News

• Apple debuted a new Apple Watch feature called Live Rewind
• It lets you play back audio from the last 15 seconds
• Some observers are worried it could violate people’s privacy

When Apple announced its Live Rewind feature at its Surprise and Shine event earlier this week, many observers were concerned that it would allow you to secretly record other people without their consent. After all, the tool just requires you to press a button on your Apple Watch and it plays back any audio that was captured during the last 15 seconds.

Is this feature a privacy nightmare, one that turns every Apple Watch into a “mass surveillance device,” as some people have worried? Or have people misunderstood what is happening, with Apple putting enough safeguards in place to prevent abuse and privacy violations?

Social media users seem to be divided, with some calling it “creepy and antisocial,” while others pointed out how it could be useful for deaf people or those with autism. Let’s take a look at the facts to find out what’s really going on.

What is this Live Rewind feature that is causing so much consternation? According to Apple, users of the Apple Watch Series 12 or Apple Watch Ultra 4 will be able to double-press the Digital Crown and receive a text transcription of what was said over the last 15 seconds. The company says this is useful if you missed something important, are deaf or hard of hearing, or are trying to recall a tip or recommendation from a friend.

Some people have worried that this would allow you to surreptitiously record other people without their knowledge, then save these recordings to your device for nefarious purposes.

However, Apple explained during the event that the feature never records or stores audio, it doesn’t identify anyone’s voice, and audio cannot be accessed by anyone (including Apple). To clarify matters, Apple has published an Audio Intelligence Privacy Overview that lays out how this feature — and Apple’s other new Audio Intelligence tools, including Siri Recap — works in detail.

When it comes to Live Rewind, any audio is processed in the Apple Watch’s Secure Enclave. This is a separate part of the S11 chip that, in this instance, processes audio. The Secure Enclave is siphoned off from the rest of the device and no part of the operating system can access it or the raw audio it handles. That includes both first- and third-party apps, and not even Apple can get to anything in the Secure Enclave.

Apple’s privacy paper notes that audio is never saved or recorded when you use Live Rewind. Instead, the audio is processed by the Secure Enclave and used to generate a transcript, then permanently deleted from both your device and from iCloud. There’s no way anyone can listen to the audio at a later date or extract it from your device.

Audio flows into the Secure Enclave on a rolling basis, which means that old data is continuously overwritten and deleted when new audio comes in. When activated, Live Rewind tries to send the last 15 seconds of audio to your iPhone. If it can’t — such as if your iPhone is not within wireless range — the audio is immediately discarded. If the process is successful, the audio is converted to text on your iPhone, deleted, then the text is sent back to the Secure Enclave in your Apple Watch.

The saved text stays available on your Watch for 30 seconds after the screen dims, after which it is discarded. You can optionally choose to save it to the Siri app, where it is end-to-end encrypted. This is the only instance where something is saved in the Live Rewind process. As mentioned previously, the text does not contain any speaker attribution.

You can ask Siri about your transcripts, at which point the text is sent to Apple’s secure Private Cloud Compute servers. If you use iCloud with two-factor authentication and have secured your device with a passcode, any transcripts from Live Rewind are synced using end-to-end encryption and not even Apple can decrypt them.

What about other people? Will they know that you’re using Live Rewind? Can you use the feature secretly?

Thankfully, you can’t really use Live Rewind without anyone knowing. When you double-press the Digital Crown, your Apple Watch plays an audible chime that occurs even if your device is in silent mode or you are listening via headphones. A full-screen animation also plays on screen and the microphone icon is displayed. Whether visually or through sound, your Apple Watch tries to alert other people about what is happening.

Apple also says that Live Rewind is opt-in rather than opt-out, and you can enable it when setting up a new device. You can also enable or disable the feature in Siri Settings on your Apple Watch or in the Siri Settings section of the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

Although it would be polite to do so, there’s no way for Apple to force you to ask permission before using Live Rewind. But you might take some solace from the fact that there’s no way for anyone to save or extract the audio that the feature uses, nor can they attribute speakers. All a user gets out of it is a text transcript.

These privacy guardrails go some way to distancing Live Rewind from Meta’s so-called “Pervert Glasses” and their consent-busting data collection.

Snagajob is quite different from other job boards I’ve reviewed. It’s a marketplace for hourly and gig jobs, not the full-time corporate roles many other job boards focus on.

If you’re seeking temporary gig work to earn some cash or a flexible hourly role, Snagajob is an ideal platform. You can filter jobs by type, location, pay, and other factors.

What other factors set Snagajob apart from the competition? How broad are its job listings, and what are its pros and cons? What features should I expect? I’ve reviewed Snagajob thoroughly to answer these questions for intending users, so let’s see what it offers.

Most job boards have a business model where job seekers use the platform for free while employers pay to post job listings and find candidates. You can check it out by clicking here.

Snagajob follows the same pattern. Any job seeker can sign up for free, create a profile, and browse through job listings. Small businesses can also create free accounts to post basic job listings. But to post multiple, detailed job listings that’ll reach more candidates, employers need special accounts with paid subscriptions.

Employer subscriptions start at $89 per month for one active job listing. But it doesn’t scale directly at $89 per month per job listing. Rather, businesses can negotiate packages directly with Snagajob’s sales team. This platform uses a personalized pricing system, not standard subscription packages, even though the personalized packages are known to start at $89 per month.

I’ll say Snagajob is expensive, particularly for small businesses with limited budgets, but there’s a free plan for small businesses that need just basic job postings. However, for advanced job listings that’ll be promoted to more Snagajob users, the math works better for medium-sized and large businesses.

Snagajob doesn’t offer a standard free trial. However, when negotiating with the sales team, you can request demos to learn the platform’s ins and outs before deciding whether to pay.

Snagajob pairs people seeking flexible full-time or part-time jobs with employers offering these roles. After signing up, you can search for jobs in retail, logistics, restaurants, hospitality, e-commerce, and similar sectors, with flexible, hourly-paid roles.

You can also create a profile to specify your work experience and job preferences, then upload your resume to Snagajob’s database. This way, you don’t always have to go looking for jobs.

Employers can find your resume in this database, and if they deem you a good fit, they’ll message you about a potential offer. After the initial message, you’ll proceed to a formal interview and possibly snag the role.

As I’ve mentioned, Snagajob focuses on flexible, shift-based, hourly-paid jobs. Maybe you want some work at a restaurant, a grocery store, or a delivery company. Snagajob is the go-to platform in that case, but it’s not where you’ll find corporate tech, finance, or administrative jobs. It has its niche and serves that niche well.

As a job seeker, I’ll advise creating a complete Snagajob profile so that employers can find you. A complete profile also lets you apply for jobs in one click instead of reuploading your resume every time. You can also receive personalized job suggestions based on your profile and stated skills via email, so finding opportunities won’t be difficult.

Snagajob hosts many job listings, and I liked that I could easily filter by location. I entered my location, and it quickly showed available jobs near me.

Retail-adjacent jobs, the types present on Snagajob, require clocking in early, and long commutes for these kinds of jobs are inconvenient, so filtering by location is important.

There’s also gig work listed on Snagajob, the type where you create your own schedule. Most gig jobs are either couriers for food and grocery delivery apps or drivers for ride-hailing platforms, but the listings can differ based on your location.

Although I said Snagajob hosts many listings, “many” is relative. It isn’t like LinkedIn or Indeed that host millions of job listings simultaneously. Rather, it’s more like thousands of job listings, but that’s what sets it apart. Snagajob has a specific niche and focuses on quality over quantity.

I’ve used many other job boards and have come across duplicate listings or some listings that seemed questionable. That issue exists less on Snagajob than on other platforms, because of its niche and the relatively high costs for employers.

Snagajob leans towards roles from large restaurants, grocery, and retail chains, although medium-sized chains and single-location businesses still hire via the platform. Every job listing includes a salary range, which isn’t the same on many job boards, so you’ll always know what to expect before applying.

Also, I noticed Snagajob’s limited features outside of job listings. It’s not like Glassdoor, with its detailed company reviews and compensation data, or ZipRecruiter, with its AI-based resume builder, or LinkedIn, with networking features. Snagajob revolves around finding flexible jobs and offers little else. That’s a strength in one way but also feels like a competitive disadvantage.

Now, let’s look at Snagajob from an employer’s perspective. Businesses can create accounts to post jobs and find the right candidates. Small businesses can create free accounts to post a few listings, but only paid subscribers can post multiple listings with broader reach.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, Snagajob doesn’t have standard pricing, so businesses have to contact the sales team for a quote, but prices are generally known to start at $89 per month.

With an employer account, you have access to Snagajob’s database of resumes and worker profiles, from which you can select the right candidates. Algorithms curate candidates based on your job requirements so that it’s easier to select from a large pool.

Snagajob helps businesses quickly fill part-time or flexible full-time roles, but costs can get high. Larger retail, restaurant, and hospitality chains can easily afford it, but it’s not the most cost-effective option for small businesses. On the bright side, Snagajob offers free accounts for small businesses with limited features.

Snagajob excels when talking about user-friendliness. Its intuitive, uncluttered interface is one of the best I’ve encountered on a job board.

From registering to creating my profile, checking job listings, and applying, everything went smoothly. I’ll say the developers invested a lot in the user experience.

You can access Snagajob from the web interface or download the smartphone app (iOS or Android). Either option offers the same modern, intuitive interface that you can easily navigate.

Snagajob offers support resources, but I think it needs improvement in this area, particularly for self-help resources.

When discussing support, I always first check the official Help Center, where users can access resources to solve problems themselves and contact support personnel if they can’t do that. I didn’t find detailed user guides, manuals, and FAQs as I have on many job boards.

For direct help, job seekers can file a support ticket on Snagajob’s website and wait for an email response. Employers with paid subscriptions can email or call the support team directly.

The online job board sector has endless competition, but Snagajob stands out. It’s not built for the corporate and administrative jobs you’ll largely find on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed. Instead, it’s focused on flexible part-time or full-time jobs, the type common in retail, hospitality, logistics, and related industries.

Snagajob isn’t trying to be a generalized job board like Indeed or LinkedIn, but one that focuses on a specific niche. These rivals offer a far larger array of job listings, salary data, and networking opportunities, but Snagajob is a better option for people seeking flexible gig-like jobs.

I’ll say Snagajob’s rivals aren’t conventional job sites like Indeed, but niche platforms like Instawork and WorkWhile. Instawork is built for people seeking short-term temporary work, and WorkWhile is designed for event and warehouse jobs. These are the kinds of roles also available on Snagajob.

I consider Snagajob a top-notch option if you’re seeking flexible jobs or gig work. It curates short-term, hourly-paid jobs from top retail and hospitality chains and also major logistics providers and similar businesses.

There’s a focus on quality over quantity, so you don’t have to spend as much time seeking available opportunities as you would on other platforms. However, don’t expect much else outside job listings in retail-adjacent industries. Snagajob serves its niche well but offers few complementary features.

For employers, Snagajob provides an easy way to urgently fill short-term roles, although subscription costs can get high. It’s a worthwhile investment for larger businesses that can absorb the costs.

For more picks, we've tested the best recruitment platforms and the best job sites.

Few audio brands have made as much noise on social media as Heavys. In the best headphones arena, the company made heavy music (sound)waves with its Heavys H1H headphones, a couple of years ago, and now it has attempted to translate that sound to the wireless earbuds format.

And largely, the H1E True Wireless Earbuds achieve the low-end sound and punchy prominence needed for a specialised listening experience within this music genre, although sadly, it makes them a poor choice for listening to any other kind of music.

Carrying an MSRP of $209 / £185 / AU$321, the Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds are far from the cheapest set of in-ears around, although we have seen them discounted to $169 in the US and down to £150 in the UK recently. They're priced to rival mid-range heavy-hitters such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 (and arguably even the flagship, hugely popular Apple AirPods Pro 3) rather than the truly elite end of the spectrum — think Technics EAH-AZ100 or Bowers & Wilkins Pi8.

But where those brands aim to provide a broader, more general listening experience, the H1Es are more specialist; instead of an everyday pair, these earbuds are more situational. You're spending around the $200 / £200 / AU$300 range for something that's purpose-built, for better or worse.

In the words of Gojira: Born for one thing. And listening to heavy metal music does sound solid through the Heavys H1E earbuds for the most part, with the vast majority of sub-genres within this spectrum accurately represented. What's particularly noticeable is just how good the dynamic drivers can be. The company promises a "concert-like experience," and even with what are (presumably) 10-14mm drivers (the size hasn't been publicly disclosed), under the right conditions, this has been delivered.

I can praise the Heavy's H1E earbuds' build quality too. A tactile case which can be customized with shells is neat, but the real advantage here is the multiple silicon and memory foam ear tips provided, which make them genuinely really comfortable over time. There's a wealth of sizes available, so you can find the right fit.

This helps to elevate the H1E's otherwise decidedly middling user experience though: a so-so seven hours of playback (24 hours from the case), and some of the most mediocre active noise-cancelling I've seen from earbuds at this price point.

A similar frustration can be levied at the connectivity options of the Heavys H1E earbuds. Low-latency Bluetooth 5.4 multi-connectivity is great when it works, but it doesn't always work. Countless times in my months with the earbuds, I was caught in a loop: the earbuds 'forgot' my phone, forcing me to re-pair and even to re-connect between charges as they don't seem to be intelligent enough to remember my Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max. That's to say nothing of times when only one earbud would work, with the other refusing to connect, which meant restarting the whole process over again. To be clear, this is something I've never experienced with any other earbuds or headphones.

The Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds are niche and not without issues, but the listening experience ultimately helps them stand out from the crowd. If you're someone who exclusively listens to heavy metal music, then they could be of value. As a metal musician myself, and someone who has seen thousands of metal bands play live over the last 15 years, I found them to be worthwhile, even if they won't rival what the best wireless earbuds and best earbuds overall can do outside of their specialism. Continue reading my full Heavys H1E review further down the page to find out why.

• Officially unveiled on September 22, 2025, via social media
• Available now, shipping worldwide for $209 / £185 / AU$321

After being revealed on social media late last year, with pre-orders being fulfilled throughout early 2026, you can now get your hands on the Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds for $209 / £185 / AU$321, depending on your region. With that said, it isn't uncommon for these wireless earbuds to be available at a reduced rate through the deals the company runs on its store page, knocking anywhere from 10-20% off, depending on the season. Keep an eye out for the green banner around a peak sales time, and you could save some cash.

The price tag positions the Heavys H1E earbuds against the mid-range and higher-end competition. Chiefly, that means more well-known consumer models such as the aforementioned Galaxy Buds4 and the Apple AirPods Pro lineup. It also means a comparable price tag to "enthusiast" class earbuds, as can be seen from the Technics AZ100, and the Noble Audio Osprey. Both of these earbuds (and many more) hover around the $200 / £200 / AU$300 mark, so it's a fairly crowded space. For the audio performance on display, they're priced a little high. More on that further down the page, though.

Drivers

"Dynamic" (Size not stated)

Frequency range

20 Hz - 20 kHz

Battery life

Up to seven hours (Up to 24 hours with case)

Charging time

90 minutes for earbuds; two hours for the case

Microphone

Dual-mics

Active noice canceling?

Yes. "Hellblocker" ANC paired with passive noise isolation

Software

Heavys app for adjusting EQ and updating firmware

Water resistance?

IPX5 rated water and sweat resistance

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

• "Hellblocker" ANC
• Dual microphone setup
• Excellent range of comfortable, changable tips for comfortable use

The Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds excel from a design perspective. They're made of a matte molded plastic which feels both premium and incredibly durable; there's IPX5 water and sweat resistance, meaning they can handle a splash of liquid as well. What impresses me most are the multi-sized ear tips that are shipped in the box, as you get a variety of sizes in different materials: memory foam and silicon, for a comfortable fit to suit most (if not all) ear sizes.

I'm someone who struggles with earbuds for long stretches of time, having previously ditched the likes of the Razer Hammerheads because they were too uncomfortable for long periods of use. Having multiple ear tips in various sizes meant I could find the fit that was right for me; whether I was out walking my Belgian Malinois, on a plane, commuting via train, or just working in the house. Once I found the right fit for me, I was away. Hours would go by, and I'd forget I was even wearing them; that's good ergonomic design right there.

A key design element present in the H1H headphones has been applied to the H1E earbuds too. However, instead of interchangeable ear cup shells, decorated to represent your favorite bands, the customization options apply to the case. There's a fair amount of official designs available, including Currents, Testament, Carnifex, Dream Theater, Opeth, and Whitelabel. Additionally, there are some original designs, including profanity-laden options or purple smoke to add a splash of color and personality. The case itself charges via USB-C and takes around two hours to juice up to full, giving you around 24 hours of total use, or around three full recharges of the earbuds' playback time. It's OK rather than great, as those numbers go.

Also so-so in the world of wireless earbuds in 2026 is Heavys' claim of up to seven hours of playback from the H1E earbuds, although your mileage may vary depending on your reliance on that "Hellblocker" ANC, as well as how you dial your EQ settings.

I've used dozens of wireless earbuds and headphones that feature great ANC over the years, and Heavys' Hellblocker solution just isn't it. The feature was also present on the H1H headphones with a dedicated switch to enable it, and worked well enough thanks (almost certainly) to the far larger drivers and mic array on the large ear cups. However, given the small size of the H1E earbuds, any real noise cancellation is pretty poor.

I tend to go out and walk my dog with the H1Es in, and even after hearing the gruff man on voice prompts announce "Hellblocker activated", I was still hearing other dogs barking, passing cars, wind noise, and all other background noise that should have been filtered out. All it really did was make the audio quality a little more muffled.

A good companion application can really elevate a pair of wireless earphones, giving you smart and reactive EQ options, helping you get the best listening experience possible. We've seen this before with Bowers & Wilkins' excellent Music App, to support its lineup of earbuds.

Unfortunately, the official Heavys app is nowhere near as good. Aside from updating the firmware, all it gives you is a basic EQ settings slider, and you're better off leaving it at the default, as it's hard to gear it towards one genre or another. My partner also experienced issues with having the H1Es connect to her Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra via the app, as it wasn't as user-intuitive as you would hope for from earbuds released in 2026.

• Design & Features score: 3.5 / 5

• Prominent bass and good overall low-end presence
• Depending on the mixing, you get decent mids
• 'Hellblocker' ANC changes the listening experience for the worse

The Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds are good for metal music most of the time. It's situational and circumstantial, though. As touched upon above, they can sound incredible for metal music, with the major caveat being the trappings of the genre itself. Metal is the most diverse genre of music on the planet, separated into dozens of sub-genres with niches within them. For example, if we look at black metal, you have your classic first and second waves (Venom and Celtic Frost to Mayhem and Emperor) to the likes of atmospheric black, black/death, symphonic black, melodic black, black 'n roll, blackgaze, and the list goes on.

There's no true way to be geared towards all metal music, just as you can't fine-tune an EQ between bands within the same sub-genre of a sub-genre. It can get as granular as different audio balancing for the likes of Archgoat, Belphegor, Behexen, and Behemoth, and that's just scratching the surface. In blanket terms, the Heavy H1E earbuds excel with anything forcing the low-end, particularly with sub-genres such as death metal, grindcore, deathcore, and anything that benefits most from a down-tuned guitar, five-string bass, and percussion cutting through the mix.

In my months with the Heavys H1Es, I've listened to hundreds of metal records, and the best listening experiences I can recall most come from streaming Vomitory, Batushka, Blood Red Throne, Korpse, Vulvodynia, Death, Conan, Kanonenfieber, Mgła, and Imperial Triumphant. The drivers are incredibly punchy, differentiating harsh vocals against bass and lower-tuned guitars, or guitars tuned to E standard that are soaked in distortion; there's good distinction, with no muddiness or fizziness that we see when heavier music genres are played from more general earbuds.

Other metal sub-genres don't really benefit from the low-end tuning of the audio drivers though. I'm nearly 30, and nowadays just as likely to put on some Black Sabbath, Clutch, or Green Lung as anything recorded from the frostbitten valleys of Scandinavia, and it's when listening to clean-sung vocals, or any metal music with more traditional production that the H1Es feel just... okay. Solstafir, Zeal & Ardor, Katatonia, Candlemass, Sleep, Metallica, Slayer, and Acid Bath sounded fine, but the listening experience was about on par with just about any (cheaper) wireless earbuds I've used over the last 10 years.

I really would recommend listening to music without the Hellblocker ANC active, as enabling it via touch controls can drastically impact the overall listening quality. Depending on the mix, things can go from a little muffled to quite tinny. It's not a unique complaint against the H1E earbuds, as ANC can do that, but it's particularly disappointing when the passive noise isolation doesn't filter the outside world out, and you end up having worse-sounding music when trying to fix it. It's not sophisticated enough to do its job, and it really just annoyed me rather than being all too useful.

• Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

• Expensive for what they are
• Poor overall ANC when compared to the competition
• Stellar situationally, for certain genres of metal music

I've been critical of the Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds in this review. Considering the fact that I enjoy using the H1H over-ear headphones so much, I was expecting more of that sound quality and feature set to be carried over, but it hasn't translated as smoothly as I expected.

For the asking price of $209 / £185 / AU$321, there's no getting around the fact that you can get a far superior listening experience from a competitor. USP aside, unless you're really into death metal (or its offshoots), the cons may outweigh the pros here.

The Heavys H1Es are well-designed and comfortable for extended periods of time, and the case is well-made and holds a respectable charge, allowing for 24 hours of total use.

However, the ANC is poor, the Bluetooth connectivity can be spotty, the companion app is mediocre, and they're priced a little too high for what is (essentially) a marketing ploy. Under the right set of circumstances, these earbuds can be exceptional, but with a higher mid-market asking price and stiff competition, they're a hard sell in 2026.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Section

Notes

Score

Design & features

The H1Es are well-built with a sturdy case and have a respectable battery life. Sadly, the ANC is poor and the companion app is lacking

3.5/5

Sound quality

Some metal music sounds incredible coming through the dynamic drivers of the H1Es, with lower-tuned sub-genres, like death metal, metalcore, and deathcore singing. However, that extra weight and low-end prominence can result in a decidedly average sound for everything else

3.5/5

Value

The Heavy H1E True Wireless Earbuds aren't hugely expensive, but they're not a great value buy either when compared to their similarly priced competition from Apple, Google, and Samsung

3/5

You love metal music above everything else
With the right bands and albums on, the Heavy H1Es deliver an exceptional listening experience, particularly if you're into the proper heavy death metal sub-genres.

You sometimes struggle to get buds to fit properly
The different ear tips included (in different, premium materials) with the Heavy H1Es give you plenty of choice for the most comfortable fit during long wear sessions. They also happen to be durable and lightweight in your ear.

You're fine with middling battery life from your buds
So they're not the longest-lasting earbuds on the market; does it bother you? The Heavy H1Es can go for up to seven hours on a single charge, and the case can juice them up three times between charges. The case itself only needs two hours to be able to go again as well. And given the punchy audio, it's not a bad claim.

You want top-tier value for money
At $209 / £185 / AU$321, the Heavys H1E are far from the cheapest wireless earbuds available, comparable to flagship options from Google, Samsung and Apple but without really offering the versatility of their competitors.

You don't listen to *heavy* music
The Heavys H1Es are best when listening to down-tuned guitars, guttural vocals and percussion that's raised high in the mix, such as you'll find in death metal, deathcore, grindcore, and similar sub-genres. If you're into the softer sub-genres, or rock and roll, these are unlikely to do much for you.

Good ANC is a must
Hellblocker ANC technically works but it messes with the audio balancing of certain songs and doesn't do a great job of actually blocking out the outside noise. The trade-off in audio quality isn't worth it.

Bowers & wilkins Pi8

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)

Price

$399 / £349 / AU$599

$219 / £169 / AU$299

$299 / £299 / AU$449

Drivers

12mm carbon cone

10mm driver, recycled Neodymium magnets

9.3mm

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Quoted battery life

6.5 hours (buds); 20 hours (case)

10 hours (buds) 33 hours total (with case) with ANC on

6 hours (buds) 24 hours total (with case)

Weight

7g per earbud

6.65g per earbud

7.7g per earbud

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless; USB-C with two cables in the box for case retransmission

Bluetooth 5.3, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC (USB-C and wireless charging)

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, aptX Adaptive, Snapdragon Sound

Frequency range

Not stated

Not stated

Not stated

Waterproofing

Yes, IP54

Yes, IPX4

Yes, IPX4

Other features

Triple core processor architecture; class A/B amplification; three mics per earbud with noise suppression for calls

High performance audio mode

The Technics EAH-AZ100 are a little more expensive than the Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds, but wow do they deliver best-in-class ANC, with a balanced feel, and great ergonomics, making them hard to beat.
Read our full Technics EAH-AZ100 review for more

Meanwhile, these guys are cheaper! Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds punch well above their weight with a pleasing overall sound and strong noise canceling, all for a price that's hard to beat.
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review

• Tested for a period of three months while comparing them to other wireless earbuds, headphones, and gaming headsets around my office.
• Primarily used when outside walking my dog, commuting via plane or train, and running errands.
• Throughout my listening experience, I mostly used Apple Music's Loseless tracks, Spotify, Bandcamp, and YouTube Music depending on the artist's availability.

I've been using the Heavys H1E True Wireless Earbuds over the last few months when I've been out and about, heading somewhere for work, walking the dog, or doing chores. They've lived in the case in the pocket of my jacket or my shoulder bag, and were actively used during commuting. For testing purposes, I did actively switch between them and the Heavys H1H over-ear headphones to compare sound quality and features.

Most of my time using the Heavys H1Es was spent with the earbuds connected to my iPhone 15 Pro Max. Although I did try them out on several occasions with my partner's Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, as well as my MacBook Air M1 (2020), to gauge how well the Bluetooth connection would be.

I am a metal musician (guitarist and vocalist) who has been recording and playing music for over 10 years. I have mixed and mastered many different metal albums, and have seen literally thousands of metal bands play live over the years at gigs and metal festivals, such as Damnation, Incineration, Bloodstock, Snuff Fest, Download, Brutal Assault, and countless others.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed September 2026.

• A US national security officer has suggested bombing Chinese data centers to prevent them from developing or using AGI
• Cyberattacks are also an option that wouldn't result in full-scale retaliation
• If China can't be trusted with AGI, why should the US be trusted to use it responsibly?

If you’re struggling to compete with your rivals technologically, it’s now worth considering just blowing up their ability to operate - and that's according to a former Obama administration official.

In a document titled “Superpowers and AGI”, former national security official Jacob Stokes says that the government should prepare for the scenario where China develops artificial general intelligence (AGI) before the United States.

In that scenario, Stokes offers a no-holds-barred approach that includes cyberattacks, sabotage, and, of course, simply bombing China’s data centers.

AGI is a theoretical point in AI development where the intelligence of an AI system matches or exceeds human reasoning and intelligence. This level of artificial intelligence could have self-preservation tendencies (think Skynet) or could be used maliciously to launch huge cyberattacks or be used to develop new weapons.

While entirely theoretical, Stokes' report suggests that AGI is inevitable, and the US should be prepared to do anything necessary to prevent China from developing it first. In this scenario, Stokes says that the US should “try to sabotage the leading state's AGI systems, either through physical infiltration or offensive cyber operations; that is, cyberattack."

This approach, Stokes theorizes, might be preferable as “Cyberattacks to sabotage AGI might not provoke large-scale retaliation,” which is a reasonable assumption given the number of state-sponsored cyberattacks China has launched on US critical infrastructure.

Should cyberattacks fail however, Stokes suggests a rapid escalation in response. “The final option would be the most dangerous and carry the most escalation risk: kinetic attacks, meaning destroying things with missiles and bombs."

This has already been seen to be fairly effective in neutralizing AI systems, as the US has experienced in the US with warfighting capabilities knocked offline after Iran hit AWS data centers with missiles.

But bombing Chinese data centers would effectively be a declaration of war, and would likely escalate to retaliatory action - be that with kinetic munitions in response, or something with a bit more firepower.

But if AGI is so dangerous in the wrong hands, who is to say the US is best placed to use it responsibly? And if China cannot be trusted to have AGI because they may use it against the US, who’s to say the reverse isn’t also true? Would China therefore be justified in bombing US data centers for reasons of self-preservation? How do you verify China has AGI in the first place?

Stokes further warns that China could make a “surprise technological breakthrough” that allows the development of AGI, which China would use for “offensive cyber tools — in other words, cyber weapons.”

Currently, there is only one nation that is mass-deploying AI systems in law enforcement, federal agencies, and the military. There is only one nation that has used AI systems to help coordinate bombing and missile campaigns. There is only one nation whose AI companies have developed models that frequently escape testing and attack third parties. It might be worth a quick look in the mirror to decide who can be trusted with AGI.

Via SCMP