Feed your mind. Feast your eyes.
6 things at IFA Berlin 2019
The top picks for Apple aficionados from Europe’s biggest tech show
BY ADAM BANKS1
Sennheiser
Momentum Wireless
In the continued
absence of Apple over–
ear headphones, these
$399.95 cans feature
restrained styling, active
noise cancelling, Siri
support, and a built–in
Tile tracker. And they
look a lot harder to
misplace than AirPods. 4JBL Pulse 4
Resembling something
in a sci–fi film on which the
galaxy’s fate depends, this
$199.95 waterproof portable
Bluetooth speaker is an app–
controlled eight–inch light
show wherever you go.3
Sonos Port
Replacing the Sonos
Connect, this $399 slab
upgrades existing hi–fi
kit to a multi–room
audio source or speaker.
Supporting AirPlay 2,
it has both Wi–Fi and
Ethernet, a 12V trigger
to power up compatible
units, and built–in EQ.2
Asus ZenWiFi XT
Just as we’ve all
invested in 802.11ac
Wave 2 mesh routers for
reliable Wi–Fi, 802.11ax is
here, aka Wi–Fi 6. Among
the first with a next–gen
mesh solution is Asus,
offering a two–box tri–
band kit at a price yet
to be announced, likely
north of $500.6
Loog Mini Electric
Guitar
Learning the electric guitar
appeals to almost any child,
but persisting is another
matter. The Kickstarter–
funded Loog Mini starts them
off with three strings, plus an
augmented reality teaching
app. There are six–string Pro
models to grown into.
Expected to be around $150,
for delivery in spring 2020.5
Philips Hue Filament
LEDs are efficient and,
thanks to home automation
systems like Philips’ HomeKit–
compatible Hue, controllable.
But nostalgic they ain’t — until
now, that is. Dimmable faux
coiled–filament bulbs in
Standard, Edison and Globe
start at $24.99.Image rights in numbered order: Sennheiser, Asus, Sonos, JBL, Phillips, Loog.
Start
12 DEC 2019 maclife.com