of its Danalock V3 smart lock is now available for purchase from Apple’s website and retail stores in more than 20 other countries across Europe, after limited availability in April.

Danalock V3 is said to be the first and only retrofit smart lock compatible with Apple’s HomeKit platform and Home app in Europe. Like the August Smart Lock, it is mounted on the inside of the door, enabling users to use a regular key for locking and unlocking the door from the outside if needed.

HomeKit support means users can control the lock with Siri voice commands or the Home app using an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, without needing a physical key. Through the Home app, it’s also possible to give keyless access to family members.

For added convenience, users can connect the Danalock with other HomeKit accessories, such as cameras, lights, thermostats, switches, and security systems.

Apple’s online store notes that the Danalock V3 is easy to install and globally compatible, with an adjustable cylinder set included in the box in countries outside of Scandinavia. It is battery powered and uses advanced AES-256 encryption.

Danalock V3 with HomeKit is available at select Apple retail stores in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. It’s also available on Apple’s online store in more than 20 countries in Europe and on Danalock’s website.

Pricing: £219.95 in the United Kingdom and €249.95 in most other European countries.

Tags: HomeKit, Europe
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HomePod Can Now Read the News in Canada, France, and Germany, Where Sales of the Speaker Begin Monday

Ahead of the HomePod launching in Canada in three days from now, the speaker has gained the ability to read the news in that country.

Siri can now provide news briefs from a handful of sources in Canada and abroad, including CBC, Global TV, CTV, and CNN. To start, say “Hey Siri” and then say something like “read me the news” or “what’s the news today?”

MacRumors reader Pedro Marques, who lives in Toronto, Canada, shared a demonstration of the feature with us today:

Until now, the HomePod was unable to read the news in Canada, as the speaker has yet to officially launch in the country.

Apple previously announced that HomePod sales will begin in Canada, Germany, and France on Monday, June 18. The speaker will be available to order in white and space gray through Apple’s online store, retail stores, and the Apple Store app on iPhone and iPad, and at select authorized resellers, including Best Buy.

The speaker will be priced at $449 in Canada, and €349 in Germany and France, according to Apple’s online store.

HomePod first launched in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia in February. Of course, Canadians could simply drive south of the border, purchase a HomePod in the United States, and bring it back to Canada, where it worked fine, beyond a few features like news that are now being added.

Late last month, Apple pushed a software update to the HomePod that enables Siri to speak in French, German, and Canadian English. Apple notes that Canadian French will be added later this year in a subsequent software update.

In related news, Apple’s TV app recently gained live news in Canada. CBC News is available for free, or $4.99 per month without ads, while CTV News Go is offered through authentication with a cable provider like Bell or Rogers. Other options include CNN, BNN Bloomberg, and online news network Cheddar.

Related Roundup: HomePodTag: CanadaBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Buy Now)
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Apple Park’s office setup aims to keep workers on their toes

Considering Apple boss Tim Cook once described sitting as “the new cancer,” it’s little surprise that workers at the company’s new Apple Park campus have been given standing desks to work at.

“We have given all of our employees, 100 percent [of them], standing desks,” the CEO revealed in a recent interview broadcast on Bloomberg TV.

“If you can stand for a while, then sit, and so on and so forth, it’s much better for your lifestyle,” Cook said.

Various researchers have been saying for years that sitting for long periods of time can cause health problems in both the short and long term, including everything from painful back problems to obesity to a range of chronic diseases.

Keen to avoid a workforce of grimacing employees holding their backs or taking time off for medical treatment, Cook has decided to introduce standing desks to Apple’s offices to give workers the opportunity to switch from sitting and stay a little more active.

Cook has commented in the past about how sitting for long periods may result in health issues further down the line. The CEO said that many employees who have an Apple Watch use its “stand reminder” feature, which, at regular intervals, prompts you to get up and walk around a little bit.

“Ten minutes before the hour, it will remind you to move,” Cook once said. “We have a lot of people using the Apple Watch at Apple, and 10 minutes before the hour, suddenly they all get up and move.”

It’s rare for Apple to give anything away about what goes on behind the scenes, with the company famous for wanting to keep most aspects of its business very much behind closed doors.

Speaking of closed doors, pretty much the only other thing we know about its stunning new “spaceship” campus is that some of its workers, perhaps while taking a break from sitting or standing, have been walking into all-glass doors and walls. The accidents were brought to light by Bloomberg just months after Apple Park opened, with the publication of transcripts of several 911 calls appearing to confirm the reports.

As for staying on your feet at work, a study published earlier this year suggests that prolonged standing can also harm a person’s physical health, suggesting that the key is to switch regularly between sitting, standing, and walking throughout the day whenever you have the chance.

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Is Microsoft building checkout-less store technology to take on Amazon Go?

Microsoft is developing technology for checkout-less stores similar to Amazon Go, and the computer giant is also in talks with Walmart about a possible partnership.

The revelation comes via a Reuters report, which said that a team of between 10 and 15 Microsoft engineers have been working on developing technology capable of tracking what shoppers put into their bags as they make their way around a store. One of the team members is reportedly a computer vision specialist hired from Amazon Go.

Amazon opened its first “grab-and-go” store in Seattle in January, with new ones expected to be opening soon in Chicago and San Francisco.

Like Amazon Go, Microsoft’s technology would track shoppers as they make their way around a store, automatically processing customer selections. When they’re done, they can walk straight out of the store without stopping by a checkout, with the payment taking place automatically online.

Multiple sources claiming to have knowledge of the matter told Reuters that Microsoft is already showing its in-store technology to retailers around the world, suggesting that it’s already well advanced.

Part of Microsoft’s setup apparently involves cameras attached to shopping carts that would monitor a shopper’s selections as they move around the store.

Amazon Go uses an array of cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence technology to track each item that a customer places in their bag. It’s so clever that it even knows when you put an item back on the shelf, should you change your mind during your shop.

Reuters’ report noted that there’s no known launch date for Microsoft’s technology, adding that there’s a chance it might not even see the light of day. Current challenges include making it not only failsafe, but also cheap enough that retailers will actually want to use it.

It’s not clear if Microsoft’s system is confined to the shopping cart or requires additional sensors around the store, but the need to make it cost effective suggests it’s working on a platform that’s less complex than Amazon’s.

Walmart Go?

Soon after Amazon embarked on its ambitious project to build a delivery drone platform, Walmart revealed its own plans for a similar system. With that in mind, it’s little surprise that the retail giant is now believed to be in talks with Microsoft as it apparently eyes the launch of its own checkout-less stores.

But if Microsoft is able to create an effective technology, it could potentially sell it to multiple retailers, enabling it to take on Amazon and transform the way we shop at brick-and-mortar stores.

Amusingly, many Amazon Go shoppers have been commenting on how the experience leaves them feeling a bit like a shoplifter. Find out how it went for Digital Trends when we visited the first-ever Amazon Go store in Seattle soon after it opened.

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Why Mastercard is ripping a page from Bitcoin’s book

Mastercard

(in)Secure is a weekly column that dives into the rapidly escalating topic of cybersecurity.

Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin, has captured the interest of everyone from Facebook to Microsoft. One of the biggest investors in the technology has been Mastercard, holding nearly thirty blockchain patents to its name.

What does a company like Mastercard want to do with all that blockchain tech?  It wants to make the future of money look a bit more like Bitcoin.

Stopping the skimmers

According to the ATM Industry Association, two billion in losses from credit card “skimming” occur each year around the world. Using a skimming device at places like gas stations and ATMs, thieves can easily steal credit card information from those who previously used it. While chip cards have done a lot to solve that problem, companies like Mastercard always need to stay one step ahead of hackers.

“Utilizing blockchain technology, Mastercard will be able to eradicate many of the fraudulent activities”

“Every year, billions of dollars are stolen through identity theft and skimming credit cards,” said Arran Stewart, an expert on blockchain from Job.com, told Digital Trends. “Utilizing blockchain technology, Mastercard will be able to eradicate many of the fraudulent activities that happen through the abuse of their card services.”

Stewart is the co-owner of the recruitment platform Job.com, which implements a smart contract on the blockchain to facilitate private information, not unlike how Mastercard proposes to do it.

Mastercard’s patent would put credit cards on a publicly-accessible blockchain, which can then verify payments in a secured fashion. Stewart explained that Mastercard could remedy the problem by encoding an image of a payment card to the blockchain and then encrypt it with a public and private key. Once the payment is finished, the system decrypts the card image using those private keys.

Mastercard

Despite blockchain’s many demonstrated use cases, its application in finances have always been important. It’s the backbone of how a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin functions — a public database that allows the currency to exist without direct oversight from a single entity, known as a “distributed ledger.”

However, Mastercard’s interest in blockchain goes far beyond this single patent. In fact, the company is one of the largest holders of blockchain-related patents in the world.

Blockchain money

In the last few months, Mastercard has created a program that allows developers to build new applications on top of its own set of APIs. That helps Mastercard work closer with companies like PayPal and Apple and opens interesting new opportunities that take blockchain even further.

Consider the tourism and hospitality industry. Mastercard has developed a platform that would let travelers to plans and personal information privately, and then reap the reward of finding the best deals for their trip.

Mastercard has created a program that lets developers build new applications on top of its own set of APIs

“Mastercard has recognized the value in the travel industry and are providing a platform that allows holidaymakers/travel seekers and others to tell the tourism world where they wish to go privately through blockchain encryption,” said Stewart. “Airlines, travel companies, hotels and many others will be able to bid to offer that user the best possible price and service over other competing bidding providers, all powered on Mastercard’s blockchain.”

It’s a fascinating idea, but tourism is only the tip of the iceberg. Mastercard has a number of applications, from sending money, to setting budgets through voice assistants, paying employees instantly and securely, and, most interestingly, something it calls “proof of provenance.” It’s a way of creating a transparent supply chain that both consumers and wholesalers will have access to. That could help both restaurants and ordinary people keep track of where the food on their plate comes from.

“Transparency in the supply chain has been something that consumers and wholesalers have been looking for since supply goods began,” said Stewart. “Proof of provenance is the future of knowing where and how goods and services reach the hands of the consumer. Blockchain will be the backbone of this and one major example of this being put into practice will be Amazon utilizing this technology to provide evidence of the supply of their goods. This technology will also reduce loss, damage, theft and time to deliver within any supply chain.”

Mastercard

Obviously, Mastercard isn’t the only financial company developing new technology on the blockchain. Competitors like Visa and American Express aren’t far behind, and both have numerous secured patents in the blockchain world. Despite the fact that Mastercard is ahead of the pack, Visa patented a “digital asset network” based in blockchain in August of last year. What it’ll do with these patents is still unclear, but it seems Mastercard won’t be the only player in the game.

While we shouldn’t expect financial institutions to embrace cryptocurrency anytime soon, it’s clear our money is going to function a lot more like Bitcoin than dollar bills in the future.

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Samsung has booked the Gear S3 into this flash hotel, and it’ll never leave

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Wearable technology isn’t only about tracking steps and buzzing notifications, it’s also a very effective way of increasing productivity, and the Viceroy Hotel Group is about to make the most of its potential. If you’re lucky enough to visit one of Viceroy’s upmarket hotels in the near future, staff around you may be wearing a Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch; but it won’t be for personal messages, it’ll be for messages that help the hotel run faster and more smoothly.

Viceroy will be the first hotel to use a combination of the Gear S3 smartwatch and hotel management platform Alice, as a way to connect staff with guest requests. It’s a subtler, quieter, and quicker system than the well-established walkie-talkies that many hotel workers carry around all day. Hotels are generally big places, and keeping everyone connected together is a serious challenge.

How will it affect you, as the guest? Imagine you’ve just arrived and are headed up to your room, with baggage left in the lobby ready to follow. The reception desk can instantly send a message to a colleague, which appears on their watch as a notification. If they’re not available, its a single tap to let reception know, or another tap to confirm they’ll be along to take the baggage up in a moment. It’s possible alerts could then be automatically placed on the TV screen in your room to tell you the bags are on the way up. Everyone in the process is kept informed, with the minimum of intrusion for all concerned, and the service is completed quickly.

The hotel group will use Gear S3 smartwatches with an LTE connection, ensuring that even if the member of staff is out of Wi-Fi range the watch will still operate, and negate the need to carry around a connected smartphone too. The usefulness goes well beyond carrying bags around. It’s an essentially hands-free system, and because it’s attached to your wrist it’s harder to lose, plus it’s expected to speed up attentiveness too.

Working with Samsung, the Alice software group will demonstrate the system at a conference on hotel technology later this month, and the Viceroy Hotel Group will be the first to use the final product. For the rest of us, we’re looking forward to the Samsung Gear S4, Samsung’s follow-up to the Gear S3, which we expect to launch after the summer, potentially alongside the Galaxy Note 9.

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Rebble is exactly what you need if you don’t want your Pebble watch to die

Support for your Pebble smartwatch will end on June 30. That means from the end of this month the app store will close, the voice recognition feature will break, and mobile app updates and a lot more won’t continue. Your watch will still work, but most of the things that make it great will no longer exist. We know this for sure because FitBit, which acquired Pebble, told us the end date at the beginning of the year.

However, there is an alternative — and we’re not talking about buying a different smartwatch. Rebble is an unofficial spinoff of the Pebble platform, and aims to offer most, if not all, the services you’re enjoying on your watch after the Fitbit-imposed June 30 deadline. That means continued mobile app support, an operating application store, and firmware updates. Everything you need to keep your Pebble in good, working order.

To take advantage of this, Pebble owners will have to switch over their Pebble accounts to the Rebble Web Services manually. Rebble is unofficial, and while Fitbit has apparently been helping them out, it won’t automatically migrate anything over. You’ve got to do that yourself. Following its last business update in February, Rebble now has its user accounts ready to go, and with only a couple of weeks left before the deadline, you’ll have to act fast to save your Pebble. Once the June 30 date passes, it’ll be too late.

It’s simple to do. Rebble has its own authorization site, where you sign-in and link your existing Pebble account to Rebble’s service, and that’s about all for now. Rebble’s app isn’t ready to go, and it’s not possible to switch over to the Rebble servers yet either. However, if you don’t complete these steps now, you won’t be able to in the future. Rebble warns that even when its service is up and running after the Fitbit shutdown, not everything will be in place and working. It’ll take time to get some of the more complicated features to an operational state.

Rebble will provide a basic Pebble watch service for free, but a monthly subscription will be used to access dictation and weather services. Costs will be announced in the future. Lending support to Rebble’s cause is Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky, who alerted Pebble owners to the pressing need to sign up with Rebble through his Twitter account.

Rebble is great news for the vibrant and dedicated community that still exists around Pebble; but if you’re considering a new smartwatch instead, there are a few very cool alternatives out there that may tempt you away.

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Ultimate Ears’ Boom 2 Bluetooth speaker drops to just $75 in various colors

Blast your music everywhere you go.

Amazon has a variety of UE Boom 2 Bluetooth speakers on sale for just $74.99 today, which is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on this popular speaker. Most of these colors have never seen a price drop from the original $199.99 price tag, so if you like any of them you’ll want to grab one quickly, since this is a one day deal. The discount is available on the Deep Radiance, Origami, Panther, and Serendipity Blue color configurations.

The UE Boom 2 speaker sends sound out in all directions (360 degrees) and has a deep bass to keep the party pumping. It’s waterproof, shockproof and can even connect with the Echo Dot so you can voice control it via Amazon’s Alexa. The coolest thing about this speaker is that it can be wirelessly connected with over 150 other Boom 2 speakers to really crank up the volume. It features a 15-hour battery life and a Bluetooth range of 100 feet.

At this price, this is definitely one of the best Bluetooth speakers you can get, so don’t miss out.

See at Amazon