Category: Technologies

Apple’s release of iOS 17 brings a handful of fun and useful features to your iPhone, like Live Stickers and offline maps. Another new feature is transcriptions of audio messages, also known as voice notes, in Messages.

Apple introduced audio messages with the release of iOS 8 in 2014. Audio messages — not to be confused with voicemail — are short audio recordings you send to someone in Messages, and they’ve become a popular way to communicate. According to a YouGov survey conducted by Vox earlier this year, 62% of Americans surveyed say they’ve sent an audio message, and about 30% of people said they use audio messages weekly. About 43% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 also said they use audio messages at least weekly.

While it might be easier to dictate a message rather than type it out, audio messages require the recipient to be in a quiet place to hear them. And unless the recipient has headphones or earbuds, audio messages might be overheard by others nearby. With iOS 17’s transcription feature, you can read your audio messages without listening to them. But how well does it work?

To find out, I had a conversation with my wife in which I exclusively used audio messages. I sent some of them with and some without without music playing in the background, too. I also read excerpts from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring to test the feature against uncommon words and unique names.

Here’s how to use audio message transcriptions and how well they work.

How to use audio message transcriptions

Audio message transcriptions are automatically enabled after you downloaded iOS 17. After you send the message, the transcript will appear below the audio bars.

If you receive a long audio message, the transcript might be cut off. If it is, you’ll see an arrow that you can tap to go to a new screen with the full transcript.

Results of testing audio message transcripts

There were times when my iPhone understood everything I said and transcribed it correctly, and other times when it totally butchered what I was saying.

In one conversation with my wife, I sent a message asking if we were still having chili for dinner, and my phone transcribed it perfectly. Another time, I tried to say, “I’m good, but I appreciate it though,” and what my iPhone heard was “I’m goodbye I appreciate it though.” If I read that, I might be able to figure out what it meant, but it would take me a second.

One of the excerpts I read from The Fellowship of the Ring came through well, but messed up one of the names. That’s understandable. Without some TV series, like Game of Thrones, I’d have no idea how to pronounce the names of some fantasy characters. Don’t lie to me and say you knew how to pronounce Daenerys Targaryen the first time you read it.

Another excerpt from The Fellowship of the Ring I read had no proper nouns in it, but still managed to get messed up badly. The feature injected the name “Shelby” into the transcript, making the whole passage read like gibberish. I read the excerpt back more slowly and deliberately and the transcript got most of it correct, but still mixed up some a‘s with of‘s.

Audio message transcripts didn’t seem to be affected by loud music, though. In one message I sent, you can clearly hear the group Outkast in the background, and my message was transcribed without issues and with none of the lyrics. I can’t speak to concert-level noise, but the regular level of noise you run into every day shouldn’t affect transcriptions much.

Interestingly, I tried to use Spanish in an audio message and it transcribed it, but only when my iPhone’s language was set to English. When I set my iPhone’s language to Spanish and used Spanish to send an audio message, it didn’t transcribe at all. I also tried to send a message in English while my iPhone was set to Spanish and it didn’t transcribe that message, either. I tried this with German, as well, and had similar results.

Final thoughts on audio message transcriptions

Audio message transcriptions work well enough to be understood in most cases, but Apple has some work to do to improve the feature.

Your iPhone will likely struggle with proper nouns, and if you speak quickly your words might be transformed or combined in weird ways. I also imagine that if you have an accent or if English isn’t your first language, your iPhone might have a difficult time transcribing your speech. This feature also only worked for me when my iPhone’s language was set to English, and Apple would benefit from expanding this feature to other languages.

If you’re having problems with the transcriptions, I recommend speaking slowly and enunciating every letter to help your iPhone transcribe your message better.

For more, check out CNET’s iOS 17 cheat sheet and my review of iOS 17.

If you’re looking for a new smartwatch but the Apple Watch Series 9 is a little over your budget, then CMF, a new brand by the company behind the Nothing Phone 2, has you covered.

The CMF by Nothing Watch Pro is priced at just $69.

It comes with a 1.96-inch AMOLED screen, and includes a heart rate and blood oxygen saturation sensor. It has 110 different sports modes, a 340mAh battery and a silicon strap. It’s available in three color options: dark gray frame and strap; metallic gray frame with an orange strap; and dark gray frame with an ash gray strap.

CMF by Nothing also unveiled a set of earbuds for just $49.

The Buds Pro likewise come in dark gray, light gray and orange, and feature six mics, touch controls, “AI environmental noise cancellation” and a 55mAh battery in each bud.

CMF says the Buds Pro will give you 11 hours of use on a full charge, and 10 minutes of charging will give you 5 hours of listening time. The case has a 460mAh battery.

The Watch Pro and Buds Pro will be available to buy later this month.

Apple’s new Mac software, MacOS Sonoma, is now available as a free update. Apple first unveiled its new operating system this summer at WWDC, its annual developers conference.

The latest software update brings a few key features to the laptop or desktop experience. New widgets are available on desktop and are more interactive. You can also drag widgets from your iPhone onto your desktop.

MacOS Sonoma also brings updates to video presentations and places speakers directly in front of whatever they’re presenting, potentially creating a more at-home keynote experience. A new game mode and updates to other Apple features, like Notes and Passwords, are also coming with MacOS Sonoma.

The latest software update also comes with new screen savers that transition to desktop wallpaper for a smoother log-in experience.

Read more: MacOS Sonoma: Will Your Mac Support It?

Google’s answer to the iPhone 15 is coming: The tech giant abruptly updated its Google Store site earlier this month with details on its upcoming flagship smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, as well as promo videos leaked online this week that show details on the new phones. And even better: a promo photo leaked Monday also shows Google could throw in a free Pixel Watch 2 if you pre-order the Pixel 8 Pro.

“Arriving 10/4,” the Google Store landing page reads. “Coming in hot. Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.”

A Pixel 8 video on the store site briefly shows off both phones. The Pixel 8 appears in both the video and images on the Google Store site as a blush-colored handset with a rose gold camera casing. The Pixel 8 Pro is presented in a nude color with a champagne gold camera strip.

“Meet the new Pixel phones, featuring the most advanced Pixel cameras yet, and Google AI to help you do more, even faster,” the page says.

Some of the details center on the use of artificial intelligence, including the (not new) photo-editing tools Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur, as well as Live Translate. A leaked promo video of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro has also revealed more AI features for the cameras, like Video Boost and Audio Erase.

You can click a sign up button to get updates on “devices, news, tips, and offers from the Google Store — including more about the new Pixel 8 phones.”

Google Pixel Watch 2

The Google Store also added photos and teased details on the upcoming Pixel Watch 2, saying the smartwatch will likewise launch on Oct. 4 and will have “even more personalized help, safety features, and health insights.” Google further teased the next Pixel watch in another video.

A new leaked promo video of the Pixel Watch 2 on Monday also showed how it uses features from Fitbit to now include a skin temperature sensor, more accurate heart rate data, sleep tracking and stress analysis. It will also have a feature called Safety Check, which will ping your emergency contact if you don’t “tap in” once a timer you’ve set goes off.

The next Pixel Watch is claiming a 24-hour battery life.

The first Pixel Watch was released in the fall last year. You can check out CNET’s review of Google’s smartwatch here.

Google had previously announced a Pixel event for Oct. 4, where it’ll launch its new phones and smartwatch. Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the promo video leaks.

Sonos’ Move 2 portable speaker is a pretty straightforward product to review. That’s because it improves upon its already very good predecessor in a couple of key ways. In addition to offering more spacious sound thanks to a new dual-tweeter acoustic architecture, it also delivers much improved battery life (up to 24 hours). Sonos also tossed is some modest design updates, including new touch controls. Alas, those upgrades come with a higher price — the Move 2 with an included a wireless charging dock costs $449 ( 449, AU$799), or $50 more than the original. But if you can afford it, it’s an excellent portable speaker that makes for a nice addition to your home’s Sonos lineup, with the ability to travel more widely thanks to its Bluetooth support.

Read more: Best Bluetooth speakers of 2023

Design

The Move 2 comes in three color options — white, black and a new olive color that I requested for my review sample (it’s a smart-looking color). From the front, the speaker looks essentially the same as its predecessor. However, like Sonos’ new wired Era 100 and Era 300 speakers that were released in June, the Move 2 features the same new touch control system on its topside. You can use the touch controls to play, pause or skip a track, and swipe your finger along the volume slider to adjust the volume levels. As before, you can control the speaker with your voice, with both Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice Control supported, though not Google Voice Assistant. The built-in microphone array is also used when setting up the speaker with Sonos’ TruePlay sound calibration system that customizes the sound for a particular space, whether it’s indoors or outside.

In some ways, the Move 2 looks too nice to be used as an outdoor speaker. But an integrated handle on the back lets you tote the Move 2 around the house, out to the patio or even to the beach. (It weighs in at 6.61 pounds, or 3 kg, so it’s got some heft it and feels like a premium-priced speaker should.)

With the speaker’s IP56 rating, Sonos says the speaker’s durable exterior allows it to withstand falls, bumps, rain and moisture, dust and dirt, UV light, and extreme temperatures. While I used the speaker in the rain, I didn’t drop it. With its rubberized base, I do think it would be fine if it fell straight down. However, I suspect the speaker’s grill would get dinged up should the speaker fall on its side and hit something like a rock or gravel.

For a speaker that one would predominantly use outside, that wouldn’t be a big deal. But more than likely, you’ll be using this around the house as part of a Sonos multi-room audio set up, and most people would prefer to have their $450 indoor speakers free of any blemishes. In other words, the speaker is indeed durable — it should continue working just fine after a fall — but you should still avoid dropping it. That may sound obvious, but just because a product is declared durable, doesn’t mean it’s impervious to damage (or will still look pristine in the aftermath of a spill).

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Both the Move and Sonos’ smaller and more portable Roam ($179) speaker are designed to be used as Bluetooth speakers when you’re outdoors away from your residence but on your Wi-Fi network and integrated into your Sonos multi-room audio system when you’re at home. However, it was previously a little tricky to move from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth. With the Move 2, Sonos has addressed that issue and I had no trouble pairing the speaker with Bluetooth (there’s a Bluetooth button on back on the speaker) when I was out of range from my home Wi-Fi network. Once I returned to my home network, the speaker reverted to a Wi-Fi connection without a problem.

Apple users can also directly stream audio from their devices to the speaker using AirPlay 2 via Wi-Fi. It’s also worth noting that the speaker uses the AAC audio codec for wirelessly Bluetooth audio streaming, but it doesn’t support any of the so-called high-res audio codecs like AptX and LDAC that are available with many Android devices. I don’t know if it would matter much, but just noting it.

Big battery life improvements

As I said, the other big improvement is to its battery life. The speaker is now rated for up to 24 hours of use at moderate volume levels, according to Sonos. That’s up from the original Move’s 11-hour battery life rating.

Like its predecessor, the Move 2’s built-in rechargeable battery is user replaceable. Sonos said the original Move’s battery was good for about 900 charges or about three years of use. It will probably last longer than that unless you use the speaker constantly, but it is reassuring that you can replace the battery — the replacement costs $79.

While the speaker comes with a wireless charging dock, you can also charge via the USB-C port, which doubles as charge-out port for charging your devices. On top of that, Sonos confirmed that you use the USB-C port as an audio input using Sonos’ Line-In Adapter accessory, which it sells separately for $19.

Improved sound

As noted in the intro, Sonos says the Move 2 is equipped with a new dual-tweeter acoustic architecture that allows for more spacious stereo sound. And yes, the soundstage is more spacious, but the thing you really notice is that sound has more depth and clarity. The original Move was on on the warmer side, but the Move 2’s sound feels tightened up and more detailed. You do get a bit of stereo separation, but there’s only so much you can get from a pair of tweeters spaced a few inches apart. The new driver design is more about creating wider, broader sound — if you’re really looking for stereo separation, wirelessly linking a pair of Move 2s in stereo mode is the move, excuse the pun.

I compared the Move 2 to Ultimate Ears similarly shaped Epicboom speaker, which costs $100 less and also weighs less (4.36 pounds, or just under 2 kg). The Epicboom sounds very good for a Bluetooth speaker, but the Move 2 clearly sounds better, with tighter, deeper bass and cleaner, more detailed sound that holds up nicely even as you push the volume up. The Move 2 has a very pleasant tonal balance and comes across as fairly natural sounding and accurate.

Both speakers have an outdoor mode (on the Sonos you engage “Loudness” in the settings) that helps the speakers sound bigger in open environments. On the Sonos, you’ll want to turn off loudness when using the speaker indoors (and before using the Trueplay automatic tuning feature to custom tune the speaker for whatever room you have it in).

Sonos Move 2 final thoughts

When it comes to portable speakers, Sonos doesn’t give you a whole lot of choice. The smaller Roam does sound very good for its compact size (I suspect a Roam 2 is in the works that corrects some of that speaker’s small downsides), but if you’re looking for a Sonos speaker that delivers the kind of audio you expect from the Era 100, the Move 2 is a no-brainer.

While it doesn’t deliver the even more voluminous sound of the Era 300, which also cost $449, it can fill a small- to medium-size room with sound and is easy to carry out to the patio or pool, where it makes for an excellent outdoor wireless speaker that delivers almost as much volume and bass as some of the larger boombox-style Bluetooth speakers. It’s an impressive portable speaker.

Sonos Move 2 key specs, according to Sonos

• 6.61 pounds (3 kg)
• Overhauled dual-tweeter acoustic architecture allows Move 2 to deliver stereo sound
• 24 hours of playback on a single charge.
• Charges via USB-C or included Wireless Charging Base
• IP56 rating (water- and dust-resistant)
• Built to withstand accidental falls, bumps, rain and moisture, dust, UV rays and extreme temperatures
• Automatic Trueplay tuning continually optimizes the Move 2’s sound for its surroundings
• Touch controls
• Stream via Bluetooth to a stereo pair of Move 2 speakers when connected to Wi-Fi or seamlessly group Move 2 with the rest of your Sonos system
• Removable and replaceable battery
• Price: $449/ 449/499 euros/AU$799

When it comes to Android tablets, Samsung is the brand to beat — claiming multiple spots on our list of the best models for 2023. And you don’t have to drop $800 or more on a sleek new Galaxy Tab S9 for a great tablet experience. Last year’s Tab S6 Lite is an affordable alternative that’s still great for the basics, and today only, you can snag it for 37% off at Best Buy, saving you up to $160 and dropping the starting price down to just $220. But this deal is only available through 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings. Prices are matched at Amazon, too.

Though it’s not the most powerful tablet on the market, the Tab S6 Lite is great for light work and day-to-day needs like checking email, streaming shows and movies, scrolling through social media and more. Internally, it’s equipped with a Snapdragon 720G processor and 4GB of RAM, and either 64GB of storage for $220, or 128GB of storage for $270. It features a 10.4-inch LCD display, and it weighs in at just 16.4 ounces, which makes it great for taking on the go. It also comes with a Samsung S Pen stylus (a $60 value), which is perfect for taking notes, editing photos and more on the fly.

And if you’re in the market for another model, you can check out our full roundup of all the best tablet deals available now for even more bargains.

Modern computers might have a lot of storage but we’ll always need more. That’s why external SSDs like the Samsung T7 Shield are so important, and we’re big fans of this model in particular. Today only, you can pick one up for a song, and you even get to choose a color.

The Samsung T7 Shield would normally sell for around $100 but B&H Photo is currently offering it for just $60 thanks to a 40% coupon that is automatically applied during the checkout process. You’ll have to act fast though as the blue color is already sold out and the black version is on backorder.

CNET reviewer Joshua Goldman was pretty impressed with the T7 Shield thanks to its ultracompact design and impressive durability. It’s a portable solid-state drive that’s roughly the size of a credit card, and boasts an IP65 weather-resistance rating, so it’s protected against both water and dust. And thanks to its elastomer exterior it can survive drops of up to 3 meters. It boasts speedy performance too, with data transfer speeds of up to 1,050 MB per second. It uses a USB-C connection and is compatible with Mac, Windows and Android devices.

Whether you’re looking to move data from one computer to another or just need to expand the storage you already have, this is a great way to do it — and because it’s rugged you don’t need to baby it, too.

If you commute or travel a lot, you know how loud it can get being out and about, so it’s important to have a good set of noise-canceling headphones. But quality does tend to come at a price, and while you could certainly grab an expensive pair of Sony WF-1000XM5s, you can save a bit of money and grab these reasonably good EarFun Air Pro 3 for a fraction of the cost. There’s even a great discount from Amazon that discounts them down to under $50 when you use coupon code EAP3CNET.

The EarFun Air Pro 3 are our top pick for affordable wireless earbuds. They are equipped with the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 chipset, which allows them to have surprisingly robust power and volume for such budget-oriented earbuds. They have great highs and mids, especially in terms of clarity, although their bass does suffer a little bit, which isn’t too surprising given the price point. Call audio is great, given that the earbuds come with a total of six microphones to work with, and the person at the other end can hear you pretty well, even in a somewhat crowded environment.

The myriad of microphones also help with the environmental noise cancelling, which isn’t quite the same as the higher-end active noise cancelling. Still, it’s more than enough if you aren’t dealing with sounds over 43 decibels, such as a jackhammer or drill. Luckily, the EarFun Air Pro 3 does a good job of sealing against your ear, so you get some passive noise canceling that way too. Of course, if you’d still like to hear what’s going around you, there’s a transparency mode, which we don’t often see in more budget-friendly earbuds, so we’re delighted with that.

As for battery life, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll get around nine hours without ENC and about 7 hours with ENC enabled, plus another 30 hours from the wireless case. We’re also happy to see that it comes with an IPX5 rating, so it can handle the elements and sweat if you want to go running or exercise.

Overall, while the EarFun Air Pro 3 won’t compete with the top dogs in the game, they’re an excellent set of mid-range earbuds, especially with the deal from Amazon bringing them down to just $50. That said, you can always check out our roundup of the best earbud and headphone deals if they aren’t for you.

You’ll need more than advanced hardware to build a decent PC. The operating system is one of the most important components, and if you want to run Windows on your freshly assembled desktop, we’ve spotted a deal you won’t want to miss. Windows 11 Pro is Microsoft’s latest and greatest OS, and while it typically costs $200 if you buy it directly at Microsoft, you can pick it up for just $30 right now at StackSocial. However, this deal is only available through Oct. 1, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

This is a great price, but it’s important to note that not every computer out there is able to run Windows 11, so before you buy it, you’re going to want to ensure that your computer will meet the requirements that are required. Additionally, the listing says that if you have a PC that’s already running Windows 10 and Windows Update doesn’t let you install the free Windows 11 upgrade, your computer will not be compatible with this version either.

The activation key that’s provided following your purchase can be used to install and activate Windows 11 Pro on three computers. To be clear, purchases like this are generally intended for advanced users — those who are building a new computer or who want to dual-boot an existing computer with a second OS. To that end, you will need a secondary PC to access and download the files, so be sure you can access everything from another computer in your home, or you have a friend’s machine that you can use temporarily. (You’ll also want to have a USB thumb drive on hand to transfer the file.) Microsoft provides three ways to access Windows 11 Pro following your purchase, so you can pick the one that’ll work best for your situation.

Apple’s brand-new iPhone 15 and Plus models and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are now available in stores. If you like to switch out your iPhone as new models emerge each year, and you’re looking to upgrade your current iPhone soon, Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program might be right for you.

This program is basically an “iPhone as a service” plan. Instead of paying the full value up front or making monthly payments to own a particular phone after two years, the iPhone Upgrade program lets you trade in your current phone for a new model after making 12 monthly payments. For that privilege, you’re paying a subscription fee for the foreseeable future.

Now that the iPhone 15 series is available to buy, it might be a good time to get in on the upgrading action. To check your eligibility, all you have to do is sign in with your Apple ID on Apple’s website, and you’ll know whether your current phone is eligible for an upgrade.

How does the iPhone Upgrade Program work?

You buy an iPhone from Apple — from an Apple Store in person, Apple’s online store or the Apple Store app — and agree to pay it off over 24 months. But after making half of those payments, you’re eligible for a free upgrade. After 12 months, you can trade in your current phone for a new model. The clock starts again on the 24 months of payments and eligibility to upgrade after making 12 of them.

Why buy from Apple instead of a carrier?

Apple sweetens the deal by including its AppleCare Plus coverage at a slight discount with the iPhone Upgrade Program. AppleCare Plus is the company’s insurance and extended warranty program that would otherwise cost $8 a month for the iPhone 15, $9 a month for the iPhone15 Plus, or $10 a month for the iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. With the Apple Upgrade Program, you pay $6.21 a month for AppleCare Plus on the iPhone 15.

AppleCare Plus doubles the standard one-year warranty to two years, but that’s less of a concern if you’re planning on trading in your phone after the first year. The real value of AppleCare Plus is getting accidental-damage protection. You get unlimited accidental damage claims to repair your phone. A cracked screen will run you $29, and other accidental damage will cost you $99. Phone support is also extended to two years with AppleCare Plus, up from the standard 90 days.

How much does it cost?

Pricing ranges from $39.50 a month for the 128GB iPhone 15 to $74.91 a month for the 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max.

What about AppleCare Plus with Theft and Loss?

If you worry less about dropping or damaging your phone and more about losing it or it getting stolen, you can pay a bit extra per month to upgrade to AppleCare Plus with Theft and Loss coverage. With AppleCare Plus with Theft and Loss covers two incidents of theft and loss per year, with each replacement running you $149, which is still cheaper than buying a new iPhone. Upgrading to AppleCare Plus with Theft and Loss coverage adds $4.16 to your monthly Upgrade Program bill and lets you pay a small deductible to replace a lost or stolen phone rather than the full cost of replacement.

How do I pay?

You’ll need a credit card or debit card to sign up, at least in the US. In the US, Apple uses Citizens Bank for the installment loan, and it requires a valid, US-issued credit card to be eligible. You are not eligible to sign up with a prepaid card.

Is there an age limit?

Yes. Sorry, kids, you need to be 18 years old to apply. (And given the prices of the new Pro models, I hope you’ll start being nicer to your parents.)

How do I trade in my current phone?

You can take it to an Apple Store and make the swap there, but you can also save the trip and buy from Apple’s online store or the Apple Store app. When you order an iPhone online from Apple, it’ll arrive with a trade-in kit so you can package up your suddenly outdated phone and ship it back to Apple. You need to get it back to Apple within 14 days.

Read more: How to Sell Your Old iPhone Before Upgrading

What if my current iPhone is banged up?

According to Apple, your current iPhone needs to be in “good physical and operational condition.” That means it should:

• Be able to power on and hold a charge.
• Have an intact and functioning display.
• Have no breaks or cracks.

I haven’t made 12 payments yet on my current phone, can I still upgrade?

Yes, but it’ll cost you. If you’ve made at least six monthly payments on your current phone, you can pay the difference between your current balance and the total for 12 payments to fast-forward the clock and get a new iPhone.

Do I need to upgrade?

No, not all at! You aren’t forced to upgrade. If you’re happy with your current phone, you can keep using it and continuing to pay it off. After 24 months, you will have paid it off and can continue using it without the monthly payment, or you can turn around and sell it to help finance the cost of a new phone when you’re ready.

How is this different than Apple’s Trade In program?

Note that the iPhone Upgrade program isn’t the same as Apple’s Trade In program. While you are exchanging your old iPhone for a newer model in both programs, with the iPhone Trade In program you are simply trading in an old device for a discount on a newer one.

If you’re a part of the iPhone Upgrade program, you’re discouraged from participating in the Trade In program, since you don’t outright own your device in the iPhone Upgrade program. If you do use the Trade In program, you’ll be on the hook for the balance of both the phone you were trading in and the new phone.

For more, here’s everything that was announced at the “Wonderlust” event and what we love about iOS 17.