Bluetooth Headphones, Samsung Fingerprint Security Issues, and Volvo Goes Electric

On this week’s Monday edition of Global News Tech Talk, we send in GetConnected tech expert, John Biehler, to give Global TV’s Sonia Sunger an update on the latest in Bluetooth headsets from Beyerdynamic and Hooke. We also touch on the issues that Samsung is having with biometric fingerprint security on its latest smartphones. And finally, Volvo launches a new fully electric vehicle called the XC 40 Recharge, and we discuss what that means as well.

Here’s a rundown of all the products and news featured on this week’s show.

Bad news for some Samsung smartphone fans as the company is battling issues with the fingerprint reader on their Galaxy S10 and Note 10 series. It appears that if you use a third-party screen protector, anyone can log in to your smartphone with their fingerprint. The company is looking into this, but we recommend that you disable this feature and use a pin or pattern to unlock until this issue is completely resolved.

Volvo has launched its newest vehicle, and this time it’s fully electric. The new Volvo XC40 Recharge offers up to 320 kilometres of range and can charge to 80% on most level 3 chargers, in about 40 minutes. The big tech feature though has to be the new Android OS on board, which is something the company has worked with Google on. We cover the launch a little more thoroughly in this story.

Diving into tech gadgets, the Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC is a high-end Bluetooth headset that features the latest anti-noise cancelling technology. The adjustable levels allow you to block out all noise and let in the music or let in some ambient, so you are aware of your surroundings. Other features include an app that allows you to take a hearing test, to further tune those profiles to your own hearing. Battery life is around 20 – 24 hrs on a single charge, and the quality is comparable to products that Bose and Sony have in the marketplace. Beyerdynamic is a leader in audio for the recording and broadcast industry, and it shows with this entry. They retail for around $450 CAD.

For something a little different, the Hooke Audio ‘Hooke Verse’ 3D Audio Headset allows you to capture 3D audio when recording video with your smartphone. Just pair the headset up to your phone, and your audio will record spatially, allowing you get a real sense of where you were in the crowd. The app allows you to take control of the recording with different filters and settings. You will be able to hear this positioning when played back on another set of regular headphones. This works live, like in a jam session, where you can hear the position of your bandmates, and they also work as a regular set of wireless Bluetooth headphones. This innovative take on the standard Bluetooth wireless headphone will set you back around $200 CAD.