I’ve really been enjoying the pieces I’ve been reading on TechRadar. That’s not to say our articles are normally boring – just that as an editor, I focus more on how things are written, rather than leaning back and gorging on our content.
So this week, I especially want to highlight the excellent analytical pieces the team has been producing: explaining why the death of the iPod is a good thing; wondering if Sony’s five-star headphones are actually too good; and getting the inside scoop directly from Sonos about a possible Sub Mini to go with the new Ray soundbar.
Well, I say that, but then I kick things off with a straight-up news story about the iPhone…
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The iPhone 13 gets unveiled in September 2021 (Apple)
The iPhone’s launch date is pretty metronomic every year – middle of September, roughly around my birthday, so I’m invariably missing a party by rushing around to get my hands on the latest phone as quickly as possible so that I can give you a true feeling for the newest iPhone.
A recent leak suggests that Apple will be releasing the new iPhone on September 13, which puts the 2022 launch firmly back in sync after the usual schedule was thrown off in 2020 by Covid.
We’ll be reporting live from the event (as long as we’re invited…), where we expect a new quartet of iPhones in addition to a few new wearables and tablets to boot.
Have you noticed we’ve got a new writer on the site? Becky Scarrott is our new Senior Audio Writer, and she’s been sharing some excellent insight already.
I think Apple should bring back the iPod Nano – one of the best devices ever made. Add in Spatial Audio and full access to Apple Music, and I think that would still fly off the shelves today.
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The Sonos Sub could be getting a Mini version (Sonos)
Speaking of Becky and her excellent work, she also spoke to Sonos to address recently published rumors about a new, cheaper Sonos Sub (reportedly called the Sonos Sub Mini) coming soon.
The response from Sonos' product creation leader, Brandon Holley, was insightful. When asked directly about the need for a smaller Sonos Sub to pair with the Sonos Ray, Holley said, "Nothing to announce", but added, "Obviously there’s a lot of products we consider. You have a good point on that note. The Sub will sound great with Ray, and vice-versa. But as far as what’s coming down the road, nothing to announce".
The current Sub, which he references, is significantly more expensive than the Ray at $749, so a cheaper model is sorely needed. I think it’s pretty clear that Sonos is getting ready for such a thing, alongside the second-gen. Beam ($349) and new Ray ($279).
Cheaper Sonos devices would really shake up the market – let’s see if it comes to pass.
The WH-1000XM5 headphones are Sony's best yet (Sony)
Sony’s managed a rare thing: making the world’s best headphones for three years in a row, and the latest Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears are just superb.
So Nick Pino, in his last piece for TechRadar before he moves on to new and great things, wrote this excellent piece that talks about the possible future for noise-cancelling headphones.
Can perfect silence ever be achieved? What’s next for noise cancellation? What else can Sony offer to bring innovation to the over-ear headphones market?
It’s a great read, one that will have you wondering whether those earbuds you bought for $20 are really worth it any more…
Our new Fitness Editor Matt Evans wrote a piece that really annoyed me this week. I wasn’t irked because it was poorly written or made a terrible point; no, I was upset because it was so true.
I’m a Strava runner (for those that don’t know, it’s a social network for runners, cyclists and other athletes, where you get to post your exercise sessions and get ‘kudos’ (AKA likes) and comments on your efforts).
There are times when I put in more effort while finishing a run, knowing that it would be judged by my running community at the end; or run while wondering what I’ll title the run on Strava, so people will be impressed.
And then Matt goes and instantly makes me realize the futility of it all, that I’m chasing approval rather than fitness, and I now have to rethink all my life choices up to this point.
If you’ve ever used Strava, don’t read this unless you’re ready to accept the truth…
The Lenovo Tab P12 Pro is good but not great (Future)
I’ve been covering Android tablets since before they were even a thing, when a 7-inch smart display had Google’s new phone OS shoehorned in and was proclaimed to be a new ‘tablet’.
It’s been so frustrating to see brands come out with Android-based tablets over the years, with little in the way of success in competing with the all-conquering iPad. There have been some notable exceptions, with devices – like the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 – being pretty good attempts; but then tablets like the Lenovo Tab P12 Pro appear and ruin things again.
Maybe ‘ruin things’ is a bit harsh – after all, it’s a four-star tablet with great portability and a top screen. But while the latest Snapdragon chip inside gives it a lot of power, the P12 Pro lacks the must-have features that intuitive software brings, and stock Android didn’t impress our reviewer.
It makes me worried for the forthcoming Pixel tablet that was previewed at Google IO this year – that’s going to be a combination of high-end hardware and the latest Android OS, designed specifically for tablets.
If that Pixel tab is anything like this Lenovo, then we need to see more: clever and new software tweaks, better stylus integration… or just a much cheaper price than the iPad. I’m not convinced we’ll get any of them, but there’s still time as the Pixel Tablet doesn’t launch until next year, it seems.
A typical karst sinkhole in China (Eastimages/Getty Images)
If I was to tell you that explorers in China exploring a sinkhole found an ancient forest in there that had been stretching towards the light for years, you’d probably think that’s pretty awesome. Well, good news: they have, and it is.
The trees in there had grown to over 131 feet, straining with every leafy sinew to get to that precious light and keep on growing – the results are incredible.
The sinkhole is 630 feet deep, according to the Xinhua news agency, deep enough to just swallow St. Louis' Gateway Arch – pretty massive indeed.
Nature is cool, isn’t it?
This is from the editor
Thanks again for making it to the end of another newsletter – I hope you enjoyed it and learned a little more about the magical world of tech that we all love so much.
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And if you want to talk about anything that I’ve covered in this week’s missive, or just want to vehemently disagree with any of my points, then email me with the subject line NEWSLETTER and I’ll read and publish the best ones here each week.
I had a great e-mail from Sarah this week who, upset at the death of the iPod, showed off of her full collection of Apple MP3 players from over the years – man alive, she had a lot of them, stretching back to the original iPod from 2001 with the mechanical click-wheel, and finishing up at the decidedly more modern iPod Touch.
“I loved them all,” she opined about her mega collection. “But I think the iPod Mini was my favorite, coming in so many colors I could barely choose. And it held more music than I expected!”
If you’ve got a favorite gadget from the archives, let me know – pictures are always welcome, and I love to hear from you all.
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