The latest Amazon Echo Buds, released this week, are the second generation of Amazon’s true wireless earbuds and are smaller and lighter than their predecessors. The all-new Echo Buds are, in fact, 20% small than the originals and feature dynamic audio with active noise cancellation.
Available in black or white, the design looks much cleaner than the first-gen buds, fitting completely in the ear, with built-in vents to reduce ear pressure. The noise cancellation is now said to be twice as good compared to the originals, thanks to inner and outer microphones to help identify unwanted sounds and keep you immersed in your music. There is also a choice of four ear tips and two wing tips to ensure the best possible fit.
The new Echo Buds once again feature hands-free Alexa communication, giving you access to music, podcasts, audiobooks and, of course, phone calls. You can locate a missing Echo bud by saying Alex, find my buds into any other Alexa device, and the buds will chime to help you locate them. The Echo Buds also offer public transport directions and info in seven major US cities (New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Jersey and Philadelphia), with more locations coming soon. Another feature coming later is the ability to filter which phone notifications are delivered to the Echo Buds.
- Acer Enduro Urban laptops and tablet go where your iPad wont
- Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge is the speaker the Apple HomePod should have been
- Canon EOS R3: the mirrorless R-series camera goes pro
Amazon Echo Buds in black
The Echo Buds are IPX4-rated for water and sweat resistance and provide five hours of playback on a single charge. The newly designed case holds enough power for two extra charges, giving you up to 15 hours before you need to plug in. And when you do, a 15-minute quick charge can provide up to two hours of playback. The case can be charge via USB-C or a Qi wireless charging mat, available separately.
The new shape of the charging case and the built-in vents have drawn users to compare the new Echo buds to Apple’s AirPods Pro, though if anything the buds themselves look more like Galaxy Buds Pro. Thanks to the on-sale price though, they are likely to give both of these competitors a run for their money.
Amazon Echo Buds are priced at just $99 (approx. £72 / AU$128) or $119 (approx. £86 / AU$154) with the wireless charging case with an introductory offer, after which they will return to $119 (approx. £86 / AU$154) or $139 (approx. £100 / AU$180), respectively. These are available for pre-order now via the Amazon US website, with the buds expected to ship by May 13. UK and Australian availability are still to be confirmed.
Amazon Echo Buds
