Entertainment
Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: Whats the difference?
As holiday shopping kicks off in earnest, you’ve probably noticed that the new AirPods 4 come in two variants: one with active noise cancellation (ANC) and one without. But the question is, how do they compare to the AirPods 3?
It’s time for a good ol’ AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3 face-off, which will help you decide how they differ and whether the fourth-generation AirPods are worth the upgrade.
Or perhaps you’ve never owned AirPods and you’re wondering whether you should purchase the newest pair or grab its predecessor. No matter where you are in your purchase journey, we can help you through it with this in-depth comparative analysis of both the AirPods 4 and AirPods 3.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Price and availability
The AirPods 4, as mentioned at the outset, comes in two flavors: ANC and no ANC.
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AirPods 3
Credit: Mashable
The non-ANC model normally starts at $129.99, tough it’s on sale for $119.99 for Black Friday. However, if you want the model with ANC, you’ll have to shell out $179.99, which is $50 more.
The AirPods 4 offers an affordable entry point compared to the AirPods 3 that launched in 2021 with a starting price of $179.99.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Design
We interviewed two head honchos from the Apple team about the AirPods 4’s design, specifically Eric Treski, Director of AirPods Product Marketing at Apple, and Kate Bergeron, the Vice President of Hardware Engineering at Apple. They acknowledged that the AirPods line has a fit inconsistency hurdle that Apple has been struggling to overcome. Some users say that their AirPods fit just fine, but others say that they keep falling out.
AirPods 4
Credit: Apple
That said, the AirPods 4 has a new design that has the best fit for most. How did the company manage to accomplish this? Apple said that it did extensive research on ear shapes. “We’ve come up with a relatively efficient way to scan people’s ears through our own tools so we can build that database [and continue to find the ‘best fit’] on an ongoing basis,” Bergeron said.
As such, compared to other AirPods on the market, the AirPods 4 should be the most comfortable. The AirPods 4 have shaved-down stems and slimmer, more angular inserts compared to the AirPods 3. (The latter has larger, more bulbous inserts.) The new-generation AirPods are also slightly smaller than the AirPods 3, but they both weigh about the same (i.e., 0.15 ounces).
AirPods 3
Credit: Mashable
AirPods fit is subjective, but speaking anecdotally, the AirPods 4 fit very well — even better than the AirPods Pro that I own. No matter how much I shake my head, they don’t fall out.
Additionally, unlike the AirPods Pro line, the AirPods 4 continue to not have silicone ear tips.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: ANC, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive Audio
On the AirPods 3, you won’t find support for ANC, Transparency Mode, nor Adaptive Audio whatsoever.
AirPods 4
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
However, Apple changed that with the AirPods 4. The base model doesn’t offer any of the aforementioned features, but the pricier variant comes with all three.
In our interview with Apple, Treski explained that putting ANC in “open-air earbuds,” meaning earbuds that don’t have silicone tips like the AirPods Pro line, is quite tricky. The silicone tips act as passive noise cancellation tools because they’re blocking your ear canal from external noise, and they work in concert with hardware (like the H2 chip) and software to cancel out incoming noise.
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Apple admitted that the H2 chip has to work a little harder on the AirPods 4 to cancel out noise, but anecdotally, I can confirm that it works like a charm. Of course, no ANC headphones can completely eradicate noise, but in an airport, the AirPods 4 heavily subdued noises like chatty conversations and PA announcements. If I wanted to hear those PA announcements, I could turn on Transparency Mode. You can also use Adaptive Audio, which requires you to trust that the AirPods 4 can swap between ANC and Transparency Modes by intelligently determining whether the external noises are worth hearing. Sometimes it gets it right, sometimes it doesn’t, so I prefer to swap between Transparency and ANC modes myself.
AirPods 4
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
On the plane itself, AirPods 4 with ANC worked well in getting rid of some of the higher-pitched sounds that emanated from the plane — a cacophonous sound that, if you’ll permit me to use onomatopoeia, sounds like a “whishing” noise. But with the lower “humming” sounds of the engine, I could still hear them through the AirPods 4 with ANC. Overall, though, for a pair of open-air earbuds, the AirPods 4 with ANC does a great job at active noise cancellation.
It also helps that, as Apple told Mashable in an interview, the AirPods 4 with ANC borrows microphones from the AirPods Pro 2, which Apple says are “high quality” and contribute to the AirPods 4’s success with ANC.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Touch controls
With the AirPods 4 with ANC, you can press and hold the stem to toggle between ANC, Transparency, and Adaptive Audio modes. You can also finagle between the modes on your iPhone. (If you have an Android, you can’t select ANC options on your phone; you’ll have to rely on the touch controls.)
AirPods 4
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Touch controls you can find on the AirPods 3 and AirPods 4 include the following:
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Play/pause: press the stem
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Play next track: Double-press the stem
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Play the previous track: Triple-press the stem
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Answer calls: press the stem
Unfortunately, however, both models still lack on-bud volume controls, which is a common user complaint.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Sound quality
According to our review of the AirPods 3, these buds are already pretty impressive.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
However, in my experience, the AirPods 4 takes it up a notch. I listened to my favorite song of the year, “Espresso,” on AirPods 4 with ANC, and it felt as if Sabrina Carpenter was singing the song right in front of me in a soundproof cafe.
The AirPods 4 (ANC and non-ANC models) and the AirPods 3 have support for Personalized Spatial Audio, which means that, depending on your ears, the earbuds offer the best customized listening experience designed for you. However, the AirPods 4 takes it up a notch because it adds an improved amplifier and driver, which leads to better bass, and clearer mids and highs.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Siri Interactions
The AirPods 4, whether they have ANC or not, support something called Siri Interactions.
AirPods 3
Credit: Mashable
Siri Interactions, which are not available on the AirPods 3, allow you to nod yes or shake your head no to questions or statements from Siri. For example, when Siri tells you there’s an incoming call, you can nod to take the call or shake your head to reject it.
This allows you to have a hands-free experience wit your AirPods 4.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Case
The AirPods 4 case got a slight makeover. It’s the smallest AirPods case that Apple has ever produced. So if you’ve been dreaming of an even more pocketable pair of AirPods, the AirPods 4 is the one for you. This new AirPods 4 case ships for both models: ANC and non-ANC.
AirPods 3
Credit: Mashable
It’s also worth noting that, on the AirPods 4 case, you won’t find the same pairing button that was featured on the AirPods 3’s case. I learned the hard way that it’s not there anymore. (I was scratching my head trying to find it for far too long — until I discovered that there’s a new pairing button that’s now hidden.) The pairing button has been replaced with a capacitive touch feature on the front. So when you open the case (with the AirPods 4 in them), you’ll see a green light, which indicates the battery status is in good standing. Double tap on that light until you get a blinking white light, which will allow you to initiate pairing mode, so you can connect the AirPods 4 to your device.
Another difference is that the AirPods 4 case now has a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) radio inside it, allowing you to find the case independently from the buds in case you lose them.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Battery life
We don’t have in-house testing for the AirPods 3, but according to Apple, they last up to six hours on a single charge.
AirPods 4
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
We did, however, test the AirPods 4; it lasted 5 hours and 12 minutes. (This almost matches Apple’s own rating; the Cupertino-based tech giant said it can survive for up to 5 hours on a single charge.) In my experience, Apple’s claims typically match Mashable’s own runtime figures, so there’s a good chance that you’ll squeeze out more battery life out of the AirPods 3, which has a six-hour battery life rating, compared to the AirPods 4.
Apple AirPods 4 vs AirPods 3: Which should you buy?
If you’re looking for the best value, the AirPods 4 offers more bang for your buck, particularly the ANC model. You get Siri Interactions, a more findable and compact charging case, and improved bass, mids, and highs.
However, the AirPods 3 — while lacking ANC — still delivers solid sound quality and reliable battery life. So, if you’re all about advanced features and noise cancellation AirPods 4 is the way to go. But if you prefer a simple, proven pair of earbuds, the AirPods 3 will still hold up.
Entertainment
The Odyssey cyclops was inspired by one of historys goriest paintings
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey draws from the literature of antiquity, but there’s an art history reference in the film that’s relatively more recent. And deeply gory.
In a major moment from Homer’s epic poem, Odysseus (Matt Damon) is heading home from the Trojan War with his men when they stop by an island for food and supplies. It’s here they find themselves trapped in the sheep-filled cave of the mighty Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), a towering cyclops who casually changes up his daily diet of homemade artisanal cheese for a bloody feast of weary Ionian soldiers.
The Odyssey‘s production design of Polyphemus is terrifying and weird: a colossal, awkward, human-like form with twisted facial features including a solitary, rotated eye. Snatching up Odysseus’ crewmates like popcorn, the cyclops stands for a moment crunching on a newly headless man, his bleeding body limp in the creature’s hand.
It’s this moment that art history nerds (hi) might connect with a familiarly gory scene, of a wild god feasting upon a torso: Francisco Goya’s early 1820s masterpiece, Saturn Devouring His Son.
Francisco Goya’s “Saturn Devouring His Son.”
Credit: Fine Art Images / Heritage Images/ Getty Images
Nolan has confirmed the cyclops was inspired by the 19th-century Spanish artist’s famous work, which depicts a violent moment from ancient Greek myth. As detailed in Barry B. Powell’s Classical Myth, Zeus’ dad Cronus (called Saturn by the Romans), was the leader of the Titans, powerful beings who sired the Olympian gods. Cronus’ mum Gaia (Terra) and dad Ouranos (Uranus) had a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his divine children — Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, or Hades. So, what did Cronus do? He ate them.
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In fact, Cronus threw back his kids whole, which is important later in the story (Zeus, who was born in secret, managed to get his dad to vomit up his siblings and they indeed rose up against the Titans). But in Goya’s painting, Saturn/Cronus has not eaten his brood whole. With those wild eyes open, he’s ripped the head and arms off one of his children and is snacking away on the torso like a baby with a teething rusk. It’s pure madness.
And this is exactly how Nolan has Polyphemus feast on the Greek soldiers in The Odyssey. Like a child. A wild child of gods. Which, incidentally, is what Polyphemus is — the son of sea god Poseidon and oceanid or sea nymph Thoosa.
It’s no wonder Nolan had Goya’s gruesome visual on his mood board. Back to the original ancient text, Homer’s description of the cyclops’ feast (translated by Emily Wilson) is just as grisly, as he writes, “Leaping up high, he reached his hands towards my men, seized two, and knocked them hard against the ground like puppies, and the floor was wet with brains. He ripped them limb by limb to make his meal, then ate them like a lion on the mountains, devouring flesh, entrails, and marrow bones, and leaving nothing.”
Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens also did a horrifically figurative version of Saturn Devouring His Son earlier in the 17th century, a moment of infanticide and child cannibalism which can’t really be unseen.
So, when you’re watching The Odyssey, think of Goya’s bloodthirsty, paranoid Saturn and one of the most gory snackscapades in art history.
Entertainment
Grab a lifetime Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus license for just $54.99
TL;DR: Save $195 and own Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for $54.99 with a lifetime license for one Windows PC — no recurring subscription fees.
Monthly subscriptions make sense for some software. But if you use the same Windows PC every day and simply want Microsoft Office installed and ready to go, paying once can be the simpler option.
That’s what makes Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus worth a look. You can currently grab a lifetime license for $54.99 (reg. $249.99), giving you permanent access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access on one Windows PC.
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The important thing to know is that this version uses a device-linked license, not one tied to your Microsoft account. That’s the trade-off that helps keep the price lower. If you’re buying Office for a computer you plan to keep for a while, that may be a perfectly reasonable compromise.
You’ll also avoid recurring Microsoft 365 payments while still getting the productivity apps most people use every day. Whether you’re building spreadsheets, writing reports, creating presentations, or managing email, the core experience is designed for long-term stability.
It also includes Dark Mode and is built to perform well on a wide range of hardware without requiring an ongoing subscription.
If your goal is simple — a full Office suite on one Windows PC with no recurring fees — this is an easy way to get there.
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Get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for a one-time $54.99 (reg. $249.99).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
R-Rated Director’s Cut Of The Worst X-Files Movie Is Streaming In Less Than A Month
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Possibly no TV series ever made has had such a meteoric rise and epic fall as The X-Files. The early seasons captivated ‘90s audiences with a potent combination of sexy lead actors and stories about alien abductions and government conspiracies. The franchise arguably hit a high point with the first movie, The X-Files: Fight the Future. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Later seasons got progressively worse, and David Duchovny eventually left the show for good. He came back for the worst revival in television history, one that followed up on some of the revelations of the second movie, The X-Files: I Want To Believe.
Whereas Fight the Future advanced the complex mythology of the series, I Want To Believe was modeled more after the series’ monster-of-the-week episodes. Unfortunately, the monster was weaksauce, and the film’s vestigial ties to some of the stupider lore really dragged it down. But could this failed film be one good edit away from being a banger? Chris Carter seems to think so. Last year, he teased that he was working on an R-Rated director’s cut of the film, one that brings it to bloody life like never before. Now, fans will be able to judge for themselves: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn will begin streaming on Hulu on August 14.
Somehow, Mulder And Scully Returned
The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a movie where Mulder and Scully have long since left the FBI; she’s a doctor, and he’s a hermit. But when an FBI agent gets kidnapped, and a Catholic priest starts seeing her in psychic visions, the Bureau gets Mulder to consult on the case because of his prior experience with all things spooky. Unfortunately, the PG-13 movie was a flop: it has a 32 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes from critics and audiences alike. It also earned only $68.4 million against a $30 million budget, with its box office likely suffering because it premiered only one week after Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
It’s a movie so bad that most X-Files fans would rather forget that it exists. However, when Chris Carter appeared on David Duchovny’s Fail Better podcast last year, he said that he was working on an R-rated director’s cut and hinted that it would premiere on streaming. “Now I have a chance to go back and make the scary movie that I always intended to make,” he said. “It’s not just doing a director’s cut to do a director’s cut. It’s really kind of bringing to life something that for me was on the page and never got to the screen.”
It’s Alive!
For better or for worse, the teasing is over. Previously, the new cut (titled The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn) was set to debut on Disney+ in June, but it got quietly yoinked off that streamer’s schedule to make time for some last-minute tweaks. Now, the movie is set to premiere on Hulu on August 14. While Carter is excited to show us his original vision for this flawed sequel, it’s not yet clear how it will differ from the theatrical version. It’s also not clear what the weird new title is about, though many think it’s a hint that Carter has, Frankenstein-style, cobbled together a new film out of assorted footage that had been left on the cutting room floor.
Will this director’s cut from Chris Carter leave fans screaming “it’s alive,” or will we just want to burn the movie with fire? Like Mulder always says, the truth is out there. And we can find out together: The X-Files: I Want to Believe Vrach Frankenshteyn premieres on Hulu on August 14. Here’s hoping it can help to erase the stink of Season 11 from our collective minds!
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