Our verdict on Sony’s newest noise-canceling earbuds

It's Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

Over the years of true wireless earbuds, Sony has consistently kept its place among the best with its 1000X series. Just when it seems like others may gain ground through software tricks or beefed-up noise-cancellation, the company adds new features or improves audio quality to ensure it continues to dominate.

Engadget

With this year’s WF-1000XM5 true wireless earbuds, there’s a notable caveat: At $300, these are the most expensive earbuds yet from Sony – and a chunk of change above rival headphones. These earbuds are undoubtedly the company’s best and most comfortable design in its premium model so far, which was one of the few remaining riddles Sony needed to solve – aside from the complicated, unmemorable name, the WF-1000XM5. Not exactly AirPods, is it? If you can afford them, the buds launch on August 4th and are available to pre-order now. And check out the full review right here.

– Mat Smith

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Microsoft made a pizza-scented Xbox controller

I think I was a little sick in my mouth.

Microsoft

Microsoft is promoting the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem movie by giving away a limited batch of pizza-scented Xbox controllers. Apart from the built-in scent diffuser, though, these are otherwise stock Xbox controllers with TMNT style, in four variants that reflect the four ninja turtles. To win one – they won’t go on sale – you'll have to follow Xbox Game Pass on Twitter X and retweet a post before August 13th. If you absolutely must operate a pizza-scented controller, these will be out and about at Microsoft's Experience Center on New York's Fifth Avenue for an August 2nd promo event.

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Twitter CEO teases banking and payment plans in memo about X rebrand

It’s long been rumored Musk is keen to bring fintech features to Twitter.

Twitter’s rebrand to X is officially underway, and CEO Linda Yaccarino has offered some new clues about what it may mean for the company. In a memo reported by CNBC, Yaccarino suggested payments and banking features could feature prominently in Elon Musk’s new vision. Back in January, the Financial Times reported he wanted “to offer fintech services such as peer-to-peer transactions, savings accounts and debit cards” to users.

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The best e-ink tablets for 2023

Scribble to your heart’s content.

Is it time to replace your notebook with something high-tech? There’s been a boom in e-ink tablets to replace your myriad notebooks with something that can connect to the internet, detect your handwriting and more. We tested a bunch of the most popular e-ink tablets available – and we have recommendations.

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Spotify raises the price of its Premium plans

A Premium Single subscription is going from $10 to $11 a month.

Hot on the heels of price bumps at Peacock, Apple Music and YouTube, Spotify is the latest to inch up the prices of its services. Spotify has announced it's raising the price of all its Premium plans. In the United States, this means a Premium Single subscription is going from $10 a month to $11 a month — its first increase since Spotify launched over a decade ago. Its Premium Family and Student plans are also going up by a dollar, now costing $17 and $6 per month, respectively. Premium Duo has the largest bump, going up two dollars per month from $13 to $15.

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Apple Vision Pro developer kits are available now

You aren't guaranteed to get one, however.

Engadget

Apple is now making its Vision Pro developer kits available. If you qualify, you'll get a loaned mixed reality headset as well as help with setup, expert "check-ins" and extra support requests beyond what developers normally get. You're submitting an application, not buying a product like the old Apple Silicon Developer Transition Kit, so you'll need to detail your existing apps and overall team talent. The company will favor creators whose app "takes advantage" of the Vision Pro's features. Apple also demands developers keep the Vision Pro in a secure workspace only authorized team members can access.

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