TALKING TECH

Duncan Bell reflects on 2020 and how tech may have (just) stopped the year from being an unmitigated

disaster

Jabra Elite 85t

While Jabra is nowhere near as well known as Bose or Samsung, they are increasingly renowned for their true wireless buds. With active noise cancelling and a focus on audio quality in a very compact form, Elite 85t sits very much at the midpoint between the Bose and Samsung buds. $349 jabra.com.au

SPECS

BATTERY 5.5 hours + 24 with case (ANC on), Qi charging

ANC 11 adjustable levels NUMBER OF MICS 6 VOICE ASSISTANT Siri, Google Assistant

WEATHERPROOFING IPX4

DIMENSIONS 23.2x18.6x16.2mm bud; 64.8x41.0x28.2mm case

WEIGHT 6.9g bud; 43.7g case

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Bose has gone for great audio quality as the USP here, with a chunky pair of true wireless buds that boast the brand’s justifiably renowned active noise cancelling. These are premium buds, designed to take on the likes of AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM3. $399, bose.com.au

SPECS

BATTERY 6 hours + 12 with case, Qi charging ANC 11 adjustable levels NUMBER OF MICS 4 VOICE ASSISTANT Siri, Google Assistant

CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth 5.1

WEATHERPROOFING IPX4

DIMENSIONS 39x26x27mm bud; 89x51x32mm case

WEIGHT 8.5g bud

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Legume! Shake the room! These unique, bean-shaped buds combine the best qualities of both AirPods and AirPods Pro. They let in ambient sound so you’re aware of your surroundings, and they’re designed for all-day wear. However, turn on their active noise cancelling and the results really are surprisingly musical. $319, samsung.com

SPECS

BATTERY 6 hours + 21 with case (ANC on) ANC Yes NUMBER OF MICS 6 VOICE ASSISTANT Bixby CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth 5 WEATHERPROOFING IPX2 DIMENSIONS 27.3x16.5x14.9mm bud; 50.2x50x27.8mm case WEIGHT 5.6g bud; 42.2g case