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Galaxy Buds+ review: Samsung finally has a worthy AirPods alternative

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On iOS, the Galaxy Buds+ don’t sync with notifications and Samsung’s Gaming Mode for the earbuds isn’t available. It may seem like using these new buds with an iOS device is limited, but trust me, it’s a lot better than it used to be. Just having a dedicated app is a huge improvement. It’s not surprising that Samsung would make some features exclusive to Android devices, and thankfully, they’re things you can probably live without. One-touch access to Spotify is enticing, for example, but I’m not going to give up on-board volume controls for it.

As far as the EQ presets go, they’re mostly the same. You can choose from Normal (the default), Bass boost, Soft, Dynamic, Clear and Treble boost. In my tests, Dynamic offered the best all-around results across a range of genres. This was also true of the Galaxy Buds. There’s ample bass, but it’s not muddy or overpowering. The preset has a lot of presence, and details cut through more clearly than on most of the other options. That default Normal setting is also solid, but Dynamic gives things a little more oomph. If you’re hoping for more detailed EQ tweaks, Samsung doesn’t plan to add anything beyond presets. This means no equalizer curve for you to manipulate to your liking.

Overall, I’m impressed with the improvements Samsung made to the audio on the Galaxy Buds+. The sound quality on the last-gen model was just okay, with bass-heavy genres lacking the punch they have on the best-sounding earbuds I’ve tested. I could’ve used a little more volume, too. I’m happy to report that Samsung addressed both of those shortcomings. Once again it enlisted its subsidiary AKG to help with the audio, and this time there’s a two-way speaker with both a tweeter and a woofer inside. The company claims this offers a 38 percent increase in sound dimension over the Galaxy Buds. Whatever the exact increase, I could tell the difference immediately.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ review

The Galaxy Buds did just fine with things like clarity and tone, but the Galaxy Buds+ add the extra low-end the first model lacks. The results across genres are much more consistent. Again, I primarily used the Dynamic setting, and with the exception of Normal mode, I don’t think the others were as well rounded. Electronic, hip-hop and metal tracks with booming bass and a massive depth of sound are open and big. They don’t seem compressed, nor do they lack the energy captured in those songs. A track like Purity Ring’s electrodance-y “stardew” has bombastic bass, but the synths, hi-hats and vocals cut through clearly. There’s plenty of space for things to work, so the sound envelopes you rather than feeling like noise simply blasted into your head. I can’t overstate how much better these than the first Galaxy Buds in terms of audio. It’s night and day.

One big feature I haven’t mentioned is active noise cancellation (ANC). And that’s because… the Galaxy Buds+ don’t have it. They do let you hear what’s going on around you with an ambient sound mode, but in terms of countering any noise, you’re left with passive noise isolation (i.e., having something in your ear holes). The Galaxy Buds+ actually do a decent job here, especially at around 75 or 80 percent volume. I wasn’t able to test these on a flight, but they did well at blocking out a noisy TV during my Kindergartener’s afternoon binge. Of course, if the Galaxy Buds+ did have ANC, they’d probably cost around $200 or more, so I’m fine with the feature set here.

When Samsung introduced the Galaxy Buds, it hyped the call quality. Unfortunately, those claims didn’t hold up. Those earbuds picked up a lot of ambient noise, so they basically sounded like you were on speakerphone. That’s not ideal when you need to take an important call. With the Galaxy Buds+, the company added an additional exterior microphone on each side in an effort to improve the sound of your voice when you’re on a call. Indeed, the new buds do a better job of focusing on your voice and they pick up less background noise than the Galaxy Buds. According to people I called, there was noticeably less “speakerphone” chaos during our conversations.

Samsung Galaxy Buds+ review

Galaxy Buds vs. Galaxy Buds+

Samsung also improved battery life on the Galaxy Buds+. The company says they’ll last for up to 11 hours on a charge. That’s almost double the six-hour rating from the previous version. During my tests, the Galaxy Buds+ lasted just shy of 11 hours, but only by about 10 minutes. And that’s with ambient sound on medium or high for most of that time. The case still only holds one additional charge, but this time that’s an additional 11 hours of use. There’s still a quick charge option that gives you an hour of use in just three minutes. And yes, you can charge these on the back of a Samsung phone with the company’s PowerShare technology.

At $150, the Galaxy Buds+ are situated directly in the mid range. Apple’s AirPods with a wireless charging case cost $199, unless you can catch a sale. Sure, there are other features there — like hands-free Siri — but if you have to pay full retail, that’s still $49 more than Samsung’s latest earbuds. Jabra’s Elite 75t ($180) is a very good option too, but they’ll cost you an extra $30. For what it’s worth, Jabra is working on a wireless charging case, but it’s not ready yet. Even when it is, it will most likely require an additional investment. While it may not be able to keep the top spot much longer, Sony’s WF-1000XM3 ($228) is still our top pick. Of course, they’re nearly double the price of the Galaxy Buds+. Lastly, the original Galaxy Buds are still available for $130, although Amazon currently has them listed for $105. I wouldn’t recommend going that route, but it is an option.

From the moment I first popped the Galaxy Buds+ in my ears , it was obvious Samsung paid attention to criticism of the Galaxy Buds. This new version sounds better, lasts longer and, perhaps most importantly, brings some key features to the iOS app. The Galaxy Buds+ are more expensive than the 2019 model, but I’d argue all of the improvements are worth the extra $20. Sure, the touch controls aren’t perfect and some things are only available on Android, but Samsung has given its latest earbuds universal appeal.

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Peloton’s iOS Chromecast support puts workouts on the big screen

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As The Verge notes, Peloton bike and treadmill owners can cast to supported devices with Miracast, but this feature’s addition gives iOS subscribers an alternative if they don’t have any of the company’s exercise equipment. Like any other app that supports Chromecast, users only need to tap the Chromecast icon to sync with a bigger display.

The company seems to be on a mission to make its videos more accessible on larger screens. In December, it also launched an application for Fire TVs, which focuses on strength training, yoga and other complementary exercises.

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The Morning After: Hasbro’s $60 ‘Baby Yoda’ toy is coming this fall

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Outside the park.‘Westworld’ season 3 trailer sets the stage for an AI battle

The latest Westworld trailer shows Dolores, Maeve and Westworld’s other characters leaving the confines of the park that defined so much of the show’s past two seasons. Additionally, there’s more of the futuristic city we saw glimpses of in the first trailer HBO shared last July. Watch the three-minute video right here and get ready for season three to start on March 15th.

Meet the next Peacock.CBS plans a ‘broad’ streaming service based on All Access

The company has outlined a three-tier plan, with the free Pluto TV sitting at the bottom and Showtime, up top. In the middle is CBS All Access, which is currently just the home of (mostly) CBS-related content and originals from the CBS stable. Across the next year, however, the platform will broaden to include material from all corners of the ViacomCBS family.

A small touch up.Windows 10 icons are getting an overdue redesign

Microsoft hadn’t really touched Windows 10’s main icons since its debut in 2015, but now Insider beta testers are starting to see some new updates. First up are the Calendar and Mail apps. The design team explains it wanted to break away from the flat, colorless icons you see today in favor of ones that are more consistent with newer branding and different enough to make them easier to find.

‘This is fine.’Google is disappointing the Stadia community

According to Jessica Conditt, “It feels like there’s an asterisk after every bold claim Google makes about Stadia, adding invisible barriers to a system that’s supposed to be borderless.” Also, there are literal asterisks with footnotes on nearly every line of the Stadia homepage, explaining the compromises between what’s promised and what you’ll actually get.

And VR headset supply is getting squeezed as ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ approaches.Sony and Facebook withdraw from GDC due to coronavirus concerns

As the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak continues to be felt worldwide, tech companies are adjusting their plans accordingly. On Thursday, Facebook and Sony both dropped out of the upcoming Game Developers Conference, while Valve warned there will be “far fewer” Index VR headsets released over the next few months than it had originally planned.

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FCC forced to ask for public feedback on net neutrality repeal

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Consequently, the FCC will launch a period where the public and interested parties can share their views on the process. This is not an opportunity to re-litigate net neutrality repeal, but it is an opportunity to examine if the FCC acted properly and with regard to its broader obligations. The court, for instance, has directed the body to see if repeal has harmed public safety and reduced investment in critical infrastructure.

That may include references to the incident in which Verizon, Engadget’s parent company, throttled the data plan of a vehicle owned by the Santa Clara fire service. According to Chief Anthony Bowden in a 2018 lawsuit, Verizon’s throttling of the vehicle’s plan hampered efforts to fight wildfires. Verizon said that in that instance, the throttling was the result of a mistake, and that its policy is to not throttle emergency teams.

And a third-party study which claimed that, regardless of traffic, major ISPs throttle video traffic at all times of the day. Researchers from University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and Northeastern University found that, in one instance, a carrier throttled Netflix and YouTube 70 and 74 percent of the time, respectively.

The Register claims that the FCC is behaving churlishly, burying its request for comment in a wordy title that does not reflect its true intentions. But FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel published a statement asking people to “make some noise” and write in. Rosenworcel says that the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality was on the “wrong side of history” and that the public should demand an “open internet.”

Those wishing to make a comment can do so on the FCC’s Electronic Filing System, entering 17-108 (Restoring Internet Freedom) in the proceedings box. The deadline for comments is March 30th.



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See how ‘The Mandalorian’ used Unreal Engine for its real-time digital sets

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In a new VFX sizzle reel (below) ILM, Favreau and other production team members explain how the cutting edge technique works. They built a 20-foot high, 270-degree semicircular LED video wall with a 75-foot diameter circular stage. ILM’s digital 3D sets, built ahead of production (rather than later in post-production as is the norm on VFX-heavy shows) were projected interactively on the walls. Those could be used as stand-alone backgrounds or extensions to practical set pieces placed on the stage.

The digital sets weren’t merely pre-rendered imagery, but game-type 3D objects rendered on the fly by powerful NVIDIA GPUs. They were lit and rendered from the physical camera’s perspective to generate perspective, so that the sets didn’t look like old-school rear screen projections often used in traveling vehicle shots. At the same time, the actors were lit with practical LED stage lights to match the position of lights and the sun on the digital sets.

The perspective aspect of the technique is on display at around the 3:40 mark of the video, where you can clearly see the background changing to match the camera movement. Since the camera is being moved by a dolly grip operator (rather than a computer motion control system) it appears that the digital set is linked to a motion tracker placed on the camera.

There are huge advantages to this technique, the team said. Sets can be changed on the fly (within an hour) to better match the director and cinematographer’s vision, for one thing. It also makes performing easier, as actor’s can see their environment rather than needing to pretend it’s there as with green screens. Plus, it no doubt saves on post-production costs — according to ILM, the technique was used in fully 50 percent of The Mandalorian’s shots.

Best of all, the technique was seamless and invisible in the final show. ILM has built a whole new platform around this technique called StageCraft that uses Unreal Engine’s real-time interactivity, and will make it available to other filmmakers and show runners. “We have been able to see through a few technical innovations and a few firsts that I think are going to have a lot of impact on the way that television and movies are made going forward,” said Favreau.

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Google’s wireless gigabit internet is now called Fiber Webpass

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It does seem to be part of Google’s Fiber expansion preparations, though. Webpass head Brien Bell said in his announcement that the new name means Google is “one step closer to providing customers in all of [its] cities a more integrated Google Fiber and Webpass experience.” In other words, when Fiber is ready to expand, the branding is already there.

Webpass is a service under Google Fiber that provides point-to-point wireless internet for high-occupancy buildings like offices and apartments. The team installs a rooftop antenna that receives a wireless internet connection for clients like landlords. That building’s occupants can then sign up to have their wired connections activated.

“Rolling out our new name and branding is another step in bringing together the best parts of both Google Fiber and Webpass — building on our shared mission of connecting more people to reliable, customer-friendly, high-speed Internet,” Bell also wrote in his post. “We’re working as one big team to continue to make sure our customers have a great experience, regardless of where they are and how they get their Internet.”



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Uber is back in Colombia three weeks after it was banned

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A spokesperson told Reuters that Uber will technically act as a “point of contact” between the two parties in Colombia. “Our new model will allow users to rent a vehicle with a driver, under an agreement between both parties. The application will be the point of contact which connects the two parties together to form a contract,” they said.

Colombia isn’t the only country that has banned Uber in the past. The service isn’t available in many other regions around the world, including most of Southeast Asia and some parts of Europe and the Middle East. This development was a result of the company’s efforts to look “for new alternatives” in the Colombian market, according to the spokesperson. And it sounds like Uber even wants to expand its offerings to Colombian riders by adding traditional taxis to its lineup. “We want to offer a diversity of services that will allow traditional, and new alternatives (for transport) to coexist,” part the company’s statement reads.

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Valve’s Index VR production has been impacted by coronavirus

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We’re just about a month out from the launch of Half Life: Alyx on March 23rd, and like so many other things, it is seeing some impact from the coronavirus outbreak. According to a statement given to RoadtoVR and UploadVR, Valve still plans to restock its Index VR headsets ahead of the game’s release. However, over the next few months the company says “we will have far fewer units for sale during the coming months compared to the volumes we originally planned.”

You can still sign up for a notification when more headsets are available on the Index’s Steam page, which has listed the headsets as out of stock for several weeks.

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‘PUBG’ cross party play capability for PS4 and Xbox One has arrived

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As part of the feature’s rollout, the game has added a new friends list tab marked “PUBG” that displays friends on different consoles. That way, players can search for users across platforms in one place:

PUBG

The cross party play feature is now live on PUBG’s Public Test Server, which allows all players who own the title to test upcoming features and help the developer find bugs and issues before they’re released to the main game. PS4 players can find it in the “Purchased” section of their Library, while Xbox One players can download it from the Microsoft Store or find it in the “My Games and Apps” menu.

In addition to cross party play, PUBG has also launched Team Deathmatch on the Public Test Server for those who want to play 8 versus 8 first person perspective matches on seven different battlefields. Players are getting some gameplay improvements, as well, including changes to how grenades and molotov cocktails work.



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Facebook will pay for user recordings to improve speech recognition

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Facebook will use its Viewpoints market research app, through which it has paid users to take surveys. Qualifying users will be asked to record the phrase “Hey Portal” followed by the first name of a friend in their friend list. If you participate, you’ll have to repeat the statement twice and do this with a set of 10 names in order to earn 200 points in the Viewpoints app. You have to earn 1,000 points to cash out, but you can record up to five sets of recordings to reach that threshold. That translates to $5, so each recording is worth five cents.

While you’re not going to get rich from the program, this is an interesting way for Facebook to improve its AI transcription skills without using your voice messages behind your back. Apple and Google have paused their audio transcription programs, and Amazon now lets users opt-out of audio recording “review.” But none of these companies seem to be offering cash in exchange for audio. Google does pay some users to take surveys, so it wouldn’t be too shocking if the company followed Facebook’s lead on this.

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