Technics' AZ100 Are Instant Contenders for the Best Premium Wireless Buds
Technics is no slouch in the feature department, and the latest pair offers just about every modern feature you could want. You'll find all the basics like auto-pause sensors, a multiband EQ, Google Fast Pair, and an Earbuds Finder, with customization available in the Technics app. In fact, virtually everything is customizable for an almost dizzying array of options. If there's something you don't like, from how the buds relay video sync to how your voice sounds on calls, there's likely an adjustment available.
Not everything feels as polished as Apple's AirPods Pro, the software leader in the space. The AZ100's call suppression feature, for instance, does a great job killing ambient noise around your voice (or even the voice on the other end), but it makes you sound a bit sterile and robotic in the process. The app itself sometimes refused to load, forcing me to refresh it, though it was otherwise stable.
Photograph: Ryan Waniata
Multitaskers will be pleased to see the return of three-device multipoint pairing, letting you easily swap between your computer, tablet, and phone over Bluetooth, with no brand loyalty required. Speaking of Bluetooth, you'll not only get support for regular codecs like AAC and LDAC over Bluetooth 5.3, but also Bluetooth LE Audio, which should futureproof the buds for next-gen wireless streaming.
The AZ100's touch controls are responsive, customizable, and comprehensive, with default options for playback, calling, volume, and ambient audio at the ready. The layout is a tad confusing at first, but I appreciate the ability to accomplish just about any task without grabbing your phone. Velvet Sparkle
I often save the sound performance for last, but the AZ100's sound is too good to hold off any longer. Like most hi-fi buds, they provide a slow and steady revelation of their skills. The further you drill down, the better they sound.
When I first fired them up, I was surprised by the sound signature's warm and almost thick flavor, seeming more reliant on the bass and lower mids than expected. That said, I generally prefer a smoother touch in my hi-fi over sharp and zingy, and it didn't take long to find that the AZ100's warm entrance acts almost like a velvet backdrop on which instrumental textures and effects glitter like jewels in the light.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Prediction: 3 Stocks That'll Be Worth More Than Microsoft 10 Years From Now
Nvidia could leap past Microsoft sooner rather than later. Smart glasses could provide a much-needed spark for Apple. Amazon could benefit from Microsoft's seemingly deteriorating relationship with OpenAI. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) first became the world's biggest company based on market cap in September 1998. It stayed No. 1 for less than 18 months before being dethroned. But the software giant has clawed its way back to the top in 2025. I don't think Microsoft's reign will last very long this time, either. What's more, I predict that the following three stocks will be worth more than Microsoft 10 years from now. I suspect Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) will move past Microsoft quite soon. It could even happen in a matter of days or weeks. Nvidia is certainly in the best position to knock Microsoft off its perch with its market cap already topping $3.3 trillion. What will it take for Nvidia to take the top spot? Not much. Any hiccup with Microsoft's business could be enough to enable Nvidia to regain the position it briefly held last year as the world's largest company based on market cap. However, I don't think Microsoft has to stumble for it to happen. Nvidia is poised to be the biggest beneficiary of several artificial intelligence (AI) trends, notably including the rapid adoption of AI agents that can reason. These AI agents require enormous computing power. Nvidia's GPUs remain the most powerful chips on the market for AI inference used by AI agents. It won't surprise me in the least if Nvidia becomes the first company with a market cap of $5 trillion. Sure, the restrictions on AI chip exports to China will hurt its growth to some extent. However, I don't think this headwind will keep Nvidia from becoming much larger over the next decade. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) dominated as the world's largest company throughout most of the last 10 years. Microsoft was its main rival for the No. 1 position during this period. Although Apple's market cap is now smaller than both Microsoft's and Nvidia's, I think the iPhone maker won't be in third place or lower by 2035. The big question hovering over Apple is: What's the next big breakthrough product for the company? Apple Watch has been successful, but it isn't in the same league as the iPhone. Apple's Vision Pro mixed-reality headset has been a commercial disappointment. Its generative AI functionality, branded as Apple Intelligence, hasn't provided the spark that many investors hoped it would, either. I think smart glasses just might be the much-anticipated next huge hit for Apple. Rumors are circulating that the company plans to launch its first AI-enhanced glasses as early as late 2026. These glasses will compete against Meta Platforms Ray-Ban AI glasses. But Apple is also reportedly working on smart glasses that support augmented reality (AR). This could be the real game-changer for the company. If Tim Cook and his team can leverage some of the technology used on Vision Pro, Apple just might be able to launch smart glasses that become nearly as must-have as the iPhone years ago. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has never been the world's largest company. It doesn't necessarily have to be to leap past Microsoft over the next 10 years, though. It wasn't too long ago that I thought Microsoft would be able to retain its market cap advantage over Amazon for years to come. Why have I changed my mind? Mainly because I suspect that Amazon Web Services (AWS) will be able to hold on to its leadership in the cloud services market more strongly than I anticipated in the past. Part of my shifting opinion is due to Microsoft's seemingly deteriorating relationship with OpenAI. Without OpenAI's ChatGPT, I don't believe Microsoft would claim the largest market cap today. The less tight the bond between the two companies, the less confidence I have that Microsoft Azure will be able to narrow the market share gap with AWS. Another reason why I'm more optimistic about Amazon now, though, is that the company continues to fire on all cylinders. Its AI initiatives are impressive, including the development of its own AI chips. The company's focus on the bottom line is paying off. Amazon is also expanding into new businesses, with the recent launch of its Project Kuiper satellites that will provide global internet access serving as a great example. Granted, Amazon must grow significantly faster than Microsoft over the next 10 years for its market cap to become larger. However, I predict that's exactly what will happen. Before you buy stock in Amazon, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Amazon wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $656,825!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $865,550!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Keith Speights has positions in Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Prediction: 3 Stocks That'll Be Worth More Than Microsoft 10 Years From Now was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The Best Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy With $2,000 Right Now
Berkshire has a tiny position in a dominant tech-driven enterprise that has multiple growth drivers working in its favor, most notably AI. Buffett appreciates businesses that have an economic moat, something this leading financial services entity undoubtedly possesses. 10 stocks we like better than Amazon › Because of Warren Buffett's exceptional track record allocating capital for Berkshire Hathaway, the average investor can gain a lot by following his moves. If you're looking for new investment ideas, perhaps it's best to take a look at the conglomerate's massive $280 billion portfolio. There are numerous holdings. However, there are a couple that really stand out. Here are the best Buffett stocks to buy right now with $2,000. Apple remains a top Buffett position, as the consumer electronics leader represents 21.6% of the portfolio. But Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), another tech giant, is a top stock that investors should consider buying. Berkshire owns 10 million shares, translating to a tiny 0.1% stake in the business. Don't let that small position sizing take away from just how wonderful a company Amazon is. This is demonstrated by its durable growth trajectory, which is driven by multiple secular trends. Investors are all too familiar with Amazon's position in the e-commerce industry. The business went from selling only books to now offering cars on its popular marketplace. Almost 38% of all online sales in the U.S. happen on Amazon. The company has created a leading cloud computing platform as well, with Amazon Web Services (AWS). According to Grand View Research, the global cloud market is set to grow at a compound annual rate of 20% through the rest of the decade to a value of $2.4 trillion. AWS is well-positioned to capture this opportunity, especially with budding interest among its customer base in utilizing its expanding AI capabilities. In the past 12 months, Amazon's digital advertising efforts raked in $58.3 billion in revenue. This figure is growing at a double-digit pace. Given how profitable others in the space are, this activity is likely generating substantial earnings for Amazon. Ongoing top-line growth should propel the bottom line. Wall Street thinks Amazon's operating income will rise 13% year over year in 2025 to $77.3 billion. That figure would be 534% higher than in 2022, showcasing how effective expense controls have been in boosting profitability. The stock has been a laggard this year, down 7% (as of June 2) in 2025. But shares have soared 852% in the past decade. Investors can add Amazon to their portfolios with the stock trading 15% below its peak. Another Buffett stock that looks like a smart buying opportunity with $2,000 is American Express (NYSE: AXP). Berkshire owns nearly 152 million shares in the financial services leader, which makes it one of the top holdings. American Express might not operate in tech-focused industries like Amazon does. However, its financial performance over the years has been steady. This is true in today's uncertain economic environment. During the first quarter of 2025, payment volume was up 6% year over year, supported by spending in both goods and services, and travel and entertainment. This helped revenue increase 7%. Profitability is also noteworthy; diluted earnings per share jumped 9%. One of Buffett's core investment tenets is to buy companies that possess an economic moat. American Express undoubtedly fits the bill. Because it operates the underlying payment infrastructure, it benefits from a powerful network effect. The system becomes more valuable to key stakeholders, namely cardholders and merchants, the larger it gets. That's because cardholders find more utility by having more places to shop. Merchants understand the spending power of these consumers, so they plug into the Amex network to maximize their ability to earn more revenue. American Express' brand also can't be overlooked. The company's premium credit cards attract a more affluent customer base that's comfortable paying high annual fees for what they might view as a status symbol in their wallets. It helps that Amex also offers first-rate rewards and perks for cardholders to receive more value. It's worth mentioning that this brand is resonating strongly with younger consumers. "As in past quarters, Millennial and Gen-Z consumers made up over 60% of new consumer accounts acquired globally in Q1," CEO Stephen Squeri highlighted on the latest earnings call. This demographic has decades of spending ahead of it that could flow to Amex. Buffett and Berkshire continue to hold on to the stock. The average investor might want to follow. Before you buy stock in Amazon, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Amazon wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $656,825!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $865,550!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. American Express is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Apple, and Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Best Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy With $2,000 Right Now was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer Notes Apple Inc (AAPL) Faces Tariff Pain Over India Shift
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discussed recently. While discussing Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Cramer noted that the tariffs are hitting the company, as he said: 'I don't even want to think about what's happened to Apple because it dared to move some iPhone manufacturing from China to India. Trump's hitting those phones with a 25% tariff because he wants them to be made in the US. From Apple's perspective, it's probably cheaper just to pay the 25.' Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) develops and sells a broad range of electronic devices, including smartphones, computers, tablets, and wearables, while providing various digital services, subscriptions, and payment solutions through its integrated platforms. On May 27, Cramer made some positive comments about the company's CEO as he said: '… The endless carping about how Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is missing the AI boat, and therefore Apple's phones are falling behind, not something you felt if you bought the stock Friday, as the stock rallied five bucks today to get back over 200. Now I've been following this Tim Cook story for, I dunno, how about a decade now? How about over a decade? A wide view of an Apple store, showing the range of products the company offers. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
