Top 5 affordable ANC earbuds

December 16, 2022

AirPods Pro are one of the wonders of the modern world, but they're not the only active noise-canceling earbuds around.

There are actually dozens to choose from, and a surprising number are priced well below Apple's offering.

Our reviewer David Snow has been trying out ANC earbuds all year, and he rounded up his best picks from those he's tested.

David's chosen five of the finest, focusing on lower cost. Check it out if you're looking for some AirPods alternatives.

Also, don't miss our guide to inexpensive stocking stuffers. You'll find lots of last-minute gift ideas!

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

While the high quality and excellent features of Apple’s updated AirPods Pro make them a favorite as well as a benchmark, there are great alternative noise-canceling earbuds that do a nice job for a much lower cost.

The Cult of Mac Store has a massive collection of affordable stocking stuffers, sure to put a smile on the face of any Apple fan.

Continuity Camera in macOS Ventura upgrades video calls by bringing the iPhone’s high-res camera to the Mac. It’s necessary to mount the iPhone on the computer, but Belkin has just what’s needed for desktop Macs.

Save space on your next amazing vacation with a folding charger that can power three devices at once. For a limited time, you can purchase the MagStack Foldable 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station for $47.99 (regularly $74).

Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest takes its annual journey to the past with a stunning episode about the origins of game designers Poppy Li and Ian Grim. We meet the geniuses when they were petulant kids who’d rather dream in nonexistent worlds than pay attention to the one they’re in.

Apple TV+ limited series Shantaram comes to a thunderous close this week. The series, based on the novel by Gregory David Roberts about the travails of Aussie escaped convict Lindsay Ford, sees its hero making one last-ditch escape attempt while casting about for his last remaining friends in Bombay.

The Apple TV+ thriller about a family fleeing terrorism charges by hiding in the jungle is all about betrayal this week.

Hit show Mythic Quest, a workplace comedy about a gaming company, will hatch a spinoff series called Mere Mortals. Calling the new show an “extension series,” Apple TV+ said it “will explore the lives of employees, players and fans who are impacted by the game.”

On December 16, 1994, Apple inked a deal with Power Computing, allowing the company to make Macintosh-compatible computers. The clone Macs era begins!

“These go to 11,” says lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel about his specially modded guitar amplifiers in music mockumentary classic This Is Spinal Tap. And today’s featured computer setup probably rocks just about that hard, too. The Mac Studio, dual Studio Displays and array of killer audio gear in the home-basement setup belong to a working New York City-area rocker. Check out details about his chest-thumping rig.

Tweetz o' the day

One more thing ...

"Microsoft has had two goals in the last 10 years. One was to copy the Mac, and the other was to copy Lotus' success in the spreadsheet -- basically, the applications business. And over the course of the last 10 years, Microsoft accomplished both of those goals. And now they are completely lost. They were able to copy the Mac because the Mac was frozen in time. The Mac didn't change much for the last 10 years. It changed maybe 10 percent. It was a sitting duck. It's amazing that it took Microsoft 10 years to copy something that was a sitting duck." -- Steve Jobs, Rolling Stone interview, 1994.

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