Beats by Dr Dre goes for Defiant Black-Red in Beats Decade Collection

Source: Beats. The Beats Decade Collection.

Styled in Defiant Black-Red in tribute to Beats by Dr Dre's beginnings and music’s dynamic emotion, the Beats Decade Collection celebrates the company's first 10 years of innovation and premium sound.

The Defiant Black-Red colour scheme features in the following models:

Source: Beats. The Beats Studio³ wireless headphones, in folded mode.

Beats Studio³ wireless headphones (recommended consumer price or RCP: S$478). With a debossed earcup, classic red cable, and custom linen case, the collection’s Beats Studio³ wireless headphones deliver premium sound and defy noise and distractions with Pure adaptive noise cancelling (ANC). These headphones continuously pinpoint external sounds to block them while automatically responding to individual fit in real-time, optimising sound output to preserve a premium listening experience.

Take calls, skip songs, control your volume, and activate Siri using the on-ear controls. The Beats Studio³ Wireless headphone is designed for long-term comfort to match a battery life of up to 22 hours. The soft over-ear cushions feature advanced venting and signature ergonomic pivoting for a custom, flexible fit.

Source: Beats. The Beats Solo³ wireless headphones.

Beats Solo³ wireless headphones (RCP: S$398). The Beats Solo³ wireless headphones deliver premium sound and up to 40 hours of battery life. This headphone delivers premium playback that maximises  clarity, breadth and balance. The comfort-cushion ear cups buffer outside noise for immersive sound.

Source: Beats. The Powerbeats³ wireless earphones.

Powerbeats³ wireless earphones (RCP: S$268). Powerbeats³ wireless earphones deliver premium sound and sport a sweat- and water-resistant design. Powerbeats³ wireless earphones set up instantly, just by holding the earphones near an iPhone – and then simultaneously connect to the Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac*. The Apple W1 chip in the earphones features Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity, a classification for range and signal strength.

Source: Beats. The Beats^X wireless earphones.

Beats^X wireless earphones (RCP: S$198). The collection’s Beats^X wireless earphones deliver premium sound and wireless freedom. Incorporating the efficient Apple W1 chip brings seamless setup and switching for Apple devices*, up to eight hours of battery life, and Fast Fuel technology for two hours of play with a 5-minute charge.

Source: Beats. The urBeats³ earphones (Android version).

The urBeats³ earphones (RCP: S$138). The urBeats³ earphones deliver premium sound and defy tangles with a flat tangle-free cable, and are available with a Lightning connector or a 3.5mm audio plug (Android version). Laser precision venting provides micro-pressure balanced bass, while dual-chamber acoustics deliver synchronised sound and natural tonality across all types of music.

Details:

The new models are available at all Beats authorised dealers in Singapore.

*Requires an iCloud account and macOS Sierra, iOS 10, watchOS 3 or later versions.

Altec Lansing Freedom True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds feature noise isolation, GPS tracking

Source: Altec Lansing. The Freedom True Wireless
Bluetooth Earbuds have rechargeable lithium
ion batteries.

The new Altec Lansing Freedom True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, contain rechargeable lithium ion batteries built into the housings for a cordless experience.

The new buds also feature a six-hour battery life, IPX7-rated waterproof construction for perspiration-resistant wear, and Bluetooth-based GPS tracking technology to enable easy recovery of misplaced earbuds.

Scheduled for Q216 release at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$149.99, the Freedom buds will deliver Altec Lansing-quality sound reproduction along with noise isolation and a stay-in-place fit aided by small, medium and large Freebit ear tips to accommodate different ear shapes. As the units are not tethered to each other, users can use one earbud as a mono headset or both earbuds for stereo sound, depending on their listening environment.

The charging cradle/carrying case included in the package will provide a six-hour charge when plugged into a wall socket, a three-hour secondary charge when used remotely with no access to an electrical outlet, and the option to charge smartphones or other devices through the built-in USB port.

The GPS tracking ability will be activated through a downloadable companion app that will trigger a beep when a lost earbud is found. The app will also include volume, music and pairing controls, both to link earbuds for stereo use and to pair multiple devices with one-time setup so that users can switch from their smartphones to tablets or laptops without extra configuration.

Other features include:

A 100' (30.5m) Bluetooth signal range
An integrated microphone with wind cancellation enabling handsfree phone use
Song navigation/telephony buttons for track changes
Automatic shutdown to conserve battery power if no audio is detected
Support for any Bluetooth-enabled Apple, Android or BlackBerry phone or tablet or laptop
A choice of nine colours

Hashtag: #CES2016

BioSport In-Ear headphones now available

Source: Intel.

BioSport In-Ear headphones, developed in collaboration between SMS Audio and Intel, are now available. The headphones deliver a high-quality audio experience while gathering actionable data on fitness progress. 

The heart rate monitoring headphones integrate biometric sensors for fitness data collection – allowing users to track goals and progress to achieve peak physical performance.

BioSport push the envelope on in-ear headphones. An ear-wing design that sits deeper in the ear canal for continuous, real-time heart rate monitoring. The built-in sensor continuously measures heart rate while dynamically removing noise signals caused by the body's motion during a workout.

BioSport also includes technology that enables the 3.5mm gold-plated audio jack to power the headphones and biometric monitoring capabilities, so users have the freedom of on-the-go power.

Last but not least, BioSport is ultra-durable with a 40U-rubberised coating to resist chipping and scratching. The headphones are IPX4-rated for protection against sweat and resistance to water.

To help track your heart rate, pace, distance, elevation and calorie burn, the SMS Audio BioSport In-Ear Headphones are compatible with mainstream fitness app RunKeeper, with additional application support planned in 2015.

The BioSport In-Ear headphones are available online at smsaudio.com, amazon.com and bestbuy.com. BioSport headphones come in Sport blue, Sport yellow and Sport gray and retail for MSRP US$149.95. This price includes a free trial of the fitness app, Runkeeper Elite, a neoprene carrying case and three sizes of ear gels and hooks.

Founded by entrepreneur and music artist Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, SMS Audio is a premier audio, headphone and accessories brand. The collaboration between Intel Corporation and SMS Audio to develop BioSport was announced in August 2014, with investor and partner Carmelo Anthony.

Read the initial blog post about the headphones here. 

New Plantronics headsets address need for high quality audio, safety concerns

Plantronics has announced a new family of headset solutions designed for customer service centres and offices. 

Source: Plantronics. The EncorePro 500 family.

According to the company, customer service centres face new challenges with the trend towards using smartphones and self-service. Customers who call customer service representatives (CSRs) with a problem have likely already tried self-service and may even have much more information than the agent. A call has become an escalation that puts more pressure on the CSR to perform, even though the customer is more often than not speaking in a mobile environment with questionable audio quality.

Businesses are also using over-the-phone routes for complex, high-value transactions, where CSRs must work with high-quality audio and yet preserve the confidentiality of customer information.

The Plantronics EncorePro 500 Series is designed for such challenges. It features new materials and technologies that yield an ergonomic fit that is durable, lightweight, and comfortable for all-day wearing. The noise-cancelling technology ensures more focused and private calls, so conversations will be heard clearly with fewer misunderstood words and with reduced background noise from keyboards and close talkers.

There are different designs to suit user preferences: EncorePro 510/520 are dedicated over-the-head models; the EncorePro 530 fits over the ear, while the EncorePro 540 is a convertible model that delivers the same quality of audio no matter what the preferred wearing style is. All models support wideband audio.

Also new are the DA Series of USB digital audio processors for Plantronics headsets, which provide context for every call. The new digital audio processors are designed to connect Plantronics 'quick disconnect' headsets to computers through a USB port. Some incorporate user controls like the ability to answer a call, mute the call and adjust volume. All support Noise @ Work, based on Plantronics SoundGuard digital technology. Not only are CSRs protected from sounds above 118 dBA, but anti-startle protection detects and eliminates a sudden increase in sound. Time Weighted Average (TWA) measurements manage average daily sound exposure for CSRs.

Each device contains firmware that can generate notifications based on hardware state changes. Some models can also generate notifications based on acoustic events or other telemetry that is important to the customer service centre, but which had been previously unavailable. For example, the Plantronics DA-90 will offer acoustic event logging so that customers can be compliant with initiatives like Australia's G.616 recommendation. These events are exposed through APIs within the Plantronics Spokes suite of software solutions.

The combination of the Plantronics EncorePro 500 Series, Plantronics digital audio adapters, and Plantronics Hub means that events and metrics occurring during the interaction with the customer are actionable. This makes possible new activities such as the automation of agent status updates, screen-locking for security when a headset is disconnected, dashboard management of headset
inventory and warranty status, tracking of agent use of physical call controls and supervisor alerts to conversational conflict between agent and caller. 

"This launch covers everyone - usability and personal comfort for the agent, agent monitoring of events, ordering, budgeting, and inventory tracking for the supervisor. Particularly intriguing is the enablement of event tracking for things such as agent status when the headset is disconnected allowing for actions to occur such as screen locking," said Nancy Jamison, Principal Analyst in Customer Contact, Frost & Sullivan.

"We are building on the world's most successful professional grade headset, the SupraPlus, and this is a challenge we did not take lightly. Our deep understanding of the new business needs and role of customer service, and the availability of new materials, design philosophies, manufacturing techniques and core technologies resulted in a new portfolio that is not only state-of-the-art by today's standards, but also future-proofed to adapt as the landscape changes," said Bill Loewenthal, VP, Enterprise Communications Solutions, Plantronics. 

"It's no longer just about a first-class audio experience. With our new portfolio, organisations will immediately see the value that we bring by providing equipment and intelligence which enable operations to be more effective, and create a positive experience for both the CSR and the customer."

The new EncorePro 540 (convertible) and Encore 530 (over-the-ear) models are immediately available. The EncorePro 510/520 (dedicated over-the-head monaural and binaural models) will be available in both noise-cancelling and voice tube* versions in December. The DA-80 USB Digital Audio Processor will ship in December with additional models following a short time later. 

Visit www.plantronics.com/contactcenter for information and pricing. View the associated video here.

*Voice tubes transfer sound more clearly across a distance.

JVC launches waterproof and washable sports in-ear headphones

Source: JVC.

JVC has four new sports headphones that include waterproof and washable options, all designed to stay in place during sports or workout activities.

The four new models include two in the JVC Gumy Sport line and two in the Extreme Fitness line. The new Gumy Sport headphones – the HA-EN10 and HA-ENR15 – feature a Nozzle Fit earpiece made of soft silicone and a unique shape that provides a comfortable and secure fit so they won’t fall out during exercise. 

Both Gumy Sport models are sweatproof with IPX2 water ingress protection rating, which signifies that they can be used during light rainfall. The 3.3-ft (1m) cable has an iPhone compatible plug, and small and medium earpieces are included to ensure the best fit. The HA-ENR15 includes an in-line remote control and microphone for use with iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry devices. Both Gumy Sport models come in a choice of four color combinations – blue/black, black/red, pink/violet and white/orange.

The new JVC HA-ETX30 and HA-ETR40 Extreme Fitness headphones feature JVC’s new Pivot Motion Fit, a soft rubber rotating hook that fits within the part of the ear just above the ear canal to provide an ultra-secure yet very comfortable fit. To tailor the fit to each user, the hook rotates and its position can easily be adjusted while wearing the earpiece. 

The Extreme Fitness headphones are IPX5/IPX7 rated, so they can be safely washed, either by rinsing under running water or rinsed briefly in a basin of water. The 3.94-ft (1.2m) cord has a gold-plated iPhone compatible plug, and each headphone comes with small, medium and large earpieces and a cable clip to hold the cable in place. The HA-ETR40 includes additional open-type earpieces that allow ambient sounds to be heard, such as approaching traffic, for safety. It also features a splash-proof in-line remote control and microphone on a 1.97-ft (0.6m) cable plus a 1.97-ft extension cord.

The HA-ETX30 is available in four colour combinations – blue/yellow, black/green, pink/blue and white/orange. The HA-ETR40 comes in gun metallic/black and red/black.

The new JVC sports headphones will be available in late September* at the following prices*:

• HA-EN10 US$14.95
• HA-ENR15 US$19.95
• HA-ETX30 US$29.95
• HA-ETR40 US$39.95

*Availability and pricing varies across countries.