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In 2023, Shokz strayed from its bone conduction roots with a pair of air conduction open-ear wireless earbuds. While the Shokz OpenFit delivered better audio than bone conduction models, that wasnt saying much. Their sound was still hit-or-miss, and some users had problems with their finicky touch controls. At CES 2025, the company is back with the $180 OpenFit 2, which apparently has solutions for both issues, as well as a new bone-conduction headset for office calls. The Shokz OpenFit 2 has a woofer and tweeter in each earpiece for more dynamic sound. (The first-gen model only had a single driver for each ear.) The company also improved its bass algorithm, which enhances dynamic low-frequency vibrations directly to your ear. Shokz The open-ear buds design hasnt changed dramatically from the original OpenFit: a hook still wraps around each ear with a bud resting just outside. But Shokz engineered the new models ear hook with a softer silicone (for greater comfort) and a tighter curve (for improved stability). The company says it molds to the contours of your ear for a personalized, comfortable fit. Each earpiece weighs 9.4g (0.33 oz). You can order it in black or beige. The 2023 model used touch controls, which arent always the best input solution for earbuds small surfaces. So, the new model has physical multifunction buttons in addition to touch controls, which should help prevent or minimize accidental touches. The OpenFit 2 is rated for up to 11 hours per charge (up from seven in the first-gen model) or 48 hours when factoring in the bundled charging case. They also have a better water resistance rating (IP55 vs. IP54 in the original) and Bluetooth 5.4. Shokz Shokz also has a new office headset, the OpenMeet, which seems like a redesigned spiritual successor to its OpenComm series. Like other workplace headsets, it looks a bit goofy, with its long mic stem jutting out toward the mouth area. Similar to the OpenComm, the earpiece sits in front of the ear instead of on, in or around it. But a key difference is that OpenMeets band extends over the top of the head, not behind it. The company says OpenMeet is designed to feel weightless, thanks to a five-point design that distributes its 78 g for minimal pressure. Its audio merges bone and air conduction, and the company says its (hilariously named) LeakSlayer 3.0 tech helps minimize sound leakage to help keep your calls private. OpenMeet uses a dual-mic system using Qualcomms cVc noise reduction, which Shokz claims reduces background noise by up to 98.6 percent. It has a dedicated mute button, Bluetooth 5.4 and up to 15 hours of battery life. The Shokz OpenFit 2 is available today for $180 on the company website, Amazon and retail partners (including Best Buy and Target). Meanwhile, the OpenMeet headset is sold through the companys business website. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/the-shokz-openfit-2-promises-better-sound-and-longer-battery-life-130016786.html?src=rss
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Segway, known of course for the Segway, is now offering another motorized form of transportation. The company has announced its first two e-bikes at CES 2025. Pre-orders for the Xyber and Xafari are now available through Segway and select dealers. The Xyber seems to be all about speed and distance. Twisting the throttle in Race Mode makes the bike go from zero to 20 miles per hour in just 2.7 seconds thanks to its direct-drive motor. It can go up to 112 miles on a dual battery or 56 miles on a single battery. Plus, it has 20-inch by three-inch tires and 110mm front and 100mm rear suspension. Meanwhile, the Xafari is more for the everyday user. It goes from zero to 20 miles per hour in 5.2 seconds and can travel up to 88 miles between charges. It weighs 85 pounds, takes six hours to charge and has 26-inch by three-inch tires. Plus, it has a front suspension of 80mm and a rear suspension of 70mm. Segway's Xyber and Xafari e-bikes also share quite a few features, including the company's Intelligent Ride System. This includes tools like AirLock, which automatically engages locks when the owner's device is away from the bike. It also triggers an alarm (and push alert) if someone tries to activate the bike. There's adaptive pedal assist, which adjusts the power output based on slope, terrain and rider effort. A waterproof, high-resolution 2.4-inch smart TFT display that automatically adjusts its brightness and can show navigation, ride metrics, reject calls and control music. Plus, health and fitness data can sync in real-time to Apple and Android health apps or the Segway Mobility app. Alongside its new e-bikes, Segway also announced its next generation of electric kick-scooters and robot mowers. There's the high performance scooters, which includes the GT3 Pro and GT3 SuperScooters, along with Max G3 which Segway claims offers the smoothest ride. Then there's the updated commuter scooters, the F3, F3 Pro, E3 and E3 Pro. Segway will launch each scooter between March and June of this year. Then there's the Segway Navimow X3 Series, which can mow lawns up to two and a half acres big. It offers an upgraded 300 degree camera and, notably, an edge trimmer expansion. The new Segway Navimow series follows last year's Navimow i105 robot mower. We were a fan of it, as it got rid of about 90 percent of the work we'd normally have to do. However, we found it struggled to trim the lawn's edges. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/segway-is-finally-launching-e-bikes-at-ces-2025-130015667.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
The Pinwheel Watch doesnt scream this is a kids device. The new smartwatch, unveiled at Pepcom during CES 2025, doesnt have a chunky, brightly colored casing or super-thick bezels. Its actually pretty sleek, with a build like a slightly larger Apple Watch plus a little camera bump and swappable straps of different styles. To tech-aware kids who have begun bugging their parents for a smartwatch just like they have, it would easily pass as an analogue for an adult wearable. But its also packed with safety features meant to offer only the amount of connectedness that parents feel comfortable with. And an AI chatbot, because, of course. Pinwheel already has a smartphone platform that allows for parent-approved communications, but the watch is a standalone 4G LTE cellular device with its own mobile plan (about $15 according to the company) and the ability to make calls, send texts and, down the line, do video chats. Parents can determine the level of intervention they think is appropriate for their kids, and change these settings in the Pinwheel app as they see fit. Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget For a younger kid, they might set it so all contacts need to be approved, while a 14-year-old can be granted the freedom to add whatever friends they want without approval. Parents can remotely monitor text and call history, and turn off certain features like image sending individually for contacts. It also offers GPS location tracking so parents can keep tabs on their kids whereabouts. Beyond basic communication, there are a bunch of features that are just meant for fun. There are built-in games, like a helicopter game I really enjoyed playing that involves tapping the screen at the right time to collect gems and keep it in the air, and a kid-friendly version of ChatGPT called PinwheelGPT. The company says the chatbot has been tested for all the common workarounds used to trick these things into doing what they shouldnt, so it wont produce inappropriate responses when prompted to. And parents can see these chats, including deleted ones. You can certainly ask it whatever, but it won't answer, said Pinwheel co-founder Dane Witbeck. It quickly backs out and says, hey, that's something you should talk to a trusted adult about. The abysmal hotel-casino Wi-Fi at the crowded event prevented me from actually putting that to the test, though. The Pinwheel Watch will go on sale later this year for $160 (plus the monthly cellular subscription). Its rated IP67, so it should be pretty durable against spills, dirt and other kid messes. For parents interested in a safer way to let their children start using smart devices to talk to their friends and family, Pinwheel's watch could be a pretty decent option, especially for kids in tween territory that may not want an extremely limited, immature-looking wearable. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-pinwheel-watch-is-a-kid-safe-apple-watch-ultra-lookalike-to-placate-your-tween-123005235.html?src=rss
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