The best thing about Apple’s wonderfully

slick AirPods? They’re so conspicuous that

nobody can ever think you’re nattering

away to yourself when you’re just trying

to get Siri to add an aubergine to your

shopping list. The worst thing? They

still look ludicrous. If you can cope with

the former but not the latter, Amazon’s

Alexa-housing Echo Buds could pose

serious competition to Apple’s inexplicably

popular in-ears.

With a snug fit, three microphones on each

bud and Bose’s active noise-reduction tech

on board, everything is designed to make

sure you can hear them and Alexa can

always hear you. Your phone’s built-in voice

assistant can also be summoned with a

long press on one of the buds, so you can

have more than one imaginary friend, but

they still support all the Alexa skills you use

on your Echo at home, making Siri look like

a bit of a dunce in comparison.

Each charge should last five hours, with an

extra 15 on offer from the charging case,

and the IPX4 rating means they’re just

as happy in the gym as they are in an

unexpected downpour. Alexa, why are

AirPods so popular again?

As hot as... desert yoga

£120 / amazon.co.uk

IS THERE AN

ECHO IN-EAR?

Amazon Echo Buds

HOT

FIVE

Tips

are movin’

The Echo Buds come with

six different tips in three

different sizes – so unlike

AirPods, you don’t need

to have Apple-approved

earholes to wear them

comfortably.

One new

Amazon Echo

gadget not enough

for you?

Turn the page...

Flow
excuses
The drivers are inspired
by in-ear monitors used by
professional musicians, but
a quick double tap allows the
noise in when someone
has to interrupt
your groove.