56 TECH ADVISOR • JANUARY 2020MICROSOFT SURFACE EVENT
That’s not a slight against Microsoft. The
Headphones offered powerful, selective noise-cancelling
technologies, but Microsoft positioned them as a
Cortana accessory. When Cortana was de-emphasized,
down went the Headphones. With the Earbuds, Cortana
appears just once on the Earbuds’ one-page product
sheet. Instead, the secret sauce is its cloud transcription
capabilities, plus what Microsoft is touting as a superior
audio solution for apps like Spotify.
At $249 (£tbc), the Surface Earbuds are more than
the Apple AirPods (£199) – which will inevitably be
seen as a competitor even if Microsoft’s earbuds do
much more. Microsoft may also have a shot at putting
a Cortana-powered earbud on the market before
Amazon launches the Amazon Echo Buds at the end
of the month for £119.
Here are the Surface Earbuds in short: They’re 7.2g
apiece, measuring just under an inch by 0.75 inches.
Inside is a 13.6mm driver, good for 20Hz to 20kHz of
frequency response. The Earbuds can process both
aptX and the SBC audio codecs. They’ll work with
Android 4.4 and above, Windows 10, iOS 9, and
Bluetooth 4.1/4.2. They’re ‘waterproof’, with an IPX4
rating that means that they can withstand water being
sprayed on them for five minutes. The Earbuds are
good for 24 hours of charging via the charging case: 8
hours per charge, with two ‘refills’ from the case.A comfortable fit
Viewed on someone else, the Surface Earbuds remind
me of ear gauges, the polarizing ear jewellery that
can be attractive to some and disturbing to others.56 TECH ADVISOR • JANUARY 2020MICROSOFT SURFACE EVENT
That’s not a slight against Microsoft. The
Headphones offered powerful, selective noise-cancelling
technologies, but Microsoft positioned them as a
Cortana accessory. When Cortana was de-emphasized,
down went the Headphones. With the Earbuds, Cortana
appears just once on the Earbuds’ one-page product
sheet. Instead, the secret sauce is its cloud transcription
capabilities, plus what Microsoft is touting as a superior
audio solution for apps like Spotify.
At $249 (£tbc), the Surface Earbuds are more than
the Apple AirPods (£199) – which will inevitably be
seen as a competitor even if Microsoft’s earbuds do
muchmore.Microsoftmayalsohavea shotatputting
aCortana-powered earbud on the market before
AmazonlaunchestheAmazonEchoBudsattheend
ofthe month for £119.
Here are the Surface Earbuds in short: They’re 7.2g
apiece, measuring just under an inch by 0.75 inches.
Inside is a 13.6mm driver, good for 20Hz to 20kHz of
frequency response. The Earbuds can process both
aptX and the SBC audio codecs. They’ll work with
Android 4.4 and above, Windows 10, iOS 9, and
Bluetooth 4.1/4.2. They’re ‘waterproof’, with an IPX4
rating that means that they can withstand water being
sprayed on them for five minutes. The Earbuds are
good for 24 hours of charging via the charging case: 8
hours per charge, with two ‘refills’ from the case.A comfortable fit
Viewed on someone else, the Surface Earbuds remind
me ofeargauges,thepolarizingearjewellerythat
canbeattractive to some and disturbing to others.