6 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Audio

From streaming music and audiobooks to live audio rooms and podcasts, every major player in tech is trying to own a chunk of the listening experience. Spotify is expanding beyond music streaming, YouTube is becoming an audio-only destination, and Apple Music is hoping to stand out with spatial audio while Tidal, Pandora, SoundCloud, and so many more scramble to set themselves apart.

Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Govee’s new speaker provides its own mood lighting.

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro is an all-in-one party pod that combines 210 independently controlled LEDs with JBL’s audio technology. The lamp is portable and rechargeable, with customizable lighting that can change between vibrant colors and warm or cool white lights to suit your personal vibe.

There’s no word on pricing yet — we’ll know more when it launches sometime in late Q2 2025.

The lamp and seethrough base combo make it look like a cool glowing ice block.
The lamp and seethrough base combo make it look like a cool glowing ice block.
Image: Govee
Matter speakers could stream music and tell you when the wash is done

A former Sonos executive is looking to disrupt the smart speaker market with a new standard for Wi-Fi speakers.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
LG TVs get free ad-supported music, news, and podcasts.

The LG Radio+ streaming service is available on LG smart TVs running webOS 6.0 and above. It’s offered through a partnership with Radioline, and available in the US and South Korea, “giving users an all-in-one audio platform allowing effortless access to news, sports, music, and more,” including live stations and podcasts such as NPR, CNN Radio, Fox Radio, and The Joe Rogan Experience.

LG Radio+ is available in South Korea and the US.
LG Radio+ is available in South Korea and the US.
Image: LG
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Andru Marino
Do you use a Bluetooth turntable?

Though I like the idea of wirelessly connecting to a record player, I rarely use that function. If you do, let me know why!

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Would you sacrifice a USB-C port for this volume control you can swipe?

The $15 SoundSlide solves a problem that few would consider an actual problem. It replaces a computer’s volume buttons with a customizable touch-sensitive slider that can be operated using finger swipes. For those who miss volume wheels, it might be worth the upgrade. For everyone else, sacrificing a USB-C port for the SoundSlide might be too big an of an ask.

The SoundSlider attached to the USB-C port on the side of a laptop.
Tired of pressing buttons? The SoundSlider lets you adjust your computer’s volume with a finger swipe.
Image: Drake Labs
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
JVC’s new open earbuds are smaller and cheaper than Bose’s Ultra Open.

Borrowing the design of Bose’s open-style earbuds, the JVC Nearphones attach to the side of your ear and position a 10mm driver inside so you can hear your music plus everything else around you. They’re smaller and lighter than the $299 Bose Ultra Open, and at $99.95 they’re a more affordable solution if you find regular earbuds uncomfortable.

JVC’s Nearphones wireless earbuds pictured in five different colorways.
JVC’s Nearphones are available in five colorways with matching charging cases.
Image: JVC
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
The first hands on videos reveal how small the DJI Mic Mini is.

DJI will potentially reveal its Mic Mini during a “Carry Less, Capture More” event teased on its website for November 26th. But leaker @Quadro_News has shared unboxing and hands on videos comparing the new DJI Mic Mini hardware to the DJI Mic 2 so you can see how much smaller the microphone transmitters, wireless receiver, and charging case really are.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Bose is collaborating with Kith again to resurrect an iconic speaker.

The company recently partnered with Kith for its Ultra Open Earbuds, but this time Ronnie Fieg is helping to redesign Bose’s 901 speakers which originally debuted in 1968, but were discontinued in 2016.

We don’t know pricing or availability details, but Fieg, who’s working with furniture designer Mark Jupiter, shared images on Instagram of the limited edition and wonderfully retro redesign.

Kith’s redesigned Bose 901 speakers next to a piece of furniture.
The front and back of Kith’s redesigned Bose 901 speakers.
Kith’s redesigned Bose 901 speakers next to a piece of furniture.
Kith’s redesigned Bose 901 speaker next to a piece of furniture.
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Bose is collaborating with Ronnie Fieg’s Kith to redesign its iconic 901 speaker.
Image: Instagram
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
New DJI Mic Mini leaks reveal potential pricing.

Reliable leaker @JasperEllens has shared more images and details of DJI’s next compact wireless mic system. The DJI Mic Mini on its own, which connects directly to devices over Bluetooth, will start at €59 (around $63) but will also be available with a wireless receiver for €89 (around $94). A bundle featuring two mics, the receiver, and a charging case will be €169 (around $178).

Astell & Kern SP3000T review: a tube amp in your pocket0

The hardware is chunky and the software is clunky, but this is the best portable audio player I’ve ever heard.

Brent Rose
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Leaked images of the DJI Mic Mini reveal a much smaller design.

The images shared by @Quadro_News and @JasperEllens seem to indicate DJI could soon be announcing a follow-up to its wireless Mic 2 system that debuted earlier this year. Details on functionality and pricing aren’t known yet, but the clip-on DJI Mic Mini will potentially be smaller, lighter, and more discreet than its predecessor, and available in black or white.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Speck now makes wireless speakers.

After expanding from smartphone cases to wireless earbuds, Speck has introduced its Gemtones Infinity Speaker featuring Bluetooth 5.3, RGB LED lighting enhanced with an infinite mirror effect, and the ability to sync and pair up to 50 of them.

It’s available in three sizes with 10W, 20W, and 25W of power and ranges in price from $79.99 for the seven-inch Mini to $129.99 for the 11-inch Max.

Two Speck Gemstones Bluetooth speakers on a coffee table with a group of people laughing behind it.
Speck’s Gemstones Bluetooth speakers are available in three sizes from $79.99 to $129.99.
Image: Speck
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Oh the humanity!

B&W’s iconic Zeppelin iPod speaker has evolved over the years, culminating in today’s new £699 / $799 Zeppelin Pro Edition. It now comes in gold and gray finishes, a more colorful downlight to set the mood, and new tweeters paired with midrange drivers and a subwoofer that are said to improve the overall sound. It can be used in a multi-room setup and supports AirPlay2, Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, and Spotify Connect.

1/6Image: Bowers & Wilkins
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro review.

At $449, this all-in-one Google TV projector is a good choice if portability is important and you already own a battery with USB-C PD 3.0 output. The speaker is good enough, and the auto-positioned 1080p image looks best at night but remains watchable during the day. A $499 bundle incudes a wobbly PowerBase Stand for about two hours of playback. Mine toppled over onto concrete but the projector survived!

<em>The MoGo 3 Pro can automatically hunt for the best image placement, level it, square off the corners, and focus it all while avoiding obstacles. Xgimi makes it easy to then tweak its best guess placement or turn off the ISA 2.0 tech entirely.</em>
<em>It’s small but not that small, measuring 299 x 159 x 145mm and 1.1kg. And you still have to provide power because this is BYOB: bring your own battery.</em>
<em>The projector can rotate up to 120 degrees which is not enough to point the image at the ceiling. </em>
<em>It can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker when in Ambient Light mode (slightly opened) with colors that seem to flicker instead of actually syncing to the beat of the music. </em>
<em>If you’re not happy with the sound produced by the integrated 2 x 5W speakers at the base of the unit, you can pair your own over Bluetooth 5.1. The MoGo 3 Pro also has GoogleCast built-in, but you’ll need to install MagiCast for Apple’s AirPlay support. </em>
<em>Even in Eco mode you get a decently bright and large image that can be enjoyed during the day, so long as it’s not too sunny outside. A brighter Performance mode takes better advantage of its maximum output of 450 ISO lumens but it’s only available when powered by the included 65W AC wall adapter. Unfortunately, this mode also causes the fan to kick on at a very loud 67dB, which is about as loud as a microwave!</em>
<em>I had to manually adjust the image to fit into this oddball space at dusk. Here, I’d turn off the ISA 2.0 tech at startup or when the unit is moved to avoid having to resize everything manually again.</em>
<em>The PowerBase Stand consists of two 16.1-inch sections to create a short tripod or a longer 26.1-inch tripod with 20,000mAh battery. In my testing, that’s enough power for about two-hours of continuous playback when the projector is in Eco mode.</em>
<em>A better look at everything that comes in the box with the $499 PowerBase Stand bundle.</em>
<em>Standard tripod mount.</em>
<em>ISA 2.0 automatic keystone correction kicking in. This can be set to happen at startup, when the device is moved, or never.</em>
<em>This flap doesn’t always close which is annoying. Otherwise the build quality is pretty good, if a little too plastic-y.</em>
<em>The USB and Micro HDMI (ARC supported) ports.</em>
<em>Attaching the </em><a href="https://us.xgimi.com/products/xgimi-creative-optical-filter"><em>$49 Creative Optical Filter</em></a><em> to the front of the projector and downloading the XGIMI Wall app lets you project giant magnified lightshows around your space. Cute, but only worthwhile in very dark rooms. You don’t need this.</em>
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The MoGo 3 Pro can automatically hunt for the best image placement, level it, square off the corners, and focus it all while avoiding obstacles. Xgimi makes it easy to then tweak its best guess placement or turn off the ISA 2.0 tech entirely.
Photo by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
Jess Weatherbed
Jess Weatherbed
Apple Podcasts has a new category for episodic stories.

The new “Series” category should make it easier to filter narrative-driven shows (which are like audiobooks, but broken down into episodes) from other styles of podcasts.

Apple Podcasts is also launching a “Top Series” chart to track the most popular offerings, and a “Series Essentials” spotlight to showcase a series every month that defines the category — starting with Tristan Redman’s Ghost Story.

Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
Protect your AirPods 4 like it’s 1989.

Elago has updated its AW5 Hang Case so that the silicone Game Boy homage is now compatible with the Apple AirPods 4 featuring active noise cancellation. The $18.99 case doesn’t play any retro games, but it will help protect the AirPods 4’s charging case from scuffs and damage if dropped, while still allowing features like wireless charging and Find My to continue to work.

Two of Elago’s Game Boy-themed AirPods 4 cases next to Game Boy cartridges and a VHS cassette.
Protect your AirPods 4 with a retro wrap.
Image: Elago
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
FiiO’s new USB-C dongle will upgrade your phone’s Bluetooth.

For audiophile’s wanting both higher quality audio and the convenience of wireless headphones, FiiO’s $44 BT11 dongle adds Bluetooth 5.4 support to phones like the iPhone 16, plus codecs like aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless.

You’ll also need a subscription to a high-res music streaming service, and headphones that support those HD codecs, to actually take advantage of it.

The FiiO BT11 Portable Bluetooth Transmitter attached to a smartphone sitting next to wireless headphones.
The FiiO BT11 supports Bluetooth 5.4 and higher quality codecs including aptX Lossless.
Image: FiiO
Andrew Liszewski
Andrew Liszewski
You can find a better deal than Apple’s refurbished USB-C second-gen AirPods Pro.

The second-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C introduced last September are now available in Apple’s Certified Refurbished online store for $209 — $40 cheaper than a brand new pair.

But they’re also available new from Amazon and Best Buy for $189.99, and have sold for cheaper.

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A pair of AirPods in an open charging case
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge