Wearables

Apple launches Year of the Tiger-themed AirPods

Complete with free red envelopes

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The New Year means that Chinese New Year is right around the corner. To celebrate the event, some brands are releasing themed products limited only for the time being. Apple, one of those brands, has announced a Chinese New Year-themed pair of AirPods with Year of the Tiger aesthetics.

A bit less than a month before the Chinese New Year’s start on February 1, Apple is now selling the themed wearable for some markets in Asia. The wearable’s case will sport an engraving of a cute cartoon tiger. Besides that, the AirPods’ packaging will also have the themed logo in red.

Under the hood, the device still has the same specs and hardware as the standard AirPods without the design. If your country doesn’t offer the themed AirPods, you’re not missing much. However, if the design does entice you, you might have to find the device in Asian countries, especially where Chinese New Year is celebrated. Apple had already confirmed China and Hong Kong as markets for the themed wearable.

The Chinese New Year-themed AirPods is available for HK$ 1,999. Buyers who grab the device will also get free red envelopes emblazoned with different Chinese zodiac signs wearing a tiger suit.

If the minimalist design from Apple isn’t in your wheelhouse, Beats by Dre (which Apple owns) has also released their own themed wearables. Instead of just a simple logo, the Beats version has golden tiger stripes on both earbuds and the case.

SEE ALSO: AirPods 3 Unboxing and Review

Wearables

Sony adds open-clip earbuds to lineup with LinkBuds Clip

Well-designed clip-on earbuds

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Sony has officially announced the Sony LinkBuds Clip, giving consumers a new open-clip truly wireless earbuds option instead of the usual in-ear variant.

Designed with customer feedback in mind, the LinkBuds Clip combines a natural listening experience and situational awareness. They feature a unique, rounded, and ergonomic open shape that fits comfortably in any ear.

The C-shaped design doesn’t intrude the ear canal and securely and easily fits various ear shapes. The main body and upper band provide a wide fitting range and excellent stability as well.

Matching-colored Air Fitting Cushions are also included, allowing users to adjust the fit by changing the band’s position. This socially friendly design also enables listening while talking naturally to people around.

Of course, the new product does not compromise on Sony’s renowned audio quality. There are three listening modes: Standard, Voice Boost, and Sound Leakage Reduction. Listeners can expect clean and balanced bass, mids, and trebles for both music and podcasts.

Digital Sound Enhancement restores high-frequency details to deliver sound closer to the original recording.

Moreover, clear calls with advanced voice pickup technology also isolates and enhances voice for scenarios which need them.

Sony leveraged AI for this feature’s noise reduction algorithm to help with clear speech across a wide range of environments.

The Sony LinkBuds Clip offers up to 37 hours of battery life and an IPX4 water resistance, among other useful features like 360-degree audio and custom settings via the Sound Connect app.

The LinkBuds Clip come in four colors: Lavender, griege, green, and black, with the charging case also customizable with different color pieces. Sony’s latest wearable costs US$ 229.99.

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News

Two new Xiaomi audio wearables join REDMI Note 15 Series

The Mijia Smart Audio Glasses and REDMI Buds 8 Lite

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Xiaomi has launched two new audio wearables on the same day it launched the REDMI Note 15 in the Philippines.

These two wearables are the Mijia Smart Audio Glasses and the REDMI Buds 8 Lite.

The two new offerings expand Xiaomi’s ecosystem, bringing innovative features in different form factors to users.

Mijia Smart Audio Glasses

The Mijia Smart Audio Glasses house a speaker system and four built-in microphones in a stylish eyewear design.

This enables users to stay aware of surroundings while enjoying crystal-clear audio and 4.5m/s wind noise reduction.

It is an ideal accessory for city walks, outdoor travel, and even more discreet scenarios like meetings and calls with a new privacy mode.

This mode leverages a custom algorithm to ensure clear audio while significantly reducing sound leakage.

Inside the glasses are non-coaxial steel-cased batteries. Full charging takes just about an hour, and fuels up to 13 hours of music playback.

Users can connect the wearable to the Xiaomi Glasses app for greater customization and control.

The Mijia glasses are available in three styles: Titanium, Pilot-Style, and Browline. All lenses can be replaced with prescription ones if needed.

In addition, the Browline and Titanium come with up to 25% blue light protection lenses while the Pilot-Style features up to a 99.99% UV light blocking rate.

Pricing:

  • Browline and Pilot-Style: Starts at PhP 10,999
  • Titanium: Starts at PhP 12,999

REDMI Buds 8 Lite

On the other hand, the REDMI Buds 8 Lite are built for those who seek practicality and crystal-clear sound at the same time.

The buds house large 12.4mm titanium-diaphragm drivers for clear sound and rich detail. They support Bluetooth 5.4 connection for AAC and SBC audio codecs for high-quality audio across a wide range of devices.

Moreover, the REDMI Buds 8 Lite feature up to 42dB hybrid active noise cancellation, on top of a Transparency Mode.

The ANC uses a combination of talk and feedback microphones to effectively detect and suppress ambient noise.

And with the Xiaomi Earbuds app, users can tailor-fit the sound better to their liking with five pre-installed EQ modes and the option to customize EQ tuning.

The Buds 8 Lite is available in Black, White, and Blue starting at PhP 1,199.

Joining the two new Xiaomi audio wearables are other AIoT devices that are now available at online and offline Xiaomi stores: the Mijia Smart Air Purifier Max, Xiaomi Electric Scooter 6, and 6 Lite.

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CES 2026

Leion Hey2, world’s 1st AR Translation Glasses, launched at CES 2026

Real-time translation with focus on making conversations feel more natural

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LLVision has announced the Leion Hey2 at CES 2026. It is the world’s first AI-powered professional AR translation glasses that are meant to make conversations feel more natural rather than mediated by real-time translation technology.

The wearable comes with a four-microphone array with 360-degree spatial voice detection. It weighs just 49 grams, and has a lightweight magnesium-alloy frame and adjustable titanium nose pads.

LLVision mentioned the Leion Hey2 prioritizes keeping conversations natural and uninterrupted by displaying real-time subtitles directly in the user’s line of sight.

Waveguide optics paired with a micro-LED light engine deliver crisp, stable text across real-world lighting conditions.

The display is intentionally restrained to keep subtitles clear and readable while preserving eye contact.

Engineered for real-world conversations

The company said it spent more than a decade in developing integrated AI and AR solutions focused on real-world multilingual communication.

From hardware architecture to interaction design, every decision is shaped by the demands of real-time, human communication.

LLVision also claims the Hey2 treats translation as a primary feature, instead of just an add-on on top of entertainment, cameras, and more, unlike other smart glasses.

This way, dialogues feel more natural rather than feeling mediated by technology. At least, on paper.

In addition, the Leion Hey2 supports more than 100 languages and dialects, and can deliver sub-500ms translation latency in real-world use.

On a single full charge, the wearable offers up to six to eight hours of continuous translation on its own. Paired with a charging case, the device can last 96 hours total.

Furthermore, the Hey2 also supports real-time captioning for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users, expanding accessibility.

More importantly, all data processing follows GDPR-aligned privacy principles and is supported by secure cloud infrastructure built on Microsoft Azure.

Users remain in control and can review, manage, or delete translation history at any time.

Price, availability

The Leion Hey2 is now available in the United States via LLVision’s official online store. It is priced at US$ 549.

Until January 31, customers can also preorder the device for just US$ 499. Preorders come with a clip-on sunglass lens and 1,200 minutes of Pro translation service.

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