is a deputy editor and Verge co-founder with a passion for human-centric cities, e-bikes, and life as a digital nomad. He’s been a tech journalist for 20 years. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. The Fan Edition Galaxy Buds 3 have ditched the blob for a stemmed design popularized by Apple and found in Samsung’s higher end Galaxy Buds 3 models launched last year. The Galaxy Buds 3 FE arrive with improved sound, enhanced active noise cancellation, and IP54 resistance to dust and rain, according to Samsung. For music, the Buds 3 FE promise 6 hours of listening with ANC on, or 8.5 hours with it off. Those numbers extend to 24 hours / 30 hours, respectively, when recharged in the case. Talk time is 4 hours with ANC on or off, which can be extended to 18 hours through case recharging. The Buds 3 FE are also designed for seamless access to Galaxy AI capabilities on Samsung smartphones. A “hey google” or long press puts you in a conversation mode with Gemini or the Galaxy AI Interpreter app to translate someone speaking in another language. Previous Next 1 / 7 Other specs in include Find My Earbuds support, an ambient sound transparency mode, voice isolation to help improve call quality in noisy environments, and the ability to auto-switch between Samsung devices. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 FE will be available in black and gray models with a price starting at an economical $149.99 when they arrive in US on September 4th — that’s $50 more than the price of the Galaxy Buds FE at launch two years ago.