Poll time: What feature do you actually look for in earbuds or headphones?
Call us cynical, but our reviews team here at Tom's Guide have been pondering how much the specs touted by new earbud and headphone models actually match up with what customers want.
So we'd love to know, when you're buying, what's most important to you? Let us know in the poll below.
When you vote in the poll above you should see the current results, if you're as curious about what others think as we are. Hint: at the time of writing, the deciding factor wasn't more AI features.
We've posed the same question to our Reddit community, and will be drawing on the results of our polling in an article coming soon. Stay tuned...
Anthropic could ban users who are mean to Claude
At the start of this year, our AI editor stopped being polite to ChatGPT, and her answers got dramatically better. But if you go even further and you're actively rude to your chatbot — well, it might not put up with it for much longer.
The team at TechSpot noticed Anthropic has made a change to its usage policy (the first in over a year) to say that abuse of Claude will not be tolerated. The updated policy prohibits "sustained and needless abusive or cruel behavior" toward its models. The company says it will only uphold the policy in extreme cases when users are repeatedly and maliciously acting cruelly towards the AI for no discernible reason.
Meta and Microsoft are asking employees to use Claude less
Microsoft and Meta are both going all-in on AI. In fact, Microsoft just held an event yesterday revealing the big AI-based changes coming to Windows 11. So it's probably not a surprise that the tech companies don't want their workers using a rival service.
According to a report in The Information, Microsoft has asked employees to limit their Claude usage whilst Meta has halved the number of workers using Claude Code from 60,000 to 30,000. Part of this could be down to cost — as per The Information, Microsoft's internal spending on Claude could hit $1 billion this year.
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3 movies like 'Tyler Perry's Doing Life' to watch nextThe romantic drama "Doing Life" sees a single mom and an incarcerated man forge an unlikely bond through heartfelt letters — here are three more movies like it.
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I tested RedPocket Mobile for a month — is this $10/month data plan worth it?I spent a month testing RedPocket Mobile's $ 10-per-month Essentials plan, which includes 3GB of premium data, plus unlimited talk and text.
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iPhone Duo pre-orders open this week — but there are still 7 things we don't knowApple's been very open about what to expect from iPhone Duo, but there are still things we're not going to find out about until after people start using the foldable.
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Android 17 vs iOS 27 — which platform does lock screen widgets the best?iOS 27 and Android 17 both offer lock screen widgets, but which platform actually does the best job of it?
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I turned off this hidden iOS 27 setting and instantly fixed my iPhone’s battery drainUpdated to iOS 27 and noticing your battery draining faster than usual? Connectivity Assist might just be the culprit. Here's how to disable it.
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20 smart iOS 27 features that will make your life easier — and how to use themiOS 27 is out right now and it comes packed with new features, so we're sharing the smartest new tricks you didn't know existed with the new iPhone software.
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My favorite iOS 27 feature finally makes your physical wallet redundant — here's how to use itYou can finally ditch those physical passes and tickets, thanks to the latest big feature in Apple Wallet. All courtesy of iOS 27.
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Should you buy a Roomba in 2026? Here's what you need to knowIf you're after the best Roomba to handle all your cleaning needs, here are our top picks, with some major caveats to consider.
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I tested the Acer Swift Air 14 for 2 weeks — and it's the budget laptop I've been looking forThis budget-friendly laptop has the battery life to beat
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We found 2026’s best iPad keyboards for typing and protection — here's our 5 top picks
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I spoke to a product marketing expert about AI food photos — and there's more at stake than a disappointing burgerWith the rise of AI images of food, I spoke to Michael Bortinger to get a better understanding of the problems that arise from their continued use by restaurants.
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3 hidden macOS security features you need to turn on right nowWhether it’s physically or digitally, your Mac can be left exposed to all sorts of bad actors — turn on these security features now.
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I tested the Lenovo Googlebook 15 — here’s why it’s my favoriteThe Lenovo Googlebook 15 packs a vibrant 15.3-inch OLED display, clever AI tools, and seamless Android integration. It showcases Google’s new platform well.
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I’ve been running 80 miles a week in marathon training — these are the energy, recovery and hydration products keeping me goingI’m training for the Frankfurt Marathon, and during my highest mileage weeks, I’ve been using these three supplements to get extra carbs and speed up recovery.
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Spot mold early: Don’t ignore these 5 early warning signsIs your home at risk? 5 early signs of mold and condensation you don’t want to miss.
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I tried the 'inyo-onyo' decluttering technique for the ultimate fall clean — and it's a game-changerI'm always on the hunt for decluttering methods and Japanese lifestyle principle, 'inyo-onyo', has completely changed the way I organize my home.
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Apple's all-new HomeView smart home hub leaked ahead of tomorrow's event — alongside new Apple 4K TV and HomePod mini 2Apple's 'Welcome Home' event is taking place tomorrow, and thanks to an exhaustive leak, we now know exactly what to expect.
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iPhone Duo pre-order deals announced on AT&T — here's how to save $1,200 -
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NYT Connections today hints and answers for Tuesday, October 13 #1,220Get today's NYT Connections clues and answers for today's puzzle #1,220 on October 13.
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Hisense PX4 Pro review: Perhaps just one software update away from true splendorThe Hisense PX4 Pro is the latest UST projector from Hisense, but a few poor choices taint its upgrades slightly.
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I tested Sony’s new $68 headphones and they prove that you don’t have to spend more money for better soundThe Sony WH-CH530 headphones are affordable, bright and make you want to listen all day. I put them to the test, and this budget pair has got it right.
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I asked an audio engineer which earbuds he actually wears — and it’s not Apple, Bose or SonyI asked a Knowles Audio engineer which earbuds he uses, and I have never felt more vindicated in my life. Everyone needs to know about these underdogs.
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