Compact earphones have a central hole so you can hear what is going on around you while you listen or talk
Personal audio has taken a bizarre turn with Sony’s latest attempt to reinvent the earbud. The weird doughnut-shaped speaker with a hole in the middle allows you to listen to music without blocking out the world.
The LinkBuds are the first in a new line of earbuds from Sony that aim to let you listen to music but also have awareness of what is going on around you. They cost £149 ($179/A$319) and compete with earbuds such as Apple’s standard AirPods and Google’s Pixel Buds A.
Water resistance: IPX4 (sweat)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, SBC, AAC
Battery life: 5.5 hours/2.5 hours talk, up to 17.5 hours with case
Earbud weight: 4.1g
Driver size: 12mm ring
Charging case weight: 34g
Case dimensions: 41.4 x 48.5 x 30.9mm
Case charging: USB-C
