Technologies

Are Shokz’ New OpenDots One Better Than Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds?

With the proliferation of clip-on earbuds, Shokz is getting in the game with its premium priced $200 OpenDots One buds. I went hands-on with them to see how they stack up against Bose’s top-rated Ultra Open Earbuds.

While clip-on earbuds were kicking around the Asian markets well before Bose released its $300 Ultra Open Earbuds last year, it was Bose’s innovative design and marketing that brought this new style of earrings-like open earbuds to a worldwide audience and spurred others to release clip-on designs to the U.S market. Now Shokz, known for its bone-conduction headphones, has joined the growing clip-on crowd with its OpenDots One ($200), a more premium model that looks and feels similar to the Ultra Open Earbuds but lists for $100 less.

I’ve been testing the OpenDots One for a couple of days, comparing them to the Ultra Open Earbuds along with some budget clip-on buds that cost as low as $50. Here are my initial thoughts on the OpenDots One. Note that they do not use bone-conduction technology.

Read more: Best clip-on earbuds of 2025

Design

From a design standpoint, the Shokz OpenDots One measure up quite well to the Bose Ultra Earbuds. They fit my ears as well and maybe even slightly better than the Bose buds, which are quite comfortable. Like the Bose, they have a flexible connector that Shokz refers to as a JointArc and says «provides a gentle yet secure grip on various ear shapes» while noting that «soft silicone strategically placed on the exterior of the speaker further minimizes pressure, even during extended wear.»

As with all clip-on buds, the OpenDots One, as their name implies, feature an open design. That means the bud and driver sit over your ear canal and aren’t jammed in it like noise-isolating ear buds with silicone or foam tips. Open buds allow for sound to leak into your ears and are good for those who don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears or want to hear the outside world around them for safety reasons. Shokz specializes in headphones and earbuds that are well suited for sporting activities and like its bone-conduction headphones, the OpenDots One offer a secure fit and work well for runners. They have an IP54 rating, which means they’ll provide protection from «light rain and sweat» and are also dust-resistant.

The touch controls take some trial and error to get used to. You can either tap the battery compartment or JointArc or «pinch» the battery with two fingers to control playback and answer/end calls. You can set the long tap and hold gesture to either adjust volume, activate your voice assistant or advance tracks forward and back. I prefer the Bose’s physical control button on its battery, which is also shaped like a barrel, but the OpenDots touch controls were fine.

Shokz OpenDots One Sound Quality

Shokz says the OpenDots One feature its Bassphere technology that «combines dual 11.8 mm drivers in a spherical module to replicate the performance of a 16mm driver.» They also feature Dolby Audio and Shokz’ DirectPitch technology, which minimizes sound leakage so people near you can’t hear what you’re listening to (or hear it very faintly anyway). You have to engage Dolby Audio in the Shokz App for iOS and Android and it does open the sound a bit and everything sound a tad fuller. It’s simply some form of digital processing and it’s unclear whether it impacts battery life but you can hear a difference when engaging it.

The sound of all clip-on buds changes slightly with how you position the buds on your ears (you can slide the bud up or down a bit to find the most comfortable fit but the positioning may impact sound quality). They also face some bass challenges because of their open design and tend to not sound as good as noise-isolating earbuds.

That’s the case here as well, although the OpenDots are among the best-sounding clip-on buds I’ve tested, which should be expected given their high price. That said, their sound falls a little short of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds’ sound quality, even with Dolby Audio engaged. The Bose buds sound a little more open with a tad more bass and their tonal balance is slightly better (they sound more natural and accurate overall). It’s a relatively subtle difference but it is noticeable.

The main issue with cheaper clip-on earbuds is that they tend to distort a bit at higher volumes. The OpenDots One mainly manage to avoid distorting when you push up the volume. They play loud but not super-loud.

Shokz OpenDots One Voice-calling performance

Shokz headphones and earbuds tend to have good voice-calling performance and while the OpenDots One aren’t bad in the voice-calling department, callers did say they heard a fair amount of background noise when I used them on the noisy streets of New York.

At launch, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds also weren’t great performers for voice calling with similar issues with background noise reduction. But Bose has subsequently improved the noise reduction with a firmware update (Bose also added multipoint Bluetooth pairing with the same firmware update). And while the Ultra Open Earbuds still aren’t top-notch for voice-calling, they’re now above average.

Shokz OpenDots One extra features and battery life

The OpenDots One have «Dynamic Ear Detection» that allows the earbuds to automatically recognize which bud is in which ear, so no left or right markers are needed. But otherwise their feature set is fairly basic. They do link with the Shokz App for iOS and Android, which «enables multipoint pairing between two devices, 4 pre-set EQ modes plus two personalized EQ, Find My Earbuds and more.»

The Bose Ultra Open feature Bose’s Immersive Audio for music spatialization. That’s the same feature found in the QC Ultra Earbuds and QC Ultra Headphones. As with those models, these buds have head-tracking, so you can set the Immersive Audio for Still mode that fixes the sound or Motion Mode that follows your head movements. Engaging it does enhance the sound a bit from standard stereo mode but I think it makes a more pronounced difference with the QuietComfort models. Also, engaging it does reduce battery life.

The Ultra Open Earbuds are rated for up to 7.5 hours at moderate volume levels but that number drops to about 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio on. The charging case provides an additional 19.5 hours of battery and has a quick-charge feature but no wireless charging option.

In contrast, the OpenDots One are rated for up to 10 hours of use on on a single charge, with an additional 30 hours of battery in the charging case, which does feature wireless charging. So the Shokz definitely have an advantage there.

Shokz OpenDots One final initial thoughts

The well-designed OpenDots One are among the best open earbuds out there right now and certainly have a place on our list of best clip-on earbuds. While they don’t sound quite as good as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, they’re pretty close and fit my ears slightly better and have better battery life. Like the Ultra Open Earbuds, which list for $299 but are currently on sale for $249, they’re overpriced, but at least they cost less than the Bose and their case does have wireless charging.

More affordable clip-on earbuds like the Baseus Bowie MC1 (about $50) or Tozo OpenEarRing ($30), don’t sound as good or feature as premium a design. But because these types of clip-on open buds are more for casual listening, not critical listening and just don’t produce the greatest sound, it’s harder to justify spending big bucks on them. In other words, the OpenDots are clearly superior to those budget models but not $150 better.

Shokz OpenDots One key specs:

Weight: 6.5 grams per bud
IP54 splash-proof and dust-resistant
11.8 mm drivers
Bluetooth: 5.4
Dolby Audio
Touch controls
Battery life: Up to 10 hours on a single charge and up to 40 hours with the charging case
10-minute quick charge provides 2 hours of playtime
Multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Wireless charging supported
Customize EQ modes and touch controls in Shokz App for iOS and Android
Locate your earbuds feature
Colors: Black or gray
Price: $200

Technologies

Your Pixel 10 Might Have Issues With Older Wireless Chargers

You might want to try taking the case off your phone in order to successfully charge it.

When Google introduced the Pixel 10 lineup in August, it became one of the first major Android phones to receive the Qi 2 wireless charging standard, which Google calls Pixelsnap. However, users noticed issues with wireless charging on the Pixel 10 almost immediately after its release.

Some people are having trouble charging their phone with the new Pixelsnap charger, and others are having issues with older wireless chargers, including Google’s own Pixel Stands. The bulk of the problems happen when a case is on the phone — whether it has the magnet array or not.

I own both the first and second generation Pixel Stands and both will charge my Pixel 10 Pro XL without an issue if there’s no case on it. However, when I add a case to my phone, the problems begin.

I have three cases for my phone, the Mous Super Thin Clear Case, the Magnetic Slim Case Fit by Grecazo, and a no-name soft TPU case. If my phone has any of those cases on and I attempt to charge it while it’s vertical, it starts to charge and then stops after a second or two, and keeps doing that.

I can fix this for the first-generation Pixel Stand by turning the phone horizontal, but it will still charge very slowly. I can’t seem to fix it at all for the Pixel Stand 2 — vertical, horizontal, it doesn’t charge.

Not everyone has this issue

The problem doesn’t seem to be universal. CNET editor Patrick Holland said he had no issues charging the Pixel 10 Pro during his time with it.

A Google spokesperson told me the Pixel 10 lineup is not optimized for older Qi wireless charging standards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the phones won’t work with older wireless chargers.

Qi 2 is backwards-compatible with older standards, but the phone’s height and charging coil placement on both the phone and the charger are still factors. If you’re having problems, you might see if removing the case helps.

The prospect of potentially needing to replace your older wireless chargers with newer ones isn’t ideal, especially if you shelled out $80 for one or both of Google’s own Pixel Stands. Still, if you want the best wireless charging speed for your brand new Pixel 10 phone, it won’t be with wireless chargers that only support older Qi standards.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 19, #361

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Sept. 19, No. 361.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

The yellow category in Connections: Sports Edition is always easy, but today’s seemed like a no-brainer. The other categories aren’t too tough, either, especially for midwesterners. But if you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Spotted on TV.

Green group hint: Unusual team names.

Blue group hint: Air Jordan.

Purple group hint: The Big House is another one.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Things seen on an NFL sideline.

Green group: NBA teams with singular nicknames.

Blue group: Teams Michael Jordan played for.

Purple group: Big Ten stadiums.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is things seen on an NFL sideline. The four answers are benches, chains, coaches and medical tent.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NBA teams with singular nicknames. The four answers are Heat, Jazz, Magic and Thunder.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is teams Michael Jordan played for. The four answers are Barons, Bulls, UNC and Wizards.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is Big Ten stadiums. The four answers are Beaver, Camp Randall, Ohio and Spartan.

Technologies

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Should You Upgrade?

Here’s a look at the key differences between Apple’s latest flagship noise-canceling earbuds compared with their predecessor.

With Apple releasing the AirPods Pro 3, folks who already own the AirPods Pro 2 may be wondering whether it’s worth upgrading.

A good portion of my full review of the AirPods Pro 3 is devoted to discussing the differences between the two models. Here’s how I conclude my review: «Several new features, such as Live Translation, will be available for the AirPods Pro 2, so many AirPods Pro 2 owners won’t feel the need to upgrade right away. But if you’ve been using AirPods Pro 2 for a while, it might be worth passing them on to a friend or relative and upgrading to the Pro 3s.»

Read more: Best wireless earbuds of 2025

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: What’s stayed the same

The AirPods Pro 3’s list price is still $249 (£219, AU$429). That wasn’t a given with all the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration tariffs, but we’ll see how the price shakes out on Amazon and other retailers, where AirPods models often get discounted.
The AirPods Pro 3 are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, the same one that powers the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 and Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Rumors pointed to an H3 chip, but that didn’t happen.
No new color options; white is still the only option.
The AirPods Pro 3 stick with Bluetooth 5.3, just like the AirPods Pro 2 (though some true-wireless earbuds have already jumped to Bluetooth 6.0).
The buds still feature a MagSafe charging case with USB-C and wireless charging. However, no USB-C charging cable is included (Apple also left out a charging cable with the AirPods 4, though most people have a USB-C cable).

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: What’s changed

While they look similar to the previous model, the AirPods Pro 3 have been redesigned. Their geometric shape has changed a bit, with the angle of the bud shifted. They’re the same length but slightly smaller width-wise, slightly larger depth-wise and weigh a touch more (5.55 grams vs. 5.3 grams on the AirPods Pro 2).
The AirPods Pro 3 come with new foam-infused silicone eartips in five sizes, including a new extra-extra small size.
The AirPods Pro 3 are equipped with heart-rate sensors like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.
2x better noise cancellation compared to the AirPods Pro 2, according to Apple.
While the AirPods Pro 3 have 10.7mm drivers like the AirPods Pro 2, those drivers have been upgraded to take advantage of the buds’ new multiport acoustic architecture, which moves more air through the buds and improves sound quality.
The AirPods Pro 3’s microphones have been upgraded.
The AirPods Pro 3’s Transparency Mode has been enhanced.
New Live Translation feature (also available for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 series, but not the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2).
The AirPods Pro 3’s battery life has improved to 8 hours with noise cancellation on and up to 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode with transparency on. The AirPods Pro 2 are rated for up to 6 hours of battery life with noise-canceling on.
Instead of being IPX4 splash-proof like the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods Pro 3 got an IP57 rating (so did their charging case), which means they can withstand a sustained spray of water. (I poured water on them and they survived just fine.) They’re also dust-resistant.
The AirPods Pro’s case now includes a U2 chip, boosting Precision Finding range in the Find My app by 1.5x (requires an iPhone 17). The AirPods Pro 2’s case has the U1 chip.
Like with the AirPods 4, the AirPods Pro 3’s case no longer has a button for Bluetooth pairing. You simply double-tap on the front of the case to put the buds into Bluetooth pairing mode. The AirPods Pro 2 have a physical button for Bluetooth pairing.

The AirPods Pro 3’s new geometric shape and eartips are among the biggest changes

While the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2 look very similar at first glance, they do feel different in your ears. That’s because the AirPods Pro 3’s new eartips are made of silicone but infused with foam toward the front of the ear tip. Also, the angle of the bud has been adjusted so the eartips point more directly into your ear canals.

If you’re someone who couldn’t quite get a good fit with the original AirPods Pro or Pro 2, the new design could very well help you get a snugger, more secure fit. The fact is that a tight seal is crucial for optimal sound and noise-canceling performance, and Apple redesigned the eartips to make sure users could hear the sound and noise-canceling upgrades with the AirPods Pro 3.

Alas, the new AirPods Pro 3 tips don’t work with earlier AirPods Pro models; they attach differently.

Do you really need the AirPods Pro 3’s heart-rate monitoring?

I personally don’t feel that heart-rate monitoring is a must-have feature, particularly if you already own a smartwatch with the feature. But for some folks, it will be a welcome addition. The heart-rate sensors have been custom-designed for the AirPods Pro 3 (they’re Apple’s smallest heart-rate sensors) and aren’t identical to the ones in the Powerbeats Pro 2, but the experience using the heart-rate monitoring feature is the same.

How much better are the AirPods Pro 3 than the AirPods Pro 2?

It’s always hard to put an exact percentage on how improved one generation of a product is to the next, and there are always some people who will prefer the older model for whatever reason. But for me, the AirPods Pro 3 are about 20-25% better.

While they both use the H2 chip, the newest AirPods have been redesigned on the outside and inside, and most people should notice the improvements to sound quality, noise cancellation and fit.

If you own the original AirPods Pro, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend upgrading, especially if your battery life has decreased.

If you’re happy with your AirPods Pro 2, there’s no hurry to upgrade unless your battery life has become an issue (some people have the older AirPods Pro 2 with a Lightning connector for charging instead of USB-C). The previous generation supports most of the same features as the AirPods Pro 3 (aside from heart-monitoring), including Live Translation and Hearing Aid mode.

It’s worth pointing out that the AirPods Pro 3 offer slightly better speech clarity for Hearing Aid mode (with Automatic Conversation Boost) and better battery life — up to 10 hours with Transparency and Hearing Aid mode. That makes the AirPods 3 the better choice if you have small to moderate hearing loss and plan to use your AirPods as hearing aids.

AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods 4 with ANC spec comparison

	AirPods Pro 2	AirPods Pro 3	AirPods 4 with ANC
Weight (each earbud)	0.19 ounce (5.13 grams)	0.20 ounce (5.5 grams)	0.15 ounce (4.3 grams)
Weight (case)	1.79 ounces (50.8 grams)	1.55 ounces (43.99 grams)	1.22 ounces (34.7 grams)
Water resistant	IPX4	IP57	IP54
Sensors	Skin-detect sensor, Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor	Skin-detect sensor, Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor, heart-rate sensor	Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor
Microphones	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone
Chip	H2	H2	H2
Conectivity	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Active Noise Cancelation, Transparency mode	Yes	Yes	Yes
Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio	Yes	Yes	Yes
Voice Isolation, Personalized volume	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	Up to 6 hours +30 hours with case	Up to 8 hours +24 hours with case	Up to 5 hours +30 hours with case
Wire in box	Yes	No	No
Launch Price	$249	$249	$179