Error message

  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/common.inc).
  • Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in menu_set_active_trail() (line 2405 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/menu.inc).

Feed aggregator

New forum topics

Utility giant Itron confirms cyberattack, says internal systems were accessed

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 09:05
Data was most likely not tampered with, although Itron's investigation is still ongoing.
Categories: Technology

Is Outlook Down? Microsoft Reports Sign-on Issues With Email Client

CNET News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 09:04
You might have trouble logging into your email Monday morning.
Categories: Technology

New on Apple TV in May 2026: 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed,' a 'For All Mankind' Spinoff and More

CNET News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 09:00
Apple TV's got some big projects landing this month.
Categories: Technology

The fake Rolex problem: How AI turned amateur attackers into nation-state threats

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:36
AI-powered attackers bypass defenses by engineering intent-driven, multi-layered phishing kill chains.
Categories: Technology

Google Cloud unveils eighth-generation TPUs built to support an agentic era

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:35
TPU 8t and 8i promise mind-blowing performance and million-strong clusters to power agentic AI at scale.
Categories: Technology

‘Extraction and distillation’: US State Department upgrades AI theft accusations to target China’s Deepseek, Moonshot AI and MiniMax

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:13
The State Department says Chinese AI companies are 'distilling' US AI models.
Categories: Technology

Belkin’s Lilypad iPad case brings Toy Story 5’s newest character into the real world in the most functional way yet

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:06
Belkin has turned Toy Story 5’s Lilypad character into a movie-scale iPad case, transforming the device into a playful, character-inspired accessory.
Categories: Technology

Jensen Huang tells CEOs 'don't leave' California — Nvidia CEO says he's fine paying the ‘highest taxes in the world'

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:05
As tech CEOs flee California to avoid higher taxes, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says he doesn't mind paying.
Categories: Technology

I played an hour of Supermassive Games' highly anticipated Directive 8020 — and fans of Alien: Isolation are going to adore this

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:00
Directive 8020 arrives in May, and its combination of new features and familiarity makes it well worth the wait.
Categories: Technology

Gamers, it's time to get excited — the Steam Machine's price and launch date may be imminent

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:00
The memory crisis has forced Valve to delay the Steam Machine from an early 2026 launch, but rumors suggest a price and release date announcement is near.
Categories: Technology

What is the release date for Daredevil: Born Again season 2 episode 7 on Disney+?

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 08:00
Find out when the second-to-last episode of Daredevil: Born Again season 2 will air with our help.
Categories: Technology

China blocks Meta from acquiring AI startup Manus

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:47

Meta said Monday that the transaction "complied fully with applicable law" and that it anticipates "an appropriate resolution to the inquiry."

(Image credit: Jeff Chiu/AP)

Categories: News

‘This could potentially become a fire risk’: Samsung Galaxy users warned against leaving their flashlights on accidentally, as viral TikTok shows an S25 flash burning a hole through a plastic bag

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:40
Samsung Galaxy flashlights have been branded ‘a potential fire risk’ by an expert after a viral TikTok showed one device burning a hole through a plastic bag.
Categories: Technology

This $89 Asus 120Hz IPS monitor is the perfect budget upgrade for your home office — and it even comes with a month of Adobe Creative Cloud free

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:21
Reliable color, smooth refresh, and built-in speakers make this 24-inch Asus display a great choice at just $89, and includes a free month of Adobe's creative software suite.
Categories: Technology

Got a new Samsung Galaxy A37? I've found the best cases to keep it looking scratch-free and super stylish

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:12
Sturdy and stylish Samsung Galaxy A37 cases, from reliable brands.
Categories: Technology

Alleged Correspondents' Dinner shooter to appear in court. And, Charles III visits U.S.

NPR News Headlines - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:11

The suspect in the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting incident is set to appear in federal court today. And, King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrive in Washington today for a state visit.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Categories: News

'They don't care': ShinyHunters strike again as hackers claim to have pinched 7.5 million Carnival cruise emails

TechRadar News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:10
The biggest cruise company in the world has suffered a supply chain attack after one of its subsidiaries got hit.
Categories: Technology

Google I/O 2026: What to Expect

CNET News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:00
Google's developer conference will have AI at every corner. Here's what we think will be announced.
Categories: Technology

The Apple Fold Could Cut Short the Motorola Razr Fold's Big Moment

CNET News - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:00
In a clash of book-style foldable debuts, Motorola may have only a few months before Apple's reveal steals the spotlight.
Categories: Technology

'A price that seems like a mistake': I've tested tons of open earbuds, and Earfun's new clip-style buds are the best cheaper pair I'd actually recommend — here's my full review

TechRadar Reviews - Mon, 04/27/2026 - 07:00
EarFun Clip 2: Two minute review

The Earfun Clip 2 buds are the latest entry in the wave of clip-style options among the best open earbuds. They're Earfun's second go at this form factor after the original Earfun Clip, following the brand's OpenJump ear hook design.

And the big pitch of the Earfun Clip 2 is price, because they cost $79 / £69 / AU$120 at launch. With early discounts already appearing on the Earfun website, they undercut much of the competition.

Now, that budget positioning does come through in places. The plastic build feels a little cheap in the hand. The sound profile, though energetic and punchy for workouts, has some limitations at volume that I'll get to, which means you’ll want to tweak the EQ.

There are some notable features here that I really rated, including an impressive 11 hours of battery life, Hi-Res Audio and LDAC support, multipoint connectivity, and a smart AI translation tool, which could just be a nice-to-have for some or genuinely useful for others. For cheap open-ears, there’s a lot here.

(Image credit: Future)

Open-ear designs are a bit of a gamble when it comes to comfort. Do you go with a neckband, ear hooks, or clip-on? Well, I’m firmly in the clip-on camp, and I found the Clip 2 buds mostly secure, light, comfortable and easy to forget about once they're in. I did notice some slight slippage, but only on sweaty runs when I pushed their grip to the limit.

However, after a lot of time testing audio gear, I've learned that ears are subjective little things. Some people love the clip-on feel and others find it irritating. That subjectivity runs through the whole experience here, from fit to sound to whether you mind the build quality at this price.

Overall, the Earfun Clip 2 aren't trying to compete with similarly style buds, like the Bose Ultra Open or the Shokz OpenDots One, on refinement. Instead, they’re asking: hey, do you want a decent pair of open earbuds without spending very much?

If the fit works for you and you're willing to play with the settings, the answer could well be yes — I've tested a load of clip-style buds, and these are the cheapest option I'd happily tell people to buy.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)
  • Price at launch: $79.99 / £69.99 (about AU$120)
  • Launched April 2026
  • Already discounted at launch

The Earfun Clip 2 buds launched at $79.99 / £69.99 (about AU$120), but there's already an early bird discount on the Earfun website bringing them down to $55.99 / £49.99, which probably tells you what price you can expect to see them fall to in any sales events.

The headline here is they significantly undercut much of the competition. The two clip-on open earbuds we'd most readily recommend right now are the Shokz OpenDots One at $199 / £179 / AU$339 and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds at $299 / £299 / AU$449.95.

The Earfun Clip 2 cost less than half of the Shokz and roughly a quarter of the Bose. Even the Edifier LolliClip, which does pack in extras such as noise cancellation, heart rate and blood oxygen tracking, come in at $129.99.

Which means that if you've been curious about the clip-on design but reluctant to spend big on an experiment, the Earfun Clip 2 make a very compelling entry point on price alone.

That said, they're not the only budget option in this increasingly crowded space. For example, the Soundpeats Clip1 are currently our top pick for open buds in a clip-on design for under $100 costing only $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99 and we gave them a solid 4 out of 5 star rating.

What’s more, the JLab Flex Open earbuds come in at $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$129.95. We haven't reviewed those, so can't speak to quality, but it's worth knowing that cheap clip-on open earbuds exist beyond the Earfun. Granted, not all of them will be worth your time and money, and as we'll get to, the Clip 2 do pack in some great features to back up that low price.

EarFun Clip 2 review: Specifications

Driver

12mm dual-magnetic titanium composite driver

Water resistance

IP55

Battery life

11 hours (buds), 40 hours (total)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0

Weight

5.5g (buds)

EarFun Clip 2 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)
  • 11 hours battery life (40 hours with the case)
  • AI translation across 100+ languages
  • Solid app to tweak settings

The Earfun Clip 2 buds were easy to set up: just open the case and they connect, with Google Fast Pair support speeding things along if you’ve got an Android phone. Multipoint connectivity worked reliably throughout testing too. I spent a full working day moving between my laptop and phone across cafes and a coworking space, and the switch took under five seconds each time.

Battery life is a strong point. With LDAC off, you get up to 11 hours from the buds and 40 hours total with the charging case, and during testing I got close to 10 hours, which tracks enough for me. Switch LDAC on and that drops to six hours (22 hours in total), which is still reasonable. The case supports wireless charging, and the buds fully recharge inside it in about an hour.

For context, the Bose Ultra Open manage 7.5 hours (27 total), the Shokz OpenDots One offer 10 hours (40 hours in total), and the similarly-priced Soundpeats Clip1, offer eight hours from the buds (32 hours in total). so the Clip 2 hold their own against pricier rivals.

The standout feature here is AI translation, covering more than 100 languages. There are two modes: face to face, which translates in chunks after each person speaks, and real-time, which handles continuous one-way speech with a slight delay. Both worked well in my testing.

AI translation is appearing in other earbuds too, but finding it in a pair this affordable and in an open design feels like genuine added value.

(Image credit: Future)

There's Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification and LDAC support too, which is rare at this price, though the drivers and open design don't fully capitalize on that extra bandwidth.

The Earfun app is clean and easy to navigate. The 10-band custom EQ works well, alongside presets like bass boost, treble boost, vocal enhancement and genre options like rock, pop and classical. As we'll get to, I needed to tweak the EQ to get the most from the Clip 2, so this was welcome.

You'll also find a game mode for reduced latency, a theater mode that widens the soundstage, and a privacy mode that drops volume and reduces sound leakage.

Other extras include hearing health settings with volume limits and left/right balance, auto-shutdown timers, and a 'find my earbuds' function that worked reliably every time for me.

Connectivity was solid around the house, though I noticed occasional brief drops in the left earbud when I was walking through the city, where there could be more interference. They reconnected within a second or two, but it’s worth noting, since not all earbuds have this issue in the city when I use them.

There's no active noise cancellation here, and you're not getting heart-rate sensors or a personalized hearing test, or anything like that — and that's absolutely fine, given the price.

  • Features score: 4/5
EarFun Clip 2 review: Sound quality

(Image credit: Future)
  • Punchy bass for open earbuds
  • Treble turns a little harsh and fatiguing at high volumes
  • Mid-range can get buried

As you'd expect from the open design, you can still hear your surroundings with the Clip 2, whether that’s conversations, alarm or traffic. Not as much as buds that sit further from your ear, such as a bone conduction pair, but enough for situational awareness.

That said, don't mistake open-ear for transparent. You're still listening to something, and I found myself distracted enough by the audio that I wasn't hearing everything around me, even with my ear canal relatively free.

As with any open earbuds, you're trading fidelity for that awareness of your surroundings here. The question isn't whether the Earfun Clip 2 sound as good as in-ears (they don't). It's whether they make the most of the form factor at this price.

At lower volumes, the answer is yes. There's separation, a sense of space, and a brightness that keeps things lively without feeling thin. Listening to Tame Impala's Dracula at a comfortable level, the bass came through with some presence, which is not always the case in open earbuds.

Budget open options like the Huawei FreeArc, our current top pick at this end of the market, have never really satisfied fully on the low end. The Clip 2 have noticeably more punch.

However, push the volume and things can start to unravel depending on what you’re listening to. Treble takes over, cymbals and hi-hats become sharp, vocals and guitars turn brittle, and the midrange almost gets buried underneath.

I put on Death From Above 1979's Turn It Out, a track I've listened to hundreds of times, and at first the crashing drums and heavy low end landed brilliantly. But the moment guitars and vocals came in, it became harsh enough that I didn't want to keep listening. That's a problem when it's one of your favorite tracks.

So there’s a bit of tension with the Clip 2. These are earbuds mostly designed for outdoor use, like running, walking and commuting — ie, environments where you might really need to push the volume to hear them. But they sound their best when kept a little lower.

Now, I’m happy to report that the custom EQ helps a little. A treble reduction preset warmed things up, and pulling back the highs further with the 10-band EQ created a smoother, flatter listen. But even with adjustments, that midrange muddiness didn't fully clear up.

Podcasts sounded decent, with enough vocal clarity to follow speech comfortably. That same treble harshness crept in at higher volumes here, though in noisier environments the extra edge actually helped voices cut through in busy environments.

As you’d expect from open buds, there was some detectable sound leakage, but not that much. Unless you're listening at volume in a very quiet office or train carriage, I'd say you'll be fine.

They're not a great-sounding pair of earbuds in the grand scheme of things. But for the form factor and the price, they are more capable than much of the competition, as long as you don’t need to pump up the volume too often.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5
EarFun Clip 2 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)
  • Clip-on design that's surprisingly secure
  • Comfortable for long sessions, though fit is subjective
  • Plastic build feels budget compared to rivals

The Earfun Clip 2 use a clip-on design that hooks over the cartilage at the side of your ear. The chunkier rectangular section housing the controls and battery then rests behind the ear and the spherical driver unit sits in your concha. Each bud weighs just 5.5g, and a Ni-Ti (nickel-titanium) alloy frame helps the clip hold its shape over time.

After reviewing plenty of open earbuds, I've come to accept that fit preferences are deeply personal. Some people swear by hooks behind the ears, others prefer neckband-style fits.

For me, the clip-on is actually my favorite form factor, partly because I have thick hair and sometimes wear glasses, both of which can make hooks and neckbands less comfortable and secure. But your experience may really differ, all of our ears are unique after all!

That said, the first day or two I spent convinced they were about to fall off. They didn't, and once I'd stopped second-guessing them, I found the Clip 2 surprisingly secure and comfortable for long listening sessions.

The only time they shifted around to the point I wanted to take them off was during sprint intervals in a sweaty HIIT session, and I'd expect that from most earbuds.

(Image credit: Future)

There's IP55 dust and water resistance, so they'll handle sweat, rain and the odd splash without any trouble, just don't submerge them. Combined with the (mostly) secure fit and light weight, they make a solid workout companion.

Looks-wise, I've always found the clip-on design quite cool, like something out of Star Trek. But the Clip 2 are simple, black and plastic, and some might find them a little cheap-looking compared to shinier rivals with more colour options, like the Bose Ultra Open or the Shokz OpenDots One.

Controls are handled by a physical button on the back of each bud rather than touch surfaces, which I preferred. It's easy to find by feel when you're moving, responsive enough that I never had to fumble, and you can customize single, double-, triple- and long-press actions in the app.

The charging case tells a similar story to the buds themselves. It’s pill-shaped, black, plastic, but with a solid hinge and matte finish that make it look plain and purposeful if I’m being polite, a bit cheap if I’m not.

  • Design score: 4/5
EarFun Clip 2 review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

For the price, the Earfun Clip 2 deliver, and they’re the clip-on open earbuds I'll be recommending if anyone needs a budget pick.

The value here is strongest when you look up the price ladder. The Shokz OpenDots One offer a similar experience for more than double the price. The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds do justify their premium with noticeably better sound, but they cost almost five times as much.

This means that if you're curious about the clip-on design and don't want to gamble serious money on finding out whether it suits your ears, the Earfun make that experiment much easier to stomach.

Yes, the price shows at times. The plastic build feels budget, and the sound has limitations at higher volumes that the pricier rivals handle better. But you're not buying these expecting premium. You're buying them because you want open earbuds with a clip-on fit, decent bass and a whole shopping list of useful features without spending much. On all of those terms, they deliver.

  • Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Earfun Clip 2?Earfun Clip 2 scorecard

Features

Lots here for the price, multipoint, very good battery life and, of course, AI translation.

4/5

Sound

For open ears, they are good, with volume, energy and some bass. But the mix can feel a little muddy, and they get worse as you go loud.

3.5/5

Design

Comfortable, light and secure open-ear design. Won't suit everyone, though, and can feel a bit cheap.

4/5

Value

Cheaper than rivals. Great features, decent sound, good fit. Good value, especially in this form factor.

4/5

(Image credit: Future)Buy them if...

You’re on a budget
Open earbuds have always asked you to take a gamble on an unfamiliar design, sometimes at a high price. The Clip 2 made that gamble seem less risky, they’re seriously good value for money.

You wear glasses or have thick hair
I’ve tested a fair few open earbuds at this point and the clip-on design is hands-down the best fit for me. These win for wearability.

You want good features
Translation, multi-point connectivity and LDAC high-res audio at this price point is a strong hand. You're not being asked to compromise much to save money here.

Don't buy them if...

You want the last word in audio
They punch above their weight, and for open buds at this price their audio is good. But there are issues, which means if you’re chasing excellent sound, you won’t find it here.

You’re not sure about the clip-on fit
With so few opportunities to try earbuds before buying, it's a leap of faith. For me, comfort here was excellent, but fit is subjective and the design is distinctive enough that it won't suit everyone.

You don’t really need open
Open buds are a solid option these days, but if you don’t need ambient awareness then a conventional pair will still win on sound, and often comfort and features too.

Earfun Clip 2 review: Also consider

Earfun Clip 2

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Soundcore Aeroclip

Water resistant

IP55

IP55

IPX4

IPX4

Battery life

11 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)

11 hours (earbuds), 48 hours (total)

7.5 hours (earbuds), 48 hours (total)

8 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

11g / Charging case: 49.6g

9.4g / Charging case: 56g

6g / Charging case: 43g

6g / Charging case: 42g

Driver

12mm

17.3mm

12mm

12mm

Shokz OpenFit 2+

Worth considering if you want an open fit, but like the idea of an ear hook design rather than a clip-on one. Sound quality is good, but they’re more expensive and it really does come down to personal preference on the fit. Worth flagging here that the ear hook design has never worked well for me, which I chalk up to having thick hair and wearing glasses sometimes.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ review

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

If you want better sound in the same clip-on design and can very comfortably stretch your budget, these are the ones to go for. They’re Bose so, as you might expect, they offer a step up in terms of sound and build. But they’re only really worth paying considerably more for if you genuinely need an upgrade, because the Earfun Clip 2 get the job done.

Read our full Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review

Soundcore AeroClip

A solid alternative if something about the Clip 2 just doesn’t appeal. They are more expensive, though deals are common. The fit is equally secure and comfortable and a choice of colors, especially the gold, might sway some. Worth noting though they’re not rated as highly for water and dust resistance, so less ideal if workouts are your priority.

Read our full Anker Soundcore AeroClip review

How I tested the Earfun Clip 2

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the Earfun Clip 2 for two weeks to write this review. I mostly had them paired with my iPhone 16 Pro, but also used them with my MacBook to test the multipoint connectivity.

I used them mostly to listen to music and podcasts while I was working out of the house or exercising. But I also tried listening to TV shows and movies with them to see how the different modes sounded.

I’ve been testing and writing about tech for nearly 15 years. I’ve reviewed wearables, health tech and smart home products. But I’ve recently been focusing on fitness audio and open earbuds, especially headphones and buds on the more affordable end of the spectrum.

I’m especially interested in how tech actually feels to use day to day, rather than how it performs against a spec sheet.

Categories: Reviews

Pages

Subscribe to The Vortex aggregator