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Jimmy Fallon is a nerd. That's the only explanation possible after I witnessed The Tonight Show star and SNL alum describe, unprompted, what the "6" and "8" in IP68 signify.

It was about mid-point through the hour-plus long Made By Google presentation in Steiner Studios in Brooklyn on Wednesday (Aug 20) when Fallon explained that 6 stands for dust and 8 stands for water in reference to the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold's first-of-its-kind IP68 rating.

Granted, Fallon then took it a step too far and started describing protective capabilities that made a Google marketing rep squirm and remind the host that there "were lawyers in the audience."

This was one of the high points in a rather unusual tech product launch event. It was strange for tech media like me because Google allowed us to publish our hands on impression of the new Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Google Pixel Buds 2a, and Pixel Watch 4, an hour before Fallon and an assortment of Google execs, influencers, podcasts, and popstars took the stage.

Rick Osterloh (left) and Jimmy Fallon (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The low point was when Google Hardware chief Rick Osterloh promised, essentially, one more thing, and all we got was an ill-defined role for Stephen Curry as a new Performance Advisor for Google Health. Curry wasn't even there in person. Instead, we watched a video of his mildly amusing, fake job interview.

I had, for a hot second, thought we might see Android XR-powered Project Moohan or some variation of Google's latest AR glasses efforts. I hoped that we might even have some hands-on with AR glasses featuring the latest version of Gemini Live.

Just imagine how cool it would have been to see Jimmy Fallon wearing and using those things. He was game for anything, and I'm sure he would have loved it.

Jimmy Fallon and a Gogole marketing exec. (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

The lack of the really big one more thing, and that the world was reading about all Google's hardware and AI/Gemini-software updates before Fallon and Osterloh said a single word, sucked a bit of the life out of the whole affair.

Granted, I enjoyed the demos and am still blown away by the live call translations. I think Fallon was honestly tickled at hearing his own voice speak fluent Spanish on the other side of a phone call. This is a cool and powerful feature people will be talking about for a long time.

You can't go home again

Almost a decade after Google unveiled its first Pixel phone and a raft of Google Home products and features like Google WiFi, Nest devices, and Google Assistant, Google paid what I consider little attention to that side of the business.

Google may be pouring money and time into Gemini – and it should – but Google Home is increasingly feeling like a poor relation. When I switched some of my old Nest devices to Google Home (Google left me no choice), they actually lost some features.

Google Home isn't a particularly good smart home management hub, though I think it could get better with Gemini, and I am pleased that Google announced plans to put Gemini in charge of the home (with Gemini for Home). But Google didn't give us a single live demonstration of these capabilities, and so I remain unconvinced about how, as Google shifts Google Assistant out of the picture, Gemini will improve my smart home control ecosystem.

With zero Google Home, Nest hardware updates (though Google promises they're coming soon), I worry that Google is losing interest in the smart home space. I know that's not true, but Made by Google was a moment where Google could've shown us its vision for the future of AI-managed smart homes with their hardware dotted around the house and Gemini at the center.

One or two live demonstrations would've made all the difference, but we got none.

Jimmy Fallon (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Some, though, may applaud Google for its focus. By pulling the usual, by-the-numbers product reveals out of the event, Fallon and company could focus on buzzy features and not get stuck in the minutiae of components, materials, prices, and ship dates.

This made the event, as was Google's intention, more like a TV show (there was even a TV show-style crowd warmer), and who better to host such a show than Jimmy Fallon?

The crowd warmer (Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

He even had celebrity guests like Call Her Daddy podcaster Alex Cooper, who is tech-savvy enough to show off various AI photo features, and at the end, Nick Jonas. The singer did not sing, but he did introduce a new Jonas Brothers music video shot entirely on Pixel phones. That was fun, but I can also see that on YouTube, which Google's parent Alphabet also owns.

With zero surprises and no home tech, it wasn't a perfect unveiling, but at least we have all these cool new Pixel gadgets to admire.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) @techradar

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Shokz OpenDots One: Two minute review

Shokz is one of the best-known names in the fitness headphone space and finally it has turned its attention to a burgeoning new market and thus challenge a big rival: clip-on open earbuds (and Bose).

Clip-ons are a kind of the best open earbuds that don’t loop all the way around your ear, but ‘clip’ onto your auricle to take up less space and hold the sound drivers further into your ear itself. Companies haven’t taken to the design quite as readily as the now-standard sports loop open-ears (production of that design is through the roof in 2025), but perhaps Shokz’ attention is about to change that.

So meet the Shokz OpenDots One, new clip-style (cuff style?) headphones which are here to challenge the big name on the market, the Bose Ultra Open. They’re Shokz’ first readily-available bud in this form factor, not counting a limited-run beta product. And due to a few smart decisions, they are a big success.

The OpenDots aren’t cheap headphones but they do undercut the Bose by a significant margin, releasing at a competitive price point that sees them match Shokz’ sports-loop and bone conduction options. In fact they also beat the recent Shokz OpenFit 2+ which may push some prospective buyers of those open-ears into the clip instead.

Shokz has given the OpenDots a more natural curved, ergonomic look than certain rivals, both ensuring that they look a little more understated and classy, and helping them fit the shape of an ear for a reliable hook and comfortable fit. And it totally works, with these Shokz some of the most pleasant open-ears I’ve ever used. I could easily forget I was wearing them when I wasn’t listening to music.

The sound profile is pleasing too, which may sound like a muted word if not for how low expectations for open earbuds can be. Shokz has fine-tuned the sound to ensure there’s hearty but well-defined bass, which sits in harmony with treble instead of blowing it out. Audiophiles who need open-ears will find these some of the best picks on the market.

Even when you’re not using the Shokz OpenDots One, you’ll find them easy to tote around with a tiny carry case that totally disappears in pockets. Banish the thought of the giant carry cases sports-loop open-ears come in.

I’ve avoided prolific comparisons to the Bose in this intro because you may come to the Shokz without having ever heard of their competition; and the OpenDots One stand apart for being significantly cheaper than the Ultra Open. They ask you why you need to pay extra, even if Bose offers some advanced audio modes.

The OpenDots One might be a harder sell for people who’ve not used a clip-on earbud before, especially with many other options on the market that are a cheaper option to experiment with. But if you’re going to try a new form factor, why not buy an option that nails it?

Shokz OpenDots One review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life

10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

5.6g / Charging case: 52g

Driver

2x 11.8mm

Shokz OpenDots One review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Announced in May 2025 (available in many markets August 2025)
• Priced at $199 / £179 / AU$339
• Undercuts Bose, but pricier than many other rivals

The Shokz OpenDots One were announced in May 2025 and went on sale in the US immediately, though they took a few months to release globally (the UK is only just seeing them now, at the time of writing: August 21, 2025).

You can pick up the OpenDots for $199 / £179 / AU$339. While they’re more expensive than many other types of clip-on earbud like the Huawei FreeClip, JLab Flex Open or Soundcore C40i, they undercut their big rivals.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds sell for $299 / £299 / AU$449 so the Shokz aren’t just a hair cheaper, but a fair way more affordable.

Shokz OpenDots One review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Small charging case which is easy to use
• Lightweight buds that cling to the ear well
• Handy touch controls

The Shokz OpenDots One come in two color options: Black or the curiously-named Gray, which is actually beige with silver highlights. The latter is what my tester units were.

The case is pretty small and lightweight, as you’d imagine for micro-headphones like these, tipping the scales to 52g. It’s rather featureless, bearing only a small pairing button and USB-C charging port, but there’s elegance in simplicity. It opens with a horizontal divide; in a neat twist you can put either earbud in either gap, cutting down on all the faff headphone users can face (or, at least, I can face) when trying to work out which bud to put on which side.

Now onto the buds. They consist of a cylindrical counterweight and spherical bud which sits in your ear, all joined by a band made of titanium alloy according to Shokz. This middle is lovely and flexible and I never felt at risk of accidentally snapping it or bending it too far.

It’s hard to believe for any open earbuds, especially clip-style ones, but the OpenDots fit like a dream. I barely felt them during many hours of testing and, although I ran, cycled, rowed and did various gym workouts with them in, they never fell out or moved around enough to affect my listening experience.

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is. (Image credit: Future)

Another benefit over Bose’s alternatives is that they don’t look like a cyborg accoutrement, with the nice flowing design making them appear more like jewelry than a piece of robotic equipment.

Following on from my praise about the versatile any-bud-in-any-case-side compliment, you can actually also put either bud in either ear with no issue. The Shokz will automatically detect which ear they’re in to deliver music.

Like most earbuds, the OpenDots One have touch controls: you can double- or triple-tap the connective band, double-pinch the spherical counterweight or pinch and hold, for four triggers in all (it doesn’t matter which side you use, both do the same). You can customize what each control does and I found each relatively easy to trigger (which isn’t saying much compared to the competition) though I did take a while to remember that single-tapping or single-pressing didn’t do anything: double or nothing!

Shokz has certified the OpenDots One at an IP54 rating, which means the buds are protected from dust and limited water splashes but not full immersion or even beams of water. Basically, don’t take them swimming.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenDots One review: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Battery life is 10 hours, 40 hours with case
• App brings EQ but not that much else
• No connectivity problems in testing

If you thought it was time to start finding something to criticize the Shokz OpenDots One about, it’s not yet. The battery life is above average and you can even charge the case via wireless powering.

According to Shokz, the OpenDots last for 10 hours of listening on a single charge, and while I didn’t listen for that long in one burst, the power drain for the periods I did listen for suggests it’d hit that figure almost dead on. The charging case brings three extra charges, for a full listening total of 40 hours, which is better than lots of open-ear options on the market.

You won’t get noise cancelling here, though surprisingly some open earbuds do offer that (see the Honor Earbuds Open, although granted, they're not the cuff-style type). Throughout my testing period I had no connectivity issues to speak of.

(Image credit: Future)

As with any good headphone, there’s an app you can download to get extra features. In this case it’s just called Shokz, with the company using one platform for all its earbuds.

Perhaps the main reason to download the Shokz app, beyond customizing the touch controls, is for the equalizer it provides access to. There are four modes: Standard, Vocal, Bass and Private (designed to reduce audio bleed, although that basically just muffles your music), but you can also create a custom mode via a five-band equalizer.

A few other features available via the app include the ability to toggle wear detection, find your lost earbuds, customize multipoint pairing and enable Dolby Atmos (though toggling this just seemed to boost the treble when playing music). It’s not the biggest feature-set I’ve ever seen at earbuds at this price, but it offers everything you need or would expect.

• Features score: 4/5

Shokz OpenDots One review: Sound performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Two 11.8mm drivers per bud
• Decent sound, though lack of spacing
• Lots of bass

You’re totally right to assume that an open-ear headphone would sound poor, because that’s generally the case, but the Shokz OpenDots One buck the trend: they’re the rare case that sound good.

A highlight of the buds, which Shokz leans into in its marketing and promotion, is the bass. This is something oft lost by open-ears, but the OpenDots enjoy a well-defined lower-register, giving your music a meaty tone but without ever blowing it out with overwrought thumping or booming. I opted to listen in the bass enhancement mode when working out for that little extra kick, but you’ll enjoy loads of bass even if you don’t.

Unlike some super-bass earbuds, the treble still holds its head high, offering crisp and clear vocal lines and letting you hear the spacing between instruments a little. As sound gets towards the mids they do lose some detail and clarity, but you can still enjoy tunes beyond their bassline.

(Image credit: Future)

Fixing another open-ear problem, the OpenDots have a nice high max volume so they can fight against noisy traffic if you want to hear your tunes.

Shokz uses a lot of home-brewed tech in the OpenDots One. Highlights include Bassphere, which has the effect we’ve already discussed, and DirectPitch designed to stop sound leaking from the buds and everyone around you having to hear your embarrassing music choice.

These are some of the better open earbuds I've used for audio quality, and they compare to your average in-ear headphone, but it's important to be clear: audiophile-grade favorites shouldn't feel any heat from the Shokz.

• Sound performance score: 4.5/5

Shokz OpenDots One review: Value

(Image credit: Future)

Despite not being that expensive in the grand scheme of things (and in a crowded market), it’s still worth considering the Shokz OpenDots One are some of the more premium open or clip-on earbuds out there, simply due to how cheap the rivals are.

With that in mind, the OpenDots have a lot to prove – but they largely succeed. They provide great sound and a flawless design and cost a hearty amount less than their big-name rivals.

Of course you’re paying for their quality with many other similar-form-factor options available for a fraction of the price, so if you want clip-ons and quality doesn’t matter, you can get better value for money with cheaper options. It's just a question of whether you should.

• Value score: 4/5

Shokz OpenDots One review: scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

They're solid earbuds which give you decent value for money, but you're paying for what you get.

4/5

Design

Lightweight, a reliable fit and a slender carry case: what's not to love?

4.5/5

Features

The battery life is good and the existing features are useful, though rivals offer more.

4/5

Sound

The sound may fall short of truly great, but it's very good, especially compared to other open earbuds.

4.5/5

Shokz OpenDots One: Should I buy?

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

You want a lightweight earbud

Banish the thought of having to work out with a large earbud; the Shokz OpenDots One are nice and small, and I could barely feel that I was wearing them while out and about.

You need a small charging case

I loved how the Shokz' small charging case could easily fit in my running shorts' pocket or a small compartment of my bag, with most open-ears having much larger cases.

You wear glasses

Sports-hook earbuds are hard to wear for glasses users due to their hook needing to go where your glasses are. Clip-ons are a great alternative as there's no issue.

Don't buy them if...

You want in-depth equalization

If you’re the kind of person who likes to spend ages tweaking the sound of their headphones, the Shokz’ five-band equalizer might not offer you the versatility you’re looking for.

You're a cyclist

I tried using the buds quite a bit while cycling and, more so than sports-loop buds, their design caught on my helmet's strap. I could see the buds being knocked out by said strap, so perhaps cyclists should avoid.

Also consider

Component

Shokz OpenDots One

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Huawei FreeClip

Water resistant

IP54

IPX4

IP54

Battery life

10 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)

7.5 hours (earbuds), 27 hours (total)

8 hours (earbuds), 36 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

5.6g / Charging case: 52g

6g / Charging case: 43g

5.6g / Charging case: 44.5g

Driver

2x 11.8mm

12mm

10.8mm

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

These pricier clip-on options have some audio chops that the Shokz OpenDot One doesn’t. However the battery life is worse, the IP rating isn’t as high and, at least if you ask me, they don’t look as natural.

Read our full Bose Ultra Open review

Huawei FreeClip

Now a more affordable option: Huawei is a company I trust to make decent-sounding open earbuds due to past attempts, and the FreeClip use a slender-body bud to take up even less space on your ear. The battery life isn’t as good as the Shokz though.

How I tested

(Image credit: Future)

My testing period for the Shokz OpenDots One cover just over two weeks of use, which is our standard review period for headphones.

The buds were paired to an Android phone for the entirety of the testing. I used them at home at work and also on runs, at the gym and while cycling, and I also tried to use them while playing tennis like promotional images show but this felt incredibly rude to my fellow players.

I've been testing products for TechRadar since 2019 and this has included plenty of other workout headphones.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: August 2025