Plaud, a major player in AI note-taking hardware, has introduced the Plaud One, a pair of earbuds that embed its agentic AI software directly into headphones. The device can record conversations and phone calls via a built-in eSIM with 4G LTE, then transcribe them and generate summaries, follow-ups, or reports, integrating with tools like Gmail, Slack, and Notion. The product will be shown publicly for the first time at IFA 2026 in Berlin.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-27
New reports indicate Apple will release updated AirPods 5 open earbuds alongside Beats-branded over-ear headphones in the coming weeks, rather than the long-rumored camera-equipped AirPods Pro. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the IR camera version, aimed at powering Siri visual intelligence and gesture recognition, won't arrive until next year, despite recent leaked video evidence found in a MacOS 26.7 release candidate. The AirPods 5 are expected to come in two versions priced similarly to the current AirPods 4, at $130 and $180.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-25
Researcher Matthew Callaghan discovered AliExpress running hidden scripts that generate silent, inaudible sound waves through the WebAudio API to create a unique fingerprint of each visitor's browser. He noticed the tracking only because it interfered with his multipoint Bluetooth headphones, cutting off phone audio whenever the AliExpress tab was open. The scripts muted the sound with a zero gain setting so users would never notice, but the browser still processed and transmitted the audio data back to the site.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-08-24
Multiple leaks have surfaced detailing Apple's upcoming Beats 360 wireless headphones, suggesting the product line is set for a notable overhaul. Reports indicate the new model will feature substantially improved active noise cancellation compared to previous Beats headphones.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-08-24
Researchers discovered that AliExpress's homepage runs hidden, inaudible audio-processing code tied to Alibaba's security systems, which measures how a device's hardware handles an audio signal to create a unique fingerprint without cookies. The behavior was uncovered by a developer whose Bluetooth headphones failed to switch between devices while an AliExpress tab stayed open, since the silent audio graph kept the system's audio path active even when muted. The same scripts reportedly also collected canvas, WebGL, and hardware configuration data as part of a broader tracking setup.
techspot.com
· 2026-08-23