Technology - Google News

AirPods Pro replacement and repair costs rise to $89 per earbud, same for case - 9to5Mac
Test drive: The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful Ford ever - Fox News
Amazon Echo Buds review: great sound at the right price - The Verge

AirPods Pro replacement and repair costs rise to $89 per earbud, same for case - 9to5Mac

Posted: 29 Oct 2019 07:26 AM PDT

AirPods Pro have launched with new features that make them some of the most capable fully wireless earphones on the market. With the new features and $249 price tag, the replacement and repair costs have gone up for both the Wireless Charging Case and the AirPods Pro earbuds which will likely make the $29 AppleCare an easier decision for many customers.

AirPods Pro at $249 may not seem like too much of a jump from the second-gen AirPods with Wireless Charging Case normally priced at $199 considering you're getting noise-cancellation, Transparency mode, an in-ear design, and more.

But along with the new features and higher purchase price comes a higher replacement and repair cost. AirPods Pro earbuds will cost $89 (each) to replace and it will be the same $89 for the Wireless Charging Case ($99 for lost). That's up $20-$30 for the same service for AirPods which ranges from $59-$69 for service.

That means if you damage (or lose) your AirPods Pro, replacing both earbuds and the case through the Genius Bar will be more expensive than just buying them off the shelf from Apple. Same for malfunctioning AirPods Pro outside of the one-year warranty.

Battery service costs less at $49 per earbud and $49 for the Wireless Charging Case, so $149 if you need to have all three switched out in the future (same for AirPods).

Notably, Apple recently released AppleCare for headphones and the same $29 plan that covers AirPods also covers AirPods Pro. With the increased repair and replacement costs, that $29 is starting to look like a bargain. That gives two years of coverage including two incidents of accidental damage (no loss or theft coverage).

Every set of AirPods, Beats earphones, or Beats headphones comes with one year of hardware repair coverage through its limited warranty and up to 90 days of complimentary tech support. AppleCare+ extends your coverage to two years from your AppleCare+ purchase date and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29, plus applicable tax. In addition, you'll get 24/7 priority access to Apple experts via chat or phone.

AirPods Pro repair replacement cost

Here's the repair and replacement costs for AirPods:

Battery Service costs for AirPods Pro and AirPods:

AirPods Pro repair replacement battery service

Lost replacement costs are the same as out-of-warranty except for the Wireless Charging Case:

AirPods Pro lost replacement costs

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Test drive: The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is the most powerful Ford ever - Fox News

Posted: 29 Oct 2019 04:58 AM PDT

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 test drive

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is no one-trick pony. The most powerful Ford ever is as happy on a twisty track as it is on a drag strip, Fox News Automotive Editor Gary Gastelu says.

The 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is a forgettable car.

That is to say, it takes about 10 seconds of driving it on a racetrack to nearly forget you're in a Mustang.

Not a drag strip, mind you, but a twisty road course. In this case, the one outside of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway's NASCAR oval, where Ford debuted the all-new GT500. The way it accelerates, turns and stops is uncannily effortless for a model that has traditionally been a burly bruiser.

That's what previous GT500s were, going back to the 1967 original. Driving one, even the latest 2013-2014 edition, made you feel like Wile E. Coyote with an Acme rocket strapped to the roof. With a 760 hp supercharged 5.2-liter V8 nicknamed the Predator under the hood, the new GT500 has more power than any that's come before it, but harnesses with technology that seems alien to the Mustang.

The Predator is based on the Voodo engine used by the Shelby GT350. It features a stronger block, trades the Voodo's flat-plane crank for a cross-plane crank and has a 2.65-liter supercharger strapped to the top of it. (Ford)

At its starting price of $73,995, the GT500 is equipped with foot-wide Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 4S tires, computer-controlled MagneRide shock absorbers that can adjust their stiffness 1,000 times per second and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that changes gears in eight-hundredths of one. Some will no doubt bemoan the lack of a stick-shift, but Ford doesn't have one potent enough to handle the engine's 625 lb-ft of torque and also wanted the GT500's performance to be as accessible as possible, so the robots won.

Left to its own devices, the GT500 is capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and covering a quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds on its best day, according to Ford. Both figures are .1 seconds quicker than its rival, the bigger, heavier 797 hp Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye can manage. It retains the Mustang's line-lock feature that holds the car in place as you do a burnout to warm up the tires and a launch control system that makes it easy to get going and send the engine screaming to its 7,500 rpm redline between shifts.

Hit the brakes and the GT500's 16.5-inch front and 14.5-inch rear discs stop it as if you've dropped an anchor equal to its 4,200 or so pounds, which is a couple of hundred more than any other Mustang.

This sort of straight-line performance is great and all that, but the twist is how the GT500 handles the turns. The car has more vents in it than a building in spy movie, but they're not just for cooling its monster motor and brakes. They also channel air through the body to reduce lift at speed. A $1,500 handling pack adds a set of aerodynamic whiskers to the front corners of the car and a Gurney flap on top of the rear spoiler to turn more of the air passing by them into downforce, while an $18,500 Carbon Fiber Track Pack cranks up the effect.

It completely swaps the rear spoiler for a giant wing designed after the one on the Ford Mustang GT4 racing car that helps the GT500 generate 550 pounds of downforce at its electronically restricted 180 mph top speed. Stickier summer-only Pilot Cup Sport 2 tires on lightweight carbon fiber wheels, deep Recaro front buckets and a rear seat delete that turns the GT500 into a two-passenger coupe are also included.

With this arsenal in place, the GT500 goes around curves as if it's swinging at the end of a string. The grip and poise are uncanny. The faster you drive, the smaller and more nimble it feels. You find yourself attacking long sweepers and esses without a second thought, the way you would in something that started its life as a high-end sports car, not a $28,000 pony. When it does reach the limit, it leaves plenty of room for error as you reel it back in.

Much of the credit goes to an advanced traction and stability management system that allows you to floor the accelerator with much abandon and figures out how much power you really need in any situation. I didn't try shutting it off, because I'm exactly the kind of mediocre, middle-age lowest common denominator driver the engineers were looking to keep safe when they programmed it, but the ones I spoke with said it's faster if you don't, anyway.

While many owners will no doubt tow their GT500s to the track with an F-Series truck Ford is happy to sell them on the side, I don't think they'd mind driving it there much at all. The steamroller tires add some noise, but the firm ride is perfectly acceptable on the road.

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That said, be sure to plan for a few extra stops for gas. The GT500's fuel economy is a pretty dismal 12 mpg city and 18 mpg highway, while the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye manages 13 mpg and 22 mpg, the latter thanks in part to a higher top gear ratio.

But there's a different kind of fluid on the options list that will make your gas bill look cheap. Along with the regular $1,000 decals, Ford is offering a limited number of GT500 with hand-painted racing stripes for $10,000. They don't make the car any faster, but they may be worth their weight in gold if you send it across the auction block someday.

I'm sure you'll always remember it fondly if you do.

----------

2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Base price: $73,995

Type: 4- or 2- passenger, 2-door rear-wheel-drive coupe

Engine: 5.2-liter supercharged V8

Power: 760 hp, 625 lb-ft torque

Transmission: 7-speed automatic

MPG: 12 city/18 hwy

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Amazon Echo Buds review: great sound at the right price - The Verge

Posted: 29 Oct 2019 06:00 AM PDT

Amazon's new Echo Buds are the company's first wireless earbuds. They put Alexa in your ear. They include Bose's proprietary noise reduction technology to help eliminate outside noises. And the most surprising part is just how good they sound. The Echo Buds cost $129.99, which is a remarkably aggressive price compared to what manufacturers like Sony, Jaybird, Google, Microsoft, and other earbud makers are charging — especially if you want noise reduction.

Apple has managed to steal some of Amazon's thunder with the new $249 AirPods Pro, which offer active noise cancellation, a customizable fit, and upgraded audio, plus all of the usual AirPod features. But the Echo Buds have exceeded my expectations and definitely warrant some excitement. They don't offer every bell and whistle (like wireless charging), but I've been using them for a little under a week, and even if you never bother using any of the Alexa functionality, these are worth serious consideration.

The Echo Buds are nondescript, come in only black, and lack the signature blue LED that you might expect from an Echo / Alexa product. When worn, they don't look much different from Samsung's Galaxy Buds, just slightly larger. There are no physical buttons on the buds — just a touch-sensitive circle on each one that's easy to find with a finger. Depending on how you want to customize the tap controls, you can change tracks, activate Siri / Google Assistant, or enable noise reduction with a tap, two taps, or by tapping and holding. Unfortunately, you can't control volume directly on the buds; you'll have to ask Alexa to crank it up or adjust volume on your phone directly.

Three sizes of silicone tips come in the box (with custom-fit Comply foam tips available separately), and Amazon also includes wing tips that might be useful if you plan to run or exercise with the buds. I noticed that using the largest wing tips could sometimes prevent the Echo Buds from fully docking in their case if I wasn't paying attention. Even when I followed Amazon's instructions to carefully line up the wing tip with its respective Echo Bud. This isn't a problem with the medium and small wing tips. In my case, the largest ear tips kept the Echo Buds in snugly without needing the help of the wings, and they didn't start to slip out or dislodge while eating or talking, which can sometimes happen if you've got an imperfect fit.

The Echo Buds are IPX4 water and sweat resistant, and Amazon says they can last for up to five hours of continuous listening before needing a recharge. The carrying case, which is neither the largest nor the smallest I've seen, has enough power to give the buds 20 hours of total listening time.

By far the worst part of the Echo Buds is found on that case, however. Amazon made the very unfortunate decision to use an ancient Micro USB charging port instead of USB-C or wireless charging. In late 2019. I'd managed to go all USB-C before reviewing these earbuds, but Amazon isn't ready to let go of the past. This company has shown an extreme reluctance to change connectors; the new Fire HD 10 tablet is Amazon's first USB-C device. I'm sure Amazon's decision is backed by customer data, but it still comes off as stubborn when competitors are all using USB-C (or Lightning in Apple's case).

I think it'd be easier to overlook the Micro USB annoyance if the Echo Buds case was capable of wireless charging and you could just ignore cables altogether. But it's not, so you can't. Here's hoping that Amazon eventually releases a USB-C case with wireless charging — ideally before these buds get refreshed a year from now, but we'll see. The included case also has the kind of matte finish that scratches and gets scuffed almost immediately.

Having Alexa in your ear is convenient, but unlike the rest of the Echo lineup, it's not a headline feature. It's easy to use these earbuds and pay no mind to Amazon's voice assistant whatsoever. I think that's a good thing because, in large part, Alexa feels redundant in this particular use case. If you do want to avoid Alexa completely, you can disable the wake word in Amazon's Alexa app. The earbuds also let you mute the microphones, but that affects phone calls, too. I think there's ample reason to be wary of wearing Alexa everywhere you go. To that point, Amazon says it has several privacy protections in place to keep the Echo Buds from spying on you:

The Voice Activity Detector senses when you're talking, enabling wake word detection. We then use near-field beamforming technology to focus the microphones on your mouth to detect your speech and reject any background noise.

Echo Buds were designed such that Alexa wake word functionality is only available when at least one earbud has been connected via Bluetooth to a compatible mobile device with the Alexa app open and detected in-ear by an on-device sensor. Additionally, there are multiple ways to mute wake word functionality on Echo Buds. In the app, the home screen will allow you to mute or unmute Alexa with just a click. You can also set up an on-device gesture that mutes the microphones when you press and hold either earbud. And finally, if you take both earbuds out of your ears Alexa will be muted. When Alexa is muted, no audio is streaming to the cloud and Alexa will not be able to process your request.

I've mostly used Alexa to add items to my grocery store shopping list and check the weather. Everything I do with it is already possible one way or another with Siri or Google Assistant. Triggering Alexa with my voice isn't any faster than Apple's "Hey Siri" or saying "OK Google" on headphones with Assistant built in.

Aside from the basics, the Echo Buds let you instantly Drop In on Echo speakers — either your own or those belonging to friends / family — with an audio call. Or you can record announcements that'll be played back on your speakers at home. But as long as you've got the Alexa app on your phone, you can already do all of this with any set of earbuds — albeit not hands-free. It's nice to be able to check whether your smart lock is latched without pulling out your phone, but I don't think Alexa will be what sells the Echo Buds.

But their noise reduction and sound quality definitely will.

Amazon collaborated with Bose on the Echo Buds, which feature the latter company's noise reduction technology. This is very much a case where words matter; noise reduction is different and less extensive than active noise cancellation. The Bose system used by the Echo Buds will eliminate annoying hums and cut down on street noise, but it's not the same kind of isolated feeling you get when wearing over-ear noise-canceling headphones. Even Bose itself says its upcoming wireless earbuds (due sometime next year) will outperform the Echo Buds in this regard.

AGREE TO CONTINUE: AMAZON ECHO BUDS

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It's impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we're going to start counting exactly how many times you have to hit "agree" to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don't read and definitely can't negotiate.

Like any other set of earbuds, the Echo Buds can be used via traditional Bluetooth pairing without you agreeing to any terms and conditions in software. But the preferred way of setting them up is through the Alexa app for iOS and Android, which means you'll have to give the thumbs-up to the Alexa terms of use, Amazon's conditions of use, privacy policy, and Amazon's terms of service for its hardware devices, among others. You'll also have to agree to the company's conditions of use for Amazon services.

And remember the inherent trust that you're putting in Amazon when using Alexa. Humans will potentially review your Alexa voice recordings unless you opt out of this process, and you've always got the ability to manually delete your Alexa interactions.

Final tally: No agreements are mandatory if you're using the Echo Buds as basic Bluetooth earbuds with reduced functionality. But there are at least five mandatory agreements and several optional ones if you want to use Alexa or configure the earbuds with the Alexa app.

But don't let that put a damper on your expectations. I'm still quite satisfied with what the Echo Buds can do. You can definitely tell the difference between the noise isolation you get just from wearing the buds and the increased peace and quiet that comes with enabling noise reduction. By default, you can switch between noise reduction and pass-through ambient audio mode with a double tap of either earbud.

In the Alexa app, you're able to adjust the volume of the piped-in pass-through audio, but noise reduction is an on / off affair. Amazon's ambient mode isn't as natural-sounding as I've recently heard from Bose's Noise Canceling Headphones 700 or the Beats Solo Pros. There's a distinctly digital quality to everything, and pass-through can get almost disorienting if you turn it on in a loud restaurant or bar. But it gets the job done fine if you need to have a quick chat with someone or hear an announcement.

Much to my surprise, the Echo Buds sound wonderful and are leaps and bounds better than the expectations I had coming in. The low end packs a wallop with strong, bumping bass. But it's not bloated, and the overall tonal balance put out by the dual-balanced Knowles armature drivers is very pleasing. I like them considerably more than Sony's expensive noise-canceling earbuds. More than the Galaxy Buds. I like them more than Jaybird's Vista earbuds, which were my general recommendation at this price point — until now.

The Echo Buds aren't flawless, and I'm sure some self-described audiophiles will say the sound signature is too blatantly tailored for modern music. And it is a perfect fit for Taylor Swift's Lover album. But the Echo Buds competently handle music spanning decades and genres, from Paul Simon to Post Malone. They deliver a lively listen that makes the debut album by The Highwomen shine, with nice separation between the four vocalists and a wide placement of instruments. The buds support AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, and you can make basic EQ adjustments in the Alexa app. If there's one weakness, it's that the Echo Buds never get super loud — if that's your thing — but they offered more than enough volume for my liking. Audio pauses automatically if an earbud is removed, and either of the Echo Buds can be used individually if you want.

The other half to the sound quality equation is how the microphones handle voice calls. I've had no complaints and people said I sounded clear when talking to them with the Echo Buds, so Amazon's beamforming mics and speech detection seem to produce good results. This is an area where Samsung's Galaxy Buds and even the Powerbeats Pro really struggle.

Like any version 1.0 product, the Echo Buds aren't without their bugs. I've had more than a few instances where saying "Alexa" got no response. (You've got to speak up when using voice commands in general.) Occasionally, I've heard a notification sound / chime while music is playing for no obvious reason. And you'll notice that when you adjust volume with noise reduction enabled, your music will sound different for a second or two before everything levels back out. (Amazon says that one is by design and a side effect of the noise reduction tech.) And I must mention that on my iPhone, I've noticed some audio / video delay when watching select apps — but not all — including YouTube. This shouldn't be the case, according to Amazon.

Those minor issues and the curse of Micro USB aside, I'm downright impressed with the Echo Buds. They're Amazon's first earbuds, yes, but their fantastic sound quality shows the strides Amazon has made in audio. The upcoming Echo Studio speaker is another testament to Amazon's determination to make high-quality listening devices.

Apple's noise-canceling AirPods Pro are no doubt going to have a huge impact on the wireless earbuds category, but Amazon has managed to do a lot right on its first time out. And I think the $130 price is going to hit the right buttons for a lot of people when they're comparing the Echo Buds against $200 and $250 options from other brands.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

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