Accessories

5 Google Pixel Buds alternatives: Real-time translations

Published

December 18, 2017

Nicole Scott

When the Google Pixel Buds were announced, the reaction was along the lines of: “Google’s Pixel Buds translation will change the world.” But, the first thing I thought was, I wonder how it compares to what’s already out there?

I’m a native English speaker, who doesn’t have the best nack for languages. I also live in Taiwan which is a Chinese-speaking country, and I run a German-language website. There is no one more ready for a real-life Bable fish than I am.

Before I head into the Pixel Bud Alternatives, let’s take a quick look at the device that’s turning heads.

Google Pixel Buds

The Pixel Buds are neck buds, not truly wireless earbuds.

To start a translation, you hold your finger down to the earbud and say, “Help me speak French,” and speak a phrase. When you lift your finger, the Translate app speaks and displays your translation. Then, the person you’re speaking to holds a button down on your phone and says their reply, which you hear in your ear.

I’m a little dubious that this is any more convenient than just passing your phone back and forth and doing everything there, but it’s nice that only one set of translations is done over the phone’s speaker. A fairly natural voice does the translation, which is a step up from what we currently hear through Google Translate. This isn’t real time, but it’s very fast.

It doesn’t work offline and the Pixel Buds will eventually be able to translate between 40 languages, but so far, it only translates Japanese.

Google says they should last about five hours on a charge; the case can charge them four times.

I found even more offline translators at StartUp LaunchPad. Found at the Global Sourcing Fair, StartUp Launchpad is a Hong Kong Conference that showcases brand new startups looking for distributors. This happens twice a year and Mobile Geeks has made a habit of attending since it gives a sneak peek at the technology trends that are coming out of China to the rest of the world.

Le Trans

Le Trans is about the size of a bar of soap and can translate 29 languages, which is a lot of combinations! They’re mostly using Google’s translation library but have added in a few others, as well. You use an app to select which languages are being translated but it doesn’t work offline, meaning it’s not a great solution if you’re traveling.

LeTrans will be launching on Kickstarter in December with a shipping date for sometime in 2018. I did get to go hands-on, but the sample wasn’t working, so I’m reserving judgment on this until I have working samples and a price point.

Travis the Translator

Travis launched on Indegogo back in April and raised US$ 1.63 million in funding. Travis can translate 80 languages, 20 of which work offline. It’s not a headset like the Pixel Buds; it’s a MiFi-like pod that has a built-in speaker and headphone jack, so you can plug in your own.

Travis works for up to 12 hours and uses AI to become more intelligent. It works to understand your accent better and provide more accurate translations taking context into account. As you see in the video above, you can just place Travis between you and carry on a normal conversation. You have to wait for the translation to be read out, but it’s very fast and natural.

Travis doesn’t provide a full list of what translation engines they’re using but claims the best translation engine for each language is different, which is why they are using so many solutions. This makes Travis more interesting than Pixel Buds, which as far as I know, just uses Google Translate.

You can pick up Travis for US$ 169 plus shipping through their Indiegogo campaign, but the price will rise to US$ 229 when they go on sale. Travis is meant to ship towards the end of November to current backers and be ready for the market in the winter of 2017.

So far, I think that Travis offers the most interesting solution for a live translation device. For a full list of all 80 languages, visit their website.

Pilot Translating Earpiece

Pilot fits into your ear, offers live translation of 15 languages, and will stream music, take calls, deliver notifications, or act as your phone’s personal assistant. You can share the earpiece with the person you’re having the conversation with so you can both have a translation device. I have strong feelings against sharing my earbuds with a stranger, so it’s a good thing that you can use the Pilot app on the phone to listen and translate.

Currently, Pilot is not available offline, but they’re planning on adding it later. You’re also dependent on using the app for translation and the app will be available for free in November so you can download it to find out if it’s any good.

Pre-orders of the Pilot Translating Earpieces start at US$ 249 (US$ 299 when it goes on sale) and come with free access to Latin/romance languages (French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, along with English). However, adding more languages like Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, German, Greek, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Turkish, etc. will cost you more.

Ili Wearable Translator

Ili can be worn around your neck or simply held in your hand and pointed at people’s faces, like in the video above. Ili is around the same size as your phone, but it’s not as wide. It doesn’t offer instant translation and has 0.2 seconds of delay.

Ili isn’t a universal translator — it’s travel-focused — so this is the context of the content it has available. Due to its limited size and the fact that it’s offline, it essentially holds a translation dictionary.

That said, there is quite a lot encompassed in the travel: “Ili is here to help you when it comes to dining, shopping, finding transportation, and much more,” according to the company. If you believe their YouTube channel, these are quite a lot of scenarios.

The biggest issue/disappointment is that Ili is one way — one language to another, not back again. Forget having a conversation, Ili claims that its goal is to help you be understood by others. Understanding what’s being said to you will have to wait for another version.

Ili has support for three languages from English, meaning English to Spanish, Mandarin, or Japanese and two languages from Chinese.

Bragi Dash Pro

Bragi Dash Pro is currently available and Mobile Geeks has reviewed it. Though I can’t say we were impressed with the performance, I’m hopeful it’ll improve.

All you need to do to have a conversation with someone who speaks another language is throw Dash Pro earbuds in, and you’ll instantly be able to understand someone who’s speaking in one of 40 foreign languages.

The problem is that there’s no compelling reason to use the Dash Pro for translation, unless both people in the conversation are using the earbuds. You can’t hand one earbud off to the other person so they can also benefit from the translator. If the other person doesn’t have their own pair of headphones, you still have to hold your phone out so that the person you’re talking to has a microphone to talk into and a speaker to hear your own words translated into their language. Otherwise, they’d have to talk directly into your ear, and they wouldn’t get your voice translated back into their language. At that point, it’s far easier for you to both speak into — and hear translations from — the same device.

The earbuds act as an accessory for an app called iTranslate, which already claims five million monthly active users and is one of the more high-rated translation apps in both the Apple Store and on Google Play.

This article originally appeared on Mobile Geeks. Nicole Scott, who was GadgetMatch’s companion and guide to its very first StartUp Launch Pad experience, shared her experience on the bi-annual conference at the Global Sourcing Fair in Hong Kong.

[irp posts=”23754″ name=”Gululu water bottle is also a virtual pet”]

Accessories

OBSBOT launches AI-powered 4K Tiny 3 series webcams

Professional-grade audiovisual features in compact bodies

Published

January 28, 2026

GadgetMatch

OBSBOT has announced the global launch of two new AI-powered 4K webcams: the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite.

Designed for content creators, streamers, podcasters, remote professionals, educators, and more, the Tiny 3 series sets a new benchmark for professional webcams.

The products combine studio-grade spatial audio, flagship-level imaging, and industry-leading AI intelligence.

The two variants also come in ultra-compact aluminum-alloy bodies while delivering premium sight and sound.

Both the Tiny 3 and Tiny 3 Lite feature industry-leading triple silicon MEMS microphone array. This system combines one omnidirectional and two directional microphones powered by Sisonic MEMS technology.

The architecture is commonly found in premium TWS earbuds and professional audio equipment. Such technology enables:

ultra-low distortion up to 130 dB SPL
exceptional 69dB signal-to-noise ratio
full spectrum 50Hz-20kHz frequency response
consistent unit-to-unit studio quality

This way, users can expect immersive sound that rivals dedicated microphones without the need to buy an extra product.

In addition, the Tiny 3 series features five dedicated audio profiles so users can tailor fit the webcams for various needs:

Pure Audio Mode — zero processing, studio-grade capture
Spatial Audio Mode — enhanced left-right stereo separation for vlogs, storytelling with soundscape
Smart Omni Mode — AI-powered 360-degree pickup with balanced vocals, ambient sound
Directional Mode — focuses on voice in front while cutting surrounding noise
Dual-Directional Mode — clear audio capture from front and rear while rejecting side noise

Moreover, the Tiny 3 series comes with Voice Locator. This feature lets the product find users, smoothly rotating the gimbal and tracking them automatically.

They can also leverage voice commands or the OBSBOT Vox SE wireless lavalier for cable-free audio.

Flagship imaging

Picture wise, the Tiny 3 features 4K@30fps video and up to 120fps high-frame rate capture. The system also uses advanced DCG HDR for balanced highlights and shadows, as well as ultra-fast dual all-pixel PDAF autofocus.

And powered by OBSBOT’s AI algorithms, the series introduces AI Tracking 2.0. Key capabilities include:

accurate tracking of subjects like individuals, groups, hands, objects, and more via Only Me mode
auto zoom, customizable composition lines, Face Framing
Voice Tracking
Multiple AI modes, including dedicated Desk Mode, Whiteboard Mode
Intuitive gesture and voice controls

For further control, users can use the OBSBOT Center and OBSBOT live for creative controls. These cover exposure and gamma curve adjustments, manual white balance tuning, and more.

Furthermore, the Tiny 3 products support remote interaction and VR features powered by the OBSBOT Toolkit.

They also integrate effortlessly with the OBSBOT ecosystem for livestreams, gaming handheld capabilities, and more.

Price, availability

The Tiny 3 starts at US$ 349 while the Tiny 3 Lite starts at US$ 199. The Vox SE, meanwhile, retails for US$ 59.

Accessories

Soundtrack for the city: HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones

Published

January 28, 2026

Alex Matinkhah

Living in a big city like New York makes you want to have music on a lot: on the subway, walking between meetings, sitting in a café with your laptop, zoning out on a long walk home, or romanticizing the smallest things. Headphones have become an essential part of my life.

That’s why the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI collaboration makes sense. The TMA-2 HIDDEN Edition headphones are reminiscent of early-2000s tech. It’s nostalgic but with New York City character, at least the kind that I encounter and not the one you see in movies.

If you follow either brand, the partnership feels natural. HIDDEN.NY started as an Instagram mood board and grew into a full lifestyle platform rooted in street culture and design. AIAIAI is a Danish company that’s long been part of music culture, known for modular gear that artists use.

The first thing you notice is the colorway. The transparent design with green highlights is subtle. It’s not loud but still stands out.

You can see the structure of the headphones, which makes them feel more like an accessory than just another piece of black plastic tech. Bonus points that they are a conversation starter, too.

In daily use, the headphones are easy to live with. They are light and comfortable, which is important when you’re wearing them for long stretches. They don’t clamp too hard nor do they feel bulky.

Sound-wise, they’re clean and balanced. While it doesn’t have active noise cancellation, it works well for all the ways people actually listen in a big city. I like that you don’t have to think about the sound much.

It’s just good in a way that doesn’t get in your way, whatever mood I’m in wherever I am in the city, these headphones are great company.

AIAIAI’s modular approach also means these aren’t built to be tossed when something wears out. The speaker, headband, earpads, and cable are all replaceable.

So much of the tech we use should grow with us, even if they get outdated. So AIAIAI builds systems that can be upgraded over time. That’s part of why artists and DJs use them.

Especially because it’s a collectible, it feels like a piece you’ll want to keep. As someone who uses his prized possessions for a really long time, I love this about these headphones.

In a city where everything moves fast and feels temporary, it’s nice to have gear that doesn’t feel disposable.

The campaign, shot by photographer Gunner Stahl, probably looks familiar if you’re attuned to hiphop culture. What sets his work apart is his portraits feel more raw and relaxed instead of posed and polished. It aligns with HIDDEN.NY’s aesthetic, the kind of everyday style that feels genuine.

At the end of the day, the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 Bluetooth headphones make sense for people who live in cities like New York, where music is part of how you move, work, and think.

They sound good, they look interesting and different. They fit into real life without trying too hard.

The TMA-2 Hidden Edition headphones retail for US$220 and is available on aiaiai.audio.

Accessories

G-DRAGON is CASETiFY’s first ever Global Brand Ambassador

Right on time with the brand’s 15th-year milestone

Published

January 22, 2026

Vincenz

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

One of K-Pop’s most iconic soloists of all time has finally partnered up with the globally-renowned case maker.

And this isn’t like any other CASETiFY’s K-Pop Collab, this is much grander than that.

i-naugural Brand iCON

You heard that right! CASETiFY reveals their first ever Global Brand Ambassador.

Amassing 25 million Instagram followers, over 1.2 Billion YouTube views, and hitting almost 4 Million Spotify listeners, G-DRAGON has truly marked his footprint as the “King of K-Pop” — more than just being the iconic member of the global hit group BIGBANG.

His long overdue comeback (and world tour) with ‘Übermensch’ last 2025 further proves how massive the VIP (and FAM) community is.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by PEACEMINUSONE®️ (@peaceminusonedotcom)

That said, GD’s influence isn’t limited to the music industry alone. Art and fashion have also witnessed his legendary artistry through his PEACEMINUSONE label. That pretty daisy with a fallen petal is the brand’s most iconic emblem you can see around.

The introduction of his fashion line was connected to music as well. It was introduced way back in 2013 during his ‘COUP D’ETAT’ solo promotions which was a true hit. It was totally evident in the album art’s peace symbol minus that one line.

Wesley Ng, CASETiFY’s CEO and Co-Founder (who’s also fashion-savvy), said that “welcoming G-DRAGON as the brand’s first Global iCON is a powerful statement.” This will not only amplify the reach of the already-popular case maker, it will also influence the brand’s creative direction.

After all, one’s artistic expression can be seen easily with the cases we rock out and about.

i-conic CHROMATIC

In line with this milestone also lies a new collection of cases and accessories.

The all-new CHROMATIC Collection is built around two concepts: FORMS & HUES. First, the CHROMATIC: FORMS set is headlined by the premium-made Alloy Ripple Case with an upgraded aluminum material.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Speaking of aluminum, the accompanying accessories are all metallic — from the 2-in-1 cross-body chain to custom cube charms for bespoke personalization.

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

Meanwhile, the CHROMATIC: HUES adds five new vibrant shades to CASETiFY’s ever-popular Ripple Collection through the Neon Ripple Case. These bold range of colors not only embody users’ creativity and self-expression, it also showcases an individual’s overall aesthetics.