Category: Technologies

EA says it will cease work on its Battlefield mobile game and begin winding down Apex Legends Mobile.

The game publisher made the two announcements during its earnings call on Tuesday. Apex Legends Mobile, a battle royale game that launched last year, will cease operations on May 1 at 4 p.m. PT.

Players who purchased in-game items or have in-game currency in their Apex Legends Mobile account will lose their purchases after servers go down, and there will be no refunds, according to an FAQ posted on EA’s site. Apex Legends Mobile’s sunsetting will not affect the console/PC version of the game.

EA first revealed its plans for a Battlefield mobile game in 2021. The initial plan was to bring the large-scale military FPS to mobile devices, and that it would be a different take from the console/PC version. EA says its pivot was “to best deliver on our vision for the franchise.” The company will continue work on its flagship game Battlefield 2042, which was considered a “disappointment” when it launched in 2021.

Your iPhone is more powerful than you might think. Underneath all the major new features on iOS 16, like the revamped lock screen and ability to unsend text messages, there are lesser known tools and settings that are just as impressive, and can help make your day-to-day use more efficient, interesting and fun.

I’m going to walk you through what to know about the best hidden gems in iOS 16, like password-protected photo albums and easily accessible Wi-Fi passwords.

Read more: All the New Features on iOS 16.3

And while you’re here, make sure you also brush up on the major new iOS 16 features you’ll love and a few that you might just hate (luckily, there’s a fix).

View and share saved Wi-Fi passwords

Apple has allowed iOS users to share Wi-Fi passwords for a while now, but only by placing two Apple devices near each other. And if that feature didn’t automatically work, you couldn’t just dig out the password from your settings. Plus if you wanted to share a saved Wi-Fi password with someone else, like an Android user or someone on a computer, you had to remember the password. Until now.

In Settings, go to Wi-Fi and tap the tiny information icon to the right of the network you want the password for. To view the network password, tap the Password section and then use Face ID or enter your passcode to view it. You can then tap Copy to copy the password into your clipboard and share it.

Find and remove duplicate photos and videos

Maybe you’ve saved the same photo multiple times or downloaded a video more than once, resulting in duplicates littering up your photo album. It may not be a problem if you’ve got storage to spare, but you’re running out of space, you can now remove every single duplicate easily with iOS 16.

In Photos > Albums, you should see a new Duplicates album under Utilities. Apple scans through all of your photos and shows you any photo or video you’ve saved more than once in that album. From there, you can either delete any duplicates, or simply press Merge, which will keep the photo with the highest quality (and relevant data) and then move the others to the trash.

Although you’ll probably want to go through each set of duplicates, to ensure that they’re actually exact copies and not similar photos, you can also hit Select > Select All > Merge to remove every single photo and video that Apple thinks is a duplicate, all at once.

Hang up a phone or FaceTime call with Siri

Siri does a lot of things. You can use the virtual assistant to send a text message, get directions or play music — but one thing she’s never been able to do is hang up a phone call. Weird right? Now that’s finally a possibility with iOS 16.

In Settings, go to Siri & Search and first make sure Listen for “Hey Siri” is toggled on. If it is, you should see a new option underneath — Call Hang Up. Go into that option and toggle on Call Hang Up. When you’re on a phone call or FaceTime video chat, simply say, “Hey, Siri,” and ask her to hang up your current call.

Pair Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons with your iPhone

Apple has long allowed you to pair third-party controllers, like the PS5 Sony DualSense and Xbox Core Controller, to your iPhone and iPad, in order to more comfortably play mobile video games like the Apple Arcade library, Minecraft and Call of Duty. Now you can add another console controller to that list.

If you own a Nintendo Switch, you can now pair your Joy-Con controllers to your iPhone or iPad running iOS 16. To start, hold down the little black pairing button on the Joy-Con, until the green lights start running back and forth. This means the device is in pairing mode. Next, open your iPhone and go to Settings > Bluetooth and select the Joy-Con from the list. Repeat this step with the other Joy-Con.

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Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are now password protected

The Hidden album in the Photos app is clearly not hidden, seeing as anyone can easily find it. That makes it impractical for adequately hiding private photos and videos. While Apple does have an option to make the Hidden album “invisible,” anyone with access to your phone could make it visible again and view everything inside.

Thanks to iOS 16, you can now lock the Hidden album. You don’t actually need to do anything to toggle this feature on. If you want to check it out, launch the Photos app and go to the Albums tab at the bottom of the screen. If you scroll down, you’ll see a tiny lock next to the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums. To view the contents of those albums, you’ll need to use Face ID or your passcode.

Copy and paste photo and video edits

If you use the editor tool in the Photos app, you’ll be happy to learn that you can now copy and paste edits, including saturation, contrast and brightness, between photos. If you edit one photo or video and are happy with the look, you can paste those same exact edits to any other photo or video in your camera roll.

To do this, launch the Photos app and open a photo that’s been edited in full-screen. Next, tap on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and then hit Copy Edits. This option will only appear if the photo has been edited within Photos, not any third-party photo editor. Finally, go to the photo you want to copy these edits over to, tap on the three-dot menu and then hit Paste Edits. After a second or so, you should see the photo edits appear.

Bring haptic feedback to your keyboard

The iPhone has long had haptic feedback. It’s what you feel underneath your fingertips whenever you attempt to delete an app from your home screen or enter the incorrect password on your lock screen. Strangely enough, haptic feedback has never been available for the stock iOS keyboard — until now.

If you want to enable a slight vibration for every single key you type in, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback and toggle on Haptic. The sound option you see is the loud and annoying clacking sound you might hear when you type in something and your phone isn’t on silent mode, so you can keep that disabled.

Pin your favorite tabs in Safari

Safari caps your open tabs at 500, and if you’re nearing that limit, it might be pretty darn hard to find the exact tab you’re looking for. You could scroll endlessly, but there’s now an easier way to find the exact tab you’re looking for.

In Safari, if you press down on an open tab, you now have the option to hit Pin Tab. This will move that tab to the top of Safari, where it will exist as a tiny tab preview, permanently pinned there, which you can then tap to view. If you press down and unpin a tab, it will move to first in your grid of open tabs.

Use Face ID while you’re lying down

If you’ve ever tried to unlock your iPhone while it’s vertical, like when you’re lying on your side, you might have noticed that it doesn’t work. You have to place your iPhone in portrait orientation, or upright, for Face ID to work. With iOS 16, you can finally use Face ID to unlock your iPhone when it’s in landscape orientation. However, for this to work, you must have an iPhone 13 or 14 running iOS 16.

Copy your screenshots to your clipboard without saving them

You don’t need to save a screenshot to your photo album to share it with someone else. A new iOS 16 feature allows you to take a screenshot, copy it to your clipboard, delete it from your phone and paste it where you see fit. After you take a screenshot, tap the screenshot preview that appears, hit Done on the top-right and then tap Copy and Delete to copy the screenshot to your clipboard.

Remove more preinstalled Apple apps

Since iOS 10, you’ve been able to remove some preinstalled iOS applications like Stocks, Maps and Calculator — but not all of them. With the release of iOS 16, you can add three more apps to this list of ones you can remove: Find My, Clock and Health. However, deleting these apps can negatively affect and break support with other apps and connected devices, like your Apple Watch.

For more on iOS 16 and the iPhone, check out our iOS 16 cheat sheet.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 has an upgraded camera that’s better at seeing in the dark, and it has an upgraded aesthetic. But we need so much more for Samsung to blow us away with their Galaxy S23, which is expected to debut on Wednesday at Samsung Unpacked.

In particular, I’d like to see longer-lasting batteries, more photographic features and faster charging that doesn’t require an expensive adapter and more photographic features.

Read more: How to Watch Samsung Unpacked

Samsung leads the smartphone industry, with 21% of the worldwide market in the third quarter of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. Upgrading core features like the camera and battery could help it maintain that top spot, especially as it faces increased competition from Apple and Google.

Longer battery life for the regular Galaxy S23

Battery life can never be long enough, but the standard-issue Galaxy S device is in particular need of a boost. The 6.1-inch Galaxy S22 generally lived up to Samsung’s claims of all-day battery life, but sometimes just barely. After using it for a month straight, I noticed the battery level dipped roughly to 30% or 40% by 9 p.m., even with the always-on display turned off and the screen’s refresh rate set to standard. That’s enough to get through a work day, but you’ll likely want to pack a charger if you have after-work plans or a long commute home.

The Galaxy S22 has the smallest battery (3,700-mAh capacity) of the three phones in the Galaxy S22 lineup, and it shows. For example, I was pleasantly surprised when the 6.6-inch Galaxy S22 Plus, which has a larger 4,500-mAh capacity, lasted for about a day and a half when I reviewed it in February. I also had the refresh rate set to high, which typically drains battery more quickly. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has a 6.8-inch screen and a 5,000-mAh battery, had similar battery life.

It makes sense that the Galaxy S22 line’s smallest phone would also have the smallest battery. But I hope Samsung finds a way to improve battery life on next year’s 6.1-inch Galaxy phone, whether it’s through better power efficiency or a larger physical battery. After all, Apple made upgrades to the iPhone 13 Mini that gave it an extra two to three hours of battery life compared to the iPhone 12 Mini. Battery life is the main complaint I had about the Galaxy S22, and addressing that would make the Galaxy S23 an even more compelling choice for Android fans who prefer smaller phones.

Korean news outlet The Elec indicates that could indeed be the case, as it reports that Samsung aims to increase the Galaxy S23’s battery capacity by about 5%.

More clever camera features

The Galaxy S22’s 50-megapixel camera and the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s 108-megapixel camera capture impressively colorful and detailed photos. I only wish there was more you could do with those cameras when it comes to editing and software features.

The Galaxy S22 lineup has shooting options like panorama, night mode, portrait mode, slow motion, super slow motion and Director’s View, which lets you record video using two different lenses simultaneously. Then there’s Single Take, which creates multiple stylized shots with a single press of the shutter button. You can also download the Expert Raw app to get more granular control over photo settings.

But not much has changed between the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 when it comes to camera features and shooting modes. I’d love to see Samsung take a page from Google, which regularly adds nifty camera tricks that feel practical rather than gimmicky. For example, Google introduced a new feature on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro called Photo Unblur, which sharpens low-quality photos, even ones taken with an older camera. Photo Unblur builds on Face Unblur, a previous Pixel 6 and 6 Pro camera feature I also appreciate. As the name implies, Face Unblur freezes moving subjects that may otherwise look blurry.

Features like these show that Google is not just thinking about camera quality, but also ways to eliminate everyday annoyances with mobile photography. Many of Samsung’s updates, on the other hand, feel aimed at giving content creators more tools for capturing different types of shots and video clips.

While the Galaxy S23 likely won’t launch for several more weeks, Samsung is already making enhancements to the cameras on its current Galaxy phones. It added a new feature to the Expert Raw app that helps stargazers take better photos of constellations, similar to Google’s Astrophotography feature for Pixel phones. There’s also a new Camera Assistant app that lets you enable or disable certain features, like a faster shutter or automatic lens switching.

We Put the Galaxy S22 Ultra’s Camera to the Test

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Faster charging that doesn’t cost so much

The Galaxy S22 lineup supports fast charging of up to 25 watts for the Galaxy S22 and 45 watts for the Galaxy S22 Plus and Ultra. But you have to purchase a separate charger to do so. Samsung charges $50 for the 45-watt charger and $35 for the 25-watt charger, although you can often find them for less through retailers like Amazon and Walmart. In some scenarios, I also didn’t notice much of a difference between the pricier 45-watt charger and Samsung’s less expensive 25-watt charger when powering up the Galaxy S22 Plus, which you can read more about here.

With the Galaxy S23, I’d like to see a more noticeable improvement in charging speeds, as well as more affordable charger options. The OnePlus 10 Pro, for example, offers either 65- or 80-watt fast charging depending on your region, both of which are speedier than what Samsung has to offer on paper. OnePlus also includes a compatible power adapter in the box.

Samsung and Apple stopped including power adapters in their product packaging to cut down on waste, which is an admirable cause. But I at least wish Samsung would let you choose to include a fast-charging compatible adapter as an option for a discounted price when ordering a new phone, similar to the way it lets you select a storage option or add Samsung Care Plus.

If rumors turn out to be accurate, the base Galaxy S23 model might have the same 25-watt charging speed as the Galaxy S22. That’s according to Ice Universe, a Twitter account with a history of publishing details about unreleased Samsung products.

Samsung is already doing a lot right with the Galaxy S22, particularly when it comes to software support and display quality. But as year-over-year smartphone upgrades have become more incremental than revolutionary, focusing on core elements like the camera and battery are as important as ever.

Apple released iOS 16.3 on Jan. 23, and the update brings new features, bug fixes and security updates to people with an iPhone 8 or later. One of the biggest new features in iOS 16.3 means you can now use security keys to protect your Apple ID.

This update was released alongside updates for other Apple software, too, like iPadOS, Safari and previous versions of iOS. The latest iOS update arrives about a month after the release of iOS 16.2.

Here are the new features landing on your iPhone with iOS 16.3.

Security keys come to Apple ID

Users can now use third-party security keys instead of two-factor authentication for their Apple ID.

Security keys are a lot like keys to your home. You still use passwords, but this extra layer of security can help protect you against phishing scams and hackers.

“Hardware security keys are very, very secure,” Diya Jolly, chief product officer of authentication service company Okta, told CNET’s Stephen Shankland.

Apple’s security keys feature only works with FIDO Alliance-certified security keys.

Support for the second-gen HomePod

Apple’s iOS 16.3 software will support the second-generation HomePod, which is set to be released on Feb. 3 for $299 ( 299, AU$479). Apple announced the release of the new HomePod four days before the latest iOS software was made available.

New Unity wallpaper for Black History Month

The latest iOS update includes a new iPhone wallpaper as part of Apple’s Black Unity Collection. The collection celebrates Black History Month with a special-edition Apple Watch Black Unity Sport Loop, a mosaic watch face and the new iPhone wallpaper. Apple also plans to release a selection of Black History Month content for Apple TV, Fitness Plus, Music, Maps, Books, Podcasts and the App Store as part of the collection.

New ways to use Emergency SOS via satellite

Emergency SOS via satellite was introduced at Apple’s event in September. In iOS 16.3, the Call with Hold option has been replaced with Call with Hold and Release. If you enable Call with Hold and Release, you can hold the side button and a volume button to initiate a countdown and an alarm. After the countdown, you release the buttons and your iPhone will call emergency services on its own. Before with Call with Hold, pressing the side button and a volume button would first bring up the Emergency SOS call slider. If you continued to hold the buttons, a countdown started and an alarm would go off. After the countdown ended, your phone would make an emergency call.

There’s also an option to Call Quietly in Emergency SOS. By enabling this option, when you try to make an emergency SOS call, your phone won’t start flashing or making an alarm sound.

Here is the list of new features and changes included in iOS 16.3.

• New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.
• Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices.
• Support for HomePod (second generation).
• Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls.
• Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards.
• Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen.
• Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max.
• Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status.
• Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests
• Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly.

New iOS Tech Makes It Super Hard to Hack Your iCloud Login

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For more iOS 16 news, see what new features were added in iOS 16.2 and iOS 16.1. Here’s how you can sign up to test Apple’s iOS beta software, too.

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A lot of people are on the hunt for quality headphones and earbuds that don’t cost too much. We’re talking anywhere from $50 to $150, with some folks willing to spend more for flagship models from certain brands like Apple, Bose and Sony.

We have lots of best earbuds and headphones lists at CNET that focus on headphones that cost less than $400 — or even less than $100 — if you’re looking for the best cheap wireless earbuds. But this list is all about high-end wireless headphones and earbuds, which we’re seeing more of, especially after Apple released its $549 AirPods Max headphones two years ago.

I can’t tell you which of these (if any) are truly worth what they cost, but they’re all great headphones and earbuds. Here’s a look at our current high-end favorites, all of which I’ve tried, and in some cases, fully reviewed.

Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2022

David Carnoy/CNET

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2

Best-sounding wireless earbuds with small updates for 2023

Bowers & Wilkins has upgraded its fantastic-sounding PI7 noise-canceling earbuds. The new S2 model has better battery life and Bluetooth range, now up to 25 meters (double the previous range). Additionally, the buds now integrate into the new Bowers & Wilkins Music app for iOS and Android and have an improved setup experience.

While they’re not a major upgrade from the originals, the PI7 S2s, which have a dual-driver design, are easily among the best-sounding true-wireless earbuds. The step-down PI5 S2s, which have a single driver design, don’t sound quite as good but are more affordable.

Read our Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2 review.

$399 at Crutchfield

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Focal Bathys

Best-sounding wireless noise-canceling headphones

French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. And now it’s finally done what a lot of high-end audio companies have had to do in this age of on-the-go wireless music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones.

Over three years in development, the Bathys cost $799 and feature not only wireless connectivity but a built-in DAC (digital-to-analog converter) for USB wired listening with any computer, smartphone or tablet with USB-C. They are easily one of the best-sounding wireless headphones.

Read our Focal Bathys first take.

$799 at Crutchfield

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Bowers & Wilkins PX8

Swanky design with fantastic sound

When they were originally announced, Bowers & Wilkins swanky PX8 noise-canceling headphones were supposed to cost $549 or essentially the same price as Apple’s AirPod Max headphones. However, when they finally hit stores, the PX8’s price jumped to $699 or a full $300 more than the company’s step-down PX7 S2 headphones, which are also excellent (see below).

The biggest difference between the PX8, which weigh in at 320 grams, and the PX7 S2 are the PX8’s all-new 40mm Carbon Cone drive units that are “inspired” by the Carbon Dome drive units used in the company’s 700 Series loudspeaker line. Bowers & Wilkins says these units help deliver superior resolution, detail and timing with even more accurate sound than the PX7 S2.

Based on my tests, that’s true. While I liked the PX7 S2, the PX8 headphones do sound more special, with a touch more openness and overall clarity. They’re right near the top for sound in a Bluetooth headphone and are also comfortable to wear for long listening sessions (there’s no listening fatigue with these guys). For the best sound, you can listen to lossless files on a computer in wired mode with a USB-C to USB-C cable.

As for the noise-canceling function, it’s good but not quite on par with what you get from Sony’s WH-1000XM5. And while the voice-calling capabilities are solid, these don’t reduce background noise quite as well as some headphones like the Sony when you’re on calls (the transparency mode is top notch).

While I can’t say they’re worth $300 more than the PX7 S2, they’re a great set of cans if you can afford them. I do prefer the sound and overall performance of the more expensive Focal Bathys, though the Bathys don’t have such strong noise canceling, but the PX8 headphones are a close second.

$699 at Amazon

David Carnoy/CNET

Master & Dynamic MW75

Great-sounding premium noise-canceling headphones

The MW75 are Master & Dynamic’s best full-size headphones yet. Needless to say, they’re pricey at $599; most people will be quite satisfied with the $400 Sony WH-1000XM5, which are lighter and more comfortable, and which deliver best-in-class voice calling and noise canceling. But the MW75’s build quality is hard to beat and they offer top-notch sound for a wireless model (I thought they sounded better than Apple’s AirPods Max headphones), plus strong voice-calling and noise-canceling performance. With their support for aptX Adaptive, they have additional appeal for Android users, who can get a touch better sound quality with the right setup. But I was also quite happy streaming music with my iPhone 13 Pro using the AAC codec.

Read our Master & Dynamic MW75 first take.

$599 at Master & Dynamic

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Mark Levinson No. 5909

Great noise-canceling headphones if you can afford them

The No. 5909s are premium audio brand Mark Levinson’s first headphones. Yes, they’re expensive at $999 and probably a wee bit overpriced, but they’re excellent. They have a sturdy design without managing to feel hefty on your head (read: they’re substantial but not too heavy) and they’re comfortable to wear over long periods thanks to their nicely padded (and replaceable) leather-covered earcups and headband.

Not only do they feature good noise canceling and excellent sound, but their voice-calling performance is top-notch, making them one of the best noise canceling headphones options on the market. Plus, they have multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can pair them with two devices, such as a computer and a smartphone, simultaneously.

The No. 5909 are high-res certified with support for Sony’s LDAC and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codecs that allow for near-lossless streaming over Bluetooth. Apple’s iPhones and iPads don’t support those codecs while certain Android devices do. Using the No. 5909 headphones over Bluetooth on my iPhone 13 Pro, it sounded a tad more natural and refined than the AirPods Max (the No. 5909 had a touch more “pure” and accurate sound).

I did notice a difference when I paired the No. 5909 to my Google Pixel 4 XL, which has support for LDAC, and using the Qobuz audio streaming service’s high-res streaming. Overall, the sound had a little more depth and texture, and there’s a touch more sparkle, definition and openness.

Read our Mark Levinson No. 5909 review.

$999 at Music Direct

$999 at Crutchfield

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Sony WH-1000XM5

Best new noise-canceling headphones

When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation. Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it’s done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher $400 price tag ($50 more than the WH-1000XM4), most of those changes are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance as well as better noise canceling and a more refined sound.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review.

$398 at Amazon

$398 at Best Buy

$398 at Target

David Carnoy/CNET

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2

Next-gen Bowers & Wilkins noise-canceling headphones

Available in three color options (gray, blue and black), Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphones offer some significant improvements over the first-gen version. Not only are these headphones more comfortable — they tip the scales at 307 grams — but they sound better and have better noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with improved noise reduction. I don’t necessarily think they’re a better option than the lighter and more comfortable Sony WH-1000XM5. But the PX7 S2 certainly looks and feels luxurious with its sturdy design, and it delivers good sound with better voice-calling performance thanks to an upgraded microphone setup.

Bowers & Wilkins’ step-up model, the PX8, does sound better, but it costs $699.

Read our Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 first take.

$399 at Amazon

$399 at Crutchfield

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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX

Best-sounding buds with stems

Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay EX buds are the company’s best true-wireless earbuds yet. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with smaller ears), top-notch build quality, great sound, good noise canceling and improved voice-calling performance over B&O’s EQ buds, with three microphones in each earbud they help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. While they’re out of most people’s price range, they’re arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer superior sound to the AirPods Pro with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound.

Battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on and there’s an extra 14 hours of juice in the brushed aluminum charging case (wireless charging is supported). The buds have an IP57 water-resistance rating, which makes them waterproof and dust-resistant. They feature Bluetooth 5.2 and multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to two devices at the same time, such as a computer and smartphone. You can use a single bud independently and the earbuds have ear-detection sensors so your music pauses when you remove them from your ears.

The buds support AptX Adaptive for devices like Android smartphones that support Bluetooth streaming with the AptX HD audio codec (AAC is also supported). They’re available in the gold tone pictured as well as a graphite color.

$354 at Amazon

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Ultimate Ears

UE Drops

Best custom earbuds

Before it started making Bluetooth speakers, Ultimate Ears made a name for itself with its custom-fit wired earbuds that found a fanbase with audiophiles and musicians. Now you can get that same custom fit (the ear tips are customized for your ears) with the UE Drops.

While these are not active noise-canceling earbuds and Ultimate Ears took some criticism for not having the latest flavor of Bluetooth in a set of expensive earbuds (the Drops have Bluetooth 4.2 instead of Bluetooth 5.3) or AptX audio codec support for Android phones, they fit my ears really well and sounded excellent, with nicely detailed sound and well-defined bass. I found them great for longer listening sessions and they do have a transparency mode.

To create the custom fit, UE sends you an at-home fit kit that will capture your ear impressions using Lightform technology. It comes with a return label to send your impressions back to UE and the final product — uniquely shaped to your ears — arrives within a few weeks. The Drops are available in onyx, sapphire and rose quartz and are sweat-resistant for workouts. They list for $449 but are currently selling for $399.

$399 at Ultimate Ears Custom

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Edifier Stax Spirit S3

Wireless planar-magnetic headphones

Edifier makes some nice headphones and earbuds that offer good quality for your dollar. And while its Stax Spirit S3 is pretty pricey at $400, it’s essentially a value version of a high-end audiophile headphone. It features planar-magnetic drivers (with Audeze components) that deliver clean, clear, distortion-free sound. Though these aren’t noise-canceling headphones, they are wireless and are certified as hi-res. You can also use them as wired headphones, though you may want to pair them with a headphone amp in wired mode.

I found them comfortable to wear, and they’re relatively compact and reasonably weighted (329 grams) for planar magnetic headphones. Battery life is excellent at up to 80 hours of listening time at moderate volume levels, and these do have multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can simultaneously connect them to two devices (such as a smartphone and a computer). They’re also decent for making calls and come with an additional set of “cooling-mesh” ear pads for outdoor use in warmer environments.

These are built on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon audio platform and support its aptX Adaptive audio codec (along with SBC but alas, not AAC), which is capable of delivering near lossless audio if you stream from an aptX-compatible Android device or dedicated music player and subscribe to a music service such as Qobuz or Tidal that offers high-resolution tracks. Certain smartphones are now certified for Snapdragon Audio, which simply means you’re getting the best end-to-end Qualcomm solution for wireless Bluetooth streaming. I tested these headphones with the Motorola Edge Plus 2022 smartphone, which features Snapdragon Audio. How much of a difference it made is debatable, but overall I was impressed with the sound, though sound does vary with the recording quality of certain tracks (the headphones are revealing, sometimes too much so).

Planar magnetic headphones are known for delivering detailed sound with well-defined bass and clear, natural-sounding mids (where voices live). These have a balanced, flatter sound profile and while the bass is punchy and ample, it’s not quite as meaty as what you get with some headphones like Apple’s AirPods Max or Sony’s WH-1000XM5. But they do sound really good. And while they’re missing some features, like ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off, and a customizable EQ (you only get a few presets along with a low-latency gaming mode), you’re ultimately buying these for their audio quality.

$400 at Amazon

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The Electronic Entertainment Expo, better known as E3, is returning as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 this summer, but it’ll apparently do so without support from Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo. The companies behind PlayStation, Xbox and Switch are skipping the event and won’t have a presence on the showfloor, IGN reported Monday, citing multiple unnamed sources.

Both Nintendo and Sony pulled back from the show in years past, with neither holding dedicated press conferences any more — Nintendo stopped after the 2012 show (opting to hold digital only Nintendo Directs instead) and the last PlayStation one was in 2018.

It seems that Microsoft will hold its own Xbox showcase event in LA this summer as well.

E3 2023 is scheduled for June 13-16, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It’ll be run by new organizer ReedPop, which is also responsible for PAX, Star Wars Celebration and New York Comic Con.

The gaming convention was canceled in 2020 and held as a digital event in 2021 due to the pandemic. It was meant to return in 2022, but ultimately got canceled so ESA could focus on the 2023 event.

Neither ReedPop, Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo responded to requests for comment.

Microsoft will stop selling Windows 10 Home and Pro to customers after today, the company wrote on the product’s page.

“January 31, 2023 will be the last day this Windows 10 download is offered for sale,” Microsoft wrote online. “Windows 10 will remain supported with security updates that help protect your PC from viruses, spyware and other malware until October 14, 2025.”

While Microsoft itself will no longer sell Windows 10 downloads and license keys, it’s unclear whether people will be able to purchase Windows 10 from other retailers.

Microsoft announced in June 2021 that it would stop supporting Windows 10 in 2025, a decade after the operating system launched in 2015. Then, after a gradual rollout starting in 2021, the company fully deployed Windows 11 to everyone with a compatible computer in May 2022. Microsoft said Windows 10 users with compatible computers could upgrade to the latest operating system for free.

For more, check out CNET’s review of Windows 11, how to download Windows 11 and the best new Windows 11 features.

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Smartwatches continue to grow in popularity, as the devices continue to add more and more features that go above and beyond what basic fitness trackers or traditional watches can provide on their own.

Right now Best Buy is running a 1-day flash sale, cutting costs on hundreds of items. You can grab the Wi-Fi model of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for $50 less than it usually lists for, bringing the price to just $400. And if you would rather spring for the LTE model of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, it’s been marked down by $70, meaning you’ll pay just $30 more. But these deals expire tonight, Jan. 31, so order soon if you want to snag one of these advanced smartwatches at a discount.

This smartwatch, released August of last year, is built for durability and endurance, sporting both a tougher titanium design and bigger battery than the regular edition of the Galaxy Watch 5 that can last up to 80-hours on a single charge (or about 20 with GPS enabled). This top-tier Android watch runs Wear OS 3, sports a 45-millimeter case and has features like fitness and sleep tracking, along with a built-in GPS, an always-on display, body composition analysis capability, turn-by-turn navigation and more. You can track more than 90 different exercise types, and it can recognize some workouts automatically.

If you’re already a Samsung user, this watch is an ideal companion (and you’ll need a compatible Samsung phone if you want to have access to all of the health features available on this watch).