Nothing's first over-ear headphones want to be a quirky $300 AirPods Max alternative
First impressions are everything, and these look like Nothing headphones. Once again, the company has incorporated a transparent design element. There's also an oval shape that showcases a portion of the hardware inside, layered atop an aluminum rectangle with curved corners. The two metal dots on each oval are part of the acoustic chambers, not button inputs as you might think. While the white option looks more 'Nothing,' I think I prefer the black, which makes the company's design choices slightly more subtle. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
Nothing eschews touch sensors for buttons, paddles and a roller. The roller is a nice touch, offering a more sensitive way to adjust the volume, rather than abrupt level jumps. It can also be pressed to play and pause tracks. Long presses here switch the headphone between active noise cancellation and transparency mode. One unusual aspect is that the roller moves side to side, even when the volume fluctuates up and down. It feels a little weird.
Just below that, the paddle control acts as a track skipper, but also includes the ability to scrub both forward and backward, similar to an old-school rewind. The latter feature depends on support from third-party apps to work.
On the same headphone cup, there's also a traditional button that acts as a shortcut to voice assistants and my favorite bit of Nothing software, Essential Space. Nothing has added a further boon when paired with Nothing phones, allowing it to seamlessly switch between recent audio apps without requiring you to touch your phone. (Naturally, you're hostage to whatever was playing last or is cued up.) This feature will first be compatible with the Phone 3 before being rolled out to older Nothing devices. There's already support from the likes of Audible, Soundcloud and Patreon in addition to the usual music streaming suspects.
There's also an almost secret Bluetooth pairing button on the inner side of the same ear cup. It's nice that this is a dedicated button as you're unlikely to unpair from using the primary buttons and controls. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
Nothing has put work into comfort and fit, and as a mostly wireless earbud listener, I was pleasantly surprised at how the sub-12-ounce (329 grams) headphones felt. They're almost two ounces lighter than the AirPods Max, which seems to be the product that Nothing is aiming to compete with. However, there are lighter over-ear headphones, including several Bose models and the Sony WH-1000XM6, which weigh under nine ounces.
There's ample PU leather padding around the ear cushions and the headband, and the company says it should resist oils and makeup. In my testing so far, any sweaty residue was easy to wipe off. (I do wish the ear cushions were replaceable, however.) The adjustable arms also held onto the length I preferred while I was wearing them. I haven't tested them yet while working out at the gym — they were under embargo after all — but over-ear headphones are an acquired taste for those who sweat it out while listening to music.
Sound-wise, Nothing has built custom 40mm dynamic drivers, with support for Hi-Res Audio, spatial audio with head tracking and ANC with four feedback mics. The cans also support dual device connection, allowing you to hop between your new Nothing Phone (3) and your laptop.
KEF assisted with the acoustic engineering and proprietary tuning tools, apparently aiming to create a sound profile that reproduces music as the artist intended. According to Nothing, the team worked to achieve this across normal playback, ANC and Spatial Audio modes.
The Headphone (1) sounds a little bass-forward, but the soundscape is much richer than Nothing's collection of wireless buds. Compared to the most premium headphones, though, vocals sometimes sound a little muddy. (In Nothing's defense, these are pre-release units and software. If things improve, I'll update this story.)
The updated version of the Nothing X app adds an 8-band EQ and the ability to remap the "Button" (an additional control, separate to the paddle and roller) to channel hopping, AI voice assistants, Noise control, Spatial audio and even switching to your favorite EQ preset.
Nothing says the Headphone (1) will offer up to 80 hours of audio playback, and up to 35 hours with ANC enabled. With ANC on — the mode I use the most for quiet middle-of-the-office listening — I got around that amount of time. You'll be able to get over two and a half hours of listening from a five-minute quick charge. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget
The Headphone 1 has a divisive look. Ahead of the launch, I showed them to other editors at Engadget and some were baffled by the mixed use of square aluminum and circular elements. But, it's different, and that's Nothing's MO. Its new headphones will be available for pre-order starting July 4, with sales kicking off July 15. They arrive in black and white color options, priced at $299 (£299/€299).
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Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Nothing Headphone (1) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Nothing Headphone (1) is an interesting pair of headphones that are built well and feature some top-notch specs. Unfortunately, they fall down in a couple of key aspects which keep them from scoring top marks — but how do they fare against Bose's flagship? Bose's ANC cans have long been at the top of the list when it comes to noise-canceling headphones. They have a slick style, a comfortable fit, and decent sound, but how do they match up against the newest headphones on the block? The Nothing Headphone (1) are the upstart in the headphone world. They want to upset the balance between the established competition, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM5, and undercut them both on price. That means loads of features, a cool-looking design, and some impressive battery life. But, for the money, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are still the best noise-canceling headphones that you can buy today. They feature mind-blowing ANC, impressive sound, and a very comfortable fit to go with their decent feature set. They might be more expensive, but Nothing's going to have to do a lot to make a better set of cans. Nothing Headphone (1) Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Price $299/£299/AU$549 $429 / £449 / AU$645 Colors Black; Silver Lunar Blue; Deep Plum; White Smoke; Black Size Not specified Not specified Weight 11 ounces 8.8 ounces Battery life (rated) Up to 80 hours Up to 24 hours Connectivity Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC support Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC, aptX HD support support Special features Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode, Spatial Audio ANC, Immersive Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable EQ, quick charge The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are one of the more expensive flagship offerings that you can currently pick up. They cost $449, a whole $150 more than the new Nothing Headphone (1). That's also more than the Sony WH-1000XM5, and the same as the also new WH-1000XM6. The Bose worth the higher price, sure, but we have to give credit where credit's due: Nothing Headphone (1) just cost less. They're $299, making them one of the cheaper options when compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have been out long enough now that we see discounts, so you might not have to pay full price. Even then, their lowest price still doesn't match the MSRP of the Nothing Headphone (1). That's first blood for the Nothing Headphone (1). The Nothing Headphone (1) bring something new to the table. While the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have a nice, if standard, look, the Headphone (1) look unlike just about anything else out there. They've got Nothing's signature design style, and I think that's pretty cool — just like the Nothing ear and the Nothing phones, they have transparent panels that hide some retro future design touches. These Nothing's design isn't for everyone and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones look more traditional. That's no bad thing, however. They're quite stylish thanks to the use of multiple finishes, along with their subtle branding. The Nothing Headphone (1) is built slightly better though thanks to some improved materials. There's metal in the earcups, and there's more substantial heft to them But the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are more comfortable. Their cushioning is more plush, and you won't suffer from the slight squeezing effect that you'll find in the Headphone (1). Despite a better build and more interesting design, I'm going to give this to the less divisive and far more comfortable Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Physical controls are my preferred way of controlling headphones, and the Nothing Headphone (1) deliver just what I'm looking for. They've got very intuitive controls, including a volume roller, a paddle for skipping tracks, a power switch, and a customizable button. Each one is easy to find without looking, and feel wonderful under the finger. I think they might be some of my favorite controls on a pair of headphones ever, bringing innovation to the table with their tactile clickers. The Nothing app is also good, letting you control ANC level, change the EQ, and adjust other settings on the fly. It's good that the EQ is so good given that the sound needs adjustment out of the box, but we'll get to that later. The controls on the Bose QuietComfort are more annoying. There's a multi-control button that controls the ANC, playback, and other features, alongside a touch stripe for volume. The touch stripe is annoying to use and fairly inaccurate, while the button pulling triple duty has to do too much. The Bose app pulls everything back, however. It's easy to use and very well laid out, letting you easily access the 3-band EQ, noise-canceling settings, and more. Overall, though, the control section has to go to the Nothing Headphone (1). Despite the influence of KEF on the sound of the Nothing Headphone (1), they don't sound as good as I'd hoped. They're much too dark, with an overreliance on upper-bass and lower-mids that take over the soundscape. This tuning leaves music feeling like it's being played in the next room, blocked by a wall. You can dial in the sound quality with the Nothing X app, but I'd have preferred the core sound be good enough out of the box. Not many users are going to dive into a complicated looking EQ adjuster when they realize their brand-new headphones don't sound very good. The Bose, on the other hand, sound good out of the box. It's a fairly bassy sound signature, with bass that can take some of the edge off the detail, but it's otherwise spacious and pleasant to listen to. It can be adjusted with a slightly weaker EQ, but the core sound is good enough that it's not entirely necessary. Headphones should sound good out of the box, so this round is going to go to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. The Nothing Headphone (1) bring a great feature set to the table, including the EQ, USB-C mode, and spatial audio. The former two features work very well, and the USB-C mode is something I wish I saw on more headphones coming out in 2025. Unfortunately, however, the spatial audio feature doesn't work very well. It serves only to thin out the music and make it sound less dynamic, as it stretches out what's there to make it sound much bigger. I'm generally not a fan of spatial audio modes, and this one is the perfect example as to why. The Bose have similar features, although they lack the USB-C mode. Immersive Sound (Bose's version of spatial audio) is much better, however, and it's the reason that they're going to win this round. The two headphones are fairly well matched for features, although the Bose just manage to eke out the victory. You can expect solid feature sets from both, however. This is going to be a blowout for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. They're the best noise-canceling headphones for a reason, with some of the best ANC that I've ever experienced out of a pair of headphones. They block out even the loudest and most disturbing noises, whether you're on the go or stuck inside the office. Fans are silenced, busy cafes subdued and bus journeys made a whole lot more tolerable. They're my choice if I want to block out everything happening in the world, and they've never let me down. That's not to say that the Nothing Headphone (1)'s noise canceling is bad, but it's not as good as Bose's. It does a fine job of keeping out the noise, but it does struggle a bit with the wind. Transparency mode is good for both pairs, and you'll have no problem hearing the bus driver when you go to buy your ticket. Thanks to their impressive ANC overall, though, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones take the win at the end. I don't need to say much here. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones last for 24 hours after a full charge. Meanwhile, the Nothing Headphone (1) will last you for 35 hours with ANC turned on, and then 80 hours when the ANC is turned off. The win here goes to the Nothing Headphone (1). The Nothing Headphone (1) get very close to being a very good pair of headphones. They've laid down the ground work, with a lovely design, solid build quality, and some impressive features for the price. But they're let down by some very disappointing sound quality. They don't sound as good as the Bose, that's for sure, which also beat them in noise canceling and comfort. The price differential is massive, but there's no denying that the more well-rounded product package from Bose is a better way to spend your money. I'd hoped to see Nothing arrive on the scene and bring some disruption to the table. While they got pretty close to the competition, there still needs to be some work done on Nothing's part to make sure they sound their best. As it stands, they're let down by the sound profile — and what are headphones all about if not their sound? Nothing Headphone 1 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Price and value (5) 4 3 Design (15) 14 14 Controls (10) 8 5 Sound quality (25) 15 22 Active noise cancelation (20) 17 20 Call quality (10) 6 9 Connectivity (5) 5 5 Battery life (10) 9 5 Total Score (100) 78 82
Fox News
17 hours ago
- Fox News
Bluetooth flaw exposes millions of premium headphones to spying
Bluetooth headphones are supposed to make life easier. You put them on, press play and forget they exist. But researchers have found that some of the most popular audio products on the market might be doing more than streaming your playlist. Cybersecurity firm ERNW has revealed that 29 devices using Airoha Bluetooth chips are vulnerable to attacks that could expose your personal data or let someone snoop on your conversations. The affected devices come from well-known brands, including Bose, Sony, JBL, Jabra and Marshall. They include headphones, earbuds, speakers and wireless microphones. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide —c free when you join my The Bluetooth flaws in question are built into Airoha chips commonly used in true wireless audio devices, as reported by BleepingComputer. Three flaws were disclosed, each allowing an attacker to gain some level of unauthorized access. The most serious flaw lets an attacker read or manipulate data by exploiting a custom protocol used by the chip. All three flaws have been assigned official CVE numbers and scored between medium and high severity. To be clear, these are not casual attacks. They require close proximity and technical expertise. But when successful, the results are concerning. Researchers showed that they could extract call logs, contact lists and media being played. They could even force a phone to place a call without the user's knowledge. Once connected, they could listen in on any sound the phone picked up. In one proof-of-concept, the researchers retrieved Bluetooth link keys from a headphone's memory. This allowed them to impersonate the device and hijack the connection to the phone. With that access, they could issue commands using the Bluetooth Hands-Free Profile, a feature available across most modern phones. ERNW researchers have identified the following devices as vulnerable: Keep in mind that this list may not include every product affected by these vulnerabilities. As more research emerges, the list could change. Furthermore, not every device faces all the same risks. For instance, at least one manufacturer seems to have already addressed CVE-2025-20700 and CVE-2025-20701. However, we do not know if this fix was intentional or accidental. Because of these factors, getting a complete and accurate picture of which devices are truly secure remains a challenge. As a consumer, you should stay alert for updates and check with your device's manufacturer for the latest information. Airoha has addressed the vulnerabilities in its software development kit (SDK) and released an updated version to device manufacturers in early June. These manufacturers are now responsible for building and distributing firmware updates to affected products. If you haven't seen an update yet, it should be arriving soon, though some may already be available. However, there's a catch. According to a report by German outlet Heise, many of the most recent firmware updates for affected devices were released before Airoha provided its official fix. This means some products may still be running vulnerable code, despite appearing up to date. To make matters more complicated, consumers typically aren't notified directly about these updates. Firmware patches for headphones and similar devices often install silently, or in some cases, may not be delivered at all. As a result, most users have no way of knowing whether their devices are secure or still exposed to risk. We reached out to all 10 companies for a comment, but did not hear back before our deadline. 1. Regularly check for firmware updates: Visit the manufacturer's app or website to manually check for firmware updates, even if you haven't received a notification. Automatic updates aren't always reliable, especially for headphones and earbuds. 2. Turn off Bluetooth when not in use: Disabling Bluetooth when you're not actively using it reduces your exposure window and makes it harder for attackers to target your device. 3. Use devices in low-risk areas: Since these attacks require close proximity, avoid using Bluetooth audio devices in crowded or unfamiliar public places where someone nearby could exploit vulnerabilities. 4. Pair devices with trusted sources only: Avoid pairing your Bluetooth headphones with unfamiliar phones, computers or public terminals. Once paired, those devices can sometimes maintain a connection or reestablish one without your knowledge, increasing the risk of abuse if they're compromised. 5. Remove unused paired devices: Go into your Bluetooth settings and delete old or unfamiliar pairings. This helps prevent unauthorized reconnections from previously trusted devices that may now be compromised. The real concern here isn't the Bluetooth flaw itself, but what happens when the software inside everyday devices fails quietly. Vulnerabilities like this aren't unusual, but the way they are handled often leaves users in the dark. As long as consumers can't see or control the software running inside their own headphones, problems like this will keep happening. Should manufacturers be required to notify users directly when security flaws are discovered in their products? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Tom's Guide
18 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I tested this sub-$40 Bluetooth speaker that can do it all — it blasts my favorite tunes, clips on my bag, and even takes showers
I'll confess, I am a serial shower singer... but I know I'm not the only one. I used to just prop my phone up right outside the shower, but finding one of the best Bluetooth speakers for the job has transformed my mornings. After using the speaker for three weeks I can say with certainty that everybody needs a speaker in their shower, and the Tozo PE1 is the best one for it. It is super compact and easily portable, making it the perfect companion for any situation. The Tozo PE1 has quickly become by go-to speaker for quite literally any eventuality. It may be ultra-budget, but that is no comment on how well it performs. It is fully waterproof and comes with a built in carabiner, making it easy to take with you anywhere. You can use the speaker with the Tozo Signature Sound app to get an EQ to best suit the kind of music you want to listen to. The Tozo PE1 Bluetooth speaker is completely waterproof. With a water resistance rating of IPX8, so it can be fully submerged in water and still come out good as new. This meant that I could take it with me into the shower and not worry about all of the water splashing over it. It also meant I could listen to music with the great acoustics of my bathroom to amplify everything even further. But being waterproof also means I can take it on adventures, and clip it to the outside of my bag, without stressing that the wind and rain is going to take a toll on it. At the top of the speaker is a loop which is a built-in carabiner. This is metal covered with silicone so it is super sturdy, but does take a bit of force to move. I actually found that the sound was better when using the carabiner, rather than the speaker being set on a flat surface. I actually don't think the Tozo PE1 speaker could be smaller, even if it tried. It measures just 5.7 x 4.2 x 1.8 inches, and fits into the palm of my hand. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It is potentially the most convenient speaker I have ever used because while it is small, the sound it makes is anything but. At full volume, the battery drains a little quicker but it is so loud that I could hear it playing through the walls. In short: This is a great little speaker for taking on the road, to the beach, or poolside. You can find out more about how my testing went by reading my full Tozo PE1 review. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
