Typically, situational-awareness earbuds employ a mic to artificially relay ambient sound. Sony’s LinkBuds take another tack with a distinctive doughnut shape that allows external sound to directly enter the ear. These wireless earbuds avoid plugging the ear canal and offer a bevy of smart features: the option to tap next to your ear to control audio, adaptive volume adjustment for noisy environments, and auto-pausing when the wearer is speaking. For the 40% of Gen Z members who use headphones for five-plus hours every day, LinkBuds are a comfy option for seamlessly linking the digital and natural worlds.
Buy Now: Sony LinkBuds
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Succession Was a Race to the Bottom, And Everybody Won
- What Erdoğan’s Victory Means for Turkey—and the World
- Why You Can't Remember That Taylor Swift Concert All Too Well
- How Four Trans Teens Threw the Prom of Their Dreams
- Why Turkey’s Longtime Leader Is an Electoral Powerhouse
- The Ancient Roots of Psychotherapy
- Drought Crisis Spurs U.S.-Mexico Collaboration
- Florence Pugh Might Just Save the Movie Star From Extinction