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Why you should upgrade to Apple AirPods 4 (and where to pre-order them)
Apple
This week, tech giant Apple introduced the newest generation of its wireless Apple AirPods earbuds. The fourth-generation AirPods, available with or without active noise cancellation, will ship on September 20. Pre-orders for Apple AirPods 4 have already begun.
Wondering what makes this new generation of Apple earbuds special? Read on to learn about what’s new and different about the Apple AirPods 4, or tap the button below to pre-order yours now.
Pro Tip: For more help choosing the ideal AirPods to meet your needs and budget, check out our newly-updated 2024 AirPods buyer’s guide.
Discover the new and economical Apple AirPods 4 wireless earbuds
The AirPods 4 are a more economical version of Apple’s wireless earbuds, compared to the premium Apple AirPods Pro 2. These new headphones pair effortlessly with other Apple products, including the company’s new iPhone 16 and the Apple Watch 10 with new sleep apnea detection.
Apple AirPods 4 are designed to provide premium sound and ultimate comfort, allowing you to enjoy crystal clear audio and hands-free calls, plus interact with Siri using your voice. Battery life is 5 hours on one charge, or 30 hours total with the included USB-C charging case. Active Powered by Apple’s H2 processor (the previous generation used the H1 chip), these wireless earbuds offer enhanced voice isolation, so even if you’re participating in a hands-free call in a noisy environment, the person you’re speaking with will be able to hear you.
The AirPods 4 are now IP54 rated for dust, sweat and water resistance, another improvement over the previous generation’s model.
Pro Tip: You’ll often find the premium AirPods Pro 2 (normally priced at $249) on sale on Amazon, as well as at Best Buy and other retailers for as little as $190. If you can afford the upgrade, we think it’s worth it.
Apple AirPods 4
Apple
Priced at $129, the AirPods 4 base model provides personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking. This means that audio from TV shows and movies, as well as music and podcasts, will sound as if they’re happening all around you. This provides a far more immersive listening experience compared to generic stereo earbuds.
In addition to being able to control the AirPods 4 using the Apple equipment they’re paired with, you can also use Siri voice commands or the integrated force sensors found in each earbud’s stem.
You can expect up to five hours of listening time per charge. However, the charging case allows you to recharge the AirPods up to six times without needing an external power source, for a total of 30 hours of listening time. Thanks to the quick charge feature, just a five-minute charge provides and additional one hour of listening time or 45 minutes of talk time. (Note that the USB-C charging case does not support wireless charging.)
The AirPods themselves are IP54 rated for dust, sweat and water resistance. Other notable features include voice isolation and adaptive EQ. Each earbud is equipped with dual beamforming microphones and an inward-facing microphone. Together, these provide voice clarity when participating in a hands-free phone calls or video calls.
If you’re an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac or MacBook user and you’re on a budget, the new AirPods 4 wireless earbuds are the suitable audio companion, as long as you don’t need active noise cancellation or some of the more advanced features offered by the AirPods Pro 2.
You can pre-order the new Apple AirPods 4 today. They’re slated for release on and will begin shipping on September 20.
Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancelation
Apple
From the outside, the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation look identical. However, there are two key differences between these wireless earbud options.
First, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation feature, you guessed it, active noise cancellation (ANC). This is a much-sought-after feature the regular AirPods 4 do not offer.
ANC allows the earbuds to digitally eliminate unwanted ambient sounds, so you can focus on the audio you want to hear, whether it’s audio from TV shows or movies, podcasts, music or hands-free phone calls. If you plan to use the earbuds in a noisy environment, we highly recommend earbuds with ANC. These new AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation are a great option for Apple gear users.
Because these earbuds offer ANC, they’re also equipped with Adaptive Audio, a Transparency Mode and a Conversation Awareness feature. When needed, you can have situational awareness of your surroundings and communicate with people in close proximity without having to take the AirPods out of your ears or manually pause the audio that’s playing.
Second, the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation come with a wireless charging case. With this case, you can keep your AirPods powered for up to 30 hours without needing an external power source. The case is compatible with any Qi-compatible wireless charging pad or an Apple Watch charger. It can also be charged with the included USB-C charging cable.
For the difference in price between the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, this is the version we recommend if you can afford it. However, for the ultimate in listening experiences from AirPods, the AirPods Pro 2 continue to be our top pick.
CBS News
Yellowstone hiker burned when she falls into scalding water near Old Faithful, park officials say
Yellowstone National Park, Wyo. — A New Hampshire woman suffered severe burns on her leg after hiking off-trail in Yellowstone National Park and falling into scalding water in a thermal area near the Old Faithful geyser, park officials said.
The 60-year-old woman from Windsor, New Hampshire, along with her husband and their leashed dog were walking off a designated trail near the Mallard Lake Trailhead on Monday afternoon when she broke through a thin crust over the water and suffered second- and third-degree burns to her lower leg, park officials said. Her husband and the dog weren’t injured.
The woman was flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho for treatment.
National Park Service / Jacob W. Frank
Park visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and exercise extreme caution. The ground in those areas is fragile and thin and there’s scalding water just below the surface, park officials said.
Pets are allowed in limited, developed areas of Yellowstone park but are prohibited on boardwalks, hiking trails, in the backcountry and in thermal areas.
The incident is under investigation. The woman’s name wasn’t made public.
This is the first known thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2024, park officials said in a statement. The park had recorded 3.5 million visitors through August this year.
Hot springs have injured and killed more people in Yellowstone National Park than any other natural feature, the National Park Service said. At least 22 people have died from hot spring-related injuries in and around the 3,471-square-mile national park since 1890, park officials have said.
TRENTON, N.J. — Democratic Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver has defeated Republican small businessman Carmen Bucco in a contest in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District that opened up because of the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. in April.
McIver will serve out the remainder of Payne’s term, which ends in January. She and Bucco will face a rematch on the November ballot for the full term.
McIver said in a statement Wednesday that she stands on the “shoulders of giants,” naming Payne as chief among them.
She cast ahead to the November election, saying the right to make reproductive health choices was on the ballot as well as whether the economy should benefit the wealthy or “hard working Americans.”
“I will fight because the purpose of politics and the purpose of our vote is to give the people of our communities and our nation a bold voice,” she said.
Bucco congratulated McIver on the victory in a statement but said he’s looking forward to the rematch in November.
“I am not going anywhere,” he said in an email. “We still have a second chance to make district 10 great again!”
Who are LaMonica McIver and Carmen Bucco?
McIver emerged as the Democratic candidate in a crowded field in the July special election. A member of the city council of New Jersey’s biggest city since 2018, she also worked for Montclair Public Schools as a personnel director and plans to focus on affordability, infrastructure, abortion rights and “protecting our democracy,” she told The Associated Press earlier this summer.
Bucco describes himself on his campaign website as a small-business owner influenced by his upbringing in the foster system. He lists support for law enforcement and ending corruption as top issues.
The 10th District lies in a heavily Democratic and majority-Black region of northern New Jersey. Republicans are outnumbered by more than 6 to 1.
It’s been a volatile year for Democrats in New Jersey, where the party dominates state government and the congressional delegation.
Among the developments were the conviction on federal bribery charges of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who has denied the charges, and the demise of the so-called county party line — a system in which local political leaders give their preferred candidates favorable position on the primary ballot.
Democratic Rep. Andy Kim, who’s running for Menendez’s seat, and other Democrats brought a federal lawsuit challenging the practice as part of his campaign to oust Menendez, who has resigned since his conviction.
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Yellowstone hiker burned when she falls into scalding water near Old Faithful, park officials say
Wagon rolls over at Wisconsin apple orchard injuring about 25 children and adults