Latest news with #DavidPhelan
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
This is the best AirPods Pro 2 deal I've ever seen – and it's only at this retailer
When it comes to wireless earbuds, there's really nothing quite as good as Apple 's AirPods Pro. There's a reason why I choose them as my go-to headphones – great noise-cancelling, spectacular sound and comfortable. But the issue is (as with a lot of great tech), they don't come cheap. Right now, the second-generation AirPods Pro will set you back around £189 at most retailers. However, I've just spotted a deal from OnBuy that stopped me in my tracks. The earbuds are reduced to an all-time low of £166. But, the savings don't stop there, as you'll also get £16.60 in cashback when you buy the headphones from the retailer. This can be used on your next order to help you save on even more gadgets. The additional saving means the price of the AirPods have plummed to £149.40. Still need convincing? Keep reading to find out why these headphones are a tried-and-tested favourite with our tech team at The Independent. Compared to its predecessors, the AirPods Pro 2 offer better noise cancellation, increased battery life with up to six hours of listening time and improvements in audio quality. Tech critic, David Phelan, put these features to the test in his Apple AirPods Pro 2 review and found the sound quality 'pretty impressive' with noise-cancelling that 'was good enough to reduce continuous sounds such as engine noise on a train'. To help you get the best sound isolation, there are four sizes of silicone tips plus personalised spatial audio. The latter is a clever feature that uses the camera on your iPhone to adjust the audio depending the way your ear looks. If you've got a tablet or MacBook, the personalised settings will carry across to these devices too. Apple's wireless earbuds come with USB-C charging, and if you have a MagSafe charger you can use this to charge them too. It's rare for the AirPods Pro 2 to drop in price, so now is a good time to snap up this deal. You don't have long though, as it's only available until 11:59pm on Monday 2 June.
Forbes
16-05-2025
- Forbes
Android Circuit: Galaxy S25 Edge Released, Pixel 10 Pro Tensor Secrets, Qualcomm's Flagship Killer
Taking a look back at this week's news and headlines across the Android world, including Galaxy S25 Edge launch, leaked Galaxy Z Flip7 details, secrets of Pixel 10 Pro chipset, Qualcom's flagship killer option, Honor Magic V3 details, and a change for Google's G. Android Circuit is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Android in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Apple news here on Forbes. This week saw Samsung launch the fourth Galaxy S25 model. The S25 Edge was previewed in January, but the fashionably thin smartphone is only now picking up an official launch. At 5.8mm, it's svelte form is a big selling point, although Samsung is sweetening the deal with offers and trade-ins that will potentially allow you a free upgrade. Forbes Senior Contributor David Phelan rounds up the deals, but also the key details of the S25 Edge: "Its 5.8mm thinness is eye-catching enough on paper, but doesn't prepare you for just how remarkably different it feels compared to other handsets. Its light weight is also impressive, just 163g, in part down to the titanium build. (Forbes). Samsung looks set to increase the size of the outside screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 7 so it takes up the entire front side of the closed phone. Details on the new resolution of the screen have been found inside the developer beta of Samsung's OneUI software: "Through leaked One UI 8 firmware, we can corroborate that Samsung could indeed switch to a larger display. Animation files within the leaked firmware showcase the Galaxy Z Flip 5, Flip 6, and Flip 7. The Flip 5 and 6 designs are pretty much what we see for the devices currently, while the Flip 7 design shows off the larger cover display, in line with the revised leaked renders." (Android Authority). One of the biggest changes for Google's Pixel 10 family is the Tensor G5 chip, and one of the most significant changes in the Tensor chipset is that this will be the first to be manufactured by TSMC rather than Samsung. Kamila Wojciechowska looks at the path Google has taken to switch between partners: "Even years after first setting out with Tensor, Google still has to rely on 3rd party IP for most of its interfaces and functions. Besides the fact that it will be built on TSMC's process, the Tensor G5 won't be all that different from the previous Tensor chips. It still only has certain bits and pieces by Google, whereas the rest is generic and built by someone else, with the minor difference of who that someone is." (Android Authority). Staying with chipsets for Android smartphones, Qualcomm has announced the fourth version of the SnapDragon 7 series. You should expect to see these turn up in mid-range phones designed for power and performance—'flagship killer' styled phones: "Qualcomm is still using a 4nm fabrication process for the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, the same as the prior generation. However, the newer chipset has a revamped configuration, with one Prime core with a faster 2.8GHz clock speed, four performance cores clocked at up to 2.4GHz, and three efficiency cores clocked at up to 1.8GHz. Compared to the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor, the latest version has a higher-clocked Prime core and an extra performance, with one fewer efficiency core." (Android Central). Honor broke new ground with the Honor Magic V3 foldable phone, which is set to continue with the Honor Magic V5 (Honor, like many Chinese manufacturers, skips over four). One of the most significant changes could be in the battery, which reaches the candybar standard of 6,000 mAh. "The foldable battery will have two cells — one of 2,070 mAh capacity and the other 3,880 mAh, for a total of 5,950 mAh rated value. This is likely the minimal capacity, with the typical being over 6,000 mAh. The phone, model number MBH-AN10, will support 66W wired charging, just like the previous Magic V phones." (GSM Arena). Is Google preparing to change the iconic 'G' logo? A change in its iPhone apps suggests so. The hard edges to the four colors seen on all of its mobile apps have become more of a shifting gradient in the self-styled Google app: "What will happen to the other Google logos, for Google Home, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive and others? They all have carefully partitioned color sections and have led some users to complain that it's hard to tell them apart at a quick glance." (Forbes). Android Circuit rounds up the news from the Android world every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any coverage in the future, and of course, read the sister column in Apple Loop! Last week's Android Circuit can be found here, and if you have any news and links you'd like to see featured in Android Circuit, get in touch!
News.com.au
14-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Upwey: Melbourne's best value for money suburbs revealed with room for the dog, chickens and a bee hive or two
Upwey was the perfect place for Sharon Meade and her partner David Phelan to raise their kids. They bought the home, then a modest hills cottage, as Melbourne's suburban housing market was going crazy in 2001. About a decade later they extended and expanded, excavating to create a second level below the now three-bedroom main residence and levelling off the back yard with the displaced dirt. Shrinkflation in the suburbs, why Melb homebuyers are settling for paying more, getting less The result was a home that has let them raise chickens for eggs, grow vegetables, share their garden with local wildlife from possums and echidnas to the odd kangaroo, and even harvesting honey from their own private beehives. It also left room for a grass basketball court for the kids as they grew up, and plenty of space for their american staffy Pollo to roam. 'It's turned into the most amazing family home,' Ms Meade said. 'It's been absolutely beautiful.' With local bylaws preventing subdivisions in their surrounding area, the pair have also been able to enjoy their time at the property knowing that development was very unlikely — leaving them with only a handful of friendly neighbours and a local shopping strip where you knew most of the people you met. The pair are now selling the more than 1117sq m home at 106 Alexander Ave, Upwey, with a $900,000-$990,000 asking price via Bell Real Estate's Elliot Bell. While the area has remained popular with a variety of buyers, Mr Bell said most were young professionals and families leaving behind central city suburbs — some of them among the most expensive places to buy a home by the square metre in the city. Meanwhile, Seddon has been ranked Melbourne's second best suburb for bang for buck with a typical house in the area costing about $810.50 a square metre, according to REIV figures. Only Narre Warren North had a lower figure at $399.8, but this is likely influenced by high numbers of hobby farms and significantly larger homes in that area. Nearby Montrose was among Melbourne's best suburbs for value by the metre, with the typical figure being $876.70.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Forbes
Google's New Look On iPhone Raises More Questions Than It Answers
Close your eyes and imagine the Google logo, that big, capital G in four colors. Take your time, I'll wait. Done it? Chances are you could see the G very clearly, with the big expanse of red at the top, a puny yellow chunk, a bigger green and finally the blue that sits in the squared-off bit. That's just changed. The change is subtle but considerable, and it's definitely for the better, I'd say. Until now, the color segments were discrete and blocky, the uneven sizes leading some (I mean me) to wonder what it all meant. Now, at a stroke, Google has fixed it. The colors still sit in the same configuration in the G, but now each color blends into the next. Not only is this more pleasing to look at generally, it goes a long way to evening out the distribution of the colors, giving the new logo a much better sense of balance overall, I'd say. The Google app icon for iPhone, until now. David Phelan It arrived on my iPhone 16 Pro Max yesterday when I updated the app (interestingly, the app update details made no mention of the new logo) and is coming to Android phones now. But it raises more questions than it answers. What will happen to the other Google logos, for Google Home, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive and others? They all have carefully partitioned color sections and have led some users to complain that it's hard to tell them apart at a quick glance. Adding the same color bleed to the existing app icons won't help in that regard, but is Google maybe taking the opportunity to dream up something all-new for the others? After all, Google Gemini is now a member of the band, and has its own, distinct, blue-only logo. Could this lead to Gmail going back to being an all-red logo, something that many users missed when it switched to the four-color design? Google hasn't said anything about the other apps, and they haven't been updated yet, or rather, the latest Google Maps update hasn't changed the logo at all. More as we have it.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
The AirPods Pro 2 have been reduced to just $169 — here's how to snag them
If your earbuds have just given up the ghost, I've got some good news because I've just spotted Apple's best wireless earbuds at one of their lowest prices of $169. Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Best Buy have slashed the AirPods Pro 2 by $70. While this doesn't take them back to their Black Friday sale price (when they were $153.99), this is still a good offer worth snagging while you can. Despite being older than the newer AirPods 4, and rumors circulating around the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods Pro 2 have superior noise cancellation and better sound quality. They're my go-to earbuds for everyday use, and while they pair seamlessly with Apple devices, they're compatible with Android phones and anything else with a Bluetooth connection. While they may be reduced this low during the Memorial Day sales, I'd hate for you to lose out. Keep reading for why The Independent 's tech team thinks they're a worthy investment. As well as having spectacular sound and noise-cancelling, the AirPods Pro 2 feature the best battery life on any AirPods. 'The case now includes Apple's U1 chip, which means you can use the Find My app on your iPhone to locate it when you've misplaced it,' said The Independent 's tech critic David Phelan in his review. Unlike the AirPods 4, there are also touch controls on the buds themselves, so you can adjust the volume without having to take your phone out of your pocket, and there's a MagSafe case with a lanyard loop for easy charging and storage. You can save $70 with this deal at Amazon.
