Razer launches the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro earbuds with ANC and THX certification

Razer is primarily known for its gaming laptops, accessories, and peripherals. But the company also offers lifestyle products, from an ergonomic mouse to a wireless mechanical keyboard — two devices that would fit nicely in a work from home setup. To further round out its lifestyle portfolio, Razer has unveiled new true wireless earbuds called the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro that support active noise cancellation (ANC) and feature THX certification.

Razer already offers an array of wired and wireless audio accessories, including last year’s Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds and this year’s Opus over-ear headphones. The company’s previous earbuds offered a “Gaming Mode” for minimal latency, a sleek all-black design, and up to three hours of use per charge. About the only premium feature the Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds lacked was ANC, which has been added in the new Hammerhead True Wireless Pro.

Razer’s new earbuds promise the same Gaming Mode for a minimum latency of 60ms—the actual latency may be higher depending on the particular device and OS the earbuds are paired to. They also feature the same convenient on-ear touch controls. But that’s where the similarities end; the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro includes a number of other improvements that make these earbuds a big step up over the original model.

Razer says the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro feature “Advanced Hybrid ANC” with two external microphones and two internal microphones. One microphone is used for voice chat, which is located at the bottom so it’s closer to your mouth.

Each earbud supports independent playback, making it easy to listen to audio with one earbud on and the other one off. You can’t, however, connect to multiple Bluetooth audio sources simultaneously. There’s a Quick Attention Mode that allows users to hear what’s happening around them without taking the earbuds off. This feature essentially uses the ANC mics in reverse.

Speaking of Bluetooth, the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro headphones support Google Fast Pair for quick pairing. The earbuds, however, do not support the full set of Google Fast Pair features, such as showing the individual battery life of the L/R earbud and case or the location in the “Find My Phone” app. They do support Razer’s own QuickConnect feature, which makes it easy to quickly connect to another audio source that you previously paired up with. The feature is available in Razer’s mobile app, which also offers equalizer settings, the ability to remap touch gestures (up to 5 different gestures), and an earbud fit test.

Razer Hammerhead True Wireless (Free, Google Play) →

In addition to ANC, the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro features 10mm drivers and THX certification, which promises superior noise isolation, 20-20kHz frequency response, and no frequency distortion at high volumes. By featuring THX certification, Razer is aiming to offer users sound playback “as the creators intended.” The headphones feature two of THX’s patented audio technologies: THX AAA amplifier technology and THX Spatial Audio technology. On the other hand, the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro does not support audio codecs like aptX, aptX HD, aptX-LL, or LDAC, so you’re limited to just SBC and AAC.

Razer also made some important design changes to make the Hammerhead True Wireless Pro worthy of the pro name. There are seven different ear tips to choose from; the default size is medium. There are also three ear tips that are called “SecureSeal,” which feature translucent silicone that provide a more stable fit for activities like working out. The other three are called “SmoothComfort,” and promise to be comfortable over extended periods.

The Pro model promises about four hours of battery life for each earbud with ANC enabled, with 20 hours of total battery life with the case. The case will offer roughly four top-ups, so you won’t need to worry about finding an outlet over a busy workday. You can charge the case using a USB-C cable, though the charging time will depend on the power brick or charging source as a power brick is not included in the packaging. Unfortunately, the case doesn’t support Qi wireless charging.

The Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro earbuds retail for $199.99 / €209.99 and can be purchased starting today. You can find them on Razer’s website and Razer retail stores in the U.S., Canada, EU, China, and Asia Pacific countries. Razer is also selling a protective THS durable TPU carrying case with a carabiner clip for $29.99 / €34.99.

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Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro Specifications

Headphones 

• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20kHz 
• Impedance: 16 Ohm 
• Drivers: 10 mm 
• Approximate weight: 53 g (5g x 2 earbuds, 43g charging case)

Microphone 

• Frequency response: 100 Hz – 10 kHz 
• Signal-to-noise ratio:60 dB 
• Sensitivity (@1 kHz): -42 dBFS
• Pickup pattern: Omnidirectional 

 Touch controls 

• Music Controls: Play, pause, skip, previous 
• Call Controls: Answer, reject, switch, end 
• General: Pair, power, activate gaming mode and smartphone virtual assistant 

Battery 

• Battery life: Up to 20 hours (with included charging case)* 

* May vary depending on usage 

Compatibility  

• Devices with Bluetooth audio capability 
• Smartphone application available for Android and iOS devices 

Supported codecs: SBC, AAC

Certifications 

•  THX Certification

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Google Podcasts now lets you subscribe to RSS feeds for private shows

Google Podcasts has added a feature that allows users to subscribe to RSS feeds for private shows. Gabe Bender, Product Lead & Head of Growth, unveiled the news on Twitter.

“Important milestone in our mission to help creators grow their audience and build sustainable business — in whichever ways work best for them!” Bender said.

Important milestone in our mission to help creators grow their audience and build sustainable businesses — in whichever ways work best for them!

Add your own RSS feed on Google Podcasts here: https://t.co/Koiqsx2Iex pic.twitter.com/RzcVTrt1EB

— Gabe Bender (@GabeBender) December 3, 2020

Zack Reneau-Wedeen, Head of Product for Google Podcasts, added that new feature is a perfect solution for premium shows. Many networks, including Patreon and Slate, allow creators to reach audiences through private channels, and the ability to add an RSS feed allows listeners to stay updated on the latest episodes.

To add a show to your RSS feed, access the activity tab in the Google Podcasts app, then scroll over to the Subscriptions tab. Tap on the plus symbol and you can add an RSS feed.

There are a lot of podcast apps on the market that already support this feature, so Google Podcasts is a little late to the game. However, it’s nice that the option was finally added. It’s a convenient way for creators to easily share podcasts that are behind a paywall.

Earlier this year, Google Podcasts received a major redesign that added auto-downloads and episode alerts. The latest feature further establishes the app as a worthwhile alternative to products like Pocket Casts and Overcast.

Google Podcasts: Discover free & trending podcasts (Free, Google Play) →

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Cortana can now find and open files on the latest Windows 10 Insider Build

Microsoft has released a new Windows 10 Insider Preview build for those in the Dev Channel. While there’s a short list of bug fixes and also some known issues, the highlight of this release is a new Cortana skill.

Microsoft said Windows 10 users can now instruct Cortana to find and open files. Not only is Cortana’s new skill convenient, but it should cut back on the time you spend searching through your folders to find a file. Corporate accounts can use the assistant to search for files stored in OneDrive for Business or SharePoint along with files saved locally on their PCs.

Here are a few examples of what Cortana can do in the latest build of Windows 10:

• Parts of file names (Example: “Hey Cortana, opening marketing deck.”)
• Author names (Example: “Hey Cortana, open budget Excel from Anthony”)
• Find a document you have been editing (Example: “Hey Cortana, find my recent files”)
• Find a document of a particular type (Example: “Hey Cortana, find my recent pdfs”)

The outcome should make users more productive when finding and opening files. I guess it goes without saying that if you work in an office, be aware of what you name your files, because you don’t want to give Cortana any inappropriate instructions.

Here’s are some other fixes and improvements in the newest Windows 10 Insider Preview Build:

• The new “Advanced View” checkbox in Optimize Drives is now up and running and checking it will display volumes previously not visible in this window (for example system and recovery partitions).
• Using the touch keyboard in a portrait posture on a 2-in-1 touch device now supports split keyboard mode. (This was released to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel as part of the recent Windows Feature Experience Pack update.)
• We fixed an issue resulting in some dialogs, such as Properties, displaying black text on dark backgrounds in recent flights.
• We fixed an issue that could result in certain apps unexpectedly closing when clicking the Maximize button in recent builds.
• We fixed an issue resulting in printers with Japanese characters in their names not displaying correctly in Printers & Scanners Settings.
• We fixed an issue that could result in some delay logging into your PC on devices with a large number of users.

In addition to fixes, Microsoft also lists known issues, from issues installing a new build to error messages 0x80070426. Cortana’s new capability comes on the heels of Microsoft’s Windows Feature Experience Pack, which aims to introduce more consistent feature updates to Windows 10. You can visit the Windows blog to see what else is new in the latest release.

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Replicate the Xbox experience on PC with 3 months of Game Pass Ultimate for just $1

One of the best things the Xbox ecosystem has going for it is the Game Pass Ultimate. With it, you get access to tons of games to download and play. These are full video games, not strange half-a-game demos or anything like that. Game Pass Ultimate is generally $15 a month, but you know what would make the subscription service even better? Getting it at $1 for three months.

This is not the first time that Microsoft has done this sort of deal, and it probably won’t be the last, but that shouldn’t stop you from taking advantage of this deal! How it works is that you buy one month of Game Pass Ultimate from the Microsoft Store, which happens to be just $1, and then you get two months free. Simple!

Game Pass Ultimate allows you to access the entire Game Pass library on your Xbox One, Xbox Series console, or PC. The service also has a clear advantage over similar things like PlayStation Now due to Microsoft’s support. Many big Xbox games are available on Game Pass from day one, which is an unprecedented amount of value for the subscription service. Generally, if you want the day-one experience on the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch, you’re going to have to shell out full price for the game. With Game Pass, no additional purchase is needed!

The only thing you need to look out for regarding this Game Pass deal is that after the three months, you’re automatically signed up for monthly payments at full-price afterward. You should be able to disable the automatic payments immediately though, and with various retailers offering deals on the service throughout the year, that will be your best bet.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and sign up now for $1!

3 Months of Game Pass Ultimate for $1

Whether you game on an Xbox or on PC, you can't beat $1 for three months of Game Pass Ultimate. With plenty of games to download and play, you can get hundreds of hours of entertainment with no additional purchase needed!

$1 at Microsoft

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You can now use Google Assistant’s spoken notifications with any wired headphone

One of the coolest things about using Google Assistant with headphones is the AI supports spoken notifications. It’s a great feature to have when your hands aren’t free or you simply don’t want to look at your phone. Unfortunately, the feature only works with certain headphones, including the wireless Pixel Buds from Google.

That appears to be changing, as the latest version of the Google app apparently supports spoken notifications with any pair of wired headphones. 9to5Google claims that plugging in a USB-C or 3.5mm headphone to an Android device will bring up a new notification about the feature.

Previously, Google Assistant’s spoken notifications feature only worked with 2018’s USB-C Pixel Buds, along with this year’s Pixel Buds and other wireless headphones from Bose and Sony.

Once you enable the feature to allow Google Assistant to read your notifications, you’ll hear messages, calendar events, and other important info. Google said whenever you want to hear your notifications, just “press and hold the action buttons for 2 seconds.” You can confirm your headphones properly work with spoken notifications by going to the devices list under Google Assistant settings. This is where you can also control what apps work with spoken notifications.

9to5Google said that the feature worked on a handful of Android devices using no-name wired headphones, but there isn’t a list of what works with what. At this point, it sounds like you can use whatever brand of wired headphones you want. However, there doesn’t appear to be any further compatibility with other Bluetooth headsets, and it’s unclear if an expansion is being planned for the future.

Google hasn’t formally announced increased compatibility with wired headphones, so we’ll keep an eye out for more details. For now, it sounds like you have free reign to use whatever wired headphones you own to start using spoken notifications, as long as you have the latest Google app.

Google (Free, Google Play) →

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Google is bringing its improved Voice Access app for voice controls to older Android phones

Google has announced an improved version of its Voice Access accessibility app, which allows you to control your Android phone’s functions with just your voice. Well. OK, technically, that’s not quite true. This is the improved version we saw launching as part of Android 11. The good news is that it has now been made available to all users running Android 6.0 and above. The updated version, rolling out in beta starting today, has had a visual facelift. Instead of confusing the view by printing numbers against items on the page, the updated version uses optional label overlays which can be summoned by saying “Show Labels” and “Hide Labels” as you need them.

Functionality improvements come from Google’s AI, which has contextual awareness, which now lets you say “search for XDA TV” in YouTube, or “get me home” in Google Maps, rather than having to use your voice to navigate to the search bar, say your search string, then say “enter”, which was a bit clunky. When you install the beta, you can set it to run whenever you start your phone, or alternatively say “Hey Google, Voice Access” on an ad-hoc basis.

As Google rightly points out, the use cases for Voice Access aren’t limited to people with physical disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries. It can also be a huge help if you’ve hurt your hand, or your phone is on the other side of the room, or you’re carrying the shopping, or you’re cooking, or wearing gloves…. the possibilities are almost endless.

Because the app is still in beta, you won’t automatically be upgraded to the new version. Instead, you’ll have to join the beta program at this link. After that, install the standard Play Store version (if you haven’t already) and wait for Google to update you over-the-air.

Voice Access (Free, Google Play) →

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Android Auto expands to 36 more countries in Europe and Asia

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, commuter culture has completely changed. Instead of driving for an hour to get to work, people simply walk into the next room. Despite the roads being a little less crowded this year, that isn’t stopping Google from expanding support for Android Auto, which is now available in 36 new countries in Europe and Asia.

Here’s the full list of new countries getting Android Auto, according to Google:

• Albania
• Angola
• Armenia
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macedonia
• Malta
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Serbia
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Ukraine

While Android Auto is starting to arrive in some of these markets today, it could take a few months to fully roll out. Once the rollout is complete, Android Auto will be available in 70 countries across the globe.

Users with Android 10 and above simply need to plug their device into a compatible car to use Android Auto, as the service is preloaded on all devices with GMS. Devices with Android 9 and earlier need to download the Android Auto app from Google Play. Note that wireless Android Auto support requires Android 11 or a Google or Samsung phone running Android 10+.

If you’ve never used Android Auto, it’s a great tool to use while on the road, whether you’re commuting to work, going on a road trip, or trying to visit a new food spot. Once your Android phone is plugged into a compatible head unit, your apps will show up onscreen. You can use select apps optimized for Android Auto and approved by Google, such as Waze, Spotify, and Google Calendar.

You can also get help from Google Assistant, so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Android Auto is one of those experiences that, once you use it and it doesn’t break on you, you never want to hit the road without it. And it continues to improve every year, so it’s good to see that, despite the challenging year we’ve had, Android Auto is available in even more regions.

Android Auto - Google Maps, Media & Messaging (Free, Google Play) →

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