Looking like two little Death Stars, Creative's flagship Pebble Nova desktop speakers promise a big improvement in design and performance over the previous version.
I must say that despite the teasing, I love their look. They could double up as an art installation, especially compared with other speakers that often lack imagination when it comes to how they actually look.
The two globes - attached by a cable - can either sit flat or be hoisted on top of metal stands. They are inclined at 45degs to help direct the sound at you rather then half the audio bouncing off the desk.
Coming with both USB-C and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, the Pebble Nova also features 3.5 mm AUX input and customizable RGB lighting with 16.8 million colour options. The lighting doesn't really add much but is very cool, I must admit.
The sound is clear, vibrant and warm with good mid-range detail and a hefty dollop of bass for good measure. They offer plenty of punch and depth without being muddy, as you would hope from a premium set-up.
While not being the loudest, you can turn them all the way up without any obvious distortion kicking in. You can also link them up to a mobile app as well to tinker if you're on Android (the iOS version is missing some functions), and you can also swap left/right channels, which is very useful.
I am loving the Pebble Nova, but there are a few drawbacks you should be aware of. You're going to need some space on your desk as small they ain't. Also, the lead between the two speakers isn't exactly the longest. They're going to be either side of a monitor come what may.
Still, they look so good - in either black or white - it's easy to forgive a couple of foilbles. The Creative Pebble Nova desktop speakers are currently available for £229.99.
Twelve South PowerBug
File this under 'why didn't I think of that?!' Twelve South has launched its PowerBug, a magnetic charging puck that transforms a standard plug socket into a minimalist wireless charging station that also serves as a dock for devices.
It's so simple, it's genius. You just plug it in and then you can attach any MagSafe compatible iPhone (12 or newer) or Qi2 smartphone - no fuss, no cables, no freestanding chargers getting in the way.
PowerBug also supports iOS StandBy mode, so iPhones can be used for displaying the time, weather, making video calls, streaming shows and sport or even following a recipe in the kitchen. It can also be used to easily control smart home devices.
PowerBug delivers up to 15w of fast, wireless power, while an additional USB-C PD Port enables fast wired charging of a second device. When both charging functions are used, the USB-C PD port offers 20w power, or 35w if the wireless charging function isn’t in use.
The obvious place to use it is on the kitchen, when you have sockets at around eye-level. It's a wee bit on the pricey side at £49.99, coming in white/dune or slate/black from twelvesouth.co.uk.
Huawei FreeBuds 7i
You don't need to tell me that the world is awash with ANC earbuds at the moment. Seperating the wheat from the chaff is a real headache and it's very easy to end up with a pair of lemons.
The Huawei FreeBuds 7i aren't a yellow citrus fruit, though, and, certainly for under £100 I'm goling to wager you're going to have to go a long way to find a better pair.
Coming in a large-ish, but pretty nice charging pebble, the buds deliver a dynamic sound, while the call quality is top-notch thanks to a bone-conduction mic that means it laughs in the face of noisy environments and wind. The ANC is also very decent, especially at the price point.
They connect via Bluetooth 5.4, which supports multi-device pairing, spatial audio with head-tracking, 360° sound and a nice selection of codecs including LDAC.
You get in-ear silicone tips in four sizes to choose from, and while the buds are a little bulky, they are comfortable. Battery life comes in at five hours on a single charge (with ANC on), which is boosted up to 20-odd hours with the case. Just ten minutes in the case will give you four hours of charge.
And now here comes to one of the real reasons why these earbuds shine. The touch controls. They actual work consistently. I've learned to distrust the little taps down the years because, god, they can be frustrating. But in this case I'm going to give them a gold star. You can even nod your head to answer a call!
The mobile app is also feature-laden, allowing you tweak the EQ to your heart's content. On sale for a price of just £99.99, it's really hard to fault them. You can pay double this for a worse experience, trust me!
