Latest news with #TwelveSouth
Entrepreneur
10 hours ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
5 New Tech Products Worth Showing Off to Houseguests
This story appears in the May 2025 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe » Nothing goes as far as beautiful, functional design. Whether you're doing some last minute tidying ahead of a dinner party, making a grand entrance to a meeting on Zoom, or sitting next to a stranger on an airplane, these products have the style and substance to win you some kudos. Image Credit: Courtesy of Twelve South 1. Streamlined sound. Imagine sitting down on a flight, looking at the screen on the seatback, and thinking: I wish I could hear that movie through my wireless earbuds. The Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 [$60; makes it possible. Plug the device into any headphone jack and stream wireless audio to any brand of Bluetooth headphones. The 25 hours of playback will outlast even the longest flight, and its buttons adjust sound quickly. Traveling with kids? You can pair two headsets to one device to share the movie. Image Credit: Courtesy of Room & Board 2. A civilized standing desk. Most standing desks look like simple platforms on stilts. The Room & Board Lincoln [from $4,500; is a significant upgrade — a traditional-looking desk, complete with side drawers, with a pair of arms that raise the top to 49 inches off the floor. It comes with a solid wood top, is available in five varieties and seven colors, and has a built-in wire management area — ensuring that you can stand or sit without sacrifice. Related: Do You Get Overwhelmed While Traveling? These Tech Products Can Make It Stress-Free. Image Credit: Courtesy of Samsung 3. A vacuum you can unveil. Vacuums are designed to be useful, not to look nice. But the handsome Samsung Bespoke AI Jet Ultra [$1,100; does both — which is especially useful for someone with no closet space to tuck the vacuum away. It comes packaged with three cleaning tools, and the base pulls debris out of the vacuum for fewer trips to the trash can. Clean for up to 100 minutes per charge while the LCD screen, through SmartThings, displays calls or messages from your smartphone — so you never miss hearing a call as your vacuum whirs. Image Credit: Courtesy of Peak Design 4. A clatter-free carry-on. Your carry-on luggage just got sturdier. The engineers of Peak Design Roller Pro Carry-On [$600; replaced a carry-on's usual architecture with single pieces of carbon fiber, resulting in a smooth, satisfying extension and retraction that also occupies less space inside the bag. The weatherproof, soft-sided exterior covers a bombproof polycarbonate shell that expands and contracts, so you can squeeze it into a regional jet's tiny overhead bins. In your hotel room, the bag opens 90 degrees, like a trunk, so you need half as much room on the luggage rack. Related: 20 Time-Saving Tech Tools for Solopreneurs that Boost Efficiency, Productivity and Business Growth Image Credit: Courtesy of Insta360 5. A tougher action camera. Creating content on the go? The Insta360 X5 [from $550; is an action camera built for bumps. The two 8K lenses have tough optical glass that you can replace if they get scratched. Its new AI chip makes nighttime footage clearer and more vibrant, and its wind guard filters unwanted noise from helmet or handlebar videos. The sealed housing is waterproof down to 49 feet without a case.
CNET
4 days ago
- CNET
Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 Review: Add Bluetooth to Every Flight
8.6 / 10 SCORE Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 Pros Add Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity to just about anything Tiny A little easier to use than its predecessor Cons A little more expensive than its predecessor Minor lip-sync delay due to Bluetooth connection Not (quite) as necessary as it once was Twelve South AirFly Pro 2 8.6/10 CNET Score It can be extremely frustrating to spend a bunch of money on a great set of noise-canceling headphones, only to get on your first flight with them and find out you can't hear the in-flight entertainment. While some over-ear BT headphones can work wired, not all do. Some true wireless earbuds have charging cases that you can plug in via analog and then connect wirelessly, but not all can. Fortunately, there's a solution: The AirFly Pro 2 from Twelve South. I reviewed the previous AirFly Pro and found it a handy way to add Bluetooth where otherwise there wouldn't be any. The Pro 2 claims to be a little easier to use with more physical buttons, and it features Bluetooth 5.3. Like its predecessor, it's not just for travel. You can use it to add Bluetooth to any device with a headphone output, or if it has an auxiliary input (many older cars), the Pro 2, like the Pro, can also function as a Bluetooth receiver so you can send audio to it from your phone or tablet. Overall, the Pro 2 works well. There's no need to upgrade if you have its predecessor, but if you fly even occasionally, it's definitely worth having in your carry-on. Hardware When in TX mode, the AirFly Pro 2 can transmit audio from a source, like the in-flight entertainment on a plane, to your headphones. It can also receive (in RX mode) Bluetooth audio from a phone, tablet, or computer, to play back on something analog, like older cars, older A/V receivers and so on. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Bluetooth version: 5.3 Connections: USB-C (for charging), 3.5mm analog Battery life (claimed): 25 hours Number of simultaneous BT connections: 2 Bluetooth modes: Transmit (TX), Receive (RX) Bluetooth codecs supported: aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Low Latency and SBC (Transmit mode); aptX, aptX HD, AAC and SBC (Receive mode). The AirFly Pro 2 is a roughly thumb-size dongle with a 3.5mm (1/8-inch) analog connection on one end and a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver inside. You can connect it to anything with a headphone output to send audio via Bluetooth to headphones, or you can connect it to anything with an analog "aux" input and send audio from your phone or media player. While the original AirFly Pro went for simplicity, with two buttons and a receive/transmit mode switch, the Pro 2 adds a physical power switch and two dedicated pairing buttons for each headphone connection while keeping the original's mode toggle. On the front, volume buttons replace the Pro's single all-purpose button. Twelve South claims the Pro 2 has 25 hours of battery life. The longest flight you can take right now, from New York's JFK to Singapore, is around 18 hours and 40 minutes, a bit longer than the 15-hour LAX-to-Melbourne flight I took a few years ago. Since your headphones, no matter what they are, won't last that long, this seems plenty. Just remember to charge the AirFly before you go, which takes about two hours if totally empty. The regular Pro 2 comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable and a small cloth carrying bag. The Pro 2 Deluxe also includes the dual-mono adapter still in use on some aircraft, as well as a vegan leather pouch. Since it will be difficult to find out if your particular aircraft has the older connection I almost want to recommend the Deluxe. However, it's $10 on top of the Pro 2's higher price compared to Pro, and you can find two-packs of those adapters on Amazon for half that price. I suppose in the grand scheme of things, it's just a few dollars, but with a ton of no-name adapters out there that offer similar features to the AirFly, this much higher than the average price is already pushing it. Usability Geoffrey Morrison/CNET Connecting to the AirFly Pro 2 is easy. Put your headphones into pairing mode, turn on the Pro 2, and that's it. I tried headphones and earbuds of various ages, including the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, the Sony WH-1000XM5 and my go-to NC earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. All connected with no issues. I recommend turning off your phone's Bluetooth before you start so the headphones don't get confused. If you want to connect a second pair to the Pro 2, just hold down the Pair 2 button with the other headphones in pairing mode. If you want to pair a different set of headphones, just hold down one of the pairing buttons. It will flash yellow a few times, then alternate white and yellow just as it did with the initial pairing. While I understand the original Pro design's preference for simplicity, the additional buttons do make things easier to understand. That's especially important since most people will likely only use AirFly a few times a year. There is no need to add to your overall flight annoyance by trying to remember how to connect your earbuds to watch some stale TV shows. AirFly Pro (left) and AirFly Pro 2. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET There's still some audio latency, which you'll notice as a slight delay between when something happens on screen and when you hear it. As in, people's lips don't quite match up. It's less than 50ms, Twelve South claims 34ms, so it's possible if you don't usually notice or aren't bothered by such things it might not matter. Even if you do notice it, given that an aircraft cabin isn't exactly the place for perfect audio and video, the lag is likely fine. It's worth noting that the original version had the same issues due to its own Bluetooth connection. Speaking of perfect audio, the Pro 2 features Bluetooth 5.3 and supports the aptX HD codec. In theory, this could mean higher quality audio compared to the base SBC codec for many Android phones (Apple devices only support AAC and SBC). Two things about that, however. First, there isn't a hugely audible difference between SBC and aptX on most headphones. Second, any theoretical improvement in fidelity is going to be completely lost against the roar of jet engines. So to me, it's more that the AirFly Pro 2 is easy to use than any expectations for improved sound quality. The original Pro sounded fine and worked great; this one does too. Bluetooth 2 go Geoffrey Morrison/CNET As a frequent flier and vocal proponent of noise-canceling headphones and earbuds, I've had an AirFly in my carry-on for a while. Sure, you can download shows and movies to your phone or tablet, but there's likely a greater selection of content available with the aircraft's in-flight entertainment. For longer flights, that can be a pretty big deal. Having to switch to wired, non-noise canceling headphones or earbuds is quite a bummer after you get used to the quieter environment that better NC provides. So, for that, the AirFly Pro 2 is a great option, despite its higher price for a limited improvement in features compared to its now-discontinued, but for the moment still available, predecessor. If you don't think you'll need to connect two headphones at once and you don't need it to receive Bluetooth, the AirFly SE is a cheaper option that basically does the same thing. There's one other aspect worth considering, which is the overall trend of airlines adding Bluetooth to their in-flight entertainment systems. I recently flew a United flight that had this feature, and others have announced they're adding it. Alaska Airlines, on the other hand, has done away with seatback entertainment on many flights, instead just having you connect to the aircraft's Wi-Fi with your own device to stream their collection of shows and movies. I wouldn't be surprised if even more airlines go that route since it's cheaper for them. For now, though, the vast majority of aircraft don't have either of these options. Also, there's no guarantee that even if your specific route should have one of these options, the aircraft you actually fly in will (plane changes happen often). So the AirFly is less of a must-have than it used to be, and likely even less so going forward, but for the time being, it's still super handy to have. In addition to covering cameras and display tech, Geoff does photo essays about cool museums and other stuff, including nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, medieval castles and epic 10,000-mile road trips. Also, check out Budget Travel for Dummies, his travel book, and his bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube.
The Verge
12-06-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Switch 2 size comparison: Nintendo's latest up next to a whole lot of consoles
We've talked many times on The Vergecast about the dream of the perfect charger. We call it The God Cable, and imagine it would charge everything, at full optimized speed, no matter what you plug in. Well, one company tried to make it – sort of. TwelveSouth founder Andrew Green joins the show to talk about how his company developed its newest product, the PowerCord, and why actually the God Cable might be both impossible and a bad idea. After that, The Verge's Tina Nguyen joins the show to talk about her experience at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas, the rise of $TRUMP, and how crypto and the government became so intertwined. Finally, we answer a question from the Vergecast Hotline about AI agents, and the tasks we should (and shouldn't) offload to our chatbots.
CNET
10-06-2025
- CNET
Once You Use This on a Plane, You'll Never Fly Without It Again
If you travel often, you probably already know the struggle: You're settled into your seat, ready to dive into the in-flight entertainment, only to realize your AirPods won't connect to the screen. The airline's wired headphones? Practically useless. They're uncomfortable, have no noise cancellation and let in every engine roar and crying baby within a three-row radius. For long flights, it's a recipe for a frustrating, low-quality listening experience. That's exactly why the AirFly Pro has become a must-pack item in my travel bag. It's a simple Bluetooth dongle that lets you connect your wireless earbuds (like my AirPods Pro) directly to the airplane's entertainment system, no adapters or wired workarounds required. Since I started using it, I've stopped dreading in-flight audio and finally get to enjoy movies the way they were meant to be heard. If you fly often, this little gadget might completely change how you travel. The AirFly Pro lets me truly enjoy in-flight entertainment The AirFly Pro from Twelve South is a minimally designed dongle that lets me connect to the 3.5mm headphone jack on my flight to listen to in-flight entertainment on my noise-cancelling earbuds. All I have to do is pair the AirFly Pro with whichever Bluetooth headphones I'm using, like my AirPods Pro, plug the AirFly Pro into the display in front of me -- and I'm all set. I don't even need to use my phone to connect the two devices. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET There are four versions of the AirFly: the AirFly SE, which costs $35 on Amazon and connects to just one set of headphones; the AirFly Pro ($55); the Pro V2 ($60), the newest version of the Pro; and the Pro Deluxe ($62), which comes with an international headphone adapter and a suede travel case. I use the AirFly Pro, and it's been a game changer for me on flights. I've never had to worry about battery life -- the AirFly Pro lasts for more than 25 hours and can fully charge in 3 hours. I can also pair two separate pairs of headphones to a single AirFly Pro, in case I'm with someone else on a flight and want to watch the same movie or show. And if that's not enough, the AirFly Pro also doubles as an audio transmitter, so I can turn any speaker with a headphone jack, like my old car stereo, into a Bluetooth speaker. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET The AirFly Pro makes a great gift With Father's Day right around the corner, you might be shopping for the father figure in your life. The AirFly Pro is the perfect present to give to someone who's planning to travel this year. Besides my Anker MagSafe battery pack, the AirFly Pro really has become my most treasured travel accessory when I fly, which is why I consider it to be one of those can't-go-wrong gifts. For more travel gear, here are our favorite tech essentials to travel with and our favorite travel pillows.
CNET
10-06-2025
- CNET
I'll Never Go on a Long Flight Again Without This Game-Changing Bluetooth Dongle
I travel a lot, and when I'm flying, I usually bring my AirPods Pro so I can listen to music from my phone or watch something I've downloaded on my tablet. But sometimes I really want to take advantage of the in-flight entertainment, and I'm not a big fan of the flimsy airline headphones that the flight attendants hand out at the start of each flight. What's worse is that it's in an environment that's already difficult for listening in general, and the in-flight headphones definitely don't have noise cancellation. They're tiny and let all the outside sounds bleed in, including loud engine sounds and crying babies, so I can barely hear anything. That's where the AirFly Pro comes in. The AirFly Pro lets me truly enjoy in-flight entertainment The AirFly Pro from Twelve South is a minimally designed dongle that lets me connect to the 3.5mm headphone jack on my flight to listen to in-flight entertainment on my noise-cancelling earbuds. All I have to do is pair the AirFly Pro with whichever Bluetooth headphones I'm using, like my AirPods Pro, plug the AirFly Pro into the display in front of me -- and I'm all set. I don't even need to use my phone to connect the two devices. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET There are four versions of the AirFly: the AirFly SE, which costs $35 on Amazon and connects to just one set of headphones; the AirFly Pro ($55); the Pro V2 ($60), the newest version of the Pro; and the Pro Deluxe ($62), which comes with an international headphone adapter and a suede travel case. I use the AirFly Pro, and it's been a game changer for me on flights. I've never had to worry about battery life -- the AirFly Pro lasts for more than 25 hours and can fully charge in 3 hours. I can also pair two separate pairs of headphones to a single AirFly Pro, in case I'm with someone else on a flight and want to watch the same movie or show. And if that's not enough, the AirFly Pro also doubles as an audio transmitter, so I can turn any speaker with a headphone jack, like my old car stereo, into a Bluetooth speaker. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Geoffrey Morrison/CNET The AirFly Pro makes a great gift With Father's Day right around the corner, you might be shopping for the father figure in your life. The AirFly Pro is the perfect present to give to someone who's planning to travel this year. Besides my Anker MagSafe battery pack, the AirFly Pro really has become my most treasured travel accessory when I fly, which is why I consider it to be one of those can't-go-wrong gifts. For more travel gear, here are our favorite tech essentials to travel with and our favorite travel pillows.
