Ceramic kamado-style grills have been some of the best grilling gear available for backyard cooks for a long time. However, it takes practice to master lighting them and maintaining proper temperatures. Kamado Joe aims to get rid of those frustrations with its latest smart grill. The Konnected Joe is equipped with a push-button charcoal igniter and a digitally controlled fan system. The former gets the grill going and while the latter keeps the heat level where you need it. 

The Konnected Joe is a true kamado grill at its core. The ceramic chamber has trademark Kamado Joe design features like an Air Lift hinge that raises the lid with ease, two-tier cooking inside, side shelves and a slide-out ash drawer for quick cleaning. The 18-inch diameter cooking surface offers 250 square inches of grilling space. The company says this is enough room for 13 burgers, four whole chickens or two pork butts. In the bottom of the cooking chamber, Kamado Joe has added a so-called Automatic Fire Starter that ignites charcoal with a simple button press. The company says this tool can have your grill ready to use in less than 15 minutes. 

Kamado Joe

The smart grilling features center around Kamado Joe's Kontrol System. This setup includes the Kontrol Board digital display, the Kontrol Fan that maintains temperature and the Kontrol Tower vent up top. The entire system is controlled from the Kamado Joe app where you can adjust and monitor grill temps, keep tabs on food temperatures (up to three probes at once) and check in on cook times. Plus, you can do all of this without being near the grill. The Konnected Joe has a temperature range of 200-700 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can expect to do low-and-slow smoking, high-heat searing and everything in between. An Automatic Cook Mode puts step-by-step guidance on the grill's display and a Classic Cook Mode allows you to do everything manually. 

The Konnected Joe is $1,699, $300 less than the WiFi-equipped Pellet Joe that debuted in 2020. Pre-orders start today at the company's website, The Home Depot and other retailers. Kamado Joe says the grill will begin shipping in June.

When it comes to headphone design, Master & Dynamic has carved out a niche. The company’s signature look of metal and leather, immediately set it apart from the competition when the wired MH40 debuted in 2014. M&D followed up with a wireless version in 2019, giving its non-ANC (active noise canceling) over-ear headphones a modern update. Now the company is back with a second-generation wireless model, touting improvements to audio, battery and more. The third iteration of the MH40 is undoubtedly an improvement on the last, but are the company’s design chops enough to overcome the lack of features compared to similarly priced alternatives?

Design

One element that has always set Master & Dynamic apart from the competition is its design. From those first MH40 headphones, the company has relied on aluminum construction instead of plastic for several products. What’s more, it blends the metal with other premium materials like canvas and leather. For the second-generation MH40 Wireless, the company has stayed true to its roots, right down to the vintage, aviator-inspired look.

Alongside the aluminum body, a coated canvas-wrapped headband is color matched to removable lambskin leather ear pads. With all of those high-end materials, the MH40 weighs 280 grams – 30 grams more than Sony’s WH-1000XM5. Still, the extra heft isn’t a burden, these feel lightweight, comfy, and the cushiony ear pads keep you from feeling the outer rim of the ear cups.

Like the previous version, the on-board controls reside on the right ear cup. A three-button array is positioned near the headband hinge, giving you controls for calls, music, voice assistant and volume (including a mute button). The dual-function power/pairing button sits on the outer edge alongside the USB-C port and a multi-color pairing/battery life indicator. I’ll always advocate for physical controls over a touch panel, mostly because they’re more reliable. That’s certainly the case here, as I was easily able to execute multiple presses on the center button for skipping tracks.

Software and features

Billy Steele/Engadget

The M&D Connect app is the companion software for the MH40. Here, battery level is the most prominently displayed item, along with a note if your headphones are up to date firmware-wise. A tap on the gear icon reveals options for sound, controls and “about device.” Inside the sound menu, Master & Dynamic gives you four EQ presets: bass boost, bass cut, podcast (mids and vocals) and audiophile (mids and highs). By default, there’s no equalizer setting selected and the app will remember which one you picked so you don’t have to select it each time you activate the so-called E-Preset EQ. You can also enable Sidetone on the sound menu, allowing you to hear some of your own voice during calls. This comes in handy as it keeps you from feeling the need to speak loudly to hear yourself through the passive noise isolation.

While Sidetone is a nice feature, you can only activate it in the app, which means before a call (or more likely, during the first few seconds of one) you’ll have to swipe over to the sound menu to turn it on. I realize the MH40 doesn’t have ANC so there’s not a dedicated button that selects a noise-canceling mode. But perhaps there could be an option to reassign the long press on the center button, from summoning a voice assistant, to triggering Sidetone.

On the controls menu, the app gives you the option of renaming the device from M&D MH40W and changing the automatic shut-off timer from the default 30 minutes (one hour, three hours and never are the other options). From this screen you can also trigger a factory reset.

Sound quality

Billy Steele/Engadget

After testing several Master & Dynamics’ products over the years, it’s clear the company has a knack for warm, natural sound that’s devoid of any heavy-handed tuning. Across genres, there’s no over-reliance on bombastic bass or painfully brilliant highs. That continues on the second-gen MH40 Wireless where there’s ample low-end tone when a track demands it, like Mike Shinoda’s remix of Deftones’ “Passenger.” But the bass is a complement to everything else, and the default EQ works well across the sonic spectrum.

Master & Dynamic swapped out the drivers on the previous version for 40mm titanium units that it says produce “clearer highs and richer lows.” Indeed, the treble is punchy throughout a range of musical styles, and the bass can be as thick and thumping as a song requires. Other headphones may offer low boom, but it blends better with the mids and highs on the MH40, making the even the deepest bass on RTJ4 more pleasant to listen to.

There’s great attention to detail in the sound profile of the MH40 too, and again, it’s apparent across different types of music. However, this is most evident with genres like bluegrass and jazz – multi-instrumental arrangements with interwoven sections emphasizing different players at different times. It’s not quite on the level of what Bowers & Wilkins manages with its latest headphones, which are some of the best-sounding I’ve reviewed. But Master & Dynamic does a solid job with the subtle nuances of sound, from pick noise on a mandolin to the percussive thumps of an upright bass.

When it comes to calls, the new MH40 offers a better overall experience than its predecessor, but there’s still room for improvement. The new microphone setup does a solid job with constant background noise. It doesn’t pick up things like white noise machines and clothes dryers. The headphones aren’t great with louder distractions and it picks those up in greater detail if you’ve got Sidetone active.

Battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Master & Dynamic promises up to 30 hours of battery life on the new MH40. That’s up from 18 hours on the first wireless version of the headphones, but it's not any longer than most ANC models. Audio-Technica's best non-ANC model lasts up to 50 hours, for example. There’s also a quick-charge feature that will give you up to six hours of use in 15 minutes. During my testing, I managed to hit the stated time before having to plug them in, but I didn’t go beyond. That’s doing a mix of music, podcasts and calls (with Sidetone) at around 75 percent volume and leaving the headphones off overnight a few times.

The competition

In terms of non-ANC headphones, one of my favorite options is Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50xBT2. Like the MH40, this is a second-generation model with notable improvements over the M50xBT. Multi-point Bluetooth pairing, built-in Alexa and a low latency mode were added on top of the company’s blend of warm audio tone with a really comfy set of cans. Plus, they’re currently on sale for $179 – $20 less than the original price and less than half of what you’ll pay for the new MH40.

If you’re looking for noise canceling headphones, Master & Dynamic sells the MW75 with a more modern design than the company’s other over- and on-ear products. Adaptive ANC is powered by a set of four microphones and there are three noise-canceling modes to choose from. The MW75 is also equipped with wear detection to help you extend that 28-hour listening time (with ANC on). However, these headphones are a whopping $599, only surpassed by Bowers & Wilkins’ Px8 for the most expensive headphones I’ve tested recently.

For the best wireless headphones currently available, you’ll want to consider Sony’s WH-1000XM5. Simply put, no other company comes close to what Sony offers on its flagship set in terms of mixing features, sound quality and ANC performance. While they’re pricey at $398, you get more for that investment. Plus, we’ve seen the M5 on sale for as low as $279.

Wrap-up

What features are you willing to give up for headphones with standout looks and good sound? That’s really what you have to consider with the MH40. There’s no denying this second-gen model is an upgrade from the first wireless version. All of the things the company says it improved hold true, from the sound quality to the battery life and microphone performance. Had the company done so without boosting the price, I could make a strong argument for the new MH40. But at $399, there are flagship noise-canceling headphones from other companies that simply offer too much when compared to M&D’s latest. Unless, of course, the main thing that matters to you is a deft hand with product design.

The selection committees have made their picks and the brackets are set. Another installment of arguably the best sports weekend of the year is about to tip off. March Madness or the NCAA basketball tournaments begin today with two First Four games on the men’s side. Thanks to the NCAA’s partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery for the men’s tournament, and Disney (ESPN) for the women’s, you can stream every game and some will even be available for free. Here's your guide on how to stream March Madness 2023, from where to watch to when the games begin.

When does March Madness start?

Depending on who you ask, the 2023 NCAA Tournament either begins Tuesday or Thursday. On March 14th and 15th, the March Madness schedule includes First Four or four “play-in” games take place. These allow four more teams to “make the tournament” than if the selection committee just filled the two 16-seed and two 12-seed slots with one school in each spot. Some people argue the entire event doesn’t really start until Thursday and Friday, March 16th and 17th, when the First Round officially tips off.

No matter which side you land on, the First Four games will start at 6:40PM ET each night on truTV while Thursday and Friday games begin at 12:15PM ET, with the first game on CBS. These two days are the busiest and some of the most popular of the tournament as 16 games take place on each. Yes, these are two of the least productive days of the entire year in the US. It’s also the most popular time to schedule a vasectomy. Action continues with the Second Round on Saturday and Sunday, March 18th and 19th, before a break until next Thursday. This is when the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds are played over the course of the second four-day weekend of the tournament. The Final Four is set for Saturday, April 1st while the National Championship Game will go down on Monday, April 3rd.

How to stream the 2022 Men’s NCAA Tournament

Lance King via Getty Images

Unlike during the regular season when you need to know which network your team’s conference has a broadcast deal with to find most of the games, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports holds the rights to the entire Men’s NCAA Tournament. This means you’ll be able to watch all 67 games, including the First Four, on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. If you have cable, you’re all set. If you pay for a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu, you’re also in good shape. If you don’t have either, don’t worry, you can still watch a good chunk of the tournament.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports will allow anyone to watch the games broadcast by CBS on the web and mobile devices without a TV provider log-in. Paramount+ users will be able to do the same through that streaming app. If you do have credentials from your TV plan, you can stream everything through March Madness Live that’s available on a host of devices. You can find it on Android and iOS for mobile and macOS and the web on the desktop. For streaming devices, it’s on Apple TV, Fire TV, Google TV, Roku and Xbox as well as some LG smart TVs.

With some of those home entertainment devices, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports will give you a very handy feature. On Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV and Xbox One, the March Madness Live app will allow you to stream two games at once. On the web, however, is where you’ll find the best option. Starting this year, the broadcaster has added the ability to stream up to four games simultaneously. If you opt for mobile or tablet versions, you’ll get picture-in-picture viewing while you browse away from the main game. The company has also expanded its Fast Break whiparound broadcast beyond mobile and web for 2023, adding the real-time analysis of big plays to its apps for streaming devices, consoles and smart TVs.

NCAA/WBD Sports/CBS Sports

YouTube TV has also added multiview streaming just in time for the tournament, but the platform is only offering preselected groupings – you won’t have the ability to pick which games you follow on your own right now. YouTube TV’s version is also only available to selected subscribers in early access, but it will be available on any smart TV or streaming device that supports the service.

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports has also added CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility this year, giving you easy access to live radio broadcasts in the school pick up line. On iOS, the March Madness Live app now supports Live Activities, so you can get live updates right on your lock screen should you be burdened with a meeting during a game you’re interested in.

You can certainly use your cable interface or streaming TV service of choice, but Warner Bros. Discovery Sports has made March Madness Live a centralized hub for the tournament. If you have log-in credentials that get you access to everything, using those will allow you to jump from game to game much faster than scrolling through a guide. And the broadcaster also gives you all of the alerts and stats you could ask for, including the ability to easily follow picks from your March Madness bracket if you filled it out on NCAA.com.

Streaming the 2022 Women’s NCAA Tournament

USA TODAY USPW / reuters

As if one National Championship tournament in March wasn’t enough, the Women’s edition takes place at the same time. It’s March Madness, after all. The First Four is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, March 15th and 16th, with the March Madness schedule consisting of the First and Second rounds playing out between Friday, March 17th and Monday, March 20th. Sweet Sixteen and Elite 8 runs Friday to Monday again, starting March 24th, and the Final Four and National Championship Game are set for March 31st and April 2nd.

If you notice there are some scheduling differences so that there are only women’s games on Mondays and both the Final Four and championship are slotted between the same events for the men. So when it comes down to crunch time, you can watch the conclusion of both tournaments live without having to sacrifice viewing the other.

ESPN has the rights to the Women’s NCAA Tournament, so you can expect games to show up on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS. The first two of the First Four games will be broadcast at 7PM ET and 9PM ET on ESPNU Wednesday night with the second pair on ESPN2 Thursday evening. First Round matchups begin at 11:30AM ET on Friday and Saturday on ESPN2, with subsequent games on those days expanding to the other networks.

Once again, if you have a cable plan or streaming TV service with Disney’s sports channels you’re all set. However, the best place to watch all of the action will be the ESPN app. Here, you’ll get access to a multicast feature that will give you up to four games at once (YouTube TV didn’t specify if it would include women’s games in its multiview trial). Multicast will be especially handy during those first four days of the tournament when there’s lots of action happening at the same time. However, it's only available on Apple TV and Xbox One.

Master & Dynamic debuted its first headphones, the MH40, in 2014. That wired set established the brand's lineage of vintage-inspired audio gear with designs that set itself apart from the competition. The company announced a wireless version in 2019, and today its back with another update to the MH40. This new 2nd-generation wireless model packs in updated drivers, longer battery life, improved microphone performance and customizable sound. What's more, it's available today in five color options, including the navy/silver combo pictured above. 

The company says new 40mm titanium drivers offer a blend of "crystal clear highs and full-sounding lows," describing the overall audio profile from these units as "more expansive." Updated compatibility with the M&D Connect app allows you to choose from "several" EQ presets if the stock tuning doesn't suit you. Master & Dynamic says you can expect up to 30 hours of listening on a charge now, up from 18 hours on the first MH40 wireless model. There's also a quick-charge feature that will give you six hours of use in 15 minutes. 

Master & Dynamic explains that an updated microphone setup is equipped with wind reduction, plus you can opt for Sidetone in the app which will allow you to hear a bit your own voice during calls. Lastly, Bluetooth 5.2 gives the new MH40 a range of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and the headphones support AAC, SBC and aptX Adaptive (up to 24-bit/96kHz). And no, there still isn't active noise cancellation (ANC) on these. For that feature, the company offers the pricey MW75.

One thing that hasn't changed is the overall design. The vintage, aviator-inspired aesthetic returns, blending aluminum, the company's trademark grille, a coated canvas headband and removable leather ear pads. The updated MH40 will cost you $100 more than the previous version though, as the company is selling this one for $399.

Apple said it was building a standalone app for classical music when it purchased, and subsequently shut down, the Primephonic streaming service. That was 2021, and until now, we haven't known when the new software would be available. The company announced today that Apple Music Classical will be available on March 28th as part of an existing Apple Music subscription. Users on the individual, student, family or Apple One plans will get access, but customers on the Apple Music Voice Plan won't be able to use the new app. 

At launch, Apple Music Classical will be available on all iPhones that run iOS 15.4 or later. Apple says a version of the app for Android is "coming soon." The catalog includes over five million tracks spanning new releases to "celebrated masterpieces." Apple says you'll be able to stream up to192 kHz/24 bit high-resolution lossless audio quality and "thousands" of recordings are available in spatial audio. The company also explains that a portion of its classical library is "thousands" of exclusive albums. 

In addition to the music, you can expect to browse written content like composer biographies, descriptions of key works and "deep-dive guides." Apple also says it rebuilt the app's search feature specifically for classical music queries and the app will serve up over 700 curated playlists. Overall, the app carries much of the same design as the main Apple Music software, although one key change is the company has swapped out the modern sans serif font for a serif for the main titles and section headings. The navigation bar is just four buttons in Apple Music Classical — Listen Now, Browse, Library and Search — as the Radio shortcut has been removed. Lastly, the music note on the app icon has been replaced with a treble clef.

Apple is letting eager listeners "pre-order" the app starting today in the App Store. Once you do, Apple Music Classical will automatically download on launch day as long as you have Auto Update selected in iOS settings. 

Bowers & Wilkins is on a bit of a roll. The company debuted two stellar-sounding sets of headphones in 2022: the Px7 S2 and the Px8. To kick off 2023, it revealed revamped versions of its true wireless earbuds. The more premium Pi7 S2 sits above the Pi5 S2 in the company’s lineup, offering support for aptX Adaptive and 24-bit/48kHz streaming from compatible devices and services. The retooled Pi7 also packs in adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC) and a case capable audio retransmission to set itself apart from the new Pi5. However, the S2 variants of the company’s high-end model are considerably more expensive than the best wireless earbuds we’ve reviewed and they lack polish in several key areas.

Design

Bowers & Wilkins didn’t reinvent the wheel when it came to the design of the Pi7 S2. The company stuck with the overall look from 2021’s Pi7, but it did change up the colors. Like the previous model, this IP54-rated S2 version comes in black and white options, but the previously copper-hued components are now silver. That change is primarily to the round exterior panel where the company’s branding and touch controls reside. There’s also a new third color – dark blue – which has gold accents. Bowers & Wilkins calls it Midnight Blue, but in person it’s more purple than blue to me.

All told, the Pi7 and Pi7 S2 have a unique shape that’s a flat oval with a circular touch panel on top. They aren’t the most comfortable earbuds to wear for long periods of time, but they stay in place when you move around. In terms of on-board controls, basic playback functions are here and they’re mirrored on both sides. A long press on the right side will summon your voice assistant, while doing the same on the left cycles between ANC and off. The Pi7 S2 does remember if you had the earbuds set to regular noise cancellation or the company’s auto-adjusting option. However, there’s no way to trigger transparency mode on the earbuds themselves and there’s no option for volume controls. Both are pretty big omissions for a $400 set.

Software and features

Billy Steele/Engadget

Like recent Bowers & Wilkins headphones, the Pi7 S2 settings are accessible inside the company’s Music app. Here, you can select your noise cancellation mode (on, auto or off), activate passthrough (transparency mode), manage connections (multipoint available for two devices), disable the wear sensor (automatic pausing) and determine streaming quality. The main view for the Pi7 S2 also displays battery life for the earbuds and the case separately, but you only get one number for the buds – not an individual percentage for each one. The app also lets you connect a handful of music services to use the software as your media player. Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, TuneIn, SoundCloud and NTS are the supported options here.

And that’s really it. There’s no option to adjust EQ to select from presets the company made for the Pi7 S2. Even with its recent headphones, Bowers & Wilkins included treble and bass sliders so you could make adjustments. Sure, the changes from those controls are basic and fairly subtle, but the option is there. You also can’t switch up the on-board controls, like reassigning the long press action. Which means you’re stuck with the left side cycling between ANC on or off, with no quick access to transparency mode.

One feature that sets the Pi7 S2 apart from much of the competition is its wireless transmission case. You can take the included USB-C to 3.5mm cable and use the earbuds with devices where a straight Bluetooth connection isn’t possible – like an in-flight entertainment system. All you have to do is plug the cable into both the case and the other device and the earbuds will automatically connect. The charging/pairing indicator on the outside of the case will slowly blink white when everything is in sync. Bowers & Wilkins isn’t the only company to offer this and it included the tool on the Pi7 too. However, the feature is far from commonplace at this point though it is popping up more frequently on new models.

Sound quality

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins’ Px7 S2 headphones were some of the best we reviewed last year in terms of pure sound quality. The company took things a step further with its high-end Px8, continuing its track record of well-balanced tuning with outstanding clarity and detail. While the Pi7 S2 aren’t quite on par with the company’s headphones, the overall audio here is still very good. I wouldn’t put these earbuds ahead of Sennheiser’s premium true wireless option, but Bowers & Wilkins isn’t far off. In fact, when it comes to reproducing subtle details, I’d argue the Pi7 S2 is slightly better than the Momentum 3 – but only on that one specific criteria.

The stunning detail is apparent when you listen to Makaya McCraven’s In These Times and other jazz albums. Ditto for multi-instrumental bluegrass. These genres showcase what the Pi7 S2 is capable of when it comes to clarity and subtlety. In the case of McCraven, it’s not just a kick drum, you can hear the nuance that this is that trademark, kind of muffled bass drum that’s a mainstay of the musical style. Horns float on top of everything else when they’re present, giving the instrumental tracks a vocal cadence even when there isn’t one.

More chaotic genres like hard rock and metal are a mixed bag. Some tracks are open, airy and bombastic while others come across slightly muffled and subdued. There’s ample bass throughout though, which means the kick drum is tight and punchy no matter the rest. When it comes to hip hop and electronic music – anything with a constant, driving bass line – the Pi7 S2 does better. More specifically, these earbuds are among the few that allow you to almost feel the low-end tone in a rap track when it hits that certain frequency. Earl Sweatshirt’s SICK! exhibits this quality well. For synth-heavy styles, like Sylvan Esso’s electro-pop No Rules Sandy, the Pi7 S2 perfectly captures the oscillation in Nick Sanborn’s composition on songs like “Echo Party.” There’s a lot of finer synthesizer work here and the Pi7 S2 doesn’t miss a single detail.

One area where the Pi7 S2 is just OK is canceling out noise. The earbuds do an admirable job in most scenarios, combatting constant annoying sounds that could otherwise hinder productivity. Like many sets of true wireless buds, these aren’t the best with human voices and other sounds will occasionally pierce through. The Auto noise canceling setting does improve ANC performance over the default “on'' option, but the Pi7 S2 is nowhere close to what Sony, Bose and others at the top of the heap can muster. And, again, when you’re evaluating a set of $400 earbuds, adequate just isn’t good enough.

In terms of call quality, the Pi7 S2 is a capable option. They’re not the absolute best, and they don’t handle background noise well, but the earbuds won’t leave you sounding like you’re on speaker phone, which is the case with most of the competition. You’ll definitely want to activate transparency mode here, even though that setting isn’t as natural-sounding as it is on Apple’s AirPods Pro and others. Bowers & Wilkins allows you to hear what’s going on around you, so you won’t feel the need to shout to hear yourself. However, the earbuds don’t feed your voice back through, so it’s not nearly the pristine experience as using the AirPods Pro or AirPods Max for calls.

Battery life

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins promises up to five hours of battery life on a charge on the Pi7 S2, up from four hours on the Pi7. You’ll also get an additional 16 hours in the case and the ability to charge wirelessly. During my tests, I was able to hit this mark reliably with ANC on even though the company’s estimate is based on it being turned off. However, unlike recent Bowers & Wilkins headphones I’ve tested, the Pi7 S2 didn’t surpass the stated figures. The company has also included a quick-charge feature that will give you two hours of use in 15 minutes.

Five hours is significantly less than much of the competition. Sony’s WF-1000XM4, for example, clocks in at eight hours with active noise cancellation. For a set of $400 earbuds, I’d expect at least that much or more.

The competition

Despite being nearly two years old, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 are still the best true wireless earbuds you can buy right now. Simply put, no other company comes close to offering the truckload of features Sony has crammed into its premium buds. On top of great sound quality and capable noise cancellation, the M4 can automatically pause when you start talking, is equipped with a quick attention mode and can change sound settings based on your activity or location. Currently $278, they’re a huge savings over the Pi7 S2 and you can typically catch them on sale for even less.

In terms of pure sound performance, the closest competition to the Pi7 S2 is Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3. They’re available for half of what you’ll pay for the latest Bowers & Wilkins premium earbuds, the audio quality is very good and they pack in more battery life than the Pi7 S2 – seven hours on the earbuds with three full charges in the case. If you’re looking for the best noise-canceling chops, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II should be considered. They’re $100 less than the Pi7 S2 and do a much better job of blocking out distractions.

Wrap-up

Billy Steele/Engadget

Bowers & Wilkins has established itself as one of the best audio companies in terms of pure audio performance. The company’s Px line of headphones are sonically among the best you can buy and that trend continues for its latest high-end earbuds. However, for a set of $400 earbuds, the Pi7 need to be nearly flawless to justify the premium price that’s over $100 more than some of the closest rivals. While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit.

The vertical TikTok-style video feed has invaded a lot of the apps we use on a daily basis and now it's officially coming to one more. After announcing a beta test last year, Spotify will begin rolling a new design for the Home section of its mobile app with a "more visual, dynamic" look. The company says the visual feeds are "built for deeper discovery and more meaningful connections between artists and fans."

Music, Podcasts and Audiobooks sections will also give you the ability to "scroll purposefully" through the new feeds where Spotify will offer audio and video clips for you to preview. If you find something you want to hear in its entirety, there are options to save, share, preview multiple songs (playlists or albums), read episode transcriptions and watch video podcasts. These visual feeds will also be in the Search interface, where you can scroll through clips arranged by genre. Additionally, Spotify says it will put the visual content inside of its curated playlists like Discover Weekly, Release Radar, New Music Friday and Rap Caviar. The company sees this as a way to offer previews for songs in those collections before you hit play. Unlike some of the early tests, Spotify hasn't added a fourth button to the app's navigation bar for these newly scrollable feeds.

For the Music tab, users in the US and Canada will see Spotify's AI DJ just below the collection of eight personalized shortcuts. When you begin to scroll, the app will serve up audio and visual snippets of a song (you can watch muted if you prefer). From here, you can preview up to five different songs from an album or playlist by tapping on the cards — much like you would for Instagram Stories. Spotify will also give you some brief context as to why you're seeing these recommendations. 

Spotify

For the Podcasts section, you'll still see those eight shortcuts up top while the rest of the feed will preview selected shows for you. Each recommendation will have an audio sample and real-time transcription or a video clip if the show was recorded in that format. If you want to continue listening, you'll have the option of picking up at the part you previewed or starting from the beginning. Spotify says the Audiobook feed will function much like the Podcast previews. 

Spotify is also renaming its Enhance tool that debuted in 2021. Now called Smart Shuffle, the feature not only adds suggestions to playlists "that perfectly match the vibe," it also mixes up the order. You can activate it by double tapping on the shuffle icon. When you've done so you'll notice a shuffle icon with a star in the top left and any track that is added by suggestion will be highlighted in the list. You can quickly remove all of the app's recommendations by tapping on the Smart Shuffle button once more, reverting the playlist back to your carefully constructed collection. 

Lastly, the company is adding auto play for podcasts to its app. Just like it does for music, Spotify will give you the ability to automatically begin "another relevant episode" based on what you were listening to. Also like it does for music, the company is giving you the ability to turn auto play off, so when your podcast ends you can enjoy the silence. 

Pizza ovens are all the rage in outdoor tech, and one of the biggest names in the game is Ooni. The company has a full line of models that use wood, charcoal or gas to give you the hot-and-fast pizzeria experience in minutes. Ooni promises high-heat cooking for Neapolitan-style pizza, plus the ability to bake other styles, bread and even sear steaks with its ovens. Until now, all of the company's products have been made for outdoor use, but today it's debuting its first indoor model: the Volt 12.

Taking design cues from the high-end Karu 16, the Volt 12 is also Ooni's first all-electric pizza oven. The company says you can use it indoors or outside thanks to a powder-coated carbon steel exterior and "advanced" insulation that retain heat and withstand the weather. A front-mounted control panel offers temperature, time and balance controls to help you dial-in your cooks. That balance dial allows you to adjust the Volt 12 for different styles, according to Ooni. What's more, an optional boost function returns the baking stone to ideal temp between pies so you're not waiting to launch the next one. 

Interior lighting for the 13-inch surface and an insulated glass door let you keep an eye on things. The company explains that the oven can get hot enough for Neapolitan-style pizza in 90 seconds and is capable of hitting 850 degrees Fahrenheit in 20 minutes. Compare that to the multi-fuel Karu 16 which takes 15 minutes to hit 950 degrees. Ooni says the Volt 12 will turn off after 45 minutes if it detects that nothing is being cooked. The company also touts built-in handles for portability, but the oven does weigh nearly 40 pounds, so it's not so easily tossed in the back of the car on a whim. The Volt 12 also costs $999, on par with Breville's Pizzaiolo, which that company says was the first countertop oven capable of hitting 750 degrees and offers a variety of presets for different styles. 

Ooni

In addition to the Volt 12, Ooni is also revealing the outdoor Karu 12G. A more compact version of the Karu 16, this 12-inch model also offers the ability to use wood or gas to bake pizzas (gas burner sold separately). Design wise, it looks a lot like its predecessor, with the key difference being an analog thermometer on the 12G replacing the digital temperature gauge on the 16. The new 12G also keeps the wide-leg design from the Karu 16 with a locking rear leg for extra stability. 

Ooni says the Karu 12G stays hotter for longer versus the Karu 12 thanks to better heat retention and insulation. There's also a hinged door that helps keep the heat inside, and it's built with a glass panel for baking views. The company explains that better airflow on the Karu 12G leads to more even cooking on the oven that's capable of hitting 950 degrees Fahrenheit. Ooni says this model can hit 850 degrees 29-percent faster than its previous models and it uses 46-percent less gas. The Karu 12G will be available for $429, which is more expensive than the $300 Karu 12, but a little more than half the cost of the $799 Karu 16.

Beats Fit Pro debuted in late 2021, but the earbuds remain the best true wireless option from the Apple-owned company well over a year later. Today, Beats is adding three new colors for the fitness-focused model: coral pink, volt yellow and tidal blue. These new hues join black, white, stone purple and sage gray in the company's lineup. They'll be available Thursday, February 23rd for $200 from Apple and other retailers.

Since their arrival, Beats Fit Pro have been some of our favorite workout earbuds. In fact, we've named them the best option for those activities in our most recent buyer's guide. You get all of the convenience of Apple's AirPods in a more comfortable design. That includes hands-free Siri, Adaptive EQ, spatial audio and quick pairing. The Fit Pro also offer solid noise-canceling performance and punchy bass that keeps the energy up while not overpowering the rest of the mix. There's no wireless charging and some features are exclusive to iOS, but Beats does offer a dedicated app for Android users for a fit test, customization and other items that are built into Apple's software. 

In recent months, we've seen the Fit Pro for as low as $145, though they were most recently on sale for $150. However, you may not find a deal on the new colors any time soon.

Beats

Ram pulled the wraps off its 1500 REV electric truck concept at CES, following that up with a proper unveiling earlier this month. Eager early adopters could reserve a 2024 model with a $100 deposit for the so-called Ram REV Insider+ membership. However, late last week, Stellantis shut down pre-orders as "membership max capacity" had been reached. Initial news of the closure was posted on a Ram 1500 REV forum early Friday and Jalopnik confirmed with the automaker that reservations were indeed sold out. No additional information on the number of memberships purchased or when they might re-open was made available to the outlet.

During the official debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Ram revealed an electric truck that looks more like its gas-powered siblings than the futuristic design we saw at CES. That's not uncommon as Ford's F-150 Lightning also closely resembles it's massively popular existing lineup. We still don't know much about the 1500 REV's specs yet, though Car and Driver reports it will have a battery pack that can quick charge at 350 kilowatts that's based on 800-volt architecture. Ram is targeting a driving range of up to 500 miles and towing capacity over 10,000 pounds. 

The Ram concept featured an interior that can be reconfigured for three rows of seating thanks to a powered midgate. And with the midgate down, the 1500 REV can carry items up to 18 feet in length. It's unknown at this point if those storage and seating options will make it on the final production model. We also don't know exactly how much the truck will cost, but it will likely be comparable to the F-150 Lightning, which currently starts at just under $56,000.