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DJ Graffiti: Bling Free Volume 3: "It's Official!"
DJ Graffiti
Bling Free Volume 3: "It's Official!"Label: Bling Free
US Release Date: 2004-02-04
UK Release Date: Available as import
DJ Graffiti -- who also spins, emcees, and plays percussion -- has been building his reputation through his series of underground mixtapes. With Bling Free Volume 3: "It's Official!", his first legitimate release, Graffiti continues his goal of presenting little-known acts that support his vision of a "Hip-hop community that is extremely self-sufficient", that "shines on its own". This world necessitates people who are freed from the allure of bling. Graffiti explains the idea of being Bling Free by saying that it means that "you control the bling in your life, it does not control you". While Graffiti's vision might be a little cloudy, you'll forget it once you spin this disc.
Making a mixtape for a friend seldom involves anything more precise than following the basic High Fidelity guidelines and making sure you can fit on all the songs you're digging at the moment. Making a professional mix, though, can be an art form, as Graffiti demonstrates. He perfectly sequences his selections (most of which are under three minutes), letting one track flow smoothly into the next, usually with the beats matched and the tone continuous. Smooth blending connects most songs, but occasional segues include an artist's acknowledgement of the DJ, who has done a nearly flawless job in his perfection.
While Graffiti focuses primarily on the unknown, he does include some tracks from established artists. The ever-changing-always-enjoyable MF Doom shows up with Izreal on "Pop Quiz", a track from Mic Planet Sessions. Doom's already put out one of this year's best albums, and he doesn't disappoint here with this heavy-mouthed rhymes. His Madvillainy partner Madlib shows up as a producer on Diverse's "Ain't Right". The initial portion of the mix closes with "Share This" from Soul Position, which is hot producer RJD2 and smooth emcee Blueprint. Two other acts that have a larger audience -- Dilated Peoples and Boom Bap Project -- provide tracks that have previously been almost unavailable (Dilated Peoples' "Bullet Train" was on a Japanese release).
The joy of a mixtape doesn't lie in listening to stars but in discovering new acts, and Graffiti provides plenty of opportunity to do so over these 38 tracks. The first group that stands out shows up on only the third track. The Procussions dropped their debut ... As Iron Sharpens Iron last fall, and Graffiti has pulled that disc's best song, "Just Over Broke", for Bling Free Vol. 3. The song's themes of poverty and struggling to find honor fits with Graffiti's ideas, and the old-school sound prepares listeners for the many jazzy tracks that are to follow.
One of the mix's other highlights shows up near the mid-way point. Now On's previously unreleased "Stop" features two MC's switching off on lead and supporting roles and they come out fast with their challenge: "I'm sick of these MC's coming some assembly required / With no flow / And no soul". Now On offers, instead, "soundwaves transforming the game", and explains the refusal to sign with an big label ("All about the marketing from the hair-dos to the shoes ... you said, 'Fuck making good tunes'") if it means modifying the message.
It would be too easy to get caught up in listing on the good tracks on the mix, though, and the disc has me feeling too good to convince myself that there are any duds on here. Instead, I'm going to just skip to the final eight tracks, which are actually a "Bonus Mix" based on Graffiti's radio program "The Vibe". These tracks are smoother and gentler than anything on the first three-quarters of the disc, and for the most part, they're not as interesting, whether being an ode to sex or just a mellow groove. Not surprisingly, JayDee produced this section's best track, Phat Kat's "Destiny". The song isn't particularly exciting, but the sparse production, slow hook, and romantic narrative wrap things up solidly.
DJ Graffiti wraps up Bling Free Volume 3 with a request to support these artists. He's not strict in his request: if you have to download, buy a ticket; if you get a free ticket buy a t-shirt. He doesn't need to put up much argument, though, because the tracks are their own best advocate.


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The Appleton ice arena Zamboni is skinned to look like a fire truck (or engine) and sponsored by Pierce Manufacturing. These are photos I took after my son's team won two games against Appleton.
My web search for an "Ambulance Zamboni" or a "Zamboni Ambulance" only returned this result. A Zamboni with a Patriot Ambulance skin.
My search for "Police Car Zamboni" and "Police Zamboni" came up empty.
Let me know if there are other "Zambulances" I need to add to my collection.

subset: commoncrawl


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A few days ago, we saw the official images of the Asia exclusive LEGO Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner (80101) and we also got a glimpse at the Dragon Dance (80102). There are now more images of the Dragon Dance and the back of the box does confirm that it does contain a kinetic play feature. On the left side of the box, you are able to turn the dial and it will move various sections of the dragon up and down. Also note that this set will also include a teal brick separator, a first of its kind.
From what I've been hearing, these sets will only be available to the Asian markets so it'll be pretty difficult to obtain if you're outside those countries. I feel they will sell well worldwide but in the meantime, LEGO will only be focusing the sets in that particular region.


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From www.yankodesign.com
Essentially the most simplified version of a french press, the Newton is effortless because it uses a Type 2 Lever to reduce the amount of effort needed to extract every single bit of goodness from your grounds. This rather fresh looking device sits on any table-top or even wall-mounts, not letting a small or cluttered kitchen stop you from getting your daily fix. The steps are pretty simple too. Start with a nice hot cup, place and press your coffee grounds into the lower chamber of the Newton. Screw the lower chamber into place and pour hot water into the upper chamber before pulling the lever up. Then delight in the hipster routine of pumping the water through the grounds and out the bottom into your toasty hot coffee cup. The entire process is fun, non-electric, and effortless.


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Ryan Rolison
English 1310
Section 101
Jon Marc Smith
"Battle of the Sexes"
Men and women have not been and are not involved in an everlasting "war" amongst the other. We as humans have always put too much emphasis on unimportant factors and have made the mistake of making every conflict a "good vs. evil" battle, or in this case, "male vs. female". In bad relationships, both the male and the female either want to have some sense of power or control over the other, or they are both too passive and expect the other to take over. In Karen Horney's "The Distrust Between the Sexes", she explains why a "battle of the sexes" doesn't exist. She compares the ideas and philosophies in Sigmund Freud's "Oedipus Complex" to her beliefs that personality clashes between a man and woman are indirectly affected by his and her childhood. Horney says that "[The man vs. woman relationship] apparently has nothing to do with the individual partner, but rather with the intensity of the affects and with the difficulty of taming them."(Horney 108)
In "The Distrust Between the Sexes", Horney does an excellent job of connecting a person's background to his personality. She also ties all of that into how a relationship between a man and woman work. It is believed by many that it has always been a man vs. woman conflict. Horney says, "… the fear of love will always be mixed with the fear of what we might do to the other person, or what the other person might do to us."(Horney 110) She explains why we are always so defensive when it comes to our relationships. We fear of opening up to our partner and disclosing personal information because when we do that, we give our partner a certain source of power. Women, however, more so than men, generally feel for a need of trust, love, and affection. They put themselves out there and "open up" sooner and in a way, will try to force relationships. Men, on the other hand, keep to themselves and unconsciously suppress...


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by Rev. Dale Azevedo, Sr. Minister – August 1, 2019
There is something about being on vacation that makes me ponder the future. I ask myself things like "What will next year be like?" or "What do I want to be doing in five years? Or 10 years?" It was while I was pondering these things that an even more powerful question came to me:
What does God want from me?
I know this sounds like a basic question and one that we, as people of faith, ought ask ourselves regularly. But for some reason this time the question felt quite profound, as though it would answer many of the other questions I'd been wrestling with. And, as I began to think more deeply on that question, the answer came to me immediately:
To love others
and to help make other people's lives better.
Again, this may sound like a simple answer, but it was anything but simple to me. It was deeply moving and it even brought a sense of relief. These are the two things that God wants from me. Everything else is fluff.
Think about this for a minute. If you know exactly what it is that God wants from you, is there anything else as important? As people of faith, our primary task is to do God's will. What we want and what others want is secondary to this one goal. As we will be reminded in the coming weeks during our sermon series on the 10 Commandments, the first commandment is "I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other Gods before me." Anything that we place before God becomes our god, and that ought not be so.
Think about how freeing this can be. As Christians there is only one being we need to please: God. Everyone else's demands (and there are a lot of those demands!) fall behind, and perhaps even become irrelevant.
When I realized this, I had a second revelation. If I know what God wants from me, then it's easy to take stock of how I'm doing. That night I laid in bed and asked myself two questions:
Who did I love today?
How did I make someone's life better today?
When I was able to answer those questions, I was able to close my eyes in peace and know that I had done all that God had asked of me that day. Again, think about how freeing that is; to rest easy knowing that you have done God's will for that day.
Of course, these are my questions and my call from God. Your mileage may vary. What God calls you to do may be entirely different than what God calls me to do. In fact, what God calls me to do today, may not be what God calls me to do in 5 years. And I will need to develop new questions that help me to know I am living God's will. What is God calling you to do? If you had to answer the question, "what does God want from you?", how would you answer it?
What does God want from you?
I believe you know the answer to this question. Deep inside, or maybe riding right on the surface, is your answer. What immediately comes to mind when I ask you ask this question? Don't try to answer what you think I want to hear. Don't answer what you think will be "acceptable" to others. Answer it honestly. There is, of course, a reason to evaluate that answer and ask later, "Is this really what God wants from me?" But my guess is that the answer will come pretty easily. It's living up to the answer that is difficult!
Once you have done this, you can then change that answer into specific questions that you can ask yourself. Did I <insert God's desire for you here> today? How did I do it? When did I do it? And when you can answer affirmatively, rest easy knowing you've done good for God today.
Now, you know there will be those days when we won't be able to answer affirmatively. In my case there will be times when I will recognize that I didn't love someone fully or that I missed an opening to make someone else's life better. In those moments, it provides a wonderful opportunity to receive God's grace. "No, I didn't love <insert name here> today, but I know that God forgives me and will provide an occasion to do better tomorrow." You can do the same. Feel God's grace. Seek forgiveness. And do better tomorrow.
So I ask you again…
What does God want from you?


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Since 1793
Our Lady
This is our tribute to all female Saints, but you can call her the Virgin Mary or Mary, Mother of Jesus if you like.
A beautiful sensitive, tiny figure, with Angels supporting (or looking down?) on her, this is a charming and tranquil addition to any quiet space.
With striking turquoise skies and a beautiful, simple dress this piece oozes peace and contemplation and as ever with this series really challenges our dedicated and talented team of hand painting decorators.
We hope you like her.


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FAQs for Practices: Financial Relief Provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economics Security (CARES) Act
Updated July 21, 2020
The CARES Act was passed to assist business owners with immediate financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The US Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Reserve are administering several new loan programs to provide financial relief to small and medium sized practices due to COVID-19. The FAQs below will assist you, your practice managers, and your consultants (e.g. accountants, lawyers) in identifying what is right for you. As the Administration develops additional guidelines, we will continue to make updates to this document.
What small business loan options are available for me now?
For businesses under 500 employees:
- The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is available for small businesses to cover payroll up to $10 million or 250% of your average monthly payroll costs. Loans are forgivable on a sliding scale up to 100%. Businesses must have been operational on or before February 15, 2020. Deadline to apply is June 30, 2020.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EILDs) emergency advance is for businesses with less than 500 employees. The application will take approximately 2 hours to complete and up to $10,000 can be requested as a loan advance. Please note the Small Business Administration is now reopening and accepting new applications as of June 15.
- Express Bridge Loans are available for up to $25,000 for small businesses that were operational on or before March 13, 2020 applying for EILDs.
- The Debt Relief Program provides automatic payment for the principal, interest and fees of current and new 7(a), 504, and microloans issued prior to September 27, 2020.
For businesses with more than 500 employees:
- The SBA has a Small Business Tool for practices to complete to see if they qualify. Enter "621111" for the 6-digit NAICS code.
- The Main Street Lending Program has launched as of June 15. These loans are available for practices established before March 13, 2020 with fewer than 15, 000 employees and annual revenues less than $5 billion
- Practices are eligible even if they have received SBA PPP loans
- Three types of loans are available. For all three types, the term will be for four years and the first year of payments will be deferred.
- Practices who take out these loans agree to maintain payroll, retain workers, and meet direct loan requirements.
- Non-profit businesses are now eligible for two new Main Street Lending Program loans, depending on certain requirements.
If I qualify for loans, how do I apply?
For SBA loans:
- Most of the loans are administered through local lenders identified by the SBA Local District offices. Search the eligible Paycheck Protection Program lenders to start.
- Paycheck Protection Program loan applications are available online to submit to your lender.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EILDs) applications are available through SBA online. The application will take approximately two hours to complete and up to $10,000 can be requested as a loan advance.
- The other loan options need to be coordinated with your local bank or SBA Local District Office.
For the Main Street Lending Program:
- Borrowers will submit any documents as requested by the lender. It is the borrower's responsibility to contact the lenders to determine their specific requirements.
- Eligible lender descriptions are outlined in the term sheets listed here.
What documents should I prepare to submit when I apply?
For SBA loans:
- You will have to provide proof that your practice was in operation before February 15, 2020 with employees that received salaries and for whom you paid payroll taxes (i.e., Social Security, Medicare).
- Lenders will ask you for good faith certification that:
- The uncertainty of current economic conditions makes the loan request necessary to support ongoing operations
- You will use the loan to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage, lease, and utility payments
- You do not have an application pending for a loan duplicative of the purpose and amounts applied for here
- From Feb. 15, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020, you have not received a loan duplicative of the purpose and amounts applied for here (Note: There is an opportunity to fold emergency loans made between Jan. 31, 2020 and the date this loan program becomes available into a new loan)
For Main Street Lending Program:
- Registration for eligible lenders is now open. Borrowers should contact their local banks for more information on accessing the loans through specific lenders.
- Borrower Certifications and Covenants were updated on June 11, 2020 for all three loan types. These documents can be reviewed here.
- In accordance with these covenants, the borrower will need to make good faith certification that your practice was in operation before March 13, 2020 and that you will comply with the terms and conditions of the program. You will also need to certify that you meet the eligibility requirements for number of employees and 2019 revenue.
- For more information, visit the Federal Reserve website and the updated FAQs
Is there anyone that can help me with the SBA loans?
SBA has resource partners: Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women's Business Centers (WBCs) and SCORE mentorship chapters. To locate resources in your area:
- Go to https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/find/ to get to the SBA Find Local Assistance search tool
- Do NOT enter a key word
- Enter your zip code
- In the "Provided By" dropdown menu, select:
- "Small Business Development Center" or "Women's Business Center" for counselors and assistance with loan packages
- "SCORE Business Mentor" for local mentors, online advice, and webinars
- Call or email and request assistance
Can I get my loans forgiven?
Paycheck Protection Program loans may be forgiven if borrowers use the loans to maintain their payrolls and pay other specific expenses. A guide to loan forgiveness can be found here and you can download forgiveness forms and worksheets here.
What about health insurance advance payments?
See our resource on Advanced and Accelerated Insurance Payment Programs Available During COVID-19 for the latest information.
Can I defer my payroll taxes?
- Businesses can defer their portion of Social Security (6.2%) and Medicare (1.45%) payroll taxes into two payments due late 2021 and 2022. However, you are not eligible for payroll tax deferral if you receive a loan under SBA's Paycheck Protection Program.
Are there other options available, like grants or additional loans?
- The Department of Health and Human Services is providing federal relief funds to physician practices. See our Step-by-Step guide to check if your practice is eligible for funds and for more information on how to apply.
- ACOG recommends practices consult with local accountants and lawyers to determine the best action plan for their practice.
Where can I find additional information?
- ACOG's online resource: Financial Support for Physicians and Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- ACOG's free webinar: Financial Tips for Practices in Crisis: COVID-19 Resources is available on demand now
- The US Chamber of Commerce has published useful resources related to the Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Loans and Main Street Lending Program
- US Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship's Small Business Owner's Guide to the CARES Act
- The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston held a webinar on Friday, May 29 at 11am ET for borrowers in the Main Street Lending Program. The recording is now available.
- The American Medical Association provides information about loans available to physician practices in this resource
Follow this and more through social media @ACOGAction or online at www.acog.org/Topics/COVID-19
Information on practice management during the COVID-19 pandemic is developing rapidly and ACOG will release updates to policy and funding opportunities as they arise. ACOG continues to support its members during this time. If you have any further question or concerns, please reach out to us and submit your questions at email@example.com or acogcoding.freshdesk.com.


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Students from as far as Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia joined students from schools in the New England North West region to attend the University of New England's Primary Industry Centre for Science Education (UNE PICSE) Industry Placement Student Camp, December 12-16, 2011.
The 23 students interacted with leading and internationally recognised scientists to discover the current research and developments in primary industries and the exciting science based careers supporting primary industries. The students experienced interactive activities and guided tours of award-winning, innovative primary industries based businesses.
The week was an opportunity for the students to see the careers that are available within the agricultural science sector, which they would have never previously thought of as well as being able to talk to world class scientists about their current work.
"This is an outstanding opportunity for students to gain a first-hand experience into a broad range of worthwhile science based career opportunities," said Susanna Greig, Science Education Officer and manager of the UNE PICSE program. "These students are enjoying a great experience and have grabbed onto the opportunity with both hands"
Patrick Grienewold, who has just completed Year 12, travelled all the way from Launceston in Tasmania to participate in the Science-to-Industry camp.
"I've learnt lots at the camp," he said. "I've worked with sheep on the farm, and it was interesting, today, to find out what happens to the wool once it's out of the shearing shed.
Briony Looker from Glen Innes will complete Year 12 in 2012. "I've been around animals all my life," said Briony, who lives on a farm. "I'd like to study for a rural science degree at UNE and ultimately work in something like a beef research advisory position."
PICSE is a national collaboration between – and is funded jointly by – the Commonwealth Government, universities, regional primary industries, national primary industry organisations, and businesses. This integrated strategy delivers science class activities, teachers' professional development, teaching resources, student camps and student industry placement programs, building strong and sustainable relationships between school students, teachers, universities and local scientists or employers associated with primary industries, particularly in the production of food and fibre.
This UNE PICSE program is made possible with the support from the following partners:
School of Environmental Science, UNE, Walcha Dairy, Sheep CRC, Poultry CRC, Grasslands Society of NSW, UNE Marketing & Public Affairs, Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit, Veterinary Health Research Institute, Glendon Poultry, Tamworth Agricultural Institute, Viterra Malt, East West EnviroAg, Tomato exchange and Glen Innes Research Station.
Media contact: Susanna Greig, Science Education Officer on 0457 562 680.


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Megumi Shion (紫苑恵?) is a scientist character created by Shion MegumiToho who first appeared in episode 1 of the 1996 tokusatsu series, Seven Star Fighting God Guyferd titled The Birth of Guyferd.
Heisei Series
Seven Star Fighting God Guyferd
Megumi is the head of experiments involving the Fallah virus at Crown. She is first seen taking over the project from Takeo Shiroishi in the first episode. She is greatly trusted by her employer Mr. Bicross and created most of the Mutians herself. She considers her Mutians to be "supreme beings" and has a great margin of control over them. She apparently dies in episode 8, but is revived in episode 9 as a cyborg.
In episode 13, she is revealed to have lost her sister, This was so devastating to her that she turned cold and lost her concern for life. It was at this point that she joined Crown and began experiments with the Fallah virus.


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|Campbell County Building, located on Monmouth St. in Newport, is home to both the County Clerk's office and the Fiscal Court/Google Maps
The deadline to register as a voter in Campbell County is next Monday, October 6. To prepare you, our FTM readers, we've created this 2014 Election fact-sheet, outlining everything you need to know, including how and where to register, for the upcoming election in November.
Register to VoteIn order to vote in any government election, you must first be registered to vote in your county of residence. In order to vote in primary elections, you must also be registered as a member of a particular party (this is not required to vote in General Elections in November).
In Kentucky, voters can register to vote 28 days or more prior to an election. That makes this year's deadline to register to vote October 6, 2014.
To register to vote, simply fill out this form and take it to the Campbell County Clerk's office (pictured above), located at 1098 Monmouth St. in Newport. If you cannot print out the form, they should have it available at the County Clerk's office.
Know Your DistrictsFort Thomas is "districted" on a federal, state, and county level. Here's a run-down of what districts Fort Thomas falls into, for voting purposes, as well as who is running for each seat:
* indicates incumbent
Kentucky's U.S. Senate Race
- Mitch McConnell (R)*
- Allison Lundergan Grimes (D)
Kentucky's 4th Congressional District
- Thomas Massie (R)*
- Peter Newberry (D)
Kentucky General Assembly (State Senate + House of Representatives)
Kentucky State Senate District 24:
(Katie Stine is not running as incumbent this year)
- Jason Steffen (D)
- Wil Schroder (R)
Kentucky House of Representatives District 68:
- Shae Hornback (D)
- Joseph M. Fischer (R)*
Campbell County Fiscal Court
Campbell County Judge/Executive:
- Steve Pendery (R)*
- Ken Rechtin (D)
Campbell County Commissioner District 1:
- Rene Heinrich (D)
- Brian Painter (R)*
Campbell County Commissioner District 2:
- Charlie "Coach" Coleman (R)
- Melanie Steidel Pelle (D)
Campbell County Commissioner District 3:
- Tom Lampe (R)
- Mark Ramler (D)
Campbell County District Court Judge
- Cameron J. Blau
- Gregory T. Popovich
Other Campbell County Offices
Campbell County Sherriff
- Scott Hildebrand (D)
- Mike Jansen (R)
Campbell County Clerk
- Jim Luersen (R)
- Marc Muench (D)
Campbell County Jailer
- James A. Daley (R)*
- Ed Hehman (D)
Campbell County Property Value Administrator
- Daniel Braun (R)*
- Andrea Janovic (D)
Campbell County Coroner
- Matthew Cline (D)
- Mark Schweitzer (R)*
Campbell County Justice of the Peace/Magistrate District 3
- Stan Jones (R)
- Charles "Bud" Wilson (D)
Campbell County Constable District 3
- James "Jim" Peluso (D)
- Roy T. Usleaman (R)
For good measure, here's the list of candidates running for city office in Fort Thomas:
Fort Thomas City Council
- Jeff Bezold
- Anthony Bonomini
- Ken Bowman*
- Lisa Kelly*
- Adam Meier
- John Muller
- Roger Peterman*
Robert "Bo" Wasser is running as a write-in candidate.
Current Councilman Eric Haas is running unopposed for Mayor of Fort Thomas, to replace Mary Brown, who announced earlier this year that her current term as Mayor would be her last.
Board of Education
- Lisa Duckworth*
- Mary Adams
- Bradley T. Fennell*
- Scott Johnson*
- John T. Weyer


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The Internal Medicine Residency Program at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West produces the highest quality physicians and physician-scientists by fostering a residency program that emphasizes diversity and inclusivity, intellectual curiosity, compassion and camaraderie. Our goal is to create doctors capable of both clinical excellence and academic leadership all in a supportive environment.
Internal Medicine Residency at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West
The Internal Medicine Residency Program at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West produces the highest quality physicians and physician-scientists by fostering a residency program that emphasizes diversity and inclusivity, intellectual curiosity, compassion and camaraderie. Our goal is to create doctors capable of both clinical excellence and academic leadership all in a supportive environment.
Read about what makes our program unique: our faculty, our curriculum and our residents themselves.
We have a rigorous program that will give you a thorough grounding in medicine whether you choose to stay with us for our highly coveted three-year program or a preliminary year. Read more
Residency is more than just studying and rounding. Living in New York, among all the geographic and ethnic diversity that this city provides is an fabulous backdrop for your training program. Read more
The hospitals of the Mount Sinai Health System select trainees based on their ability and without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, military status, disability, citizenship, genetic predisposition, sexual preference, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Department of Medicine accepts applications exclusively through the Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS). In November 2015, Mount Sinai Roosevelt name was change to Mount Sinai West. The ACGME program may still reflect the old name. The program number has not changed. Our program number is 140-35-21-301. Please select either of "Preliminary," "Categorical," or "Primary Care" tracks.
Our NRMP Numbers are:
|Program Name
|NRMP Number
|Internal Medicine
Required Documentation
- Personal statement
- Dean's letter
- Medical school transcript
- Three letters of recommendation, at least one of which is written by faculty from the applicant's home institution's Department of Medicine
- Medical school graduation: 2012 or later
While we do not have minimum score requirements for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), typically candidates who match with us have a score above 240. Only applicants who cleared the USMLE or COMLEX at first attempt will be considered.
- We sponsor J-1 and H1-B visas
- Clinical experience within the past two years is preferred
- US clinical experience is not required
- We do not offer pre-matches
- ECFMG certification by the time of interview is helpful but not required
Application Timeline
September 15: ERAS post office opens
Late September: Begin screening applications
Early October: Begin sending interview invitations
End of October: Interviews begin
December 15: Application deadline
Mid-January: Interviews end
Late February: Rank lists entered
We interview candidates from mid-October to mid-January. The interviews are conducted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Interview Day
The interview day begins at 8:00 am; a continental breakfast is served. The morning session may be either at Mount Sinai Morningside or at Mount Sinai West. You will hear a presentation from the program's leadership describing various features of our program, attend Morning Report, take a tour of the hospital and interviewed by two faculty members. You will also have lunch with the housestaff, affording you the opportunity to get to know them and ask questions. After lunch, you will be taken to the counter site by the Jitney to tour the other hospital. The tour at West will also include a visit to the subsidized resident's housing located across the street. The interview day ends at approximately 2:30 pm. For information on directions and parking, please refer to our website.
For International Medical Graduates
J-1 Exchange Visa: The J-1 has been the visa most commonly held by international medical graduates (IMGs) engaged in residency training in the United States. The Graduate Medical Education (GME) Office of Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West Hospitals is responsible for processing of J-1 visa applications for physicians participating in clinical training programs.
H1-B Temporary Worker Visas: Under certain circumstances, Graduate Medical Education (GME) at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West may sponsor international medical graduates for H1-B visas for the purpose of receiving graduate medical education training. The only candidates who will be considered for H1-B sponsorship must be categorical candidates entering a training program of at least two years in length, who are (1) ECFMG certified and (2) must have also passed the USMLE step 3 by the time of the match result (usually mid-March). All sponsored candidates for H1-B visas must use the services of the lawyer associated with our GME.
Other Work Permits: If you are expecting to receive a work permit by means other than the J-1 or H1-B visas, please review the circumstances with the program director or coordinator who will communicate this information to the GME Office.
Please note that we do not offer observerships or externships.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding our application process.
How do I apply to the Internal Medicine Residency Program?
Please submit your application through ERAS using our Number (#140-35-21-301). We only participate through The Match.
What is the number of available positions in your residency program?
The numbers of positions within the residency program are: Preliminary 19 and Categorical 42.
Do you sponsor any international visas?
Yes, we sponsor J1 and H1b visas. Applicants must have Step 3 before The Match Day for the H1b visa.
What are the required documents for applying to our program?
- ERAS common application form
- Dean's Letter
- Minimum of three Letters of Recommendations.
- Official Medical School Transcript
- USMLE Transcripts
What is your minimum score for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (CK & CS)?
- While we do not have minimum score requirements for the USMLE, typically candidates who match with us have a score above 240. First attempt only.
- The Comlex score for most of the Osteopathic that match with us is more than 600 for levels 1 and 2.
When do you begin reviewing applications?
We start reviewing applications in mid-September
What are the starting dates of the Residency Program?
The starting date for Preliminary Interns is June 17, 2018
The starting date for the Categorical and Primary Care Track is July 1, 2018
What is the deadline to apply to the Internal Medicine Residency Program?
January 2, 2017
Is there a cutoff date after graduating medical school?
We review all applications and evaluate the applicant in accordance to their academic transcripts, board scores, letters of recommendations, etc.
What is the Primary Care Track?
The Primary Care Track is a structured opportunity for selected applicants to become experts in primary care medicine during their residency training. The Track offers our residents unique exposure to a variety of relevant clinical experiences as well classroom-based didactics. Click here for more information.
Are Primary Care Track residents part of the Categorical Program?
Yes. Primary Care Track residents are fully integrated into our categorical program. Primary Care Track residents engage in all of the same rotations as their fellow Categoricals, including Intensive Care Unit rotations. The difference is that Primary Care Track residents have increased elective time that is focused on primary care medicine.
Do I apply separately for both the Primary Care Track and regular Categorical program in ERAS?
Yes. Though residents in the Primary Care Track are completely integrated into our Categorical program, we have a separate match number (include match number here).
If I apply to the Primary Care Track through ERAS, can I also apply to the regular Categorical Program?
Yes. The Mount Sinai Morningside-West Internal Medicine Residency Program gladly accepts applications to both. If you choose to apply for both and are selected for an interview, you will be notified if it is for the Primary Care Track, regular Categorical program, or both.
How many spots are available for the Primary Care Track next year?
A total of four slots are available.
If I get accepted into the Primary Care Track, will I be allowed to pursue a subspecialty fellowship?
Yes. Our goal is to select exceptional individuals who are committed to engaging in our comprehensive primary care curriculum. Residents in the track will be fully supported by our program in whatever career path they choose.
Is there any clinical experience required?
For International Medical Graduates, clinical experience within the past two years is desired. An ECFMG certification by the time of interview is helpful but not required. Typically, 1-3 months of United States clinical experience is encouraged. Having more US clinical experience will not increase your chance for an interview.
Once I have a confirmed interview, can I reschedule?
Yes, please contact the program via ERAS to reschedule your interview date.
What if I have a specific question?
Given the large volume of applications, we cannot guarantee individual responses to your queries. We wish you all the best and much success with the Match.


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- Theta Defines an Option's Time Decay
- Time Decay
- Why is Theta Important?
- More Time vs Time Decay
- Theta Decay Example: AAPL Call Options
- Video of the Day
- More Volatility = More Time
- Can Option Theta be Positive?
- Options as Insurance
- Positive Theta Credit Spreads
- Why is Theta Important?
- Long & Short of it
- We want to hear from you!
- Theta is the Inverse of Gamma
- Option Theta Explained (Best Guide) - Option Greeks for Beginners
- How to Take Advantage of Theta Decay in Options
- Black Scholes Theta Formula
Theta Defines an Option's Time Decay
Theta, which is more commonly referred to as time decay, describes the rate at which the value of an option will erode as one trading day passes.
This of course assumes that all other inputs are unchanged.
It is a calculation made from an option pricing model and forms part of a group of calculations jointly called Option Greeks, which are partial derivatives of the option price.
Time Decay
Why is Theta Important?
Remember that the value of an option is made up of two components; intrinsic and extrinsic value. Intrinsic value is the raw value of the option if it were exercised now. Extrinsic value is time value component that having the option to exercise represents. Because you can choose to exercise or not, having more time to do so increases the likelihood of a successful outcome.
As the option approaches its expiration date, the probability of an option moving in or out of the money with respect to the underlying decreases.
Every option contract, call or put, will have zero time value at expiration and will then only be worth its' intrinsic value if exercised.
So, during an option's life, it's time value is eroding each and every day. The option Theta value estimates how much of this value will erode by tomorrow.
Theta is the sensitivity of an option's price vs time to expiration.
This chart represents the daily theoretical price of a call option every day out to one year.
All inputs are constant except time.
More Time vs Time Decay
Having the option to choose one thing over another is valuable and therefore the more time you have to decide adds more value to this option.
Theta Decay Example: AAPL Call Options
For this reason, longer dated options, all other things being equal, will have more time value than shorter dated options. But this isn't the same as having a high Theta.
Theta measures the rate of decay the option will experience (all other things being equal) as ONE trading day passes. Time value is the extrinsic value until the expiration date.
Take a look at this table.
This table is the theoretical output of an 1000 strike ATM call option priced out to one year.
Interest rates are zero and volatility is 20% for every option. One year out, the option is valued at 79.66, which is entirely made up of extrinsic value as the underlying price and the strike price are both 1000. Here, the Theta value is only -0.11.
Video of the Day
However, as each option has time removed, its' time value decays while the Theta of the option increases.
As you can see from 5 to 1 days, the decay is clearly non-linear to the point where with one day remaining the Theta value is the same as the price of the option. Holding that at expiration all time value will be zero.
The effect of the non-liner aspect of the decay is better described in the time decay graph;
Notice the speed at which the option loses its value after about the 30 day mark?
This is why Theta, and the decaying effect it has on an option price, is so important to understand when deciding how to trade options.
More Volatility = More Time
Theta is not only affected by time but also volatility. Options that have higher implied volatilities will also have higher Theta's than their lower volatility counterparts.
This is because volatility acts like time when it comes to an options value. The more volatile an underlying instrument, the more chances there are that the stock/future will be trading above/below the strike price of the option by the expiration date.
When the underlying volatility is low, stock price movements are small and create fewer opportunities for profitable movements compared to the strikes.
Adding volatility therefore has the same effect as adding time.
So, increasing the volatility increases Theta and decreasing volatility decreases Theta.
Can Option Theta be Positive?
When looking at an option chain that includes theoretical prices and values the contracts are always assumed to be long.
Options as Insurance
I.e the values represent prices if you were to buy the call or put.
As mentioned above, having the option to choose one thing over another loses value as time passes.
Therefore the time value represented as a number must be negative. This is why Theta is always shown as a negative number for both calls and puts when pricing options. That is, it doesn't matter whether you have the option to buy or sell the stock; that option becomes worth less each day that passes. Here is what an option chain would look like;
However, if you were to sell the option your position Theta would then be positive; you would benefit from the passage of time as expiration approaches.
This is the main driver for those who profit from selling options/strategies.
They sell the option, receive the premium straight away, and then benefit by keeping the premium if the option expires worthless.
Positive Theta Credit Spreads
Selling a single option will create a positive Theta position.
But you can also create a positive Theta position with multiple options i.e.
Why is Theta Important?
option spreads. If the Theta's of all the legs in the strategy combine to be positive, then your spread is said to be Theta positive.
Option traders refer to this as a strategy to "capture Theta". Typically all option credit spreads (where the net premium is received by the trader instead if paid out) will be Theta positive.
For example a short condors spread is a common strategy used with retail traders as a way to generate income from a positive Theta position. This particular trade makes up the majority of the material in the popular Option Income System training videos.
Note, I have bought this package myself so I know from experience what is inside the course.
Long & Short of it
Generally speaking, long positions will have negative Theta and short positions have positive Theta, however, not always.
A good example that breaks this rule is a long calendar spread.
The net premium for this strategy will most likely be a debit i.e.
you will pay money to hold this position as the longer dated option you buy will cost more than the premium you receive for selling the shorter dated option. So, this position is called a long spread.
We want to hear from you!
However, the Theta for this strategy will most likely be positive as the shorted dated options will have a higher rate of decay than the longer dated expiry.
Theta is the Inverse of Gamma
Remember that the Theta defines the rate of change when all other inputs remain unchanged.
If, for example, the market doesn't move at all, your position will experience an approximate change according to the Theta value. Large movements in the underlying price/volatility, however, can create opportunities for an options' profitability.
Option Theta Explained (Best Guide) - Option Greeks for Beginners
Movements in price and the effect the movement will have on the probability of the option is called Gamma.
Option gamma is another Greek calculation that defines the rate of change of the option delta as the underlying moves 1 full point.
Gamma has an inverse relationship to Theta.
If your Theta is negative, you will want your position to experience a strong underlying price movement, hence a positive Gamma.
How to Take Advantage of Theta Decay in Options
Conversely, if your position Theta is positive you will benefit as the underlying price remains constant and lose value if the market moves hence a negative Gamma.
Black Scholes Theta Formula
Technically speaking, Theta is the first order derivative of the value of the option price and is the output of an option pricing model.
There are a number of calculators that you can use to price options including my own option pricing spreadsheet. The Visual Basic formula used in my spreadsheet calculates Theta from the Black and Scholes method as;
Call Theta = -((UnderlyingPrice * Volatility * NdOne()) / (2 * Sqr(Time)) - Interest * ExercisePrice * Exp(-Interest * (Time)) * NdTwo()) / 365
Put Theta = -((UnderlyingPrice * Volatility * NdOne()) / (2 * Sqr(Time)) + Interest * ExercisePrice * Exp(-Interest * (Time)) * (1 - NdTwo())) / 365
You can see the working version of the above in the option spreadsheet.


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Creative Commons is hiring a new CEO [PDF], who'll run the organization which currently has a $3M budget and a staff of 20. They're looking for someone who can lead, fundraise, and grow the organization.
Creative Commons is at an inflection point in its history. In the coming years, CC will pursue strategies that expand use of its licenses and promote a robust knowledge-sharing ecosystem. The organization recognizes that many paths lay open for pursuing these objectives, and the search for a new chief executive offers an opportunity to explore new ideas for services, products, advocacy, policies and programs. The new leader will oversee continued stewardship of CC's licenses and also seek new opportunities to expand knowledge-sharing through the internet.
Creative Commons
San Francisco Bay Area, CA


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Research Repository
Economic Development and Climate Change in South East Asia: The SEADICE Model and its Forecasts for Growth Prospects and Policy Strategies
Sanderson, Jamie and Islam, Sardar M. N (2003) Economic Development and Climate Change in South East Asia: The SEADICE Model and its Forecasts for Growth Prospects and Policy Strategies. International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 3 (4). pp. 382-408. ISSN 1466-6650Full text for this resource is not available from the Research Repository.
Increased environmental problems in the form of global warming have reshaped human thinking about the prospects of human survival on this planet. The 1996 IPCC study has confirmed that increased GHG concentrations in the atmosphere will substantially increase global temperatures. South East Asia's (SEA) particular vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change need to be explored. The primary production levels, tourism industry, agricultural productivity, energy sector and urban water supply systems are sensitive to potential climate changes. To address these issues and options, the study undertakes an integrated climate change and economic growth modelling study with a comprehensive coverage of the SEA region. The model is based on the work done by Nordhaus (the DICE model) and Islam (the Asia-DICE model), and named the South East Asia Dynamic Integrated Climate and the Economy (SEADICE) model. The results address issues related to global environmental change and sustainable development for SEA. The results suggest the following: 1) GHG abatement costs are justifiable for the region; 2) optimal abatement control rates are significantly higher compared to other models; and 3) this suggests that regional or country specific abatement policies should be implemented in the region.
|Item Type:
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|ResPubID5534, climate change, South East Asia, models, policies, cooperation, economic development
|Historical > Faculty/School/Research Centre/Department > Centre for Strategic Economic Studies (CSES)
Current > FOR Classification > 1401 Economic Theory
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|Depositing User:
|Date Deposited:
|31 May 2011 05:51
|Last Modified:
|04 Mar 2015 23:03
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text:
African Nations Cup final (February)
Cameroon's defender Ambroise Oyongo (L) vies for the ball against Egypt's forward Mohamed Salah during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final between Egypt and Cameroon in Libreville on February 5, 2017. AFP
Mohamed Salah's early years with the Egyptian national team were largely disappointing but 2017 offered a remedy, with the winger exploding on the international stage to make history with the Pharaohs.
His first achievement of the year was playing an instrumental role in steering Egypt to a place in the Nations Cup final in Gabon after they could not even qualify for the previous three editions.
He scored twice and provided two assists as Egypt reached the final, only to lose to Cameroon to miss out on a record-extending eighth triumph.
Salah's two goals in the tournament were sublime. He gave Egypt a 1-0 group-stage victory over Ghana with a superbly-taken free kick and put them in front against Burkina Faso in the semi-final with an equally exquisite arrowed shot.
Fruitful season with AS Roma (May)
Roma's Mohamed Salah, right, attempts a shot at goal past Porto's Felipe, left, during a Champions League play-offs first leg soccer match between FC Porto and AS Roma at the Dragao stadium in Porto, Portugal, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. (AP)
Although Roma could only finish second behind champions Juventus in the Serie A title race, Salah left his mark with a productive second half of the season, scoring five goals and creating two others in 10 appearances.
All in all, he was Roma's second highest top scorer in the Serie A with 15 goals, 14 behind the competition's top scorer and club teammate Edin Dzeko.
His rate of assists was also outstanding throughout the season, creating 13 goals to sit on top of the Serie A list of the highest assist makers.
Record move to Liverpool (June)
Mohamed Salah completed his move to Liverpool in June 2017 (Photo: the club's official website)
Former Chelsea man Salah had unfinished business in the Premier League and he made headlines when he went back to the elite competition, sealing a record move to Liverpool.
He became the most expensive player in the club's history after joining them for €42m, eclipsing the €40m spent on Andy Carroll from Newcastle United in January 2011.
The move also broke the African transfer record set by Liverpool in July 2016 when they signed Senegalese forward Sadio Mane for €41.2m.
World Cup qualification (October)
File photo: Egypt's Mohamed Salah celebrates defeating Congo during the 2018 World Cup group E qualifying soccer match at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt. AP
In his own words, Salah described Egypt's World Cup qualification as one of the main highlights of his year, and maybe his career.
He was the hero of an unforgettable night in Alexandria, scoring twice in dramatic fashion to help the Pharaohs beat Congo 2-1 in a nerve-jangling game.
His double salvo included a penalty deep into stoppage time, which he converted after showing nerves of steel before some 80,000 fans to spark wild celebrations at Borg El-Arab Stadium in Egypt's second biggest city.
His five goals and two assists in the qualifiers were key in lifting Egypt to the Russia finals with one match to spare in their group.
Memorable goal in Merseyside derby (December)
Liverpool vs Everton – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – December 10, 2017, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scores their first goal past Everton's Jordan Pickford Reuters
Salah further cemented his status as the darling of Liverpool after scoring a memorable goal in the Merseyside derby against Everton, who secured a share of spoils with a late Wayne Rooney goal.
He fired Liverpool in front three minutes before the break with a sublime strike, delighting the home supporters at Anfield.
He out-muscled his challenger on the right, tricked another inside the area and sent a trademark curling shot beyond the despairing dive of Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.
In an interview with SkySports, Salah rated this strike as his best goal with Liverpool.
Goals record with Liverpool (December)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool vs Leicester City - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - December 30, 2017 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their first goal Reuters
Salah etched his name in the history of books of Liverpool a few months after joining them, having scored 23 goals in all competitions before the turn of the year.
He bettered several of Liverpool's legends, including Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Kenny Dalglish and equaled the record set by Roger Hunt in 1961.
Salah's record was even more impressive than Hunt's, given that Liverpool were in the second division when Hunt reached that tally.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
© 2010 Ahram Online.


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The best wireless earbuds are comfortable, sound great, and have long-lasting battery life. These tiny headphones from companies like Jabra, Samsung, Sennheiser, Sony and others are almost as important as the phones we have in our pockets, and the market has become crowded over the years with options. We've reviewed a sizeable number of models available, and rated the absolute leaders of the pack, helping you find the best fit and value for your ears and budget. Our buyer's guide will help you navigate this space and find the pair that suits your needs and tastes the best, no matter what you like listening to.
The best wireless earbuds, at a glance
- Jabra Elite 75t — A sleek, comfortable fit with complementing solid sound, long battery life, and a decent set of features anyone can appreciate.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus — A major improvement in battery life, comfortable fit, and app support make these an excellent choice.
- Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 — These earbuds will serenade your ears like no others can on this list, but you pay for the privilege.
- Aukey EP-N5 — For a far more affordable price than AirPods, Aukey offers arguably better sound and noise cancelation.
- Sony WF-1000XM3 — Sony does a stellar job of blocking out background noise to let you escape into the content playing through your ears.
- Google Pixel Buds (2020) — They come in clever colors, but also sound nice and integrate well with all Android phones and tablets.
- Jaybird Vista — Treat them right and these earbuds will be with you for every workout and run you go on, playing nicely along the way.
- Apple AirPods Pro — Apple takes care of its own by putting out a pair of wireless earbuds worthy of iPhone and iPad users.
- Samsung Galaxy Buds Live — Samsung's "beans" take a different design approach, and your ears will thank you.
- Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro — Rather than try to stand out for one feature alone, Anker manages to make these earbuds work well across the board.
- Creative Outlier Air — When these fit the right pair of ears, it's hard to find a pair that can sound better for less money.
- Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo — Making it through a sweaty workout shouldn't be a problem while wearing these affordable earbuds.
What are the best wireless earbuds you can buy today?
Which wireless earbuds, like any pair of headphones, are right for you is subjective in a few key ways. They have to fit right, feel comfortable over longer periods, and produce sound that's pleasing to your ears. If audio fidelity is paramount for you, there are good options for that, just as there are options for being active or present great value without breaking the bank.
Topping our list for the best wireless earbuds are the Jabra Elite 75t because they strike the right notes where it counts. We're talking excellent sound quality, improved fit, battery life, and accessibility — and all at a pretty reasonable price. If sound really matters — and money is no object — the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are so good they could rival many over-ear headphones with their clarity. It won't matter what genre you like most, and with improved battery life to boot, these are premium earbuds worth a look.
The Sony WF-1000XM3 are the best when noise cancelation is a priority, but they don't skimp out on sound quality, either. They are among the best available if great audio is on your must-have feature list. Google's Pixel Buds (2020) play nice with any Android phone or tablet, and you'll probably find them to be among the most comfortable to wear for long periods. The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ are solid value for what they bring to the table, but even the tightest budget can find something within reach in this list.
Here's our detailed list of the best wireless earbuds you can buy.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
1. Jabra Elite 75t
Best Wireless Earbuds Overall
Bottom line: Jabra has been at this for the last few years, but the Elite 75t address some previous shortcomings, particularly related to size and battery life, and come out as the wireless earbuds to beat. They maintain an excellent audio soundstage, with an equalizer in Jabra's Sound+ app to customize the profile further to your liking. They hit all the right marks, earning our recommendation as the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now.
Water resistance: ✔ (IP55) | Bud battery life: 7.5 hours | Charging case battery life: 20.5 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 6mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: HearThrough, equalizer | Colors: Titanium black, gold beige, black
- Customizable sound
- Long battery life
- USB-C for charging
- Water and dust resistance
- Excellent comfort
- Lacks wireless charging case
- No active noise cancelation
The Jabra Elite 75t are the best wireless earbuds for most people primarily because they are so comfortable. Stick these in your ear, turn up the volume, and forget the world around you. Jabra is one of the most experienced hearing aid companies in the world, and it shows with these incredible and portable wireless earbuds.
But comfort means nothing if they sound bad, and Jabra's aced that test, too. They feature a bass-heavy but enjoyable sound signature that can be easily adjusted in the excellent Sound+ app available for Android and iPhone. The Elite 75t also have a wide soundstage, a smooth mid-range, and treble frequencies that won't hurt your ears, even during piercing high notes.
As for battery life, you get around seven hours per charge, which is outstanding for a pair of true wireless earbuds, and the included case nets two and a half additional charges for an overall total over around 28 hours. The case itself is charged via USB-C, and does so quickly. The lid opens and closes with a satisfying snap, too, and you may find yourself fidgeting with it from time to time.
The Elite 75t are also IP55 water and dust resistant, which means they'll have little issue with sweat, rain, snow, or other water-absorbing activities. If you do want a little extra protection, the Elite Active 75t are always an option, though you do pay more for the protection.
These earbuds are also incredible for making calls — in our tests, the receiver on the other end told us it was among the clearest phone calls they'd ever heard from a pair of headphones. There's also an included "transparency" mode available at the tap of a button — did we mention there are physical controls here? — that pumps in sound from the outside world through one of the three included microphones. That makes it easier to talk to people or hear the outside world without removing the earbuds.
The Elite 75t aren't perfect, though. You can only use the right earbud if you want to listen in mono mode, and the case lacks wireless charging, though Jabra plans to offer an optional wireless charging case in the future. The earbuds also lack active noise cancelation, a feature you'll find on some of the other options on this list. For us, given the excellent passive noise cancelation, this isn't a problem, but keep it in mind when you're researching.
Otherwise, though, these are our favorite earbuds around.
The Jabra Elite 75t are by far the best wireless earbuds when it comes to sound quality, battery life, comfort, and portability.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
2. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus
Best Value Earbuds
Bottom line: Samsung knocked it out the park with its true wireless sequel. The Galaxy Buds+ feature fuller sound, a nicer design, much better call quality, and incredible battery life, all at a good price.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX2) | Bud battery life: 11 hours | Charging case battery life: 22 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 6mm drivers | Wireless charging: ✔ (Qi) | Other features: Ambient sound, equalizer | Colors: Black, white, red, blue, deep blue
- Long battery life
- Great sound
- USB-C and wireless charging
- Spotify features are great
- Customizable gestures
- Glossy case gets messy
- Poor call quality compared to the competition
Samsung's Galaxy Buds+ take the best features from the original Galaxy Buds and improve them in almost every way. The real focus here was to take the popular ease-of-use and comfort of the originals and improve the fundamentals: sound quality, call quality, and battery life, and Samsung has largely succeeded.
They start at a slightly higher price point than their predecessor, but the Galaxy Buds+ deliver with the extras. They boast an impressive 10 hours of battery life per charge, with another full charge in the case. The glossy case, available in four colors — black, red, white, and blue — charges quickly via USB-C or Qi, and the Tic-Tac shape makes it easy to slip into a pocket. Seriously, having a pair of earbuds last 10 hours on a charge is life-changing. Plus, each one can be used independently if you're a podcast addict like we are, so that doubles the uptime.
The earbuds' side gestures can be a bit sensitive, but they're very useful and can be easily configured inside Samsung's excellent Android or iOS app. Samsung decided to partner with Spotify to make it easy to begin playing a playlist without taking out your phone — and while that sounds gimmicky, I've benefited from that feature more times than I can count. And while the sound improvements aren't massive over the originals, the addition of a second speaker adds robustness to the low-end and clarity to the mid-range.
Samsung's also spent some time improving call quality with a second external microphone to cancel out additional noise. There's definitely still some room for improvement, but Samsung worked on call quality a lot and it shows — in our testing, people on the other end of the line told us we sounded clear and loud.
The Galaxy Buds+ are an incredible sequel to a good but imperfect original. They're also among the best value in wireless earbuds today, backed up by Samsung's excellent ease-of-use. If you're a Samsung user, these pair instantly with your phone, and if you're running another Android phone, or even an iPhone, setup is just a couple of taps away.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds+ feature excellent battery life and sound, convenience features, and a wireless charging case.
Source: Ted Kritsonis / Android Central
3. Aukey EP-N5
Best Cheap AirPods Alternatives
Bottom line: It's always nice to find something at a bargain that performs above expectations. That's the Aukey EP-N5, in a nutshell. They could easily be mistaken for AirPods clones, but the form factor is incidental. Sound quality is among the best you can find at this price, and with ANC onboard, the feature set isn't too shabby, either.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX5) | Bud battery life: 7 hours | Charging case battery life: 35 hours | Charging case size: Medium | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 10mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: ANC | Colors: Black
- Good audio quality
- ANC support
- Lightweight build
- Onboard controls
- IPX5 water resistance
- Great price
- Random audio cutouts
- Spotty voice assistant control
- Touch controls can be sensitive
- No official sweat proofing
Healthy skepticism is warranted for any product, regardless of whether it's expensive or cheap. The Aukey EP-N5 invite plenty of that because of what they offer on paper relative to the price. Yet, they handle such scrutiny with the kind of verve often associated with pricier models.
Not surprisingly, the 10mm drivers are tuned to skew further toward the low end to bring out more bass, and it ultimately works well because of two key factors. First, these have been engineered to be sufficiently louder than most at default volume, and second, the included ear tips (coupled with the angled drivers) provide a nice seal that allows the lows and mids to breathe.
What is a little surprising is that they include ANC support. It's a useful feature to have at anytime, but even better when it doesn't come at a premium. It won't be nearly as effective as that found in better models, like the Sony WF-1000XM3, but is good at drowning out consistent and steady background noise. It's higher-pitched sounds that pierce through the blockade.
With excellent call quality in most situations, plus solid battery life, the EP-N5 cover important bases along the way. However, that's not to say there aren't some concerns to go with them. The touch controls are too sensitive, which also affects how easy it is to trigger your phone's voice assistant. Plus, with no sweat proofing, it's hard to know how much they can withstand repeated rigorous workouts or runs.
Random cutouts do happen, though oddly, they may be more common when within range, rather than moving closer to out of range. Still, the benefits outweigh the flaws in the areas that matter, and without breaking the bank on top of it.
Best Cheap AirPods Alternative:
Aukey makes the EP-N5 True Wireless Earbuds feel like so much more than what the AirPods are, and at a mere fraction of the price.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
4. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Best Sound Quality
Bottom line: Putting on a pair of Sennheiser headphones comes with a bigger set of expectations, and these should be no exception. The Momentum True Wireless 2 are the best sounding in this category for the simple fact they offer the best soundstage, belying their diminutive size. They also have much better battery life than their predecessors, and include superb noise cancelation.
Water resistance: ✔ (IP55) | Bud battery life: 7 hours | Charging case battery life: 21 hours | Charging case size: Medium | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1 | Digital assistant support: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: aptX, SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 7mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: ANC, Ambient mode, equalizer | Colors: Black, white
- Great comfort
- Great audio quality
- Excellent ANC performance
- Improved battery life
- Companion iOS and Android app
- Onboard controls need work
- No official sweat resistance
- Expensive
Sennheiser got the sound part right with the first Momentum True Wireless, only to struggle in delivering adequate battery life. The Momentum TW2 do a much better job staying on for longer periods, and coupled with the excellent sound they pump out, it's hard to argue with them being the best for audio quality. Battery life is now up to seven hours per charge, with a total of 28 hours coming from the nifty charging case. It features USB-C for wired charging but lacks wireless charging, which is disappointing at this price.
Another big addition was including ANC support. While not necessarily the best in the business in that particular aspect, they are no slouches in keeping background noise to a minimum. The Momentum TW2 manage to punch above their relative weight in reducing ambient noise to a level that comes really close to the best ANC performance out there.
As for the sound, the bass-forward profile should acclimate well to any pair of ears. It has an elegant feel to it, matching the physical design. The bass is pronounced without feeling overbearing, even if it slightly overtakes the mids, while the high notes are clear, crisp and warm throughout. If the default profile doesn't work for you, Sennheiser's Smart Control app lets you use the onboard equalizer to customize how you want them to sound.
The earbuds themselves are larger than others on this list, so not every pair of ears will feel like a natural fit. Thankfully, that's not a big problem when considering how good they sound for their size, especially compared to on-ear or over-ear headphones.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Sennheiser's penchant for excellent sound isn't hamstrung by smaller size, and the Momentum True Wireless 2 are audible proof.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
5. Sony WF-1000XM3
Best Noise-Canceling Earbuds
Bottom line: They're a little big and bulky, but Sony still takes the crown for the best noise-canceling performance with its WF-1000XM3. It's actually a little surprising true wireless earbuds can sport something this good from a technical standpoint. You won't want to take them to the beach, but the next time you want to rock out, you'll love having these in your ears.
Water resistance: N/A | Bud battery life: 6 hours | Charging case battery life: 18 hours | Charging case size: Large | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 6mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: ANC, Adaptive Sound Control, equalizer | Colors: Black, white
- Great audio quality
- Comfy fit with right seal
- Excellent ANC performance
- Solid battery life
- Better onboard controls
- No water resistance
- Adaptive sound mode needs work
- Case is on the larger side
- Require more adjustment
Slowly but surely, ANC is finding its way into more true wireless earbuds out there, including at different price points, but the pair to beat are Sony's WF-1000XM3. This is why they're an easy choice for this list. While they won't win accolades for beauty, they are effective at doing what they're supposed to.
Rather than skew the default soundstage to push more bass, Sony preferred to keep it more neutral to start with, leaving plenty of room to customize it through the equalizer settings in the Headphones Connect app. That helps the mid-range breathe and come through with greater detail, while the highs maintain a warm signature throughout. That's not to say there's no bass at all, only that it doesn't necessarily fall under what's typical of Sony's headphones.
Battery life is excellent. You'll get up to six hours alone and an additional 18 hours with their charging case. For a pair of true wireless ANC earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 perform surprisingly excellent in this department. Of course, as with most ANC headphones, the WF-1000XM3 offer an ambient sound mode that reverses the ANC microphones to allow the outside world in, removing the need to remove your earbuds if you'd like to hear what's going on around you.
There's a lot to like about these earbuds, and though they are the best noise-canceling pair available, they aren't without some drawbacks. The fit may not be for everyone, and the Adaptive Sound Control mode feels like a work in progress. Plus, with no official water or sweat resistance, taking them near water is risky. Light rain may be fine, but anything involving submersion should be out of the question.
The WF-1000XM3 feature superb ANC performance that underpins excellent sound quality and good battery life.
Source: Andrew Martonik / Android Central
6. Google Pixel Buds (2020)
Best For Android Users
Bottom line: Google's reimagined Pixel Buds are not only a worthy successor, they are good enough to warrant completely forgetting about their predecessors. With an emphasis on comfort and control, they are the easiest pair to use with any Android phone, and hands-free Google Assistant is far more useful when you don't have to touch anything.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX4) | Bud battery life: 5 hours | Charging case battery life: 24 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 12mm drivers | Wireless charging: ✔ | Other features: Adaptive Sound mode, translation | Colors: Black, white, mint
- Wireless charging case & USB-C wired charging
- Integration with Android and Google Assistant
- Good sound
- Fantastic media controls
- Lacks active noise cancelation
- Battery life could be longer
- Comfort might not be great for everyone
- Bass could be better
It's hardly surprising the 2020 Pixel Buds work so well on Android, much like how the AirPods are great when paired with an iPhone. Open the case the first time and with one tap, they're paired to most modern Android phones. Unless you're using a Pixel device, where the settings are within the phone's system settings, you can download the companion app during setup on other Android handsets to access some of the extras available. You can customize the touch gestures and a "find my buds" feature in case you misplace one or both.
Google subsequently added newer features through firmware updates that included turning off the touch controls entirely — even by voice — and a Bass Boost toggle to add some extra focus on the low-end (they do need it). There's still no proper equalizer to customize the sound further, though — not that you would want to always keep the touch controls off, either. They are among the best and most consistent of any pair of earbuds we've tested to date.
The translation features, which are already quite good, got their own boost by adding Transcribe mode in helping Spanish, French, Italian, and German speakers to translate into English. The move, in turn, also improves how English speakers get translations from from those languages, too. Sharing Detection lets you share one of your earbuds with someone, where each of you can control volume individually. You might need to share a bud if it's an important phone call or you're both listening to the same podcast, for instance.
One of the biggest reasons to consider the Pixel Buds over anything else is how they integrate with Google Assistant. You can activate it via a touch gesture, or verbally by using the trigger word, hands-free. The charging case is smaller than most others, though you will need to keep it handy because the Pixels Buds aren't battery stalwarts. At least you get quick charging through USB-C and wireless charging convenience.
The Pixel Buds feature great integration with Android and Google Assistant, plus cool features that make them feel unique.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
7. Jaybird Vista
Best For Workouts
Bottom line: Jaybird gives the Vista the kind of rugged treatment that makes them ideal for workouts and general activity. An IPX7 water resistance rating means they will take some playful punishment and still keep on playing the next day. What makes them work so well is the excellent sound, and a fantastic companion app that completely opens the floodgates to custom sound.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX7) | Bud battery life: 6 hours | Charging case battery life: 10 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC | Speaker size: 6mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: Equalizer and EQ presets, carry strap for case | Colors: Black, gray, mineral blue
- Bass-heavy sound
- Comfortable fit
- App-based EQ options
- Rugged design with IPX7 resistance rating
- Quick charge via USB-C
- No auto-pause feature
- No ambient sound mode
- No wireless charging
- Short battery life for case
When it comes to working out, the Jaybird Vista are the best option. You don't get any ANC support here, but the passive noise isolation is excellent. Nicely crafted with a design that should most ears, the tighter seal they can create makes a big difference in how well these can sound. Bass lovers will rejoice at the audible thump afforded by the default sound signature, though there is a lot more where that came from.
They sound great, and are sufficiently loud from the outset, giving you flexibility on how much you want to raise the volume without hurting your ears. Where things really get interesting is with the companion app, which also hosts an active community who create EQ presets that you can apply to the earbuds and alter how they sound. You will find something catering to every genre of music, as well as being able to modify or create your own. Save the ones you like most and switch between what works while working out, or what is best at work.
With an IPX7 rating, the level of water and sweat resistance is good enough to take the proverbial beating for every activity. You can't take them swimming, but you can certainly run in the rain or not worry about some splashing. Make sure to clean and wipe them after exposure and they should feel good as new each time.
Battery life is decent at up to six hours, and the louder default volume helps keep it closer to that ceiling. The case, while small and highly pocketable, only adds an extra 10 hours, which is very low by current standards, but at least you can quick charge them via USB-C. Forget wireless charging — that's not here, either.
The Jaybird Vista are built tough enough for the active crowd, and neat custom sound options only add to the fun.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
8. AirPods Pro
Best For Apple Users
Bottom line: Apple made the AirPods Pro, of course, for Apple users and the feeling of exclusivity is obvious from the moment you first crack open the case. The Pro introduced ANC and a host of iOS-friendly features that make it perfect for anyone with an iPhone. It's a breeze to switch between Apple devices, except the pinch-based controls are what have us hooked.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX4) | Bud battery life: 5 hours | Charging case battery life: 24 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: High-excursion Apple driver | Wireless charging: ✔ | Other features: H1 chip, ANC, Transparency mode, Adaptive EQ | Colors: White
- Excellent noise cancelation
- Transparency mode works very well
- Super comfortable design
- Playback gestures are great
- Compact, high-quality charging case
- So-so battery life
- No customizability on Android
- Lightning for charging
- Expensive
Despite being somewhat limited on Android (no auto-play/pause, Google Assistant, or customization), the AirPods Pro join the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and Sony WF-1000XM3 at the top of the heap for ANC true wireless earbuds. The AirPods Pro benefit from stellar ANC performance, and while they won't beat out the others at the top, they do come close to almost everything else on the market.
Sound quality is solid with the AirPods Pro, with more bass and mid-range than the regular AirPods 2 can squeak out. By focusing on the mids, it creates the illusion that sound is moving closer to you, and that's because instruments and vocals are often in that part of the spectrum. The highs do suffer a bit because of that, creating an uneven profile that may be more pronounced with certain genres.
They're smartly designed to aid in a comfortable fit, and we can attest to how good they are in that regard. Unlike other earbuds that have a plastic "stem" silicone ear tips attach to, the AirPods Pro attach have them attach directly to the bud's speaker. That makes the tip more malleable to mold itself into the shape of your ear.
Battery life is hardly anything to get excited about, unfortunately. They can theoretically hit 4.5 hours of playback with ANC on — five hours with ANC off — but that also depends on volume level. The saving grace lies with the charging case that can offer around 20 hours of additional listening time. Apple users won't mind that it charges over the company's proprietary Lightning connector, whereas Android users certainly might. You could get around that, to some degree, by making use of the wireless charging support.
Apple takes care of its users with the AirPods Pro by getting the fundamentals right on comfort, playback and ease of use.
Source: Joe Maring / Android Central
9. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live
Most Comfortable Earbuds
Bottom line They may look like beans, but there's no maligning what Samsung pulled off here. The Galaxy Buds Live are earbuds without a driver or tip protruding into your ear canal, and the result is a not only a comfortable fit, but also an impressive sound profile. They work perfectly fine with non-Samsung devices, and are helped further by good app support to customize them your way.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX2) | Bud battery life: 8 hours | Charging case battery life: 29 hours | Charging case size: Small | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Bixby, Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC, Scalable | Speaker size: 12mm drivers | Wireless charging: ✔ (Qi) | Other features: ANC, Ambient sound, equalizer | Colors: Mystic black, mystic white, mystic bronze
- One-size-fits-all design
- Compact and well-built case
- 12mm drivers kick out great audio
- Long-lasting battery life
- Extremely useful companion app
- Supports Qi wireless charging
- Touch controls can be finicky
- ANC isn't the best out there
- Certain features exclusive to Samsung phones
If you look at the Galaxy Buds Live and immediately feel skeptical about them conceptually, you can be forgiven for doing so. The design is unusual by any measure, but Samsung did it in an attempt to conform to as many ears as possible. That focus meant cutting off the driver from sticking into the ear and letting it rest over the ear canal instead. The lack of fatigue makes wearing them for longer periods easier to manage.
That one-size-fits-all approach could finally be the fit that smaller ears are looking for. While still subjective, given every pair of ears is different, it's evident fairly quickly after wearing these that there was some merit to Samsung's line of thinking. However, it was an odd choice to debut ANC support. Earbuds typically have some passive noise isolation to block out at least some of the ambient noise around you, and adding ANC helps take care of the rest. That's not really the case here because the more open design doesn't really passively isolate noise the same way.
To offset any loss in power or volume, the Buds Live have 12mm drivers aimed toward the ear canal. Since getting a good seal is entirely contingent on where they rest along the ear, the Buds Live are surprisingly resonant and sound great. The onboard touch controls are okay, though in need of some refinement to make them more reliable on the fly. The Galaxy Wearable app offers some custom presets for equalizer settings, along with learning the controls or using Ambient mode to bring in outside noise when necessary.
Like any pair of earbuds with ANC, battery life will depend on how much you use it. The Buds Live can go up to eight hours when it's off — six if always on. The charging case is small and elegant, but also a fingerprint magnet. At least it uses USB-C and supports wireless charging. The color options are familiar, save for the Mystic Bronze, which matches that of the Galaxy Note20 devices.
Comfort is the name of the game, and they don't get much more comfortable than these excellent earbuds and their unique fit.
Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central
10. Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
Most Versatile Earbuds
Bottom line: There's more than one reason why Anker's Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro earbuds are on this list, and the biggest of them all is because they're one of the best we've heard to date. They're not the slimmest of options available, but they make up for that extra girth with solid performance and helpful features.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX4) | Bud battery life: 8 hours | Charging case battery life: 32 hours | Charging case size: Medium/Large | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: aptX, SBC, AAC | Speaker size: Astria Coaxial Acoustic Architecture | Wireless charging: ✔ | Other features: HearID EQ, 4 microphones | Colors: Black, white
- Long battery life
- Great sound quality
- USB-C and Qi wireless charging
- Very comfortable
- Custom equalizer
- Poor microphone quality for calls
- Case may be too large for some pockets
- No ambient sensor
It's always nice to find a pair of earbuds that don't try too hard. That's very much the case with the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, which focus largely on audio performance to offer what is a truly effective pair worthy of serious consideration. The bass and treble get equal opportunity in the sound signature, which does chip away at the mids, but the overall result is very resonant audio.
However, the larger size means the earbuds may not fit as snugly as others do. That affects how tight the seal is, which in turn, impacts the passive noise isolation. And without ANC support, getting the right fit is crucial to getting the most out of the impressive audio performance and feature set. Anker nicely added aptX in the codec list, and the companion app has the company's HearID equalizer to help adjust how you want the sound to feel.
While a bit larger, the comfort level should be fine for most ears. When the Liberty 2 pro feel right, they're easy to wear for longer periods, especially because there are so many silicone tips and wings to find the best combination. With that settled, there shouldn't be any real fatigue or discomfort afterward. What's puzzling is that, as good as audio playback is, phone calls aren't. There are four microphones to work with, yet we found calls were never up to par with others.
On the other hand, battery life does hit a sweet spot. The buds can go up to eight hours per charge, and the case adds another 24 hours on top of that. It charges via USB-C and even supports wireless charging on top of that. The case is on the bigger side, though, and may not be as pocketable as others are.
The Liberty 2 Pro have a lot to offer, starting with how good they sound and finding the right fit.
Source: Creative
11. Creative Outlier Air
Great Sound Quality For Less
Bottom line: A pair of budget wireless earbuds that actually sound good? Creative's Outlier Air earbuds were a pleasant surprise for us when we tested them. You lose out on some other features, and the case feels a bit cheap, but you'll forget about all that once you hear them.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX5) | Bud battery life: 10 hours | Charging case battery life: 30 hours | Charging case size: Large | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: aptX, SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 5.6mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: Dual Voice Calls | Colors: Black
- Long battery life
- USB-C charging
- Excellent sound quality
- Good codec support
- Can be uncomfortable without right fit
- Lacks companion app
- Plastic build feels a bit cheap
Creative is often underrated as an audio brand, and the Outlier Air are an example of that. Rather than try and pack in various bells and whistles, the company's budget earbuds focus on sound quality, and the results are surprisingly impressive. They do lean toward a more bass-friendly soundstage, but it's not enough to drown out the rest of the spectrum. They will sound good in most circumstances.
However, that is almost entirely contingent on how well they fit. They've been designed with a larger body and smaller ear tip, which makes finding a good seal more challenging. The tips are also shallower, so the driver doesn't necessarily have to push further into the ear canal, though it does bring about the possibility that ambient noise comes in more than you might like.
FIt aside, battery life is one of the best you will find on any pair of earbuds. The Outlier Air can play up to 10 hours at default volume, and add another two full charges from the case. If you like the sound and they fit right, that kind of juice can come in really handy for longer listening periods.
The codec support shouldn't be overlooked, either. Including aptX means these earbuds can handle video content with a lower response time. They aren't aptX LL (Low Latency), so not exactly sharp enough for gaming, but should be decent when watching video on a phone or tablet.
The Outlier Air from Creative are a fantastic option for those who want to save money, as long as the ear tips fit your ears.
Source: Anker
12. Anker Soundcore Liberty Neo
Best Value Workout Earbuds
Bottom line: It's not easy to find a pair of true wireless earbuds that offer a higher level of water and sweat resistance while also coming in at a very affordable price. The Soundcore Liberty Neo surpass expectations in how they sound, and are a worthy complement to any run or workout on a budget.
Water resistance: ✔ (IPX7) | Bud battery life: 5 hours | Charging case battery life: 15 hours | Charging case size: Medium | Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 | Digital assistant support: Google Assistant, Siri | Supported audio codecs: SBC, AAC | Speaker size: 6mm drivers | Wireless charging: No | Other features: BassUp | Colors: Black
- 20 hours of battery life with case
- Really good sound for the price
- IPX7 water resistance
- Good comfort
- Affordable price
- Can feel and appear bulky
- Case feels cheap
- Call quality is underwhelming
- Outdated Micro-USB charging
Anker continues to serve notice with its Soundcore lineup, and by updating the Liberty Neo in 2019, it managed to put out a pair of wireless earbuds that undercut almost every competitor offering the same functionality. While you do sacrifice some things to get this close to zero dollars, you end up getting a few key elements that got these a spot on this list.
For starters, the sound coming out of these is astoundingly good, especially considering what they're supposed to be used for. They do prioritize bass, which is why the lows sound so obvious from the first time you put them on. Don't expect the warmest sound, overall, but that won't matter if you are looking for a fuller sound, especially during an activity. Call quality is so-so, though you may not care as much if you don't intend to do much talking while wearing these.
There may not be any ANC on board, but the fit could be tight enough to get very good passive isolation. Anker includes extra ear tips in the box to help with that, and given these are a little bulky when in your ears, the tip could be a huge factor in how comfortable and resonant they are. They're resilient, too, and so long as you wipe them down after sweating in them, water and sweat shouldn't pose a problem.
Battery life is decent in that you can get through most workouts or runs without having to worry about losing power. The case is a little on the bigger side, but our gripe is with having to keep a Micro-USB cable handy. USB-C would've been far more convenient.
The Soundcore Liberty Neo is a real bargain when you want to go fully cord-free on a run or during a workout.
Bottom line
Wireless earbuds have grown more popular over the last few years, and the variety has grown with them, making it an important audio category. Choosing the right pair is easier than it may seem because so many vendors are getting in on the action, and price points now vary so widely.
For most people, the Jabra Elite 75t are going to be the best option. They strike the right balance in the areas that really matter, like size, sound, battery life and supporting features. They're small enough to fit comfortably in most ears, and come with a more active-focused variant, should you need extra protection. Sound quality is among the best available, call quality is superb, the battery lasts, and the Sound+ app has features worth trying.
They do lack active noise cancelation, but their passive isolation is more than just a consolation — it actually works well. Plus, there are physical buttons on the side, saving you from messing with gestures while working out or running.
Jabra hit a home run with these among the best wireless earbuds. They may not come in first place in every single category, but it's hard to argue with how consistently great they are to use.
How do true wireless earbuds differ from regular wireless earbuds?
In simple terms, true wireless earbuds function without cables and cords. Regular wireless earbuds are "wireless" in the sense they don't connect to the device playing the audio, but do have a cable connecting the two earbuds. In that case, the Bluetooth connection from a smartphone connects to one earbud, which then relays that connection to the other earbud through the cable.
True wireless earbuds perform the same function, albeit wirelessly. So, in effect, you have something like a daisy-chain, where the phone pairs with one earbud (usually the right one), and then relays that connection to the left. This method hasn't always been reliable, with audio hiccups and cuts happening because of it. Bluetooth 5.0 has helped improve that, whereas some true wireless earbuds will connect both sides to the phone.
What are the advantages of true wireless earbuds?
The most immediate advantage is that you're not dealing with any wires. No chance of cables tangling or accidentally breaking. You have two separate earbuds in a case that charges them on its own. The case has its own battery you can charge, meaning that you don't always have to plug it in to charge the earbuds themselves.
Some cases support wireless charging to add more convenience. Most also have USB-C ports for wired charging, some of which also include fast charging.
Despite their smaller size, true wireless earbuds are often equipped with many of the same features wireless earbuds have. They can include onboard controls for playback, or even active noise cancelation (ANC) and voice assistants. There are models with higher water and sweat resistance, as well as those more focused on increased audio fidelity.
What are the disadvantages of true wireless earbuds?
With no cables connecting the two earbuds, there is always the risk of losing one of them. Moreover, the lack of a cable connecting the two places more of an emphasis on the connection between the two earbuds themselves. While this has improved, there is a chance that one side's audio may drop out — brief as it may be.
Not having cables also makes true wireless earbuds easier to run or work out with. Comfort and fit are always considerations under those circumstances, but you should also be careful to use them with the right protection in place. That means an IPX4 rating or better if you want enough durability for workouts.
The constant charging cycles also take their toll on the lithium batteries true wireless earbuds and their cases use. Not every manufacturer approximates a shelf life, but with regular usage, you may find your earbuds don't last as long after two years. Wireless earbuds aren't impervious to these issues themselves, but since they're not cradled in a charging case, the batteries don't go through as many cycles.
Does it matter what Bluetooth version my earbuds have?
Yes, but not always for the reasons you might think. For example, Bluetooth 5.0 doesn't really impact audio quality, so having that onboard doesn't mean they will sound better than a pair using version 4.2. Updated Bluetooth protocols will impact things, the way version 5.0 improves range and battery efficiency, for instance.
That additional range could make it easier to walk around at home wearing your earbuds listening to music, while the phone isn't near you. Usually, major updates to the Bluetooth protocol add higher data transfer speeds, but the benefits aren't always going to show with audio quality. Other times, they might.
What are the best codecs for wireless earbuds?
For Android devices, Qualcomm's aptX, aptX LL and aptX HD codecs are generally better than SBC (subband codec), which is the standard codec all Bluetooth audio devices support. The main reason why is because aptX has more bandwidth than SBC does, which can postively affect audio quality. There is also aptX Adaptive, which automatically adjusts the bitrate in real-time to maintain smooth playback and reduce connection drops.
AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) is also common, and is the preferred codec YouTube uses. While iPhone users benefit from it, it hasn't been as efficient on Android phones. Samsung has its own proprietary codec it calls Scalable, first introduced in the Galaxy Buds, and its purpose is to be adaptive so the bitrate and connection don't impact what you're listening to. It's exclusive to Samsung's own earbuds, so not adopted by other brands, the way Sony's LDAC is. It, too, also has a variable bitrate, though is not widely adopted yet.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
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