Microsoft introduces smart, wireless Surface Earbuds

Everyone seems to have ridden the wireless, smart earbuds train. The latest to join the trend is Microsoft with the Surface Earbuds. The large, disc-shaped Earbuds are designed to fit comfortably and to work with the natural shape of the human ear. Instead of having the usual circular plastic dome, it's more oval, so it can rest on two points of the ear. 

On top of having a better fit, audio is improved with what Microsoft calls "rich, immersive Omnisonic sound." There doesn't seem to be noise cancellation here, though. 

The large discs are used for touch controls, allowing you to swipe up and down to change volume or left and right to switch songs. You can also double-tap to play or pause music or triple-tap to call up Spotify. If you tap and hold, it'll pull up your default digital assistant.

The Surface Earbuds also offers things like live translation with over 60 languages or on-screen captions and translations for PowerPoint. And in the U.S., it gets screen-free integration with Office 365, allowing you to access Outlook and email using just your voice.

Microsoft promises an eight-hour battery life that's extended by the case, which adds another 16 hours.

The Surface Earbuds are expected to arrive in the U.S. in early 2020 for US$249 (around CA$332). We have no word yet when it will come to Canada, but Microsoft claims it will release it in more regions in early 2020 as well.